What you'll find is that just about every money spinning activity surrounding Taman Negara is run by, or connected with, NKS tours. They own hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Jerantut, the LBK restaurant, and run every tour. The services are quite good in some respects and not that good in others. So I'll give a run down of what I thought about everything.
They own the Hotel Malaya in KL (Petaling Street, Chinatown, 03 20720336) and the Hotel Sri Emas in Jerantut (09 2664488/2664499). They provide a bus service from outside their KL hotel to the jetty at Kuala Tembeling for RM30.
I stayed in Jerantut after our Transnasional bus driver dropped us at the door and escorted us into reception. We
...Read More
They own the Hotel Malaya in KL (Petaling Street, Chinatown, 03 20720336) and the Hotel Sri Emas in Jerantut (09 2664488/2664499). They provide a bus service from outside their KL hotel to the jetty at Kuala Tembeling for RM30.
I stayed in Jerantut after our Transnasional bus driver dropped us at the door and escorted us into reception. We got a double room with TV, A/C, and bath for the price of a double with fan and bath for RM25, down from the listed RM48. That was a good start. The room was clean, spacious, and comfortable.
The restaurant was ok, average prices for average food. They hold information sessions every evening where the hotel manager, who just loves the chance to hear his voice on a microphone and stand behind a podium, explains in detail all the activities in the park and encourages you to book and pay for them on the spot. In this regard, resistance is futile as once you get there you will be paying them for everything anyway. The one saving grace is that any voucher you buy for them is refundable if you don't use it.
You can store your backpack with them free of charge if you only wish to take a daypack with you to the park, and if you are planning on taking a night train after your return they have free hot shower facilities at your disposal. They organise mini-buses(RM4) to meet the boat trips (RM19) leaving daily at 8:30am and 1:30pm. You may as well do this as it is the most pleasant and hassle free way to get to Kuala Tahan. Don't pay for return passage, you can catch a local bus from KT back to Jerantut for RM6 leaving daily at 7:30am and 3pm, leaving from the little strip of shops. The three-hour boat trip is pleasant the first time, but there's little to be gained by doing it again. They will also organise your park entry licence(RM1) and camera licence(RM5) before you board the boat. You will arrive at their restaurant, the LBK (see dining advice) and from there you go to the accommodation you booked with them or you can make your own arrangements.
All tours leave from the LBK, you'll get a list of them given to you on several occasions. We did the Night Jungle Walk, River Tubing, and Cave Exploration. They're overpriced but on the whole ok, except the night safari (don't bother). As for their jungle trekking which includes the canopy walkway, you're paying RM20 for the use of their guide, because you can get to the canopy walkway by yourself and pay the entry fee (RM5) yourself.
NKS provide an adequate service at an inflated price. But they're the only option to do many of the activities. Only with competition will prices fall.
Read Less