Hiking in KL

Don’t you love the exhilarating feeling one gets after conquering a high hill or mountain just to chance upon a beautiful sunrise or view?

You might think  “Really? KL, the concrete jungle of Malaysia has hiking spots?” and yes, we here at The Cool Bears are here to tell you where to go hiking in KL.

And don’t give any excuses about your fitness level, we’ve divided them based on easy, medium and hard.

So tie those sport shoes up and let’s get climbing!

Easy Difficulty

1. Bukit Gasing/Gasing Hill (Petaling Jaya)

Hidden deep in PJ, in a neighbourhood, this hiking trail in PJ is perfect for first-timers as it offers multiple routes to try out. No matter the time of the day, this trail is always filled with people so don’t worry if you get lost, there will definitely be someone to show you the way. 

Among the routes offered: a 20 minute walk to a watch tower which you have to decide on the next stage which is either continuing onto a suspension bridge or to a lookout point at the Telekom Towers.

For the more fitness inclined folks, a challenging route (aptly named Killer Stretch) is also available at Bukit Gasing which features a steep set of stairs.

Height: 160m

GPS Coordinates: 3.095232, 101.656228

Fees: NIL

Difficulty: Easy

Approximate hike time: 1 to 2.5 hours  

Medium Difficulty 

1. Wawasan Hill/Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (Puchong)

Opened as a reserve for Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to conduct forest research, this hiking trail will guarantee the cleanest hike you’ll ever get in Malaysia due to the strict rules set by the university for anyone visiting. 

The best part about this trail? It leads right to a waterfall or as the locals have dubbed it Malaysia’s ‘Blue Lagoon’. 

As you hike up, you’ll come across a shrine and from there, turn right until you see a first clearing.

From there, make a left turn and continue walking on until you chance upon another clearing which will be surrounded by trees marked with blue paint. 

Continue hiking up, using the blue paint as indicators that you’re going the right way until ta-da! You’ve reached the Blue Lagoon.

The journey to the waterfall will take about 45 minutes – 1 hour so start your hike early so you can spend more time frolicking in the waterfall and pool before the sun sets.

Also, the trails can get quite muddy and slippery so take note on the weather when you go. 

Height: 233m

GPS Coordinates: 3.024687, 101.629745

Fees: NIL

Approximate hike time: 1 to 3 hours

2. Bukit Broga/Broga Hill (Semenyih)

This is quite the hotspot for hiking in KL, supported only by all the Instagram photos of friends/couples posing on top of a luscious green hill. 

The perfect hiking trail to catch KL’s sunrises, bring along a torch or headlamp if you decide to go around 5-6 am as it gets really dark. 

Broga Hill has 3 peaks which climbers can stop at anytime but here’s a little tip: the middle/second peak is where it’s at to get the best glimpse of the sky lighting up in warm hues.

Height: 400m

GPS Coordinates: 2.938398, 101.901086

Fees: RM2/parking vehicle

Approximate hike time: 2 to 2.5 hours  

Hard/Advanced Difficulty 

1. Bukit Tabur/Tabur Hill

Bukit Tabur, also known as Dragon’s Backbone offers one of the most mesmerizing views in KL. We can guarantee you’ll feel that you’ve left the country within 2-4 hours.

But all good things come with a price and the Bukit Tabur offers a very difficult and strenuous trail due to its rocky terrain made out of quartz. 

So it’s definitely not recommended to go unless you’re a whiz at hiking or have company who knows the trails well. 

The hiking trail also requires climbers to do rock climbing and rope work so bring along a pair of gloves too.

Currently, you must apply for an RM5 permit which can be obtained from Selangor Forestry Office.

Height: 275m

GPS Coordinates: 3.234341, 101.749541

Fees: RM5/person for permit

Approximate hike time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours

Working out can get mundane after a while but we can ensure you hiking in KL will get you a beautiful view of the city (within nature) that you can’t get anywhere else. And no, the view from the 12th floor of your apartment doesn’t count.

Wanna get more health-motivated? Check out our other articles about pay per entry gyms or healthy food in KL.