Facts
- Elevation: 2,168 m (7,113 ft)
- Prominence: 638 m
- Ribu category: Spesial
- Province: Peninsular Malaysia
- Malaysian state: on the border of Kelantan and Perak
- Google Earth: kml
- Rating:
- Other names: none.
Photos
Bagging It!
Gunung Yong Yap is considered to be one of the tougher treks in Peninsular Malaysia, with leeches, sandflies and even the vague possibility of Malayan tigers! There are also several river crossings.
Most hikers require a minimum of 2 full days and 1 night and most spread it over 3 days. There are 2 main trailheads and three main routes.
One route starts in the north at an Orang Asli village at Kuala Mu (640m). A 4WD is usually used to reach this trailhead. The trail leads via Pintu Rimba (820m), Kem Sangkut (1,085m), Bukit Tampoi (1,115m), Kem Pondok / Sungai Cinak (1,085m) and Last Water Point (1,835m).
The southern route is from Regil (660m), Cameron Highlands. The trail leads via Kebun Durian (durian plantations, 685m), Sungai Biru (750m) and Simpang Y (900m). This is an important junction as you can decide whether or not to hike clockwise via Tok Nenek (1,905m) and Gunung Bubu (1,974m – not to be confused with the separate mountain range near Kuala Kangsar) or anti-clockwise via Kem Agas. The following description assumes you hike clockwise, but it could be done anti-clockwise too, or simply using only one of the possible two routes in both directions from the lower trail junction to the upper trail junction.
Heading west from the lower Simpang Y (900m), the clockwise trail leads via Kem Lengkuas (1,095m), Kem Kicap (1,125m), Kem Hari (1,210m) and Kem Belumut (1,480m) which is a good camp spot as there is a water source. It then ascends steeply up onto Tok Nenek which offers fantastic views, Kem Puncak Kambing (1,885m), Puncak Kayung (1,903m) which is almost as high as Tok Nenek, before dropping down to the col (Low Point, 1,695m). Then it is straight up Gunung Bubu, down the other side and up to the upper Simpang Y (1,915m) which is the upper junction where the clockwise or anticlockwise trails meet higher up. Beyond here, the trail enters moss forest before reaching the summit.
Descending clockwise from the upper Simpang Y, the trail leads via Kem Last Water Point (1,760m), Kem Balak Pecah (1,675m), Kem Sungai Y Kecil (1,340m), Kem Agas (1,135m), and several more streams before reaching the lower Simpang Y (900m) again.
The word ‘yong’, used for the similarly-named Gunung Yong Belar, is apparently a very old local word meaning ‘older or eldest brother’ so it could perhaps be understood to refer to the respect with which local communities regard these mountains.
Trail Map
For a high quality PDF version of this and other trail maps, please download from our Trail Maps page.
Local Accommodation
Practicalities
- Getting there: Ipoh is the closest train station.
- Trip planning assistance: Would you like Gunung Bagging to personally help you in arranging your whole trip? Please contact us here.
- Permits: A guide is mandatory and permit required. You can register and pay for an e-Permit online from the Forestry Department of Malaysia website.
- Water sources: Available as far as Last Water Point (1,935m) on the Kuala Mu trail, as far as Kem Belumut (1,480m) on the clockwise trail via Tok Nenek, and as far as Kem Last Water Point (1,760m) on the anti-clockwise trail via Kem Agas.
Local Average Monthly Rainfall