Gua Tempurung Stage 3 and 4: Challenge Yourself Here
Boasting one of the largest chambers among Malaysia's caves, Gua Tempurung is a beauty to behold. Its intricate limestone formation, immense height, and myriad of “paintings” that fuel your imagination are just some of its allure.
Stage 3 and Stage 4 are really the attraction. Dotted by steeped terrain that requires rock climbing without the harness, sliding down bare bottom and bare hands from cliffs, and waddling through tight spaces with a gap large enough to fit your face. Come prepared with a brave heart and finish with bragging rights that last for a lifetime!.
Want to know some dos and don’ts many websites don’t disclose? Read on to find out why Gua Tempurung Stage 3 and 4 is not for the faint-hearted. This cave in Malaysia definitely tops my list as an adventure that pushed us to the limits!
About Gua Tempurung
Gua Tempurung is the largest and longest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia, boasting sky-high chambers and impressive formations of stalactites, stalagmites, and cave columns.
Denoted by multiple ascents and steep descents, the caving experience in Gua Tempurung is divided into 4 stages.
Stage 1 is a pleasant walk in the park lined with well placed, illuminated steps, ideal even for families with young children. If you’re on a guided tour, the guide will point out interesting formations on its roof that can resemble animals, objects, and shapes.
Stage 2 takes you to the “top of the world.” It’s the highest point located 120 - 125 meters above ground level. This 1 hour 50 minute dry tour involves climbing roughly 1,000 concrete steps deeper into the cavern.
Here, you’ll get to walk through a chamber that tapers into a narrow funnel, forcing wind from above that squeezes at higher speed, lending its moniker as the “AC tunnel”.
Stage 3 starts when you reach Platform 5, heralded as the “Top of the World”. As you look down below, it’s deep, dark interior unfolds a new adventure.
What awaits beneath is a 2.5-hour semi-wet expedition combining the dry stairs with a short wade along the underground river.
In terms of size, this silver medal holder is second to the Sarawak Chamber in Gua Mulu Sarawak.
Gua Tempurung was used by communists as their hideout during the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960. History relays its story through remnants of the communist past live, where you’ll find a black tombstone embedded high up, wall graffiti, another tombstone at eye level, and mining tools. These can be spotted in Stage 3.
Gua Tempurung was also used to house prisoners of war by the communists, aptly pointed out by our guide, with proof in the protruding steel bars at the start of Stage 4, until the end.
So one can imagine how big the prison area was!
The stalactite and stalagmite are formations to marvel upon, some converging together to form columns or mightier statures.
Given the snail-paced rate of rock formation at 1 centimetre every 1000 years, Gua Tempurung is ancient and is estimated to be 400 million years old! Then, no land animals or mammals existed yet!
While Gua Tempurung measures 4.5km in length, it’s interesting to note that only 1.9 kilometres are accessible by foot.
Gua Tempurung Dry and Wet Tour Experience
Gua Tempurung Dry Experience: Stage 1 and 2
Stage 1 (Golden Flowstone)
It’s a family-friendly walk in the cave with steady steps all the way. Some steps are slippery as water drips from the roof, but there are no puddles.
Stage 2 (Top of the World)
This longer walk takes you through narrow parts of the cave with many stairs to scale before reaching Platform 5. Throw in the guide’s narration, it takes close to 2 hours from Stage 1 to the end of Stage 2.
Gua Tempurung Wet Experience: Stage 3 and 4
Stage 3
The stage 3 that we ventured was not quite what I envisioned it to be. In fact, it was more than what we asked for, in a good way.
Guide Irfan pointed downwards to the valley of darkness below the “Top of the World”, signaling the start of stage 3. From here on, he made us follow a distinct sequence to ensure that all are accounted for. Not long into tracking, the first challenge prevailed.
(From left to right: Your first adventure in Stage 4 starts off ith a steep slide on the bum; crawling through wet and narrow chambers makes Stage 4 the most enjoyable stage) (Picture courtesy of Always Be Changing, Radiant Group & UTAR)
It was a steep slope that required tactical gliding and sliding on your bum until gravity stops you. It wasn’t very hard, but here’s where I hoped my pants will not tear. And it dawned upon me now why the guide had 2 pairs of pants on.
We went southwards most of the way in pitch darkness, and headlamps are a must. Because the next challenge proved to be the adrenaline spike!
Nonchalantly, Irfan explained that from here on, we would embark on a short climb. The ascends that were initially manageable soon progressed to almost vertical walls, minus the safety harness. One path was tricky, requiring mountaineering expertise none of us possessed. Thankfully, Irfan was there to lend a helping hand.
A pause here gets you thinking if there was any chance of turning back. Looking down was terrifying and not an option, and climbing down would be catastrophic. So there was no turning back, literally!
Glad to say that all of us did not fall off the ravine. All 9 of us came in different shapes and sizes. From the youngest at 12 years old to yours truly, we sat in silence at the peak.
Thankfully, we prevailed, but the reality of the danger slowly sank in.
Stage 4: After that steep climb, Irfan confessed that he took us on a special expedition. We could not hear the sounds from the group behind us at this stage. And from here on, we ascended slowly but with ease.
The next 45 minutes was spent wadding through water. There were parts that were waist deep, and some that were ankle deep. We couldn’t tell how clean or dirty the water was, or what was in the water (were there fishes?).
Thankfully the helmet is mandatory gear for stages 3 and 4. Given the tight space and low height of the roof at some points, the occasional head bangs would cause my scalp to bleed without the helmet.
2 parts add to the thrill. The first chamber is a tight and narrow, giving you 2 choices to tunnel through. You can either commando crawl or use your hands to propel your feet forward. At this point, my knee injury started to flare up, and the latter was a better choice.
The second chamber was filled with gushing water. You’ll need to sit on your bum and feel with your heads to pass through. There’s no other way to do it with the stalactites leaving just enough space for you to keep your head above water.
All in, these 2 wet chambers paled in comparison to the steep hike where we had to harness our rock climbing skills.
How to Get To Gua Tempurung
If you’re driving from the Klang Valley, head north using the North-South Expressway (PLUS) and exit at the Gopeng Toll Plaza (Exit 135). The highway cuts the travel time to just slightly over 2 hours.
The ride via KTM ETS (Electric Train System) is an excellent option filled with idyllic rural views should you choose to sit public transport. You can book your tickets online and be sure to select the blue color seats as this are forward facing. This will help to minimize any form of discomfort due to motion sickness.
Disembark at the second-last stop at Bukit Gajah. From the train terminal, there are ample Grab vehicles at your disposal via the Grab app. The train is extremely punctual, with in-train food sold at reasonable prices.
If you’re on a budget, consider taking a bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Kuala Lumpur. With a starting price of RM20, the bus ride takes the longest time, ranging anywhere from 4 to 5 hours.
What to Wear for Gua Tempurung?
Footwear: Wear closed-toe sandals or exercise sneakers with good grip. Avoid sandals that have not been worn for a while as the rugged terrain does not favour the soles. The sandals that I’ve not worn for a year disintegrated at Stage 2. Thankfully, the guide swapped shoes with me. Flip-flops or smooth-sole shoes are suicidal.
You can also rent rubber shoes at the entrance of Gua Tempurung.
Gear: Ditch the handheld lamp. Scaling up the wall requires you to be hands free and you’ll need a reliable headlamp. The Decathlon headlamps work well. Bring along a waterproof phone casing too, as you will be submerged in Stage 4. You can bring a bag for electronics but preferably go as hands free as possible for better balance.
You can also rent the headlamp from the counter at Gua Tempurung.
Pacing: If you are claustrophobic, have severe knee discomfort, or lack fitness, Stage 3 and 4 are not advisable. It is physically and mentally challenging and not suitable for toddlers, frail seniors, or anyone with mobility issues.
Guides: Stay close to your guide, especially in the unlit parts of the cave system. There may be many who claim to be a Gua Tempurung guide, but not all are certified. We went with Riverbug Asia, and their knowledge, professionalism, and hospitality is top notch.
Is Gua Tempurung Safe?
Gua Tempurung stage 1 and 2 is very safe for the general public of all fitness levels.
Stage 3 and 4 are more challenging and can only be done with a certified guide. Before embarking on the adventure, participants are required to sign a liability discharge form in the event of unexpected circumstance. So there are risks involved embarking on this caving adventure.
Gua Tempurung Ticket Price
We bought our Gua Tempurung caving package on Klook (priced at RM89 per person), and it includes pick up and drop off from the homestays adjacent to Gua Tempurung.
As Klook ensures matching guest with a bigger group of caving enthusiasts, it’s easy to secure your adventure via Klook, as oppose to buying at the entrance of Gua Tempurung.
However, the price difference is significant, as it costs only RM22 per adult if you purchase the entrance ticket via the Gua Tempurung official website.
The drawback is that you will need at least 8 pax for the caving exploration to start, and the last entry is at 11 am.
Conclusion
Gua Tempurung in Gopeng is a tourist attraction not to be missed. Its majestic chambers are a historic beauty to marvel at.
Stages 3 and 4 presents physical challenges, but overcoming them becomes uniquely satisfying.
As you mull over the obstacles you prevailed over, you learn that you’re capable of doing more than one you can imagine. And that itself sets off the search for the next caving adventure!
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