How to get there:
The closest town is located near location N11.80404, E104.16347.
The Chonn Phallai Guesthouse is OK,
nice rooms with AC, but no wifi.
The local guide lives about 7 kilometer from here at location
N11.86663, E104.15509. The track posted on Peakbagger starts here.
Route description:
They key is to find the correct trail at the base of the mountain.
Once on the correct trail going uphill, there are no more issues, there is
only one trail and it is pretty big, well defined. Several parties do this
trek, perhaps mainly since it is the highest point in the country.
We drove from the house of the local guide, on his small motorcycle to find
parking at location N11.98999, E104.13394, elevation 230 meter. This drive
was about 18 kilometer, 50 minutes. From here, the trail to the summit is about
9 kilometer with a vertical gain near 1600 meter.
a memorial inscription
as well as a Bhudda statue also. A couple of motor bikes parked here, local people.
This is at elevation near 450 meter, location N12.00500, E104.13817.
Soon after this, there is a steeper uphill aiming for the main crest higher up.
A rope runs all the way along this section, not needed when dry, but perhaps
nice to have if the trail is wet and slippery.
From the top of this section, the route pretty much follows the ridge all the
way to the summit. You will cross a few minor bumps and alternate a bit between pretty
flat terrain and more sustained uphills, but nothing steep. There is a major camp
with several structures at
location 12.02736, 104.14606, elevation near 1170 meter.
There are also several structures
on the summit, the main building
having Bhudda figures inside,
A track is posted on Peakbagger.
Comments:
I organized this trip by following the procedure (Whatsapp: +85577700773, Mr. Chan)
used by Rob. I had a
nice flight from Bergen to Phnom Penh, a new recently opened airport.
Met by driver Koy, he would be with me until back here in about 5 days.
Arriving around 1900, we still made use of the evening to travel to
hotel Chonn Phallai Guesthouse near the trailhead, arriving there before 2300.
Up at 0500 the next morning, then a short drive to the house of a local
guide. He was quickly ready and we drove about 50 minutes on his motor bike.
Ready to walk at 0630. We had a rest at the house near the beginning of the
steeper ascent, then a second slightly longer rest at the camp on the ridge near
1170 meter. The trail was clear and easy, no leeches.
We arrived at the summit
after 4 hours at 1030.
The main summit building had bhudda figures
inside. We took a longer rest here,
my local guide had some rice
for lunch. We started down at 1050, just below the
lower house and about 20 minutes from our trailhead, it started raining. Tropical
rain by the buckets, completely soaked within 2 minutes. We were back at 1350, so
a 3 hour descent.
It continued to rain, the ride on the motorcycle being very wet, but I was already
as wet as you can get before we started.
My driver Koy waiting at the guide's house. back to town for a change of wet clothes,
then dinner. I stayed a second night in the same hotel.
