Gunung Datuk (Y2017 Intro Trek)
BASIC INFORMATION
Trek: Y2017 Intro Trek
Date: January 2017
Location: Gunung Datuk, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Elevation: 884m
Duration: 1D1N
Time taken to ascend: 2h30m
Time taken to descend: 3h
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 0
2200 Gather at SMU
2330 Depart SMU
Day 1
0400 Arrival at Base of Gunung Datuk
0430 Commence Ascent
0700 Summit
0900 Commence Descent
1200 End of Trek
1230 Wash Up
1330 Depart for Lunch
1400 Lunch at Tampin
1500 Depart for JB/ SG 1730 Arrival at JB – RnR + Dinner
2000 Depart JB
2145 Arrival at SMU
Run a quick search on the internet and one would yield many positive reviews of Gunung Datuk. As one of the participants from the 2016 Intro Trek remarked, a trek up Gunung Datuk is one with “minimal effort and maximum reward”. Scrolling through pictures after pictures of Datuk’s summit view, our imagination took flight as we started to envision the splendid sight that would greet us at the end of our ascent. And so, it was decided that despite having organized an identical trek exactly a year earlier in 2016, it was time for us to pay Datuk a return visit.
At 2200hrs, the team gathered at SOB Atrium to collect the logistics and for a short pre-trip briefing. With the team comprising of many new trekkers, Datuk would serve as a great opportunity to expose them to the trekking scene. After completing all the administrative matters, the cue to sing the world’s most popular song – “Happy Birthday” – came! It was Jonas’, our 2IC’s special day, and with the help of everyone, we were able to successfully execute the surprise. After the enjoying the cake and taking a pre-trip group shot, it was time to board the vans and set off.
Pre-trip Group Shot
The travel to Datuk was smooth and uneventful. At midnight, there was little traffic and we were able to sail through the checkpoint with little delay. Many, if not all of us, made use of the 4-hour long journey to catch up on some rest.
At 0400 hours, we arrived at the base of Gunung Datuk. We were surprised by how full the carpark was, and the sheer number of weekend trekkers that had made it to Datuk. Time was of the essence if we wanted to beat the crowd! After consuming the simple breakfast we brought from home and performing some warm-up exercises, we linked up with the guides that would lead our assault up Datuk. Armed with our headlights, our quest to conquer Datuk began at 0430 hours.
From the start, we were greeted with steep inclines and root-laced paths, which was a far cry from the smooth pavements we were used to. The heavy foliage also reduced the visibility, with the forest canopy blocking out what little moonlight there was. At that point, it became obvious that the decision to equip each participant with a headlight was a good one. It sure was a challenging start to a trek that required “minimal effort”
Armed with our trusty headlight
Our first pit-stop
Despite these challenges, the team was able to make good progress. The taxing conditions did not persist, and the path became gentler and more scalable over time. Our intermittent breaks served as opportunities for team members to know one another better. During the ascent, it was also encouraging to see the more experienced and competent trekkers helping the others throughout the climb. Truly, this is environment that we strive to create.
As we approached the summit, we made an impromptu stop along the way. The guides told us to switch off the headlamps and look around us. Expecting to see fireflies or glowworms, we were busy looking around for these insects. However, these 20 pairs of eyes were unable to spot anything! The guide then proceeded to pick up a piece of wooden bark and looking closely, we were able to see small specks of light. The guide proceeded to explain to us that this was a type of luminous fungi. Some of us were really fascinated by it and wanted to take photos of it. Unfortunately our cameras were nowhere as sensitive to the light as our eyes, and all we could do was to keep a mental picture of it in our memories.
At 0645 hours, slightly over 2.5 hours into our climb, we caught sight of the boulders which signified that the end was near. All 20 of us lined up to climb the set of ladders that would take us to the summit of Datuk. Perhaps we were excited or maybe it was still dim, the height of the ladders did not prove a challenge for us on the way up. However, these very same ladders would prove to be a big hurdle for some of the participants later on.
Up the ladders
By 0700, all of us had made it to the summit of Gunung Datuk. After a strenuous journey up, the cool breeze and flat boulders made the summit seem like an ideal place to take a nap. While some chose to catch up on some rest, other decided to chase the sunrise. The summit was generally facing the North-West direction and this made it difficult to catch an unrestricted view of the sunrise. While we were unable to see the sunrise in its full glory, we were certainly able to catch glimpses of the sunrays peeking over the mountains.
As we waited patiently for the “egg yolk” to rise over the mountains and for the view in front of us to brighten up, a whiff of clouds engulfed the summit. For a moment, the whole view around us was blocked by the white wall. Having invested so much time and effort, we were certainly not leaving without a good show. Fortunately, after 15 minutes or so, the weather started to clear up and this time, we were able to get a better picture of the sunrise
Sunrise!
By this time, everyone was busy posing and snapping away. Gunung Datuk really does offer spectacular panoramic views and it is no wonder that the 2 hours we spent on the summit quickly slipped by. At 0900, we took our mandatory group shot before beginning to work our way down Datuk.
Panoramic View
Summit group shot!
The summit of Datuk is served by a set of ladders that can only take 1 trekker each at any time. As we started our ascent, we were met with traffic as trekkers were both trying to get up and come down from the summit. But with the help of our guides, who successfully regulated the traffic up and down the ladder, we were all able to get down safely. After successfully summiting, we thought the worst was behind us. But the descent proved equally, if not even more, challenging as we had built up a level of fatigue during the ascent. Heat was also starting to be an issue with the sun cast over us
Down the ladders
On our way down, we were surprised by our ability to overcome the steep and uneven terrain during the ascent at night. Paul, an exchange student from France, lamented that he could not believe we climbed up the steep slopes under the shroud of darkness. In hindsight, perhaps not knowing what laid ahead was a good thing. Many, including myself, would have shuddered at the sight of the path.
Did we climb this?
Final stages of our descent
After 3 hours, slowly but surely we safely made it back to the base of Gunung Datuk. We expressed our heartfelt gratitude and bade farewell to our guides before hitting the showers. Although the showers were very basic (cubical with pail & tap) and the cleanliness was less than ideal, the lure of a refreshing shower was hard to resist.
After washing up, it was already 1pm and we were eager to satisfy our hunger pangs. We had initially planned to head to Tampin town for lunch but were unsure what specialties Tampin had to offer. With the recommendation of our drivers, we decided to proceed to Mustafah Restaurant for Nasi Ayam (chicken rice). The chicken resembled Singapore’s roasted chicken with its crispy texture, but it had a unique sauce that made it all the more flavorful. The serving size was decent and the price was really affordable. I ordered 1 serving of chicken rice and 2 drinks, and the bill totaled RM11 (approximately SGD3.50 at the time of writing).
After lunch, some of the participants indicated that they would prefer to head back to Singapore, as they had classes the next morning or assignments to complete. Listening to their wishes, we split ourselves into 2 groups, with 1 van shuttling half of the participants back to Singapore and another heading to JB City Square Mall for a little RnR and dinner. Personally, having not explored JB Sentral for the past 10 years (yes, I am a hermit), I found that JB Sentral had changed a lot from my last visit. The 10 of us arrived at City Square Mall at 1730, and we spent 1.5 hours shopping before linking up and going for dinner at a Japanese Restaurant. We boarded our van at 2000 hours and thanks to the wits of our driver, we were able to make it back to SMU just before 2200.
So is Gunung Datuk truly a trek with “minimal effort, maximum reward”?
While one should not underestimate the difficulty of climbing up Gunung Datuk, Datuk does offer a great view, a great experience and a great opportunity to experience nature. For our time and efforts, Datuk is a great return on investment.
Lastly, I would like to thank all our participants for joining us on this Intro Trek and for being such great company! We hope to see you around for more Trek events.
“We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.” – Winnie the Pooh
Photo credits: Ko Shu
Written by: Bryan Ng, Trek IC
