Private Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya & Batu Caves Full-Day Tour

Batu Caves and the Temple Cave

The day begins about 30 minutes north of the city at Batu Caves, a limestone hill some 400 million years old that shelters Malaysia's most important Hindu shrine. A golden statue of the deity Murugan, about 42.7 metres tall, guards the foot of the hill, and behind it 272 steps painted in rainbow colours climb to the Temple Cave, a vast chamber lit by daylight from openings in the rock.

Our driver-guide explains the temple's customs and the dress code on the way, and you take the climb at your own pace while the macaques watch from the cliffs. Arriving early, as this private tour does, means cooler air and fewer crowds. During the Thaipusam festival in January or February the site fills with pilgrims, so ask us about timing if you travel then. Allow about an hour, or a little more if you want to explore the smaller shrines at the base.

Istana Negara, the National Mosque and the National Monument

Back in the city, the first stop is Istana Negara, the official residence of Malaysia's king, whose golden domes and ceremonial guards make a fine photograph at the main gate. Nearby, the National Monument in the Lake Gardens is a bronze sculpture unveiled in 1966 to honour those who died defending the country.

The National Mosque, opened in 1965, is one of the finest examples of modern Islamic architecture in Southeast Asia. Its folded blue roof is shaped like an eighteen-pointed star and its minaret rises about 73 metres over reflecting pools and marble courtyards. Visitors of all faiths may enter outside prayer times, with robes and headscarves lent at the door, and your guide plans the visit around the prayer schedule. This part of the day gives a strong sense of Malaysia as a modern Muslim-majority nation that welcomes travellers of every background.

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Merdeka Square and the River of Life

The old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, opened in 1910, looks more like a palace than a station, with white minarets, arches and domes in Moorish revival style. A short drive away, Merdeka Square is where the national flag was first raised at midnight on 31 August 1957. The square is framed by the Sultan Abdul Samad Building of 1897, with its copper domes and clock tower, and a flagpole about 95 metres tall.

Near the square you can pose with the I Love KL sign at the City Gallery and continue to the River of Life, where the Klang and Gombak rivers meet beside the red-and-white Masjid Jamek. This muddy confluence gave Kuala Lumpur its name when tin miners founded a trading post here in the 1850s. It is the best place on this Kuala Lumpur city tour to understand how a small mining settlement became a capital.

Petronas Twin Towers and KL Tower

The skyline chapter of the day takes you through the Golden Triangle, the city's shopping and business district, to the Petronas Twin Towers. At 452 metres, the steel-and-glass towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004, and their eight-pointed star floor plan draws on Islamic geometry. The park at their base is the classic spot for a full-height photo.

KL Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur) rises 421 metres on Bukit Nanas, a hill covered by the oldest forest reserve in the city. Its observation deck at about 276 metres offers one of the widest views of Kuala Lumpur; tickets are not included, so you can decide on the day whether to go up. Your driver-guide times both stops for the best light and the least traffic.

Putrajaya: Putra Square and the Putra Mosque

About 30 to 40 minutes south of Kuala Lumpur lies Putrajaya, the planned city that has been Malaysia's federal administrative centre since 1999. Wide boulevards, landscaped parks and a large man-made lake give it a calm, spacious feel. A private Putrajaya tour is the easiest way to see it, as sights are spread out and public transport is limited.

The centrepiece is Putra Square, overlooked by the green-domed Perdana Putra, the prime minister's office, and by the Putra Mosque. Completed in 1999, the mosque is built of rose-tinted granite, with a pink dome and a minaret about 116 metres tall standing at the water's edge. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times and robes are lent at the entrance; on Fridays visiting hours are shorter. The view of the mosque reflected in the lake is one of the most photographed in Malaysia.

Putrajaya's bridges, Seri Perdana and the Palace of Justice

Putrajaya is also known for its striking bridges. The cable-stayed Seri Wawasan Bridge looks like a ship's sail, the Seri Gemilang Bridge is a grand ceremonial crossing lined with lamps, and the Seri Saujana Bridge spans the lake with a sweeping arch. Your driver-guide drives you across them and stops where the angles are best.

You also pass Seri Perdana, the official residence of the prime minister, and the Palace of Justice, home of the country's highest courts, whose large dome and arches mix Islamic and Malay influences. Is Putrajaya worth visiting? For architecture lovers and photographers it is a highlight, and as the last part of a full day it is relaxing and uncrowded. Afterwards we drive you back to your hotel in Kuala Lumpur.