Each time I travel on the Karak Highway, I am struck by the beauty of the rolling hills that are part of the Titiwangsa Range on both sides of the expressway. Less visible though is the Sungai Pisang waterfall located along the highway, a mere 30-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur.

The waterfall is accessible via the old Gombak-Genting road through a junction leading to some private chalets. A left trail along this road leads down to the water’s edge just before the pump house.

The jungle trek starts with a river crossing and then heads upstream along the Gombak River towards the Karak Highway. The good thing about getting your shoes wet almost immediately is that you will not hesitate to do it again at the other water sections.

Sungai Pisang flows through twin tunnels underneath the highway, with the much talked about waterfall lying upstream.

The hard-to-miss landmark towers overhead with the constant sound of passing cars drifting down from above.

There, beside a running stream with clear water over a sandy bottom, traffic noises fade away.

In the tranquil rainforest, babbling water and wildlife calls can be heard in the air around us. Many a hiker has likened the tunnel to a portal that transports one from a concrete jungle into a magical forest.

Eager to continue our adventure, we followed the obvious trail, keeping the river within sight on our left as much as possible. Our route was often blocked by fallen trunks, rocks and other debris. To stay on course, we repeatedly forded the river, sloshing through shallow, ankle-deep sections while carefully navigating entwined roots and rocks.

At the river confluence, two trails (Route 1 and Route 2) lead to the waterfall. The wider Route 2 splits off to the left away from the river, up a short uphill climb to campsites at the top of the waterfall.

Opposite the falls, a steep trail on the right climbs up the gorge to a large campsite at the top.

Continuing left takes you to the top of the falls. The upper falls has a cascade of smaller pools suitable for dipping. The top of the falls is also the site for supervised abseiling and team-building activities organised for adventure seekers.

Having enjoyed the trek in, we went back the same way for another dose of river sloshing. We crossed underneath the highway and walked through the ‘portal’ again. After two blissful hours in a tropical paradise, it was back to the reality of city life with fond memories of Sungai Pisang.

There is an alternative route that gets you to the highway in just 30 minutes. At the campsite, a trail on the right stretches out 1km to a clearing above the highway, before dropping at a 40° incline down to emerge at KM28.7. From here, the 1.5km walk on the side of the highway takes only 25 minutes.

A huge signboard with a telecommunication tower directly opposite is the entry point back into the forest. Go down the cascade drain to rejoin the river just before the twin tunnels.