Ulu Tamu Secluded Campsite
If you are looking for a spot to go camping where you have some simple off road, river crossings, cool mountain streams and the peaceful sounds of nature, Ulu Tamu is one of the places you would want to be at. It’s less than an hour away from Kuala Lumpur, and the campsite is not too far from the town of Ulu Yam. There is a hot spring, waterfall and a few eco resorts in the area too.
The weather had been quite hot recently and we decided to come to Ulu Tamu campsite to relax and cool down in the river. Â The trail starts off very simple right up to the first river. You can reach this river by normal car. When you get to this river, there is a clearing on the left of the trail. People normally come to this spot when they want to have a day trip playing in the river. Some even camp there.
Crossing the river requires a 4WD vehicle. If the weather is dry, crossing it would be very easy. But during the rainy season, the water level can rise very fast with strong currents that can even get a heavy 4×4 in trouble (see third image from left below, taken from a previous trip). This time, it was an easy crossing through shallow waters.
Once you cross this river, the trail gets a bit more tough. The ruts are deep and some places may even be slippery if you are not having the right tires. There are 2 parts of the trail that have been flooded with foul smelling, muddy water.
Next, you will reach another shallow river at the campsite. As we crossed, we saw that the usual camping spots that we use to frequent had been occupied by a big group of campers and their vehicles. It was then that we remembered a YouTube video that showed a secluded spot most people are not aware off. We headed there and fortunately for us, it wasn’t occupied.
This campsite was hidden from view as it was on a lower level and you could only see it if you ventured to the edge. Although the site was lower, it was still a safe height from the river in case it rained and a flashflood occurred. The spot was wide enough for two vehicles. We decided to park our rigs at opposite ends with a large enough space to pitch one tent and also place a table and chairs for us to have our meals and laze around.
Lunch was simple with servings of a tasty noodle that a friend had prepared. But what she had in store for dinner really surprised us. She had brought Wagyu beef and other meats and buns for a BBQ. And unlike our other BBQs where we grilled everything before having our meal, our friend grilled the meat in small batches with different seasonings. It was really different savoring delicious meats bit by bit in that way.
The river was not too deep but we could still enjoy the cool, clear water. There were small fish swimming around us as we chilled out had fun. The best part about camping here is the privacy and not having any mosquitoes or other insects annoying us.
At about 12am, another large group of off roaders arrived in the area. As all the other spots were taken, they camped in an open area. We guessed that they had come from the waterfall as they left in the morning after breakfast.
As for us, we had our coffee and wraps with curry chicken for breakfast. After eating and talking for some time, we decided to pack up. When that was done, it was again time for a bath in the river before we left the campsite. Lunch was at a famous restaurant in the town of Ulu Yam before we headed back for home.
