The classic approach is to drive or take a bus to Jerantut, then transfer to Kuala Tembeling jetty for the three-hour longboat ride upriver to Kuala Tahan. Boats typically depart at 9am and 2pm — check current schedules as times shift seasonally. The boat ride through increasingly dense forest is an attraction in itself.
Road access to Kuala Tahan has improved and bus services from Jerantut now run directly. From Kuala Lumpur, the journey takes four to five hours in total. Jerantut is reachable by train from KL Sentral (KTM Intercity).