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www.nst.com By Zalina Mohd Som It has a little bit of everything – four-wheel drive ride, short uphill trekking, descend trekking by slippery waterfalls and camping by the clear waters of Sungai Kacah.
The expedition to the almost-unknown Jeram Harimau Berjemur (Tiger Falls) about an hour's drive from Rompin starts at the point where the tarmac road to Muadzam Shah is separated from dirt road to Kampung Kedaik.
Fondly known as the "sun tai wong" among off-roaders, the dirt road leads some 25km into the rainforest to the border of Hutan Simpan Lesong and Taman Negara Endau Rompin.
The word "sun tai wong" is actually the type of logger trucks that used the road to ferry out logs. Since logging only stopped recently, the route gives the four-wheel vehicles "fresh" and unforgiving off-road thrills.
The trail, on the other hand, only "allows" experienced and frequent off-roaders to go "in" as there are junctions that lead to, unbelievably, other towns neighbouring the rainforest.
It takes about an hour to reach the campsite located at the rocky Sungai Kacah. There is a simple four-pillar-and-a-roof hut, the only man-made structure in the forest.
The main purpose of the whole trip – the Jeram Harimau Berjemur – is only around 30-minute uphill trekking from the campsite.
Though it is not suitable for soaking, Tiger Falls has its own charm to cool down the heated body after the trek. The cool water lazily flows down through the rocks.
If you give the rocks a closer look, you might fine heart-shaped rocks or silky smooth ones. Right underneath the flat river floor that juts out of the earth edge is a cave where tigers choose to escape the burning sun.
It is said the tigers will come in groups. However, it is most unlikely for adventurers to "join" the tigers as they are afraid of humans. One can still feel the excitement of knowing that there are fresh marks left by the animals.
Trekking down to the campsite takes another 20 minutes. Interestingly, the trail follows the river bank forcing trekkers to carefully plant their foot on the slippery trail of the beautiful Jeram Bertingkat.
The Cascading Falls has seven tiers and looks very much like a man-made waterfall that usually adorns a landscaped garden.
Though there is a short-cut that leads straight to the falls, the Tiger Falls route is the best as it captures both waterfalls.
Again, the drive back to civilisation has to follow the raw off-road trail which definitely will be more "interesting" with the help of rain.
(The tour, exclusively organised by Mudtrekker Adventure Travel, Tel: 03-7054284 or log on to www.mudtrekker.com, was part of Tourism Malaysia's familiarisation trip to Pahang recently. Other destinations covered were Jeram Besu, Kuala Gandah, Jenderak and a snorkelling excursion off Rompin.)
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