hornbill-valley-taman-negara Birdwatching at Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) at Taman Negara

One of the new birdwatching locations is the Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) at Taman Negara, Pahang. Although it is just outside the national park, most people know this area as Taman Negara Pahang.

Hornbill Valley was introduced in 2012 by the Taman Negara Bird Lovers Club. Since then, only a few local bird watchers have frequented it. The usual suspects are the Rhinoceros and Wrinkled Hornbills, which are often spotted. The starbird here is also the Helmeted Hornbill.

Birdwatching at Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang)

On a recent trip here in April 2017, I aimed to do a product update on the facilities, trails, tours and birdwatching spots. Chance was on my side as I met a local birder, Roslan, who introduced me to Hornbill Valley, which is still considered a new place for non-locals.

Locally called Lembah Enggang, this is what it looks like in the morning.

This place is generally along one of the village roads connecting Kuala Tahan to Kampung Pagi. It is a decently wide road that hardly anyone uses, and because of this, avian life finds it peaceful.

The 22-kilometre road is beautiful for sightseeing, especially if you love bicycling or riding. It bends left to right and goes uphill. Along the roads, there are only a few huts that farmers may use during the season.

Hornbill Valley is located at one point on this road, and there is no signage or anything that indicates it. Therefore, you need to engage a local bird guide to take you there, and Roslan, a local birder and photographer, took me and my nature guide here at 7:30 AM.

roslan-bird-watcher-taman-negara Birdwatching at Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) at Taman Negara

My bird guide, Roslan, leads us to Hornbill Valley in Taman Negara.

From Kuala Tahan, it only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to drive to the exact spot of the Hornbill Valley. And when I got here, birds were already perched on some of the trees. Our car stopped at the side of the road, and we parked by the road dividers.

My 300mm lens was not good enough, as the trees were about 500 meters away, and the birds were high in the canopy. My bird guide, Roslan, was armed with a 500mm lens, and he could easily photograph them.

Unfortunately, there were no hornbills that morning, but other exciting species were around, so that was a pretty good indicator.

horn-bill-valley-pahang Birdwatching at Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) at Taman Negara

Pristine rainforest at the Hornbill Valley in Pahang.

You should come here before 9:00 AM, as the birds are most active from around 7 AM to 8 AM. I arrived a little late to catch the hornbills, but I did spot five or six species of birds within 20 minutes. This is because I was just here to see the location and then head back.

I was informed that on a good morning, a team of birders managed to spot 173 species around here, which is quite fascinating for any birder. About nine species of Hornbills were included, which is how the place got named Hornbill Valley.

birding-hornbill-valley-pahang Birdwatching at Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) at Taman Negara

It was not the best shot, but it was far, and it was photographed with my 300mm lens.

Plans to turn Hornbill Valley into a proper conservation site have been underway, and studies have been conducted recently.

However, there has been no official news to date, but I hope that by 2018, Lembah Enggang will be turned into a birding conservation area or even an IBA (Important Birding Area).

After experiencing this, I have made plans to visit here again to see what numbers and species of birds I can find.

birdwatching-hornbill-valley Birdwatching at Hornbill Valley (Lembah Enggang) at Taman Negara

I need to return to Hornbill Valley with my 600mm lens.

You can also read about my other birdwatching articles in Malaysia to learn about the other recommended places around Malaysia.I am not a professional bird watcher, but due to my nature of work, I often travel around Malaysia and other places. When I have some free time, I go birding as one of my hobbies.

Conclusion

I also wrote another article about bird watching in Taman Negara, with tips on bird locations and species to be spotted. Birders may find that handy if they visit here for some birding.

If you have been to Lembah Enggang or Hornbill Valley in Taman Negara, share your experience in the comment form below. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask below. Otherwise, just contact Ivy Holidays to arrange your trip.

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