Gunung Gading National Park, Lundu, Sarawak

Gunung Gading National Park, Kuching Overview

Often referred to as the ‘Home of the elusive Giant Flower’, Gunung Gading National Park is located near the town of Lundu in Kuching Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. The park is considered as the best place in Asia to witness the rare Rafflesia plant which produces the world's largest flower. This parasitic plant is 1 meter huge and blooms for a few days only.

Other attractive features that draw attention are its color-coded well marked trails. Tourists can trek and hike to the waterfalls or to the peaks by these trails to picturesque views for a tranquil experience. Gunung Gading National Park also has several war remnants which makes it a place of historical importance.

Must Know Before You Visit Gunung Gading National Park

Tips :

Summit trail and Rafflesia trail require a company of a professional guide provided by the Park.
The tour can be arranged through travel agents who arrange for everything including the travel and guide.

Gunung Gading National Park Highlights

1. Rafflesia Flower Trail

Several tourists visit the park to see the rare Rafflesia flower which flowers only for a few days. Most of the flowers are found at the lower slopes of the mountains. This trail has a plank walk whic (Read More)h follows the way where Rafflesia can be found. The best time to witness these flowers in bloom is November, December and January. Information about blooming flowers can be acquired from the Park’s headquarters or from the National Park Booking Center in Kuching.

2. Waterfall Trail

This is one of the shortest trails to a series of seven waterfalls, though not all the waterfalls are accessible. Tourists are allowed to dip into the waters of Waterfall 1, 3 and 7. The trek is major (Read More)ly easy with a few steep slopes on the way. A trek to the 7th waterfall takes about an hour. The last waterfall is surrounded by fig trees and has a rocky valley with a crystal clear water pool. This is the most taken trail and perfect for a day picnic.

3. Gunung Gading Summit Trail

This is the longest and the most difficult trail at the park. The hike to the Gading hill summit at the height of 965 metres takes about 3 to 4 hours and is worth the picturesque view. One may get to (Read More)see the Rafflesia flowers at the lower slopes of the hill while trekking. However, tourists are not allowed to camp or stay overnight, so it is recommended that people set off early and return to the headquarters on time.

4. War Remnants

The summit of Gunung Gading served as the British Army Camp in the 1960s and till date has preserved remnants of the war including a water tank, helipad and barbed wire fencing.

5. Trek to Batu Bakubu

This is an extension from the Gunung Gading trail towards Baku Bakubu which was the place where communist camp was located during the insurgency in 1960s. This trail takes an additional 2.5 to 3.5 hou (Read More)rs round trip from Gunung Gading.

Read More on Gunung Gading National Park

Wildlife at Gunung Gading National Park

There is very limited wildlife to be found at the Gunung Gading National Park. However, several reptiles and insects in the park can be spotted. Millipedes and lizards are the most common sightings. Incredible species of lizards can be spotted like the blue eye Borneo angle- head lizards.

Flora

Gunung Gading is known for the rarely spotted Rafflesia flower which is the biggest flower that blooms with a diameter of 1 meter. The flower blooms in the monsoon season. It takes about 9 months for it to grow and get mature and then blooms for only 4 to 5 days. Other than Rafflesia, the park is majorly constituted of Dipterocarp trees and Fig trees. The vegetation includes longer trees at the base of the mountains but the height decreases with the increasing altitude. The higher peaks are majorly low shrubs and trees.

How to Reach Gunung Gading National Park

The nearest town to Gunung Gading is Lundu, at a distance of 2.7 kms. The ideal way to travel from Lundu is by a Van or a Car. From Lundu to the park and back, there is public bus service that operates 4 times during a day, twice in the morning and twice in the evening.

Another alternative is to take a bus or a cab from Kuching. Kuching to Lundu takes about 1.5 hours. This distance can be covered by bus. Take the Sarawak Transport Company Bus to Kuching Sentral, then take the Express Bus to Lundu and continue to the park by a bus, van or car.

What to Eat at Gunung Gading National Park?

There is no cafeteria inside the park. Carry food and snacks from the town of Lundu which is 10 minutes away. Another alternative is to get supplies and cook food in the Lodge Kitchen for those staying at the Lodge.

Accommodation at Gunung Gading

There are a few accommodation options at the park. One can spend a night at the Forest Lodge, Forest Hostel, or at the campsite.
Forest Lodge Type 5: RM 150/ unit
Forest Hostel: RM 40/ room, RM 15/bed
Camping: RM 5/ person

Tourists are not allowed to stay overnight during the long hard 7 hour treks to the summit. The treks should be planned accordingly such that you leave early in the morning and return to the park headquarters by late afternoon. The only accommodations are the Lodge, Hostel and Campsite and tourists are expected to return to these by evening.