Lata Gapi hike

Lata Gapi is a small act of defiance in the face of ongoing forest development and human disregard.

It’s a miracle that Lata Gapi still exists. Located in Antara Gapi, a relatively recent township developed by Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor(PKNS) just north of Serendah on the old road to Ipoh, this impressive fall lies on the edge of what was once a vast forest complex that stretched all the way to the highlands of Pahang.

The area was annexed for agriculture long ago and Lata Gapi is now surrounded by secondary forest and farms. Getting there is easy and takes less than an hour along a mostly flat laterite road that has fallen victim to rubbish dumping.

Is Nalak Enggel the local orang asli name for Lata Gapi?

Beginning just off Jalan Antara Gapi – Ulu Yam, where a new housing development (at time of writing still unoccupied) and farmland meet, the route curves between two former mining pools in the direction of a vegetable farm, and veers left between palm oil plantations where a farm gate bearing a “beware of dog” sign stands.

One of Antara Gapi’s latest housing developments.

The journey on foot to Lata Gapi starts just next to it.

Grazing cattle. Moo to you too….

Mystery vegetable growing on the vegetable farm.

Meadowsweet flowers – the smell of European summers – sweet and fragrant like a powdery vanilla.

The setting would be bucolic were it not for the rampant dumping of plastic waste. There are rows of purple and green vegetables,  Eric and I pass a herd of grazing kerbau and there’s a seductive scent meadowsweet flowers in the air but the trash ruins it so much that I’m reluctant to return here with other friends….

Not littering, this is dumping. And it’s ugly.

OIl palm trees close in on the path.

20 minutes into the hike there’s a shallow river crossing followed by an uphill climb. A carpet of ruby red rambutan skins await us at the top. We sample a couple of intact fruit to mixed reviews. It’s mouth-puckeringly sour and wins macaques and my vote but Eric not so much.

The river crossing, 20 minutes into the hike.

Ripe rambutans – mouth puckeringly sour but in a good way.

Not wild chia seeds.

Tape and a plastic chair mark the entrance to the trail (on the right). It descends towards the sound of rushing water then flattens to  follow Sungai Pedang through secondary forest, curving as the river does.

The trailhead. Continuing straight will take you to the top of the fall but a parang is needed. We decided to follow the trail but return along the road.

The trail, surrounded by secondary forest.

Sungai Pedang.

At a point where Sungai Pedang fanned out we cross it and continue along the strip of land in the middle, streams to either side of us.

Continuing along the trail streams to either side of us.

Up until this point I was using my trail apps (AllTrails and Wikiloc) to navigate but here it make more sense to follow the tape/ribbon markers right, up a dry stream bed.

We’re on the opposite side of the river now. That’s when the waterfall comes into view, after less than an hour of hiking.

My first glimpse of Lata Gapi.

A wide curtain-like cascade against a chiselled slab of rock, those who have visited Taman Negeri Kenaboi in Negeri Sembilan, might describe Lata Gapi as Lata Dinding Lite. Lata Gapi similarly lacks in pools to wallow in but a thorough pummelling under the drops is possible.

The view downstream from the falls.

To the right, where there is space to sit and spread out a picnic, a trail leads to the top of the fall. It’s a steep 5 minute clamber but there’s a pool of cool clear water there created by recent damming. It’s for pipes to siphon water but who’s to say you can’t enjoy it anyway.

The top of Lata Gapi.

Pool at the top of the fall. Notice the man-made damming.

As Wikiloc put this part of the river close to a road I assume to be our original laterite road, Eric and I attempt a return from here. Our efforts to follow the river upstream are thwarted by a landslide but an overgrown logging road directly opposite where we emerged at the top of the fall catches our eye.

Of all the days not to bring a parang, today is not one of them. Each time it looks as though we’re about to penetrate through the long grass and scrub onto the road, we come to yet another overgrown path.

Under, over or around?

Occasional route markers, plus a description on Waterfalls of Malaysia convince us to forge on until we get to a gate. Beyond it is a durian plantation. Our laterite road is to the left. It only took 15 minutes to get here; 5 minutes later we pass the trailhead on our way back to where our day began.

9.25am Start
9.45am River crossing
10am Trailhead
10.15am Arrive at Lata Gapi

11.25am Leave Lata Gapi
11.30am Top of waterfall
11.40am Return trip starts
11.55am Gate
12nn Pass trailhead
12.30pm Starting point

Distance and time 2.6 kilometres one way, 50 minutes at a leisurely pace, could easily be done in less. Most people do an out and back but a loop return is possible from the top of the fall provided you carry a parang.
Rating Easy. Trek is mostly along a flat laterite road with some trekking and river bashing towards the end of the hike. Total elevation gain is 110 to 140 metres.
Leech count Some. They’re very small but no less bitey.
Permits None required.
Costs None.
Pros Short, easy, photogenic.
Cons Rubbish along the route. Lack of pools.
Facilities None, but Antara Gapi is a small place with several shoplot areas with convenience stores. There’s also Shell petrol station on the other side of the Kuala Lumpur-Tanjung Malim road.
Parking Park at the shophouses and carpool or park roadside at the starting point.
Tip The wet conditions suggest the area at the foot of the fall becomes flooded during heavy and persistent rain. Stay alert to bad weather.
GPS coordinates (starting point) 3.422554, 101.646619
You can review my AllTrails route to Lata Gapi here. 

Post hike treat Antara Gapi backs onto Ulu Yam. Go there for Lam/Loh Mee.