Trip to Imbak Canyon

Living in Sabah is a blessed as we have an oppurtunity to visit island, beach, mountain, hills & waterfall within few kilometers from city centre.

However, it's not easy go to the gazetted areas like forest or Island due to the certain permit we have to obtained.

For Imbak Canyon Conservation Area,it was gazetted as Total Protected Area (TPA) in 2009.

With an opportunity given by Yayasan Sabah dan Petronas for media visit to Imbak Canyon, I would definitely say YES for the invitation.

For me its one in a lifetime chance to visit our First Class Forest cum last virigin forest gazetted as TPA in Sabah.

The media trip held on 23-26 March in conjunction with the launching of Imbak Canyon Study Centre (ICSC).

Before heading to ICCA, Tongod -picture courtesy of Information Department, Sabah

It was my first time in Imbak Canyon. With a little information I know about this pristine forest that located in area of 27,599 hectare, this place really worth for visit. Even for short vacation to be away from city. Its located in a sub-district of Tongod, Kinabatangan.

Our journey to Imbak start from Kota Kinabalu with a team of 35 people including staff from Yayasan Sabah dan Petronas.

The convoy from Kota Kinabalu begun at 9.30am by using 4 Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles. The distance is about 300km from the capital city.

Along the way, the journey was smooth untill we enter gravel & muddy road where 2 of the vehicles stucked.

I think it's normal for vehicle to get stuck in muddy road esp when its a raining season. Although our visit to Imbak Canyon during dry season but a day before our trip was raining.

Imbak Canyon Study Centre -picture courtesy of Yayasan Sabah

We arrive in ICSC at 6pm and straight for registration procedure, take key of our sharing room. We divided into 2 house for men and women. There are 8 rooms for 2-3 people. We stay at Doringin 2.

At night after dinner, we attended a briefing on Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA) by Acting Manager of Environment & Conservation, Yayasan Sabah, Dr Hamzah Tangki.

According to him, ICCA is a home for 600 species of tree, 82 mammals, 26 endangered species and 242 species of birds.

A lot of tthings and information we learn during the briefing but I don't have to eleborate more since information on ICCA can be found in their website.

-ends Day 1 in Imbak Canyon.