Kubah National Park
Matang Wildlife Centre
The centre is located at the western boundary of Kubah National Park and houses endangered wildlife in large enclosures. The enclosures are located in the rainforest to enable the living environment approaches as near as possible to that found in the wild. Animals kept here include Orang-utan, Sunbear, Malay civet, Sambar deer, freshwater crocodile, hornbills and wetland birds.
Useful Links
Sarawak Orangutan Project
The Gunung Serapi Summit Walk
A steep sealed road starts at the Park HQ and leads to the telecommunications tower on the summit of Gunung Serapi. You can use the road to walk to the summit or to the shortcuts giving access to the Waterfall and Rayu Trails at about 300 m above sea level. The walk to the summit of Gunung Serapi takes from two to three hours and is one of the park’s most popular treks.
Palmetum
The walk begins at the Park HQ and leads through tall forest, which is particularly rich in palm species. The trail connects to the Waterfall Trail and to the Gunung Serapi road giving visitors the option of continuing to the waterfalls or returning along the road. The forest is a mixed dipterocarp forest with big trees.
The Waterfall
Starting off along the Gunung Serapi road and picking up the Waterfall Trail on top of the northwest ridge shortens walking time by about 15 minutes. This trail begins near the 305 m (1000 ft) mark on the Gunung Serapi road, at the top of the northwest ridge.
Bukit Selang
This trail branches off from the Palmetum at about 10 minutes walk from the Park HQ. It takes about 40 minutes from the Park HQ to reach the end of this short trail at the viewpoint on Gunung Selang. The upper part of the trail is in ridge top forest on Serapi’s northwest ridge. On a clear day this viewpoint offers superb panoramas of the surrounding area.
Rayu or The Trail of Hope
The Rayu trail begins in ridge top forest on Serapi’s northwest ridge. It then passes through mixed dipterocarp forest until the Matang Wildlife Centre is reached. This trail gives a good impression of Kubah’s different forest types. Even a casual look will reveal an amazing diversity of plant life shown in the abundance of different types of bark, leaves and fruits.
Things to do here
- Bird watching
- Flora gazing
- Jungle walks
- Mountain climbing
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Swimming
- Walking
Getting There
Most tour operators in Kuching run guided tours to Kubah National Park and Matang Wildlife Centre. The journey by road takes about 40 minutes to the Park HQ and a further 15 minutes to Matang Wildlife Centre. Taxis for the trip can be chartered at major hotels in Kuching. Alternatively, a bus can be taken from outside the Saujana Car Park in Kuching.
