Brunei Mount Trekker: Mt. Ophir or Gunung Ledang Johor

On 07th october 2011, 8 BMTT flew to KL using Air Asia flight, where our mission this time is to climb Mount Ophir or Gunung Ledang. Landed at LCCT at around @12:30hrs. Before met our chartered transportation (2 limos) we have our lunch first in the airport because we knew that our journey will took 3-4hrs to reached Sagil distric at Johor. From LCCT we used the transit bus to Asia hotel, here we met our limo drivers about 30mins later. From Asia hotel we split into 2 team. Our team consist of 4 pax have to move first @14:00hrs. to Johor for Gunung Ledang resort chalets reservation. The others team have to wait for one of our friend who is late arrival by using another flight.

Our team arrived at Gunung Ledang resort center @16:50hrs. Upon arrival we went to resort office for our climbing confirmation and registration and also went to the resort restaurant booked for our dinner. After all payment has been made, we checked-in at chalets Siantan a semi-detached chalet.

While waiting for our 4 friends to come, we walked around the resort area and met two secondary school from Tangkak Johor camping in the area accompany by their school teachers. The female teachers cook for each meal for the students and teachers too, and male teachers is to do night study, motivation programmed, imam at each prayers and as the night watchers. We are lucky coz we were invited by one of the school teachers to joint afternoon tea where lekor are being served. We spemd about an hour with them.

We were having our dinner at the resort restaurant @21:00hrs after 4 of our friends arrived. We spend all nite at the chalet veranda watching student activities till @00:00hrs before went to bedroom.

On the 08th oct. wake up early @05.45hrs, and coz @07:00hrs, our breakfast ready at Ledang resort restaurant which we have booked earlier during dinner time. After finished our breakfast, all of our team went to the resort office for briefing and met our guide. Our guide named Nasrudin whom we call Ed.

Mount Ophir, known in Malay as Gunung Ledang, is a mountain forest reserve located in northwestern Johor, Malaysia. The summit is located between the border of Muar and Malacca. Standing at 1,276 m (4,186 ft), with a clear trail leading to the peak, there two known ways of reaching the summit. One is from Sagil, a town in Johor, the other is through Asahan, Melaka.

Mount Ophir is also the 64th highest mountain in Malaysia and arguably the most climbed mountain in the country, despite it having one of the higher climbing fatalities in the region of South-East Asia.

Before climbing Mt Opir form must be filled in, This form is to be filled up individually by all members. Each member supposed to give a description of all the items they are carrying in the pack eg, plastic wrapped food, canned food, paper wrapped food, batteries, torch light clothing’s, fuel, tent, cigarettes etc. We are supposed to fill up the form, show it to the warden, and keep it with us. Later, at the end of the trek, the warden will check whether we have brought back everything that we stated in the form. The idea is to prevent littering in the forest area. There is a rubbish deposit of RM 50. If you loose some of the item or if your items don’t tally at the end, the deposit will be forfeited. Just for your information, the enforcement is followed very strictly. This form is filled up collectively.

After completed fill in the form, we start our journey @08:20hrs, and took team photos on the starting point. The starting point is beside Ledang restaurant on the flat cemented area which begins with 739 steps trying to build up the stamina till an open gate, where the real climbing begins.

There are 8 CP (check-point) all together till to the top of the mountain, where our team took 5 hrs to reach. We reached to the summit approx. @13:00hrs. We spend about 45mins on the top, after photos taken and looking at the views and breathe in fresh air, so we decided to descend back to the resort coz our chartered limos pick up time @17:00hrs. and coz we plan to go to Melacca for the night. And the rest of the day till 11th at KL.

at Brunei airport