Green wilderness in the heart of the city.

City folks can now have a delightful morning walk / hike surrounded by the green wilderness of a secondary forest, in the heart of the city.

I had the privilege to join a private guided tour that was both fun and educational.

Starting from the Nursery Entrance, we followed numbered Checkpoints (CP) 1 – 11 with a detour at CP 10 to the Campsite Entrance.

Just 15 minutes into the walk, our guide Muru pointed out and shared interesting facts on the symbiotic relationship between the macaranga tree and ants, ‘kadok’ leaves for deworming, ‘atapchi’ sugar palm seed and ‘liana’ highways.

The Macaranga provides food and nesting sites inside their naturally hollow stems to the ants in return for protection against herbivores, insects and pathogenic fungi.

Source : Researchgate.net

The sugar palm seed (atapchi) is a common ingredient in local dessert ‘ais kacang’

Thai dish – Mieng Kiam promotes deworming properties of kadok leaves

*Squirrels and insects use ‘liana’ highways to move from tree to tree*

At CP 11, there is the option to connect to Phase 2 trails (opened in December) which extends another 2 km. I liked the new extension for its natural terrain of gentle slopes and earth paths.

At CP 15, we took the longer, more basic and narrow secondary trail to CP 16 walking alongside a stream towards CP 18.

Very kid-friendly stream crossing

At CP 19, we took a sharp left into another secondary trail, passing the swamp area to emerge at CP 23 stopping at the Gazebo at CP 24 before exiting at CP 25 for a quick tour of the Nursery.

Gazebo : Black steel framed treehouse with open platforms

Throughout the hike, I wondered why I was not bothered by mosquitoes, and got my answer when I saw what this park attendant had in his hand. He followed us for a bit to keep the blood suckers at bay. Much appreciated!

Perfect for beginners
Being relatively clean and devoid of leeches, these easy forest trails guarantee a positive experience, encouraging aspirants to develop a liking for the outdoors.

Opened since August 2018, the undulating phase 1 trails is just under 2 km, offering an enjoyable 30 – 45 minutes walk. The observation tower and swings are pleasant discoveries while exploring the maze of trails. Thoughtfully placed benches offer inviting rest-stops to better observe nature – lush foliage, varied tree species and plants.

The trails are wide, well signposted, has proper steps and ropes at steep sections. Trail Maps placed at strategic points help visitors to decide on their desired route. The self-guided trails are further supported by sequentially placed Checkpoints (CP) for easy navigation.

Amenities (clockwise from top left)
Forest House, Carpark, Nursery, Washrooms

Taman Tugu
Pesiaran Sultan Salahuddin
50480 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Free Admission

Trails	7.00am – 6.30pm daily	Distance	Duration
Phase 1	August 2018	2 Km	30 – 45 mins
Phase 2	December 2018	2 Km	25 – 30 mins
Phase 3	2022	3 Km	25 – 30 mins