Gunung Irau, Cameron Highlands

Assalamualaikum.

Mount Irau was the most challenging one other than the mountains I've hiked before. Why?

Mount Irau was the 4th mountain I've hiked, which I chose to join a team that I didn't even have anyone that I know, personally. I was that brave because I really really wanted to hike Mount Irau. The eagerness was so real I swear! Haha. But none of my friends wanted to go with me so I decided to just go on my own.

I booked mine months before with the person in charge, Kak Mirza whom I've known during I hiked Mount Ledang before. She just helped to handle those who joined but didn't hiked together with us.

About the transportation, I bravely asked one by one based on our Whatsapp group of our team to look for anyone that could give me a ride to go there. It was quite insane because I didn't know them at all! It was a risk that I might be with someone whom couldn't be trusted you know! But Alhamdulillah everything was fine. Big thank you to Kak Ain, Kak Iera & Kak Ekyn!

I planned & be prepared smoothly possible before the day came to make sure everything would be just fine since I chose to go through this alone.

We departed around 3 am on 23rd of April 2017 from Kuala Lumpur & took a break at a mosque which located at Brinchang to perform prayer & continued for a short nap.

After that, we waited near Nova Highlands Resort & Residence for 4x4 wheels. It was quite late because of some unexpected problems.

We finally departed around 8 am & the journey was so much fun! We got to see the tea plantations, the view was so breathtaking!

I was glad that my hands were both strong during the journey so that I didn't fall down until we arrived at the starting point as the 4x4 wheels was so extremely fast I felt like flying!

& here is our photo before we started hiking It was so cold that the steam/smoke came out from our mouths! Fresh morning!

The journey was long, even to just reach 'Anak Irau' because unexpectedly, it was raining which made it hard to go through the mud. Irau trails was full of mud that my legs got stuck for few times. Hence, the trail was slippery.

Luckily, I got to take photos before the rainfall.

The trails I can say, not so difficult. It just got hard when it was raining. Other than that, you just have to go through the mud carefully okay. I don't prefer for you to wear sport shoes, you will just damage it, terribly. Use 'kasut getah' where you can find at Mr. DIY!

Do you know what is best about Mount Irau? Its mossy forest! I was really excited to watch it with my own two eyes! Subhanallah so beautiful!

I was quite slow that I finally reached the peak at 2 pm. I slipped down few minutes before. My left leg injured. Thank you Allah someone managed to grab my bag real fast to save me from falling further. I was already wet, my raincoat didn't really help, plus the mud around my legs, the heavy rain, I turned out to be so pale at the peak. I was so cold, the 3 clothes I wore also didn't help until I started to shiver. Everyone was quite worried.

I, myself knew that I've became weak. But I still pushed myself to the max. I kept telling myself that I need to end this trip successfully no matter what. So I took a rest, ate at the peak, while waiting for the heavy rain to slowly stop & be okay as fast as possible. I took few photos with them as well, not showing how I really felt that time; cold & weak. I just didn't want to burden anyone.

However, a man then brought my bag during we started to walk down the mount because he said I look so pale already. I walked down 'lenggang-kangkung'. Big thank you to him! & few of the team took care of me until we finally reached our end point around 7 pm & served me with hot noodles as I was extremely cold, I needed something hot to stabilize my body temperature.

Then I was okay again.

Still, it was fun & I can finally ticked Mount Irau on my list! Yeay!

This trip taught me a lot. One of them is, keep pushing myself to be so strong no matter the barriers. It was worth the effort! Thank you to those who helped me a lot during this trip, I really appreciate it. May Allah bless all of them.

Tips :

1) Use 'kasut getah'.

2) Bring enough food & snacks because the coldness makes us hungry! 

3) Preferred to also bring small gas hiking stove, hot food/drink during cold weather is a really great combination!

4) Bring gloves as well if you know you can't really stand cold weather.

5) Raincoat is a must because the weather is unpredictable.

6) Wear thick clothes!

Can't wait to tell you about other experience I went through.

Thank you for reading!