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Climbing Kinabalu – Mountain Trek
Climbing Mount Kinabalu Trek, 3-Day Tour - Sabah, Borneo
- Looking from the summit trail on Mount Kinabalu (at 4101m, the highest peak in SE Asia) past 4032m Kinabalu South towards the Crocker Range, western Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.Laban Rata guesthouse at 3272m on the flank of 4101m Mount Kinabalu, highest peak in SE Asia, with the Crocker Range beyond over the clouds, western Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.Simple LodgesSimple LodgesSimple LodgesSimple Lodges
Prices from £695 pp
All prices exclude international flights at the start/end of your trip. Let us book flights for you.
3 days/2 nights
Kota Kinabalu - Mount Kinabalu - Kota Kinabalu
Overview
Fancy climbing the highest peak in South East Asia? Gunung Kinabalu is the pride of Sabah and its majestic peak soars high above the jungle, usually surrounded by a veil of clouds. Your Borneo trek begins in the tropical rainforest and follows twisting paths through lush and varying vegetation on your way up the mountain. You'll rest up in a simple lodge, perched on the mountainside, and on your final morning you'll head up to Mount Kinabalu's peak to see the first beams of sunshine spill out above the horizon.
*You don't need to be a hardcore mountaineer for this trek, but a reasonable level of fitness is required.
What's included
- Accommodation – price based on 2 people sharing
- 2x breakfast / 3 x lunch (of which one is a packed-lunch) / 2 x dinner
- Return transfers Kota Kinabalu to National Park
- Park entrance fee
- Permit
- English speaking guide, with a small group
Create your own holiday itinerary 1. Add at least 3 chosen trips to your travel plan 2. Send it our way 3. Our travel specialists will get planning and send you a quote
Location map
Your day-by-day itinerary
Kota Kinabalu – Mount Kinabalu National Park
This morning you’ll be picked up at your hotel for a 2 hour drive to Kota Kinabalu National Park, along with a local guide and usually a small group of other trekkers. The entrance of the park is located at an altitude of 1600m, so you won’t have to start this trek at the base of the mountain. After a little admin, you can take a walk through the National Park gardens filled with unique plants and flowers, and will have plenty of time to relax and explore. You’ll be staying in a simple chalet, where you’ll have dinner and can rest ahead of tomorrow’s trek.
Mount Kinabalu Ascent
After breakfast, you’ll be picked up at your lodge for a 30-minute drive to the ‘power station’ at 1830m. This is where you and your guide will start out on the first segment of your trek to the highest point of South East Asia; Mount Kinabalu’s peak at 4102m. A slowly winding path up the mountain will allow you to slowly adjust to the altitude, but if you feel the effects then your guide will be there to help.
There are some little cabins on the way where you can rest and refuel, and let your eyes feast on the breathtaking views. Depending on how quickly you walk, you can reach the Laban Rata guesthouse, at 3550m, within 4-6 hours. After a hearty dinner and all that mountain air, it won’t be long until you fall into a deep, yet short sleep. Tonight you’ll be in a dormitory with some other climbers, and a sleeping bag will be provided.
Mount Kinabalu Summit (and back down again...)
Be prepared for an early wake-up call from your guide. Iron stairs and ropes have been attached to the mountain to make the more difficult areas easier to climb. The thin air will make this last part of your climb more difficult than the rest, but don’t worry – you won’t have to rush and can finish the climb at your own pace. After about two hours you’ll reach the dark summit and you’ll have front row seats for the most spectacular orange and gold sunrise.
After some time at the peak taking it all in, it’s time to go back down the mountain – which will be much easier to do! A hearty breakfast will be waiting for you at the lodge before you start your descent down the mountain. As you reach lower altitudes, you’ll start to notice the return of plants and bushes and the temperature will start to climb. After about three hours you’ll be back in the tropical forest near the park entrance where a bus will be waiting to take you to Kota Kinabalu, where you can reflect on your adventure over a nice cold beer.
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- Looking from the summit trail on Mount Kinabalu (at 4101m, the highest peak in SE Asia) past 4032m Kinabalu South towards the Crocker Range, western Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.
- Laban Rata guesthouse at 3272m on the flank of 4101m Mount Kinabalu, highest peak in SE Asia, with the Crocker Range beyond over the clouds, western Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.