sorry, only google translate
In order to break up the route between Kuala Lumpur and the planned island hopping for the Christmas season, we decided to pay a visit to the Cameron Highlands. Our feelings in advance were mixed due to various travel reports (keyword: mass tourism), but we still did not want to miss out on the Malaysian high mountains a little under the microscope. The Cameron Highlands are located at about 1200m above sea level and are mainly due to the extensive tea plantations known, in fact here is due to the climate (humid and year-round between 20 and 30 ° C, only at night it cools partly to dingy 10-14 ° C ab) almost everything grown, which is only somehow suitable for consumption. So we came already on the bus ride past countless plantations, which later grew to the cultivation of strawberries, cabbage, potatoes, garlic and much more. turned out.
The search for suitable activities was a bit more difficult, because most tours have set themselves the goal of transporting as many tourists as possible through as many different plantations as possible including factory outlet (in Chinese, the strawberry farms are probably very high in the race … ). The alternative, to hike on your own through the plantations and the surrounding jungle, seemed to us much more attractive, but because of the sometimes several kilometers distance between the starting points of the hikes logistically somewhat complicated. Since v.a. In Malaysia, the driving license controls are a bit stricter than in other countries of Southeast Asia, de lending a scooter also fell into the water. Finally, we found a tour that combined both the tea plantations and a guided jungle walk for a whopping € 20. And that should turn out to be a real lucky hit …
After a very delicious breakfast with our hostess, we were picked up by our Indian guide Satya and it went directly into the montane rainforest “Mossy Forest” declared only a few months ago. Along the way, we learned that Satya has been fighting with some of our fellow combatants for 15 years to protect this area. Accordingly, his inexhaustible knowledge of the park and all 400 animal, 600 insect and 8000 plant species that are in it, which he readily shared with us. In addition to the tours, Satya is also a passionate and professional wildlife photographer, spending several months each year in jungles or other inadequate areas, always looking for a specific animal. Among other things, two trips for a total of 4 months for a photo of a snow leopard to Nepal. Some photos of him are also in “National Geographic” to see.
A small section of the Mossy Forest is open for tourist groups only for an hour each day. This is of course great for nature conservation! However, we would find a footwear control much more effective, because on the really extremely muddy ground through the rain, we discovered everything from hiking boots to ballerinas really everything. Satya has probably even discovered a lady in high heels.
Anyway, after the really nice walk with lots of information through the forest we went back through the beautiful lush green tea plantations to a (very unspectacular) tea factory, which we also visited briefly. Here and on the way back to the lunch break we experienced the much-quoted mass tourism with miles of traffic jams to the tea plantation. After lunch we hiked for 2 hours through the jungle, unfortunately not as in Sumatra with exciting animal sightings, but Satya showed us many original plants (several sorts of ginger, pepper, cinnamon, banana trees, etc.) and like these of the remaining ones Native people are used. In addition, he showed us many of his really impressive photos of unfortunately mostly nocturnal animals, who feel at home in this forest. Et al Here lives the Fleckenmusang, a wildcat species that became famous mainly because of the half-digested coffee beans it caused. The resulting “cat coffee” is sinfully expensive.
All in all a very successful day, especially with the really excellent tour, perfectly rounded off by a really delicious Indian food in a small restaurant in a side street.