Adventure-loving kids will love taking on the old suspension bridge in Bukit Gasing Forest Reserve.
HIKING is a great way to instil in children, the love for nature. Here is a list of kid-friendly hiking trails in the Klang Valley that are suitable for your little ones for a good family workout.
Bukit Gasing Forest Reserve
This 100-hectare green belt sits in the residential areas of Petaling Jaya, Selangor and Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur. With two entrances – from Hutan Pendidikan Bukit Gasing in PJ and Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi in KL – it gives the area easy access for urbanites from both cities.
Another winning point is its friendly nature trails which are safe but challenging enough for families with children. However, parents with young children who don’t feel like going deep into the forest should opt for the Bukit Kerinchi entrance.
The well-landscaped park has good facilities, from stroller-friendly tarred paths and clean toilets to waqaf (rest stops), benches and camping grounds. There is also a small, shallow stream that runs through the park.
Distance: Varies but can reach up to 8km
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fun point: Adventurous kids will find the two bridges – the old suspension bridge and the modern steel bridge – exciting. The clear, shallow stream at Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi may be hard to ignore, especially after a two-hour hike.
Kota Damansara Community Forest
Popularly known as Denai Tiga Puteri, Kota Damansara Community Forest is possibly the friendliest trail in the Klang Valley, with only few steep climbs.
This makes it suitable for children aged seven and above, even though the distance can be too long (and boring) for younger kids.
All the trails are well-marked with signages and route maps, placed at every junction.
Elaine (far right) and husband, Tay Kim Chuan (third from left), and their children Haley (second from left) and Ryan (centre) with their hiking group. — ELAINE CHEW
Mother-of-two Elaine Chew gives a nod to Denai Tiga Puteri for her two children – Haley, 11 and Ryan, nine – who were introduced to hiking seven years ago.
“It’s a very beautiful and challenging trail; children can navigate the trail safely. But half of the trail turns muddy when it rains, and it gets slippery, even for adults,” says the 45-year-old stay-at-home mother.
For Haley, the trail gets harder when it goes up the steep slopes close to the peak but “it was the peak that I liked the most, the scenery was amazing and I took quite a few photographs,”
“The part that I liked best was when we completed the hike,” Ryan chips in. The family took about five hours to complete their 7.4km trail.
Distance: Varies but can reach up to 12km
Difficulty: Easy to intermediate
Fun point: The view of the north and southbound traffic along the North Klang Valley Expressway and the Kota Damansara township is the reward that Denai Tiga Puteri lookout point holds.
Bukit Guling Ayam
An adventurous hike, this one has an elevation of 80m to the peak in just 20 minutes! It is quite a difficult hike that needs one to clamber on a rocky slope. The hike starts immediately from the parking area of the Lingkaran Karak Petronas station, (located just before the turn to Middle Ring Road 2), onto a cemented road that leads up to Urban Ecolife Agrofarm.
Those who have climbed the famed Bukit Batu Tabur (which is now closed) will find the jagged quartz rock slope here, an easier version of the former’s majestic quartz ridge.
The peak of Bukit Guling Ayam is a huge granite boulder with the majestic Bukit Batu Tabur on the background. — Photos: ZALINA MOHD SOM
The view from the top is simply breathtaking. Either you’re here for sunrise or sunset, the full view of the surrounding landscape is just stunning.
Distance: 1km
Difficulty: Hard
Fun point: The peak that holds a sweeping view of the city skyline, the famed Bukit Batu Tabur and Gombak.
Taman Tugu
Young hikers love Taman Tugu, not only for its friendly and exciting trail but also for its kiddy attractions like swings and a lookout tower.
Although the complete loop can stretch up to 7km, the trail keeps young hikers excited with different terrains, landscapes and vegetation. There are also remnants of government quarters that give a sense of adventure.
Siblings Nur Husna Hariz and Mohamad Noah like Taman Tugu for its swings and breakfast spot. — MYLINA MININ
“My children love it here for these attractions, especially the swing. It has a chillout place for breakfast after the hike too,” says Mylina Minin, 35.
The staff nurse says her children Nur Husna Hariz, nine and Muhammad Noah Hariz, five like outdoor and adventurous activities, especially hiking, after following their parents on numerous hiking trips around Kuala Lumpur.
“Taman Tugu is relatively safe for young children compared to other hiking trails we’ve been to so far. Best of all, there are several trails with different distances which allow parents to choose the right one for their kids,” she adds.
Distance: 7km
Difficulty: Easy
Fun point: Swings, a lookout tower, bamboo trail and food kiosks at trail’s end.
KL East Park
This is the latest kid on the hiking block but by the look of the trees, KL East Park in Ulu Kelang isn’t a new urban park. As part of Bukit Tabur and Klang Gates Quartz Ridge network, it is covered with majestic and mature trees and offers a hiking trail that climbs an elevation of 100m, right to the lookout that sits at 246m altitude.
What makes it suitable for young hikers are its straightforward trail, fun, encouraging milestone markers and the lookout point that, on a clear day, has a nice view of Kuala Lumpur. There are also educational boards on geological wonders, with plants, insects and birds that call KL East Park home.
Despite its suburban location, some parts of the KL East Park makes you feel like you’re hiking in a faraway forest.
Distance: 2km
Difficulty: Easy
Fun point: The lookout point and photo-op spots.
