Working in the sports industry, there are many reasons that going to work becomes the most-anticipated thing to look forward to. While some people are struggling to practice work-play balance, working in sports helps to scrap that issue. This moves on to other industries in pursuit of new experiences, to try different job scopes, to gain new skills, and for many other reasons.
Sports is a societal connecting point. When working and playing lie on the same boundary, going to works for long hours is something to be thankful for. A 3 day 2 night exhilarating adventure excursion with Mercedes Benz Malaysia was amazing, even when relating sports to automotive. I was greatly thrilled to embark on an adventure excursion with the opportunity to have premium SUV range by Mercedes Benz as a fantastic travel companion.
Let's get started
This trip took us to the tropical biosphere of Taman Negara, a 130 million year old rainforest, the largest national park in Malaysia and one of the oldest in the world to feed the desire for adventure and test the endurance of 25 participants.
Before the departure, the participants from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia including myself were arranged into several groups. Then, we embarked on the long-awaited adventure excursion by driving the GLCs to the first destination of the trip - Paya Gunung Extreme Park.
Via Ferrata Paya Gunung Extreme Park
It was about an hour drive to the destination from Kuala Lumpur. The thrill was real, as we have got to experience the additional adrenaline rush amidst the bustle and hustle of life. Aside from rock climbing at Paya Gunung, the limestone hill also has via ferrata to test your endurance and overcome your fear of height. Through a multi-pitch climb took us straight to the top of the main peak while the second peak is accessible by another via ferrata route. Reaching the peak of the hill allows us to overlook the breathtaking greenery view of the park.
Did you know?
Villagers from Paya Gunung developed and installed the first climbing area back in 2002 without any assistance of heavy equipment and safety support. In May 2017, a via ferrata route at the Paya Gunung Tower A was set that allows visitors to reach the summit. In October 2017, another via ferrata route had been properly set up at the Tower B that connects it all the way to the peak.
Mutiara Taman Negara Resort
On the first day, we resided within the wonders of an ancient forest at the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort. What makes this resort so special is the forest that has been preserved so well with all the wooden chalet interior, made of natural produce. For nature lovers, the resort is heave on Earth as it has very minimal damage to this special ecosystem. Apart from going for a jungle walk at night, we also ventured into the canopy walk the next morning.
Did you know?
Taman Negara is Malaysia's largest national park and one of the older tropical rainforests in the world, covering 4,343 square kilometers. It shares its borders with three different states - Pahang, Kelantan, and Terengganu. Far outnumbering the human inhabitants are the flora and fauna of Taman Negara, featuring one of the richest ecologies on Earth protected both by its impenetrability and Malaysian law.
Canopy Walk
Everyone has a Disney dream. Have you ever dreamt of being a Tarzan climbing and swinging from one tree to another? In Taman Negara, those are dreams anymore. We had a good workout in the morning by exploring the rainforest, making a stroll while relishing in the captivating natural world.
An enchanting jungle trek led us to the entrane of the canopy. This canopy walk is one of the longest in all of Malaysia. It stretches over half a kilometers across big trees and reaches up to 45 metres in altitude. Besides climbing stairs from tree to tree, I was amazed by more than 10,000 different plants and around 600 different animal species.
Did you know?
At the age of more than 130 million years old, The National Park is more ancient than the Amazon or Congo basin rainforests. There are more tree species in a single hectare of this forest than there are in the whole of North America, with more than 15,000 plant species, 150,000 insect species, 25,000 invertebrates, 675 bird species, 270 reptile species, 250 freshwater fish species, and 200 mammal species living within the park boundaries.
Rapid Shooting
There are perk of staying by the river bank because you get endless fun in the river. We have got a thrill out of the shoot against seven sets of rapids along Tembeling River in a wooden boat but excitingly soaked and wet. Without a doubt, the adrenaline-pumping fun was irresistible.
Did you know?
Three tributaries of the Tembeling are within convenient reach for Taman Negara visitors: Tahan River, flowing from Gunung Tahan, the Peninsular's highest mountain, and joining the Tembeling at Kuala Tahan, Trenggan River, in the valley to the east, and Kenyam River to the east again.
Visit Orang Asli Settlement
Asian from Malaysians, there is also another group of people living in a totally different way from us. These people are known as orang asli or aborigines. They live in a very basic lifestyle. From their villages, shelters, nutrition, to daily activities, they need only the basics. These people live in nomadic style, moving from a place to another within Taman Negara.
From the resort, we took a boat to their shelters which are alongside the trails and river bank. According to the tour guide, they do not need any snacks but the basics. Therefore, we prepared some basics such as rice grains, sugars before paying a visit. They live in a simple structure of palm-thatched shelters with several families living together.
While the children go to school, the adults stay at home or go to the jungle to hunt. They get food supplies such as animals, fruits, vegetables from the jungle. During our visit, one of the aborigines demonstarted the ways of traditional hunting weapons, bamboo blowpipes, and making fires. In fact, they are very knowledgable about surviving and sustaining in a jungle.
Did you know?
There are two ethnics of orang asli in Taman Negara - Batek and Semokberi. Their physical appearances look almost similar. Batek are more gentle, short, have dark skin, and tight curly hair, whereas Semokberi have wavy hair.
Bamboo Rafting
And it came to the last event of the trip - the bamboo rafting. Everyone was required to put on a safety life jacket. Before we headed back to the resort, we were welcomed by a sight of bamboo rafts. The rafts are made of bamboos that are tied tightly with ropes. Then, we went through a few small and largest rapids for about 20 minutes till the ending point.
Did you know?
The nature of the water in the Tahan River and Kenyam River is derived from the peaty soils of their mountain catchments.
Drawing to an end
This was a trip to remember, finding a pleasure in the outdoor adventure, meeting new people, and most of all, trying out the premium SUV range by Mercedes Benz. Like I said, there are many reasons that going to work becomes the most anticipated thing to look forward to. Hungry for Adventure with Mercedes Benz Malaysia is one of the reasons.
Any thoughts? Talk to trailandthrill@gmail.com
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