I arrived here together with my regular hiking gang, without any research or expectations, thinking this would be just another typical, touristy cave tour. I couldn’t have been more wrong. #guatempurung #cavingmalaysia
We chose Tour 3, which included a brief exploration into a subterranean river. The experience stirred a mix of emotions—trepidation and awe—especially as the darkness and the memories of past cave rescues, like the Thai boys, came to mind. The steep, seemingly endless stairs felt like a descent into the very bowels of the earth. The air was thick, stale, and humid, adding to the eerie atmosphere, while the dampness clung to everything around us.
Starting point: Entrance of Gua Tempurung
Hike Length: 2.4km
End Hike: Reemerge from the river
Track condition: sandy, rocky, on the river
Hike Difficulty: crawling, wadding through tight tunnels, labyrinth
Facilities: toilet with shower facilities
Scenery Rewards: be among thousands of years speleothems
What to bring
1. Water proof bag
2. Headlamps, are available for rent
3. Gloves optional
5. Helmet is provided
There are four tour packages to choose from, depending on your time flexibility and fitness level. Keep in mind that for Package 3 or 4, the excursion only begins if there are at least 10 participants. We were fortunate enough to persuade them to proceed with just the eight of us. It’s best to call directly to secure your booking and confirm availability, though booking through an agent can ensure a hassle-free experience.
Note: Tour 3 & 4 requires some crawling through very tight spaces, if you have claustrophobia, it might not be advisable to participate. In addition, the tour is subjected to weather conditions. Some parts of the underground cave chamber can be inundated very quickly if there is strong volume of water.
These are the available tour that is offered:
Dry Tour 1: Golden Flowstone – This tour takes you to platform 3, known as Golden Flowstone. Here, you’ll marvel at the stunning limestone formations that radiant a beautiful golden colour.
Dry Tour 2: Top Of The World – It will take you to platform 5, aptly named Top Of The World, as it offers the highest vantage point within the entire cave.
Wet Tour 3: Top Of The World and Short River Adventure – A minimum of 10 adults is required for this tour. The adventure spans a distance of about 2.4 kilometres. You can visit the Golden Flowstone and Top Of The World platforms. Afterwards, your guide will lead you back to the cave entrance by traversing the underground river.
Wet Tour 4: Grand Tour – Considered the most challenging tour, the Grand Tour covers a distance of 3.8 kilometres from the cave entrance to completion through the underground river.
FUN FACTS OF GUA TEMPURUNG
Gua Tempurung streches 4.5km, only 1.9 kilometres accessible to public
Made up of 5 huge domes. The Golden Flowstone Cavern, Tine Mine Cavern, Alam Cavern, Battlefield Cavern, Top of the World Cavern (that houses the gigantic column)
a subterranean river 1.6km runs through the cave, a tributary of the Sungai Tempurung River
The entire area, Kinta Valley was in the sea thousand of years ago
the cave follows a direct course through a mountain range called Gunung Gajah-Tempurung
During the Malayan Emergency 1948-1960, communist groups used the cave as a hide-out
small scale tin minning was carried out, from evidence of tools left behind
Cave trail
Platform 1 -5 covers around 640 steps on steel walkway. To get a benchmark, Batu Caves is only 272 steps! Although it is broken into many parts, it still doesn't discount the fact that you will be climbing some steep stairs in rather dim lighting in stale air. At some parts of the cave the unmistakable stench of bat droppings hangs in the air, a reminder of the cave's natural inhabitants.
Relief comes only upon reaching Alam Cavern, where a refreshing gust of wind flows through the cave’s opening. Midway through the ascent, one tourist experienced breathing difficulties, likely due to heartburn or indigestion. Although she recovered, she decided to turn back, choosing not to continue the journey.
As you enter the fifth cavern, known as the Top of the World Platform, you're greeted by a gargantuan column of speleothems, towering as if it has risen from the very depths of the earth. This stalagmite is "gergasi" or giant. It is truly a spectacular sight!
For those who took Tour 2, this is the part you need to backtrack and head back, but for Tour 3 and 4, this is where the excitement and fun begins.
Down in Hole to the subterranean river
From the Top of the World Platform, ..... the faint light from dim lamps barely reveals a stairway that stretches what feels like a mile down into the bowels of the earth. Snippets of Tolkien’s descriptions of the dwarves' deepest delvings and the nameless things lurking below flashed through my mind. Among our group, one person was visibly and vocally hesitant to descend, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. I shared the sentiment, though I kept it to myself. The scene was surreal. To the right, a massive column of rock (suppose to be a joined stalagmite/stalactite, that grows 1 inch very 200 years) towered larger than anything I’d ever seen. The stairs, slick with moisture, descended nearly ten stories (with no landing) into an oppressive darkness. What the fuuuuuuux
We began our descent down the stairway, leaving the vast dome behind and entering a new, darker space, step by cautious step. Our eyes gradually adjusted to the dimness, while we clung tightly to our headlamps, the only source of light, as there were no lamps to illuminate the stairs.
The descent felt endless, but eventually, we reached a flat landing. There was no obvious path ahead—only a natural limestone slide, sloping 90meters at a dizzying 80 degrees, plunging deeper into the earth.
We were suppose to crawl through a hole at the landing that leads further into a hidden chamber and eventually to the underground river.
It was really hard for our guide to explain to us in such darkness, what and where we were suppose to do and go. So at this point, few of us who were not comfortable sliding down an unknown limestone slide can bail without having to climb back up 10 storey flight of stairs. The was another entrance to the subterranean steam at another end. We waited patiently in pitch darkness (we turned off our head lamps to conserve energy) for the guide to return after leading few in our group to the other stream entrance. That few minutes in the dark with strange echoing water flows really felt like being in utero.
Although the slide is 90m long, the guide was there to break our fall. In the end it wasn't so daunting after all. From the flat chamber we go through a hole into another hidden chamber and slide down another shaft into the underground stream and regroup with our gang.
River trail
The adventure only intensified from here. We had to swim and crawl through the caves, navigating a labyrinth of ancient speleothems along a flowing river. Some chambers were so low we had to crouch, while others were filled with smooth, pink marble, polished over centuries by the stream's gentle flow. One chamber, in particular, had an immense shape, resembling the body of a whale, its curved walls like carved by waves adding to the sense of wonder.
The water level in the stream varies with the weather, so it's wise to bring a waterproof bag. On some days, swimming is necessary, while on others, simply crouching is enough to navigate the passage.
It took us about 40 minutes following the stream to reach the cave’s exit, where we were greeted by an opening, leading outside. It felt like a rebirth!
Reflections
This was one of those trips where I arrived with low expectations, only to be blown away by how action-packed the adventure turned out to be. Monica, one of our group members and a seasoned visitor to the caves, described it as an exhilarating experience—and I’ve learned never to underestimate the words of a 75-year-old adventurer.
If you're driving to Gopeng from Kuala Lumpur and looking for more than just a half-day workout, this caving adventure pairs perfectly with a visit to Bukit Batu Putih, located just 20 minutes from Gua Tempurung. Bukit Batu Putih offers a moderately easy 40-minute hike (one way) with breathtaking limestone landscapes that will make your photos look like you’ve traveled to the edge of the world—yet only 2 hours from Kuala Lumpur. And YES, I will do the Gua Tempurung caving again, this time maybe I'll go for Tour 4. Let's Go for it! #largestcaveinpeninsularmalaysia
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