Sunday 22 September 2013



GUA kandu and gua TEMPURONG CAVING ADVENTURE GOPENG PERAK MALAYSIAMOBILE : 6012 3695862




Caves Exploration in Gopeng Perak
GUA KANDU , GOPENG PERAK
Gua Kandu is a dry limestone cave system located some 15 minutes drive from Rumah Rehat Adeline. Although not as famous as its cousin Gua Tempurung, Gua Kandu also forged its name in the Malaysia history. During the Emergency Period, Gua Kandu used to be one of the major strongholds for members of Communist Party of Malaya (CPM). Evidences of these former cave dwellers still can be seen in some sections of Gua Kandu.
Spanning about 1,100m in length, the caving activity will take about 2 hours to complete, depending on the weather condition. Inside the cave, you’ll be fascinated with interesting rock formations, stalagmites and even patterns on the wall as you go from one chamber to another, while listening to our guide tell stories from Gua Kandu’s history.

  
Package Rate     :  RM 50.00 per person minimum 5 pax
Optional Lunch   :  RM   20.00 per person

Notes :
No children rate
All ages welcome 
Tour starts from Gopeng and takes approximately 3 hours
Departs in the morning 
Package Itinerary0930 hrs Pick up at Gopeng Town. Depart to Kandu Cave. Journey will take around 20 minutes.
0950 hrs Arrive at Kandu Cave. Briefing will be given by guide, start caving. Kandu cave exploration for three hours.
1250 hrs Depart to lodge area for lunch.
1350 hrs Freshen up. Transfer back to Gopeng Town.
IncludesTransfers within activity area,
Cave guide,
Necessary equipment,
Entrance fee,
Bottled water,
Light Refreshment

Remarks



Things to Bring: 

Strap sandal / shoes,
Torch light(with extra battery),
Insect repellent

What to Wear:

T-Shirt (dark / colored),
Track Pants


Excerpts of onhand experience


Where the sun Never Shine

It was almost eleven at night when we piled into the beaten up off-road trucks,and another twenty minutes to arrive at the foot of Gua Kandu. The night air was cool, and even the slightest breeze sent shivers through our skins.
Marching single file, our group of thirty just-turned amateur adventure cavers made our way through waist-high shrubs to a steep hill of roots, oddly formed trees and earth. Uphill jungle trekking was one thing. Uphill trekking in the middle of the moonless night brought the expedition to a whole different level. Almost gracefully, we made our way roughly a hundred meters up the hill to the mouth of Gua Kandu, and skidded our way through its dusty opening.

Gua Kandu spans 1,100 meters in length. Besides a good torch, (the stronger the beam, the better) you might also consider bringing a headlamp, because exploring this cave is a hands and-knees experience. Long pants are almost a given and gloves are advisable. That, a small bottle of water, a good pair of shoes, a can-do attitude, and sheer guts was what was needed.
Caving or spelunking, is more than just a walk in a dark tunnel. The cave immediately descended from its entrance and as we picked our way between odd moulds of rock jutting from every direction, I could actually feel the sensation of us move deeper and deeper into tons and tons of massive rock. Luckily for us, there are no bats in Gua Kandu at this time of the year, or we would have had to contend with their droppings or guano.
Then came our first obstacle. It was a 10-foot rock cliff, which fell straight down, not good…. Our guides dropped a helicopter ladder and promptly disappeared into the chamber of darkness below! One by one, we followed suit. The ladder hugs the cliff, so to get proper footing on the rungs, a guide at the bottom of the cliff would sway ladder, with me on it of course, while I held on maybe just a little too tightly for comfort to it.
That was nothing however, compared to the second obstacle. Forty-five minutes into Gua Kandu, were giant moulds of smooth rock, which was far too dangerous to walk on, and with hardly enough grip to stand on. To our sheer horror (and excitement, really!), our guide sat right at the very top of the circuit of moulds – and pushed off - sliding into its dark bottom!
Then, we were made to sit at the very same spot, straighten our legs and trust the rock to give us the slide of our lives. To be perfectly honest, it was pretty steep, and the speed we went was gut-wrenching and exhilarating. Trust is one of those things you’re quickly forced to learn on this obstacle – trust in the rocks not hurting you and trust in your friends who are there to break your fall at the bottom of the rocks.
Our third obstacle really was literarily speaking, a series of obstacles. The cave roof got lower and lower, or was it that the cave floor got higher and higher? Before I knew it, I was crawling on my hands and knees, trying not to bump my head on the solid rock above. A damp patch appears and we cross the path of a small cave river.
That was when we arrived at the cave’s main chamber. It was massive. Nothing as huge as the caves in Sarawak, but when you consider that it is a pod of air in the middle of a giant rock, it is still immensely impressive. As we sat in a circle in the cave’s chamber, we turned off all our torches and headlamps, and observed an eerie silence, and let nature have her moment.
There was the dripping sound of water, and faintly echoing through the cave, a buzzing insect. I imagined that this was how cave dwellers lived. Perhaps a fire was lit at the mouth of the cave, but in here where the air was still, how could they have made their way around? Human determination to survive is one thing. Human perseverance is a whole different level of instinct, which we learnt to admire that night.
It is just past 1am when we exited Gua Kandu – about an hour earlier than expected. That was when our guides put forward the idea of going to yet another cave – a crystal cave! And we thought since we were already muddy
and dusty, why not?
Gua Angin is located fifteen minutes from Gua Tempurung. It is evident that Gua Angin is a more frequented by visitors. A makeshift wooden staircase has been built into and against the cave entrance. A far less challenging cave as compared to Gua Kandu, Gua Angin is a simple walk with just a few narrow tunnels at its mouth. The sights within the cave nevertheless, would literarily bring a sparkle to one’s eyes.
The stalactites and stalagmites of the cave glitter with millions of sparkling crystallites – the kind you can find at expensive Chinese gem shops. They shimmered as the beam of our torches fell on them. Gua Angin was named such because it is also a wind tunnel. This was evident from the hollow echoes heard from inside the cave.
Gua Tempurung, later that morning, was almost easy compared to the previous night’s adventure. The thing about this cave that makes the visit worthwhile are the rock formations naturally found within the cave. This is where getting a really good guide is almost essential.
There are basically two kinds of trails in Gua Tempurung – the completely dry ones, and the ones with a water element. Naturally, we had to go on the wet one. After almost two hours of immensely interesting rock formations, we come to what adventure cavers call, a rat hole – a tiny crack on the cave chamber floor that we needed to climb through. The crack led to a lower chamber in the path of a shallow cave river.
We followed the river route, practically walking on the water as the cave roof got lower and lower… and lower and lower. Eventually, we were on our hands and knees again, crawling through the low arches of the cave, almost completely soaked in water.
According to our guides, during the monsoon season when the river level rises, hardcore adventure cavers would have to go underwater in these very tunnels to get to the connecting chambers.
A host of other extreme activities are also available at Gua Tempurung, such as rock climbing, flying fox and abseiling. There is also a camping site just at the foot of the cave. We camped out for two nights there, motivating each other and learning a great deal about one another along the way – proof really, that although physical fitness is required to complete these extreme tasks, strength of heart is what it takes to appreciate its essence.
Notes:

  • Outdoor activities are subject to weather conditions and may be reorganised to best meet operational situations.
  • Please bring sun block, t-shirt and shorts, towel, and change of clothes, sneakers or river sandals, waterproof camera, goggles for those who wear contact lenses, spectacle strap for the bespectacled, mosquito repellent, torchlight and comfortable walking shoes.
  • Transport can be arranged from Kuala Lumpur to Gopeng. Please enquire for more information.

  • Other packages or combination of packages and accommodation are also available.
GUA TEMPURONG OR GUA TEMPURUNG , GOPENG PERAK

The Wondrous Caves
One of the most majestic white marble and limestone towers in Malaysia is the Gunung Tempurung. Concealed within this limestone massif is an intricate system of caves of various dimensions honeycombed inside the limestone hills. These caves are actually a breathtaking gallery of stalagmites and stalactites and other amazing rock formations which are superb speleogical wonders found only in this part of the world.






Tempurung Caves is located in Gopeng, Perak and can be reached from the North-South Highway by exiting through the Gopeng interchange (about 25km south of Ipoh).

Be prepared to enjoy the tranquility of rural village lifestyles as you drive by. You'll will see how simplicity works wonders in creating peace and harmony for the gentlefolks there. Truly a unique society, the social values here are only to earn an honest wage and help one another.

After you pass the village, you will pass through numerous former tin mining properties that have been converted into duck and fish farming activities. There are enough directional signboards that lead to the caves (Gua Tempurung) as soon as you clear the Gopeng Interchange.

Believed to have existed since early 8000 B.C., Gua Tempurung is probably the largest natural limestone structure in Malaysia.
Explore Perak's best-kept secret, the Tempurung Caves. One of the most majestic white marble and limestone towers in Malaysia. Concealed within the massif structure is an intricate system of caves filled with various combed dimensions.
Known to the locals as Gua Tempurung, the name conjures images of mystery and intrigue that ensures a peek into its deep and dark secrets. It comprises of five huge domes with ceilings resembling coconut shells.
Each of these domes have different calcium formations and marble that exist in differing temperatures and water levels.
These caves are famous for its breathtaking gallery of stalagmites, stalactites and other amazing rock formations that are superb speleological wonders, found only in this part of the world.
There are various tours into the caves being the main attraction here. These caves are located under the limestone hills and form tunnels that runs from east to west, nearly 1.9km in length.
Visitors can experience these tours with specific requirements of prior preparation. Certain tours such as the River Adventure Tours require visitors to bring a change of clothes and shoes. Torch lights and safety helmets are available for rent.

TYPE OF PACKAGES AVAILABLE (rates is the same as stated below)
Type
Code  
Duration
Grading
Bridge to platform  no 2Batu Mengalir Emas40 Minutes
Easy
Bridge to Platform no 5Top of the world1 Hour 45 Minutes
Moderate
River RouteRiver Route 2 Hours
Moderate
Bridge to Platform no 5 and return via river route Top of the world and River Route 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Exciting and Challenging
Entrance and exit to caves via riverSupreme tour of Gua Tempurung3 Hours
Tough and Challenging
TOUR PACKAGE - EX-KUALA LUMPUR
Package Rate : Min 8 persons - RM 98.00 per person

(Min/Max 8 person per van)
                         
Rates quoted in Malaysian Ringgit subject to 10 % service charge & 5 % government tax.
Package Includes :
  • Return  transfers from Kuala Lumpur
  • Lunch
  • Entrance Fees
  • Guided tour of Gua Tempurung
Trip Itinerary
Depart Kuala Lumpur at 0700 hour for Gopeng in Perak 
On arrival  at foothills of Gua Tempurung. Briefing and commence exploration of the cave. Packed lunch will be provided. Return to Kuala Lumpur at 1500 hours
What to Bring
  • Good walking shoes
  • Change of clothes
  • Towel
  • Toiletries
  • Insects Repellent
  • Torch Light