Mount Trus Madi 特鲁斯马迪山

                                          Mount Trus Madi 特鲁斯马迪山

Explore the Wonders of Sabah Malaysia

The Trus Madi Forest Reserve was gazetted in 1962 covering 75, 692 hectares of lush forest. In 1984, it was regazetted and was classified as a Class 2 Forest Reserve covering an extensive 184, 527 hectares of area. The Trus Madi Forest Reserve is bordered by three districts—Ranau up north, Tambunan on the west, Keningau down south, and Sook in the east. Its highest peak, Mount Trusmadi which stands at 2,642 meters high, is only the second highest peak in Malaysia after Mount Kinabalu which is 4,095.2 meters high. Trus Madi is entirely covered in jungle, and there is no tourism infrastructure, both of which are part of its lure. Five different vegetation types are to be found in this forest reserve: lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, hill mixed dipterocarp forest, lower montane forest, upper montane forest, and summit scrub. The keen observer will encounter some of Borneo’s rarest birds and distinguish unique plants, some of which grow nowhere else in the world. But the climb is also daunting, due to the very nature of the terrain. Unlike Gunung (Mount) Kinabalu which is visited by thousands of people every year, Gunung Trusmadi – situated some 70km southeast of Kota Kinabalu – is not a tourist mountain and is rarely visited. Until recently, only one or two expeditions climb the mountain each year. For this you need some serious stamina, and maybe also an iron will! But when you start despairing, stop and look around – most of the time you are in a fairy wood where from stunted trees with gnarled roots and thick moss covered twisted trunks and branches huge carnivorous plants dangle above your head; a world of drifting mists and cold gusts of wind, sudden unexpected views over endless expanses of rainforest, and brilliant little orchids wherever you look. It is in every sense an enchanted forest, and when you let yourself be entranced by this most wondrous environment you will make it to the peak before you realise it. In fact, the peak is such an unspectacular site – especially late in the afternoon when clouds shroud the sky and surroundings that you might not even perceive it. This tour is again a thorough immersion into the rainforest and local culture. It is maybe our most demanding trip, especially physically. The slopes of the mountain, which are covered with rich vegetation houses many species of birds, animals and plants, making it a trekker’s haven. The summit (of Gunung Trusmadi) is reputed to have the best dawn view of Gunung Kinabalu, which lies over 40km to the north. A unique pitcher plant, Nepenthes x trusmadiensis (a natural hybrid between Nepenthes lowii and Nepenthes edwardsiana) is found here and nowhere else. For adrenaline junkies, the Trus Madi Forest Reserve is a great place for a mountain climbing and jungle trekking trip.