Here goes:

Day 1: Singapore to Nairobi

Depart to Nairobi on Emirates Airline, stopping over at Dubai. After reaching Nairobi, transfer to hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Nairobi – Moshi (Tarzania)

After breakfast, proceed to coach station to transfer across from Kenya to Tarzania. The ride is approximately 7 hours. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel and overnight.

Day 3: Moshi – Marangu – Mandara Hut

After breakfast, proceed for 3 hour drive to Manrangu, then register at the park headquarters and commence the climb. Trek is about 3 – 4 hours before reaching Mandara hut at 9000 feet. Climate is thick rainforest.

Day 4: Mandara Hut – Horombo (3700m)

Leave the rain forest and follow path through a open alpine meadow. Horombo is about 12000 feet. The trek takes about 6 hours.

Day 5: Horombo

One day spent at Horombo to acclimatize.

Day 6: Horombo – Kibo Hut (4700m)

Continue journey up through cactus-like giant groundsels and the last water, moving to the lunar landscape of saddle between Kibo and Mawenzi. The trek about 7 hours to Kibo Hut.

Day 7 : Kibo Hut – Summit – Horombo

Start trekking in the wee hours in the morning to get to Gilman’s point (5681m) which is the most demanding part of the trek. 5 hours! Then one more hour to the Uhuru Peak (The summit at 5896m). After enjoying the taste of the peak of Africa, descend to Kibo Hut by late morning, and then continue descent down to Horombo.

Day 8: Horombo – Marangu – Moshi

Descend all the way down back to Marangu, collect certificates etc, and then proceed back to Moshi

Day 9: Moshi – Lake Manyara National Park

Go to Manyara National Park for game drive and picnic lunch. Dinner and overnight in camp.

Day 10: Lake Manyara – Serengeti National Park

Proceed to Serengeti National Park for game drive and picnic lunch. Dinner and overnight in camp.

Day 11: Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro National Park

Another day of game drive and picnic lunch. Overnight in camp.

Day 12: Ngorongoro National Park – Moshi

Game drive to crater for more game drive, then proceed back to Moshi for overnight

Day 13: Moshi – Nairobi

Return to Nairobi by shuttle coach, and transfer to hotel for rest. In the evening, transfer to airport for flight back to Singapore.

Day 14: Arrival in Singapore.

Sounds like 14 days is not enough for me! Hehe! Actually I think it would be better to visit just one national park. Would a lot of time be spent travelling when you want to visit more places? Or maybe I can plan to stay there for two months – then I can go to every national park and sleep with the lions.

There are typically three ways a trekkers plan their trips to Gunung Tahan.

The first way starts and ends at Kuala Tahan. Kuala Tahan is a little town opposite where the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort is located. The nearest KTM train station to Kuala Tahan is Jerantut (about 2 hours bus ride).

The second way starts and ends at Sungai Relau. Trekkers will register at Sungai Relau and then normally take a 4 wheel drive up to Kuala Juram, where they start their trek. Sungai Relau is 7km from Merapoh train station, and 33km from Gua Musang train station. This trek takes approximately 4 days to conquer.

The third way is what is normally called the traverse trek. This time, trekkers start at Sungai Relau, and make all the way across a 90km trek up and down Gunung Tahan, and end up at Kuala Tahan, on the 6th or 7th day.

We were deciding which trek to attempt, and we thought it would be really wasteful to go up and down the same trail, so our decision is to do the traverse trek!

90km sounds really scary to me, considering the type of load that we will be carrying – all the mess tins, cooking equipment, food and clothing. But well, that’s what trekking is about isn’t it? I heard the scenery along the way is spectacular! “Good enough to make inspirational posters out of them”, as HQ has said! I’m looking forward to it!