Endau Rompin National Park

Endau-Rompin National Park is located in southern Peninsular Malaysia, spanning portions of both Johor and Pahang states. Established in stages beginning in the 1990s, the protected area encompasses approximately 335 square miles (870 sq km) of some of the oldest tropical rainforest on Earth.

Named after the Endau and Rompin Rivers that flow through the region, the park protects a vast wilderness of ancient rainforest, waterfalls, rivers, mountains, and rare wildlife. Endau-Rompin is widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s most important terrestrial conservation areas and one of the last extensive tracts of untouched lowland rainforest remaining in Peninsular Malaysia.

The park is best known for its ancient rainforest ecosystem, which is estimated to be more than 130 million years old—older than the Amazon Rainforest and among the oldest surviving rainforests on Earth. Visitors are drawn by opportunities to experience pristine jungle landscapes, dramatic waterfalls, and remote wilderness rarely found elsewhere in the region.

Popular attractions include the spectacular Buaya Sangkut Waterfall, Upeh Guling Waterfall, and the scenic Endau and Rompin river systems. Jungle trekking, wildlife observation, camping, river exploration, and visits to Indigenous Orang Asli communities provide visitors with a rich and immersive rainforest experience.

Geographically, Endau-Rompin National Park consists of rugged hills, granite outcrops, dense rainforest, river valleys, and numerous waterfalls. The park is part of the Endau-Rompin massif, a region characterized by ancient volcanic and sedimentary formations. Elevations vary throughout the park, creating diverse habitats ranging from lowland dipterocarp forests to hill forests.

The Endau and Rompin Rivers carve through the landscape, creating fertile valleys and supporting a wide range of plant and animal life. Towering hardwood trees, palms, ferns, orchids, and rare flowering plants thrive in the park’s warm, humid climate.

Wildlife is one of the park’s greatest treasures. Endau-Rompin supports some of the most important populations of large mammals remaining in Peninsular Malaysia. Species include the endangered Malayan tiger, Asian elephant, Malayan tapir, sun bear, clouded leopard, and sambar deer.

Primates such as white-handed gibbons, dusky leaf monkeys, and long-tailed macaques inhabit the forest canopy. Birdlife is exceptionally rich, with hornbills, pheasants, kingfishers, broadbills, and numerous endemic species recorded throughout the park. Reptiles, amphibians, insects, and freshwater species further contribute to the park’s extraordinary biodiversity.

Endau-Rompin National Park plays a critical role in preserving one of Southeast Asia’s oldest and most biologically important rainforest ecosystems. The park protects vital watersheds, safeguards habitat for endangered wildlife, and serves as an important refuge amid increasing pressures from development and habitat fragmentation.

Its conservation significance is often compared to Taman Negara National Park and Gunung Leuser National Park because of its ancient forests, exceptional biodiversity, and ecological importance. Through its pristine rainforests, rare wildlife, spectacular waterfalls, and enduring natural heritage, Endau-Rompin National Park stands as one of Malaysia’s most valuable protected areas and one of the finest rainforest destinations in Southeast Asia.