This fairly easy-to-reach peak has a panoramic view at the top which draws repeat climbers, writes Zalina Mohd Som
IT has been a favourite easy climb for casual climbers for years and has been a prime location for TV and print advertisements.
But when dreamy pre-wedding photos of Angkasawan Negara Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Dr Halina Mohd Yunos were leaked on the Internet about a month before their wedding in October 2010, Broga Hill shot to greater fame.
The result: Non-climbers climbed the hill in droves! Some came to replicate the wedding photos but others came to see what made Broga Hill special.
MANY PEAKS
Climbing Broga Hill is not difficult. Regulars and fit climbers can reach the highest peak in less than 30 minutes but to the uninitiated, it may take 60-90 minutes.
The climb starts with a gradual 10-minute ascend through an oil palm estate. But as soon as the trail exits the plantation, it becomes a long, steep torturous rise — first-timers rejoice when they reach a peak but this is short-lived as there are more peaks ahead.
Since the climb is usually done in the dark, before sunrise, the hike is more like following a trail of flickering lights that move slowly in an undulating line.
You don’t need ropes or helping hands to climb, except for getting to the highest peak at 400m above sea level.
Unlike the lower peaks which are basically exposed compacted soil, the highest peak is made of piles of huge boulders. From the summit, there’s a jungle trail that goes through primary rainforest to a mountain, which is 675m above sea level.
PRETTY PICTURESQUE
Even before the famous pre-wedding photos, Broga Hill had a reputation for being one of the most picturesque climbs in the country. Its low level of difficulty is an added bonus that makes climbers, or rather non-climbers, keep coming back.
What makes Broga Hill so alluring?
It looks like some faraway land, with an expanse of spear grass, an undulating ridge and the rolling hills of Titiwangsa Range.
The panoramic view from the highest peak makes the climb worth it. The view is even better at dawn. This is why most climbers prefer to start off in the dark so that they will reach the peak in time to catch the first rays of the sun. And, of course, to get the premium spots for this display from Mother Nature.
As the sun slowly rises, mist rises from the ground and cloaks the landscape in a carpet of white fog. Then the colours turn vivid and vibrant.
HOW TO GET THERE
Broga Hill is located in Broga, Semenyih, at the border of Selangor and Negri Sembilan. It is about 50km from Kuala Lumpur and 33km from Seremban.
There’s no signpost to mark the entry point of the hiking trail. The only signs are cars parked along the road or at a small opening to the oil palm plantation.
For RM2, you can park at the oil palm plantation located opposite a rabbit park, a short distance after the entrance to University Of Nottingham.