As i blog this, my arms and butt and neck are still itching from the bites of the leeches from yesterday's BIG TREE HIKE. This trail is raw, broken and filled of blood suckers. However, this unexplored trail lost to the world, is home to arguably the biggest tree I have ever seen in the Selangor/Negeri Sembilan area! There are similar size ones in Bukit Bal at Seremban too but not quite as huge!
Broga hill on the Selangor side is one of the most popular weekend hikes notorious for its' scorching trail through grassy hills. However, if you venture a little further down the road toward Negeri Sembilan border you will reach the obscure and rather unknown side of Broga that hides an enormous treasure! Discovered by some hash groups, this Giant Tree was lost to the world during the Covid lock down, but once again rediscovered! #brogahill
FUNFACT POKOK TUALANG
Koompassia excelsa, pokok tualang is amongst the tallest trees in the world. Tallest recorded was 85.76m in Sabah. #pokoktualang
The tree is the favourite nestling ground for the giant honey bees. This honey is believed to have high medicinal value! While the collection of the honey is another tall order!
The aboriginal communities believe that the Tualang tree is inhabited by spirits or supernatural beings. It is often considered a sacred tree and commonly left alone in heavily logged areas. The giant tree sticks out like a tower in most secondary forest.
bee collectors harvesting the honey
Starting point: Park at the clearing right before the camp
Hike Duration: Allow around 5hours to and fro (7km, very raw trail)
End Hike: Loop to Waterfall
Fees : no toilets, shower at the waterfalls
Hike Difficulty: 3.5/5
Scenery Rewards: no vantage view, but the gigantic tree
What to bring
1. Basic first aid stuff such as disinfectant, ankle guard in case you sprain your ankle, band-aid.
2. Walking stick. The ascent here is steep and broken ground
3. Raincoat and Poncho
4. At least 1l of water, pack lunch, snack!
5. Change of clothes
6. Good pair of hiking shoes is absolutely necessary
7. Gloves
8. Leech Alert! So do bring a Dettol or Listerine spray. Let me recommend this cheap but effective compression leech sock that works wonders Findcool (click here)
9. Check the weather forecast
10. CAP! the trek to the trailhead is uncovered and can be scorching in the midday sun
Note: The trail is really wild, there were some parts toward the waterfall we had to literally slide down the sloop. Best to not rush yourself but be slow and stead. One hiker fell off the steep cliff but luckily a tree broke his fall. It is not pleasant!
The total elevation was about 610m for a short 3.5km trek. I learnt, never to underestimate a short hike!
Carpark to crossroads
Park at the clearing, and start hike towards the mountains. You'll pass a swiftlet farm house, carry on the ascending laterite trail until you reach the crossroad!
Crossroad to Giant Tree
In less than 5 meters after the right turn, make another right at the obscure junction towards the BIG TREE! There should be a blue ribbon marker there tied by the loving bare foot sister Foong! She is an amazing lady who hikes everywhere with her bare feet!
After the right, shortly you'll cross a small stream, and the ascend gets steeper. Along the way you'll see many dancing leeches making their way to you! They lurk on leaves and branches and on the grounds!
Giant Tree to Waterfall
The tree is around appx. 2.8km from the trailhead. All of us were astonished to see the colossal tree towering us. Just the buttress was over 2 meters high! I was tying to lookout for nails on this tree which honey harvesters use to climb but did not find them. Perhaps it is on the other side?
The tree's massive trunk is encircled by a series of imposing buttresses. The bulging roots gives strong structural support that extended upward of the sloop. I wonder how many generations this tree has outlived and hope it will remain strong and mighty! #bigbrogatree
We refuelled and continued our climb to the peak. The climb was steeper than before and broken at some parts! The leeches continued coming at us and by now, most of us had few bites and none were unscathed!
From the peak, we leftthe secondary forest and entered the area of an abandon orchard. There were many fruit trees, on the downhill sloop, mainly chempedak, durian and more durian!
The terrain was extremely muddy and we were sliding down the slopes dodging the occasional durian booby traps scattered all over the ground!
There was a feeling of fun, exhilaration and amusement as we descend with no control on the slippery slope flanked at both sides with the pretty bee hive ginger and durian aromatics in the air!
We whizzed past the abandon orchard and continued through bushes and bamboo grooves.
And soon we could hear the gurgling river. The trail hugs the sides of the hill while the right side drops to the river, heavily canopied by layers of bushes and trees.
Take note of the blue ribbon markers on the right towards the waterfall!
RETURN
The return journey back to the carpark from the waterfall just takes around 1.5km.
Reflections
This hike to the BIG BROGA TREE was exhilarating, quick and short! The colossal tree is indeed ethereal and the forest, enchanting!
I was equally as astonished by sister Foong's barefoot hike thus far! She does all her hikes with her bare foot! The bloody leeches don't bother her or affect her in any way! She is a true character and I am humbled to hike alongside her!
Date visited: 6th August 2023
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