Hulu Tamu Nature Campsite
Hulu Tamu is located in the state of Selangor near a town called Batangkali. The road to this campsite passes D’Kali Fishing Pond. Just after that you will have to turn off the main road to the right. You will have to pass the Kem Hulu Tamu. After this, you will see a river crossing. Going through the river requires a 4×4 vehicle. And if it has rained heavily the day before, even a 4×4 may have problems crossing this river. Once you cross this first river, go all the way in until you come to the second river crossing. Immediately after the second river is the camp ground.
There is a caretaker who looks after the place and collects the fees. If you arrive and he is not there, just setup your tents and enjoy the river and peaceful atmosphere. The caretaker will come again in the morning. Fees are determined by him and there is usually some haggling before both sides agree with the price.
The campsite is large and can accommodate up to 30 vehicles without any problems. You will see a few chalets there but these are not in operation. There is also a hall where you can have you activities if it rains, or you can even camp underneath its roof. There is a public toilet available but it is pretty run down. You have to carry water in if you plan on using it.
Or you could bring along one of those pop-up toilet tents. You could place it anywhere convenient if the rundown toilet turns you off. These pop-up tents can also be used as a changing room. It folds away to a neat little package and is easy to carry and store.
The caretaker comes every morning to sweep the leaves and clean the area. But, there is bamboo growing along the river and you can expect some sand-flies. You could bring your old paper egg trays to burn for the smoke or you can also burn leaves to chase the pests away.
The river is quite nice with its large boulders and sandy bottom. Most parts of the river is shallow. The water is cool and becomes colder after rain. If you are interested in fishing, you could try your hand on fishing the Ikan Tengas (Copper Mahseer).
Another activity you could do is to drive the off road trail to the waterfall located further up the trail. This trail is quite difficult and we do not recommend newbies to try this. Also if you plan to drive the trail, make sure you have at least another vehicle following you. Winches and tow straps should be on hand for any recoveries you may require.
Another alternative is to hike in. We have seen various groups hiking in to the falls in the morning and coming out in the late afternoon.
Our intention in coming to this campsite is to just enjoy lazing in the river, cooking our favourite camping meals, and just enjoying the atmosphere and company.
The daytime temperature can be hot, but there are a number of spots with a lot of shade. Then there’s the cool river you can jump into to cool down, The nights are not too cold. In fact the temperature is cool and comfortable even when it rains. Just ensure that your tents and fly sheets are setup well to keep the rain out.
As the area is large, many groups like to frequent this place for their camping activities. Although the area is relatively easy to access, we have not come across any intruders during the nights. The Orang Asli (indigenous people) from the village nearby keeps the area safe.
If you are looking for a campsite that is not too far from Kuala Lumpur, where you could come for a weekend getaway, this spot would be ideal. Even children will love the river and the open ground where they can run and play safely.