Templer's Park
Nature in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Templer's Park, near Kuala Lumpur, is filled with beautiful waterfalls.
The temple pit-viper, or Trimeresurus wagleri, is one of the snake species you can find in Templer's Park.
Forests ~ Templer's Park
The Templer's Park Forest Reserve is located north of Kuala Lumpur, about 20 minutes away from the city. This beautiful park is a precious repository for flora and fauna, and one of the last proper green lungs that's within the city outskirts. Located within the park are some beautiful multi-tiered waterfalls that are popular with visitors during the weekend.
To head here, one needs to head on the old trunk road to Ipoh and turn right at an obscure signboard which reads as 'Templer's Park'. A short drive on a narrow road will take you to a small landscaped area with playground and huts. From here, a gated road bars access to vehicles larger than motorcycles. You need to proceed on foot through this small road which will eventually lead you to a large concrete pool, made to collect flowing water from the streams for recreational swimming.
Just at the corner of the pool is where the jungle trail starts. The trail takes you to the pinnacle of some cascading waterfalls, and there are many cleared areas along the way which are camping spots, placed conveniently next to the streams. After rain, the trail is filled with leeches so expect quite a bit of bleeding to occur around the feet if you happen to get caught in a shower while trekking.
In terms of wildlife, Templer's Park has degraded drastically from what it used to be. Development and construction of new buildings and roads near the park have scared off most of the wildlife into the deep recesses of the jungle. However, there are still plenty of frogs, lizards and sometimes, snakes, to lookout out for. Currently, the park is facing an ugly threat; plans by the authorities to build a new highway will cut a large swath through Templer's Park, eroding much of the flora and fauna. The future doesn't look too good for one of the city's few rainforest parks.