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- KK - Coming season (2014/15)
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Over 400 species of birds are known to occur within the Park’s boundaries, and 57 mammals. Larger mammals include elephant, gaur, sambar deer, banteng, serow, and bear, indo-chinese tiger, leopard, both common and Fea’s muntjac. Malayan tapir, white-handed gibbon, dusky and banded langurs, Asian wild dog, otter, and wild boar.
KK - Coming season (2014/15)
22 Sep 2014 19:48 - 05 Jun 2015 12:58 #2336
by rushenb
KK - Coming season (2014/15) was created by rushenb
Hi everyone,
I have been following this great forum for a quite a while and gathered quite useful information regarding list of species for my own website (thainationalparks.com) . Please continue to post the name/binomial name of every single specie you see of any kind.
After have read all your experiences with wild predators, elephants etc I am now more scared to walk those trails alone. So, anyone feeling the same and want company walking those trails, specially in Kaeng Krachan, please let me know. If everything goes as planned, I will do my first trip of this season to KK probably first few weeks of November. My experience from last year was that the trails were covered with dense vegetation, bushes, branches, beyond any challenge anyone could handle.
I have three options in mind;
1) walk the trail south (southwest?) right next to the small dam after Ban Krang and GPS record it for my maps. If I am not wrong, that trail leads to Pran Buri river and Pranburi Waterfall? Possibly with one of guys at the Camp, possibly with Thon (the younger guy with camera who takes some great shots).
2) From Phanon Thung Camp to Phanon Thung Mountain, again for GPS record the trail.
3) If both options too hard too walk because of vegetation, just walk the dirt-road south from Ban Krang or maybe to the Thor Thip Waterfall trail from km36, this time all the way to the Phetchaburi river.
In this trip I will try chase reptiles and insects for macro shots...
I will probably visit KK once every month or two.. Anyone interested for a joint trip please let me know.. Those of you living in Bangkok, we could maybe catch up over a coffee/lunch/dinner somewhere..
ps.. On another post I saw someone mentioning the storm in Kaeng Krachan in early January, I was there, I helped to remove few smaller trees blocking the way out from the park.. The HQ building was very lucky that one of the huge trees at front fell on the other direction.. :)
I have been following this great forum for a quite a while and gathered quite useful information regarding list of species for my own website (thainationalparks.com) . Please continue to post the name/binomial name of every single specie you see of any kind.
After have read all your experiences with wild predators, elephants etc I am now more scared to walk those trails alone. So, anyone feeling the same and want company walking those trails, specially in Kaeng Krachan, please let me know. If everything goes as planned, I will do my first trip of this season to KK probably first few weeks of November. My experience from last year was that the trails were covered with dense vegetation, bushes, branches, beyond any challenge anyone could handle.
I have three options in mind;
1) walk the trail south (southwest?) right next to the small dam after Ban Krang and GPS record it for my maps. If I am not wrong, that trail leads to Pran Buri river and Pranburi Waterfall? Possibly with one of guys at the Camp, possibly with Thon (the younger guy with camera who takes some great shots).
2) From Phanon Thung Camp to Phanon Thung Mountain, again for GPS record the trail.
3) If both options too hard too walk because of vegetation, just walk the dirt-road south from Ban Krang or maybe to the Thor Thip Waterfall trail from km36, this time all the way to the Phetchaburi river.
In this trip I will try chase reptiles and insects for macro shots...
I will probably visit KK once every month or two.. Anyone interested for a joint trip please let me know.. Those of you living in Bangkok, we could maybe catch up over a coffee/lunch/dinner somewhere..
ps.. On another post I saw someone mentioning the storm in Kaeng Krachan in early January, I was there, I helped to remove few smaller trees blocking the way out from the park.. The HQ building was very lucky that one of the huge trees at front fell on the other direction.. :)
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22 Sep 2014 20:24 - 23 Sep 2014 19:22 #2337
by Paul T
Replied by Paul T on topic KK - Coming season (2014/15)
Hi Rushen,
Am very happy you have joined us - I am a regular viewer of your site and I like it a lot. Indeed your following of the news articles was so good that I stopped doing it here because yours was so much easier to follow. Really like your park write-ups as well, very informative.
One of my favorite trips to KK is to walk the Tor Thip trail as soon as the park opens in November. I love that trail, the forest is so base and primary there, like something out of jurassic park, its great for the various langurs and gibbons at the beginning of the season as well before the crowds have their affect.
I have never completed (to its conclusion) the Pranburi waterfall walk at Km 18, but also a nice section of forest. Jonathan (I have just realized that I have just had a long chat with him and I forgot to mention this) and I summized about a link to another track on this route (its in another thread) after he found a side trail further up the road. To this date I have heard conflicting stories from the rangers about it. I did try it out a couple of weeks ago but it was so steep I stuggled to climb out after I had gotten to the valley bottom. Our guide decided the link trail did not exist anymore but I don't know if it was because his legs were hurting as much as mine at the time or that the link trail did not truly exist.
I have never done the PhanonThung mountain climb.
This rainy season there is very little rain in the park compared to last year but we still have a few weeks left of the rainy season. Its def' not as overgrown as before but just last week a huge tree fell as KM 16 just missing our cars by 20 seconds! It was surreal - we all sat in silence contemplating what might have been a very different ending to the day. I have pics which I will post later but I don't have a desktop at the moment (hence me not posting as much lately) and I struggle on the laptop keyboard and with processing pictures. Old eyes and fingers.
Welcome!
Am very happy you have joined us - I am a regular viewer of your site and I like it a lot. Indeed your following of the news articles was so good that I stopped doing it here because yours was so much easier to follow. Really like your park write-ups as well, very informative.
One of my favorite trips to KK is to walk the Tor Thip trail as soon as the park opens in November. I love that trail, the forest is so base and primary there, like something out of jurassic park, its great for the various langurs and gibbons at the beginning of the season as well before the crowds have their affect.
I have never completed (to its conclusion) the Pranburi waterfall walk at Km 18, but also a nice section of forest. Jonathan (I have just realized that I have just had a long chat with him and I forgot to mention this) and I summized about a link to another track on this route (its in another thread) after he found a side trail further up the road. To this date I have heard conflicting stories from the rangers about it. I did try it out a couple of weeks ago but it was so steep I stuggled to climb out after I had gotten to the valley bottom. Our guide decided the link trail did not exist anymore but I don't know if it was because his legs were hurting as much as mine at the time or that the link trail did not truly exist.
I have never done the PhanonThung mountain climb.
This rainy season there is very little rain in the park compared to last year but we still have a few weeks left of the rainy season. Its def' not as overgrown as before but just last week a huge tree fell as KM 16 just missing our cars by 20 seconds! It was surreal - we all sat in silence contemplating what might have been a very different ending to the day. I have pics which I will post later but I don't have a desktop at the moment (hence me not posting as much lately) and I struggle on the laptop keyboard and with processing pictures. Old eyes and fingers.
Welcome!
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22 Sep 2014 20:42 #2338
by rushenb
Replied by rushenb on topic KK - Coming season (2014/15)
Thanks Trekker!.
Last week you sad? So you are saying KK is not as closed as I thought it was or do you have a VIP card? :)
I can imagine what a terrific experience it must have been to see a huge tree falling at front of you just like that.. I am glad nothing happened to you guys.
I did the Thor Thip trail only once, and I loved it.. The best side of that trail is the visibility, one could at certain parts of the tail see several hundred meter into the forest on all directions. My big mistake that day was that I only had three small bottles of waters with me for 19km round trip, I nearly fainted last 1-2km back to the camp.
I just published this video at YouTube, any ideas what that sound is? It was amazing loud. Just couple of minute before that I saw a mainland or sumatran serow that I came face to face with, 7/10 meter at front of me, it run that way and triggered that specie to make that sound. Few minutes later just 40/50m up I saw a group of stump-tailed macaques, they too run that way. Not sure if the sound belongs to a bird, maybe it was another individual of these macaques (don't know how they sound)? I recorded it around km 33-35..
Last week you sad? So you are saying KK is not as closed as I thought it was or do you have a VIP card? :)
I can imagine what a terrific experience it must have been to see a huge tree falling at front of you just like that.. I am glad nothing happened to you guys.
I did the Thor Thip trail only once, and I loved it.. The best side of that trail is the visibility, one could at certain parts of the tail see several hundred meter into the forest on all directions. My big mistake that day was that I only had three small bottles of waters with me for 19km round trip, I nearly fainted last 1-2km back to the camp.
I just published this video at YouTube, any ideas what that sound is? It was amazing loud. Just couple of minute before that I saw a mainland or sumatran serow that I came face to face with, 7/10 meter at front of me, it run that way and triggered that specie to make that sound. Few minutes later just 40/50m up I saw a group of stump-tailed macaques, they too run that way. Not sure if the sound belongs to a bird, maybe it was another individual of these macaques (don't know how they sound)? I recorded it around km 33-35..
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23 Sep 2014 01:40 #2341
by jonathanbkk
Replied by jonathanbkk on topic KK - Coming season (2014/15)
Hi Rushen
Indeed the sounds you are hearing are stump tailed macaques and first time I heard it was a bit nerve wracking. I also for the life of me couldnt figure out what it was coming from until I saw their evil little faces staring at me realizing they were screaming at me as the intruder, I was hoping it was a predator they were howling at.
As for Thor Thip, if you stay to the left side you will have a great view of the falls and it eventually ends at the Petchaburi River. From here you can retrace your steps or if your like me, walk along the crystal clear stream that feeds into the Petchaburi all the way up to the base of the falls leaving you with a great place to relax and swim. Right above the last waterfall you can climb up and sit in a natural hot tub with a decent view of the stream. From here you have a steep climb back up and on to the trail.
Ive seen the most reptiles near the falls and the walk back up including a Flying Dragon lizard, Several color variations of Crested Lizard, Water Dragon, Agamid Lizard (with a great dewlap), and Green Pit Viper to name a few
@trekker, too bad about the Pranburi trail, I was really hoping it to work out. As previously mentioned, it was cut into some form of a trail for students starting at the top and ending at the base of the road near the dam. I would imagine if you were to attempt it you should do it this way allowing you to keep the river next to you and knowing where that ends. But if its not confirmed and details dodgy, best left not done until they decide to cut a route for it or there is solid GPS for it. Going from the dam up would leave you guessing where the right turn to join the road is, also giving you a 45 min straight up ascent for your finish...not recommended
Indeed the sounds you are hearing are stump tailed macaques and first time I heard it was a bit nerve wracking. I also for the life of me couldnt figure out what it was coming from until I saw their evil little faces staring at me realizing they were screaming at me as the intruder, I was hoping it was a predator they were howling at.
As for Thor Thip, if you stay to the left side you will have a great view of the falls and it eventually ends at the Petchaburi River. From here you can retrace your steps or if your like me, walk along the crystal clear stream that feeds into the Petchaburi all the way up to the base of the falls leaving you with a great place to relax and swim. Right above the last waterfall you can climb up and sit in a natural hot tub with a decent view of the stream. From here you have a steep climb back up and on to the trail.
Ive seen the most reptiles near the falls and the walk back up including a Flying Dragon lizard, Several color variations of Crested Lizard, Water Dragon, Agamid Lizard (with a great dewlap), and Green Pit Viper to name a few
@trekker, too bad about the Pranburi trail, I was really hoping it to work out. As previously mentioned, it was cut into some form of a trail for students starting at the top and ending at the base of the road near the dam. I would imagine if you were to attempt it you should do it this way allowing you to keep the river next to you and knowing where that ends. But if its not confirmed and details dodgy, best left not done until they decide to cut a route for it or there is solid GPS for it. Going from the dam up would leave you guessing where the right turn to join the road is, also giving you a 45 min straight up ascent for your finish...not recommended
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23 Sep 2014 05:26 - 23 Sep 2014 19:26 #2342
by Paul T
Yes its closed at the moment, will re-open on November 1st. I go in to tend cameras - after looking at your profile pic I think we may have some nice photos and video of you :lol:
Jonathan - aye, half way up I remembered your comments about it being steep! To my detriment! Boy did I suffer and the only thing I was carrying was a bottle of water. Lots of animal sign though (as you said) - two bear nests, grating, pig, muntjac, mouse deer, and a fabulous salvia lantern bug but I was too knackered to get a camera :huh:
Replied by Paul T on topic KK - Coming season (2014/15)
Last week you said? So you are saying KK is not as closed as I thought ......
Yes its closed at the moment, will re-open on November 1st. I go in to tend cameras - after looking at your profile pic I think we may have some nice photos and video of you :lol:
@trekker, too bad about the Pranburi trail, I was really hoping it to work out. As previously mentioned, it was cut into some form of a trail for students starting at the top and ending at the base of the road near the dam. I would imagine if you were to attempt it you should do it this way allowing you to keep the river next to you and knowing where that ends. But if its not confirmed and details dodgy, best left not done until they decide to cut a route for it or there is solid GPS for it. Going from the dam up would leave you guessing where the right turn to join the road is, also giving you a 45 min straight up ascent for your finish...not recommended.
Jonathan - aye, half way up I remembered your comments about it being steep! To my detriment! Boy did I suffer and the only thing I was carrying was a bottle of water. Lots of animal sign though (as you said) - two bear nests, grating, pig, muntjac, mouse deer, and a fabulous salvia lantern bug but I was too knackered to get a camera :huh:
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23 Sep 2014 21:16 - 24 Sep 2014 04:22 #2349
by rushenb
Replied by rushenb on topic KK - Coming season (2014/15)
Thanks Jonathan for the tips.. I am looking forward to get to Thor Thip again.. And thanks a lot for identifying that sound.. I may convert it to a sound file and upload to Wikipedia soon.. :)
Trekker; You may already have me at photos if you are setting up camera traps. Around 26-27th of February I saw a small trail. Me and my Australian friend downstairs turned into that short trail. After walking few hundred meters, we saw couple of camera traps attached to trees. I couldn't help but pose with thumbs up.. If you are the owner of these, you may have me on few photos.. :)
Trekker; You may already have me at photos if you are setting up camera traps. Around 26-27th of February I saw a small trail. Me and my Australian friend downstairs turned into that short trail. After walking few hundred meters, we saw couple of camera traps attached to trees. I couldn't help but pose with thumbs up.. If you are the owner of these, you may have me on few photos.. :)
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"Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius." > Edward O. Wilson
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