Return to Kampung Semban @ Bungo range

[kuching]

May 1st, 2009. My outdoor friends invited me to trek to Kampung Semban.....this was my 3rd time to visit this Bidayuh village located about 3,000 feet above the sea level on a beautiful mountain range called Banjaran Bungo.

Moonlight & the lights from the village at night.....





sea of cloud....(sun rise)




A bidayuh lady is holding her grandchild.....





This was probably our last time to visit this village as a dam is built at the eastern side of the mountain range & the villagers were asked to move out to the outside world. The construction of the dam will be completed soon.


Our porters & our team are walking on the muddy construction road...





A Chinese construction firm from China put a banner on a slope....

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Viewing point.



The water is polluted....





The construction site (dam);




The head trail.....





Bamboo bridge.

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Bamboo bridge crossing....









There are a lot of bamboo bridges in this area:





A waterfall at Kampung Bojong, our rest stop. We reached there at 12.30pm. (started at 10.30am)

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Waterfall @ Kampung Bojong.





Suspension bridge





Our trip organiser, Liza.





....to be continued.

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While waiting for our friends at Kpg Bojong, 2 of my friends tried to carry our porters' bags....





Catching fish.....





One hour later, we started to move....





A steep ladder....




Jungle trekking.....





Few hours later, we reached a waterfall area.....there are a lot of cascades & waterfalls in this area:

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Beautiful place....




Itun waterfall.




In the rainy season, this waterfall will be very big....like a row of "curtain".





Unfortunately, we came at the wrong time....the view is not as great as it was during the last rainy season.

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Itun waterfall.











....to be continued.

[benetay]

Pretty! All of them, what a pity that they build a dam across the section.

Thanks for sharing!

Cheers!

[kuching]

Pretty! All of them, what a pity that they build a dam across the section.

Thanks for sharing!

Cheers!

Thanks....

[kuching]

There were 6 of our team members could not keep up with us and lost their way. They turned back and took another trail to the village. About 5.30pm, all of us reached Kampung Semban safely except a father & his son returned home as his son's leg got muscle cramp.

Kampung Semban is located about 3,000 feet above the sea level....it's a village above the cloud!




This is how they keep their shoes....




Mice trap made of bamboo.





The wife of our host is preparing dinner for us.




An old Bidayuh lady is holding her grand kid...





An old Bidayuh lady....smiling at us.

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Before dinner, we're drinking beers and sharing information and talking about our mountain climbing stories. Some of the stories were so funny that everyone laughed so loud. It was a beautiful evening.....the temperature was dropping slowly and we had a great time together. I really love my life....an outdoor life!





There is no power supply in the village. The villagers have to use generators to generate the power supply.....and power supply can be interrupted anytime & blackout.





Suddenly no power supply, so we have to eat our dinner with the lamp & torch light. It's so much fun to eat the delicious local food in such a way.....




Good evening Borneo! I slept earlier that night cos we had to wake up at 5am to see the sunrise. far away, the villagers were practicing & playing the traditional music (gong) for the up coming Gawai festival. The music was nice ....& not long after listening to it, I fell to sleep.

[Ian Lim]

What a lovely place, it is shame that they build the dam and spoil the whole place. Only when it is lost will we understand what we have lost.

[Jungle-mania]

It is a fantastic thing that you are doing, keep up the good fight.

[taygu]

The last time I saw a natural fall is at least 10 year back in Langkawi. Was so fascinated and spent the whole day there...

The waterfall in the picture is many time more fascinating....

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Thanks all for viewing.

Tonight will post some more photos....

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At 5am, more than half of our team woke up and ascending to the summit of a hill to see the sunrise. The view is spectacular!!!

Sea of clouds....

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sea of clouds.....we're stunned to see such a view.....





Good morning, Kampung Semban!





Good morning, Bungo range!





The trail to the summit....





Bamboo forest.

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Photographing the sea of clouds....





Unidentified species of Dendrobium orchid on the tree....




I almost wanted to "faint" when I saw this......TIGER ORCHID...!!!!




Tiger orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum) is one of the largest orchids in Borneo.

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Inflorescence of tiger orchid.




Calanthe vestita (orchid)





Unidentified species of tree.





......to be continued.

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Kampung Semban.





The lady porters carrying our bags.





On the way down to valley.....









Good bye, Bungo range!





The misty morning....