Cameron Highlands Itinerary: Cameron One Day Trip, 2D1N & 3D2N (New Guide 2020)

Cameron Highlands is accessible from Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh which is why a Cameron Highlands trip is a perfect short getaway from city life!

Those seeking something wholly different from the rest of the mainland will find pleasantly cool temperatures and verdant countryside views at this famous hill station in Malaysia!

This guide is all about what you need to know before you book that Cameron Highlands trip and plan your Cameron Highlands itinerary!

Table of Contents:

Best Time To Visit
Cameron Highlands Tour
Top 10 Things To Do
Cameron Highlands Trip Itinerary
Hotels In Cameron Highlands
Hotels In Ipoh
FAQs

1. Best Time To Visit Cameron Highlands

There are two things to keep in mind when it comes to picking your travel dates for a Cameron Highlands trip!

1.1. When Is The Monsoon Season?

While it rains often in Cameron Highlands, you might want to avoid the monsoon season which is between November and February.

getting up to Cameron Highlands from Ipoh

Windy roads are part of getting up to Cameron Highlands

1.2. When Is Cameron Highlands Most Crowded?

Never underestimate the popularity of Cameron Highlands! Locals love coming up here as much as international visitors do.

Particularly so if there is a big public holiday (e.g. Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Merdeka, Deepavali, Christmas, etc) coming up!

Kea Fam Market On A Sunny Day – photo credits to nad62347 (Instagram)

School holidays play a role in the traffic jams too with the peak season between May to September.

1.3. So What Is The Best Time To Visit Cameron Highlands?

If you can afford to take off a weekday from work anywhere between mid-February to April, you will be rewarded with temperatures below 25°C, less chances of rain and fewer crowds!

View Of Cameron Highlands From The Top Of Rose Centre – photo credits to professorpickle (Instagram)

Note: If you want to enjoy the coldest temperatures that Cameron Highlands has to offer, then plan your trip between December and February when the temperature can drop close to 10°C at night!

2. Cameron Highlands Tour

Locals drive up for a Cameron Highlands trip literally every chance they can get.

But if you’re not familiar with Malaysian roads (or the behaviour of other drivers), then the winding uphill drive can be intimidating if it’s your first time!

Driving Up To Cameron Highlands

So why not take a tour instead?

Other reasons to consider a tour:

Places like the BOH Sungai Palas tea plantation are not an easy drive!
If you have a larger group, this is how you can stick together!
Someone else to plan the trip itinerary for you!
Sightseeing with local insight
Comfortable and convenient way to get around Cameron Highlands

2.1. Private Tour From Ipoh To Cameron Highlands

RayTheTour/Travelswithsun offers private tours that start from Ipoh.

Ipoh the capital of Perak – photo credits to ryotahachino (Instagram)

Why Ipoh?

Ipoh is more than a jumping-off point for Cameron Highlands. A few hours are certainly not enough to really appreciate all the history, culture and Ipoh food!

Have an Ipoh-born guide show you where all the lesser-known attractions are!

Our tours include:

An experienced local guide
Transport from Ipoh to Cameron Highlands
Pick-up from anywhere in Ipoh (e.g. Ipoh hotel, airport, bus station, train station, etc)
Transport around Cameron Highlands
Transport back to Ipoh from Cameron Highlands (on the same day)

See reviews on our Tripadvisor page.

You can book a Cameron Highlands trip (Cameron Highlands Tour Package From Ipoh) by sending us a message on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Itineraries are highly customizable and you can combine other locations in like:

Ipoh (Ipoh Old Town, Concubine Lane, cave temples, etc)
Taiping (Taiping Lake Gardens)
Kuala Sepetang (Fireflies, mangroves, charcoal factory, etc)
Gopeng (Gua Tempurung and Gaharu Tea Valley)
Sitiawan (Impressive seaside temple)
Kuala Kangsar (Royal town)
Bukit Merah (Orangutan sanctuary)

Taiping Lake Garden – Taiping is a quick and easy road trip from Ipoh

3. Top 10 Things To Do In Cameron Highlands

When you’re in Cameron Highlands, there’s no need to rush from one attraction to the next!

The point of it all is to take your time and appreciate the natural beauty around you!

Visit a Cameron Highlands tea plantation

Cameron Valley Tea Estate – photo credits to ramona.gaun (Instagram)

Pick strawberries at a strawberry farm

Strawberries grow well in Cameron Highlands – photo credits to clarissasy03 (Instagram)

Stroll through Lavender Garden
Visit a local market like Brinchang Night Market or Kea Farm Market
Admire how big flowers get in a rose garden

Pink Rose At Rose Valley – photo credits to iamsueishak (Instagram)

See plenty of cacti
Enjoy British cream tea at a colonial-style tea house
Do some hiking (e.g. mossy forest, Gunung Brinchang, Robinson Falls, Gunung Jasar etc)
Have a steamboat lunch or dinner
Visit an orang asli village

And if you run out of things to do in Cameron Highlands, don’t fret! There’s more that we did not cover in this post!

Read more: Butterfly Farm Cameron Highlands: Everything About This Farm + Review

4. Cameron Highlands Trip Itinerary

Unless you plan to do some serious hiking or visit Brinchang Night Market, you can cover most of the main highlights in Cameron Highlands in one day!

Brinchang Night Market in Cameron Highlands – photo credits to kairuri (Instagram)

4.1. Cameron Highlands One Day Trip Itinerary

This is a classic itinerary for first timers to Cameron Highlands!

Have an early morning local breakfast at a kopitiam or dim sum restaurant in Ipoh
Head up to Cameron Highlands (~2 hours)
Stretch your legs at a BOH tea plantation
If time allows, make a quick stop at a bee farm (Ee Feng Gu honey bee farm)

Highlands Apiary Bee Farm, Cameron Highlands – Photo credits to fungrimiss (Instagram)

Sit down to a steamboat lunch
See a cactus nursery
Stop by the Kea Farm Market
Pick some strawberries and have a treat at a strawberry farm (EQ strawberry farm / Raju’s Hill strawberry farm)
Visit Lavender Garden

Cameron Lavender Garden – photo credits to theblackpoise (Instagram)

Head back down to Ipoh (or Kuala Lumpur)

Note: If you take the older (windier)Tapah road up, you can detour to Lata Iskandar Waterfall!

4.2. 2D1N Cameron Highlands Itinerary

A 2-day itinerary gives you a little more time to spend in Ipoh and Cameron Highlands!

Day 1: Ipoh & Cameron Highlands

Early morning local breakfast Ipoh-style (kopitiam or dim sum restaurant)
Detour to Kellie’s Castle or one of Ipoh’s many cave temples

Kellie’s Castle at Batu Gajah

Head up to Cameron Highlands (~2 hours)
Detour to Sam Poh Temple at Cameron Highlands
For lunch, you can try some renown Cameron Highlands food (e.g. Delicious & Happiness Kitchen 有口福美味小厨)
Cactus Valley
Have a look at the Time Tunnel Museum
Steamboat dinner
Check out the Brinchang Night Market

Day 2: Cameron Highlands

This day will follow the 1 Day itinerary above except you have breakfast at a tea plantation instead.

Teahouse At Sungai Palas BOH Tea Estate

4.3. 3D2N Cameron Highlands Itinerary

With this itinerary, you get to fully immerse yourself in the wilderness by taking on a hiking trail in the jungle on the second day!

This 3D2N itinerary is exactly the same as the 2D1N itinerary above except for an extra day between the two days!

Day 1: Follows Day 1 Of The 2D1N Itinerary

Day 2: Hiking In Cameron Highlands

A combination of hiking trails, #10 and #6 allow you to see:

A tea plantation (Cameron Valley Tea Plantation)
Panoramic views of the valley below

View Of The Valley From Cameron Valley Tea House 1 – photo credits to nad62347 (Instagram)

Start the half-day hike from Tanah Rata to Gunung Jasar and continue on to Cameron Valley.

Round-trip duration: ~3.5 hours

Note: There are numerous trails in Cameron Highlands

After your hike, you can relax at one of the tea houses at the tea plantation.

Follow this with some well-deserved downtime at your hotel.

Other options for this day:

Go on a tour with EcoCameron to find the rare Rafflesia flower
Or visit an orang asli village (Pos Rantau)
Or attempt Trail #1 (Gunung Brinchang) and see the mossy forest too!

Early Morning Mossy Forest at Cameron Highlands

Day 3: Follows Day 2 Of The 2D1N Itinerary

5. Hotels In Cameron Highlands

Want to relish the cool environment longer?

Here are some go-to hotels to check out according to your budget!

5.1. Traveller Bunker (Budget Option)

Conveniently close to a bus stand:

This budget hostel in Tanah Rata has clean rooms with capsule beds, a kitchen and toilets for guests to share and heaps of common areas where you can meet other travellers!

Traveller Bunker Hostel – photo belongs to the hotel

Finding somewhere to eat is easy and will not require a car!

Location: No. 82, Jalan Persiaran Camelia 4, 39000 Tanah Rata, Pahang

Close to: Tanah Rata Town

Price range: ~ RM75 to 200 (Dormitory room starts from RM30)

Remark: Can be noisy at night

5.2. Century Pines Resort Cameron Highlands (Mid-range)

Century Pines Resort offers cosy and stylish rooms in a location that’s close to local eateries in Tanah Rata town.

Century Pines Resort Cameron Highlands – photo credits to booking.com

Breakfast is commendable!

Location: Jalan Masjid, Tanah Rata, 39000 Tanah Rata, Pahang

Close to: Agro Technology Park Mardi Cameron Highlands, Lord’s Café

Price range: RM250+ for 2 pax/ night

Remark: The deposit fee is RM200

5.3. Cameron Highlands Resort (Luxury)

Cameron Highlands Resort has luxurious colonial-style rooms with lovely views of the neighbouring golf course. Expect nothing less than warm service from their well-trained staff!

Cameron Highlands Resort – photo credits to booking.com

Join their complimentary jungle walks in the morning!

Location: By The Golf Course, 39000 Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Pahang

Close to: Cameron Highlands Golf Course, Jim Thompson Tea Room, Brinchang Night Market

Price range: ~RM700 for 2 pax/ night

6. Hotels In Ipoh

One obvious advantage of staying in Ipoh is having more opportunity to sample Ipoh local fare.

But other than this, there is the abundance of Ipoh hotels to consider!

6.1. De Café & Rest House (Budget Option)

Dormitory-style accommodation with awesome facilities and privacy when you need it most!

De Café & Rest House even has its own café downstairs which doubles as a common area!

Location: 35, Jalan Sultan Iskandar, 30000 Ipoh, Perak

Close to: Kedai Kopi Ah Chow, Han Chin Pet Soo, Concubine Lane, Kong Heng Square, Lim Ko Pi

Price range: From RM83 for 2 people a night

6.2. Hotel Excelsior (Mid-range)

Get the usual trappings and modern amenities of a contemporary hotel without compromising on the price. Or being too far from the local sights!

Hotel Excelsior At Ipoh – photo credits to booking.com

At Hotel Excelsior, guests can expect spacious and clean rooms and excellent service!

Location: 43, Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Perak

Close to: Ming Court Hong Kong Dim Sum, Restaurant Foh San, Cowan Street Ayam Tauge & Koitiau Restaurant

Price range: From RM175 to RM200 a night for 2 pax

6.3. The Banjaran Hotsprings Resort (Luxury)

Luxury comes with a hefty price tag but you will not be disappointed!

The Banjaran Hotsprings Resort is where you go for absolute peace and tranquility!

Location: 1, Persiaran Lagoon, Sunway 3, 31150 Ipoh, Perak

Close to: Sunway Lost World Of Tambun

Price range: From RM1,353 for 2 people a night

7. FAQ For Cameron Highlands Trip

Q1: When is the best time to visit Cameron Highlands?

A1: Just avoid the monsoon season (November and February) and weekends overlapping with school holidays & major public holidays (e.g. Hari Raya, Merdeka, Deepavali, Chinese New Year).

Q2: What is the weather like in Cameron Highlands?

A2: It is wet most of the year. The driest month is February. Months closer to June see less rain as well. The coldest months are between November and February.

Q3: What to pack for a Cameron Highlands trip?

A3: Summer wear with at least 1 jacket, pair of long pants & comfortable walking shoes. For hiking – waterproof jacket and hiking/ sports shoes.

Q4: What to do in Cameron Highlands?

A4: Hiking (e.g. waterfalls, jungle, Brinchang peak, mossy forest, etc) and visiting tea plantations, farms, gardens and British-colonial tea houses. There is one golf course too.

Q5: What to eat at Cameron Highlands?

A5: Tuck into a hearty steamboat. Go for the tom yum or herbal soup base for something extra! The best steamboat restaurants in Cameron Highlands.

Q6: Where to stay in Cameron Highlands?

A6: Tanah Rata, Brinchang or Kea Farm. There are many budget hostels, some mid-range hotels and a few luxury resorts (European feel) like Cameron Highlands Resorts.

Q7: How to get around Cameron Highlands?

A7: If you want to use the public transport (e.g. bus, taxi) in Cameron Highlands, choose a hotel in Tanah Rata. Note that the bus usually suffers from delays.

Q8: What to buy from Cameron Highlands?

A8: Taking some fresh strawberries back down with you? Buy them on your last day to ensure maximum freshness. The Brinchang Night Market, Kea Farm Market and most bee farms have souvenirs for sale.

Strawberry Jam at KHM Strawberries & Jam – photo credits to stevenhavingfun.blogspot.com

Conclusion

The essentials of an awesome Cameron Highlands trip include knowing when to go, how to go and where to stay.

And how long to stay. Consider extending Cameron Highlands itinerary with an Ipoh itinerary too!

Lastly, it doesn’t hurt to have some handy travel tips in your arsenal before you go!