Climbing Mount Kinabalu is an unimaginable expertise and a difficult trek. On this weblog submit we talk about all climbing package deal choices, easy methods to do the hike, lodging, greatest season for climbing and what to anticipate.
At 4101m above sea stage Mount Kinabalu is the tallest mountain in Borneo and one of many highest in South East Asia. Low’s Peak is the very best level and might be climbed with none particular gear or coaching. It’s a steep hike that includes using some information ropes scrambling up and down the steepest components. Climbing Kinabalu is a problem and the views spectacular. Sadly like most different longer hikes in South East Asia it’s not doable to do impartial and thus principally unimaginable to do for reasonable.
Guide your Mount Kinabalu Mountaineering Bundle together with lodging on the mountain, breakfast and Return Kota Kinabalu city resort switch right here.
Mountaineering Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu is the very best peak in Sabah’s Crocker Vary. The panorama is basically lovely and vary from tropical rainforest to subalpine close to the summit. Climbing the mountain is steep and fairly powerful with greater than 20 000 individuals trying to succeed in Low’s Peak per yr. The route is straightforward to comply with, however might be slippery and visibility unhealthy when it rains and the fog will get very dense.
Guidelines for climbing Mount Kinabalu modified considerably within the final couple of years. I’ve climbed Mount Kinabalu in 1 day, splitting the obligatory information with 4 different hikers, now you may solely do the hike over 2 days, staying on the mountain for one night time.
Mount Kinabalau Climb Itinerary
Your complete hike is 8.72km a method, so 17,4 km return over two days with an elevation acquire of 2300m and astray 2300m to stroll down. Climbers have two days to aim the climb. On day one hikers begin at Timpohon Gate ascending to Laban Rata the place they in a single day. Day two is a really early begin with climbers beginning at round 2 am climbing to Low’s Peak to make it for dawn earlier than turning round and descending alongside the identical path.
Day 1 – from Timpohon Gate to Laban Rata
- Minimize-off time for beginning the hike is 10:30, attempt to get to Kinabalu Park Headquarters early.
- Register, obtain tags and meal vouchers, decide up packed lunch from restaurant. Meet your information go to beginning gate collectively. Hike 6km to Laban Rata Resthouse (3300m above sealevel), test in.
- Hike is especially stairs and rocky terrain with the final km the hardest.
- Avg climbing time 4 to six hours
- Keep in dormitory, bedding offered, carry garments for chilly climate thermals, beanie and many others.
- Apparently buffet meals is sweet, can refill water bottles at dinner
The hike up Mount Kinabalu normally begins between 7.30-10.30 am. The hike takes between 3-5 hours to succeed in Laban Rata from Timpohon Gate. From Timpohon Gate the route is properly marked with indicators marking the path each couple of hundred meters. The path begins out going up, the incline for the primary 4 kilometers is average to tough on a rocky floor and numerous stairs, primarily stone steps with a few wood staircases, about half the path is climbing up stairs! I didn’t depend however heard there are 380 flights of stairs on the primary day! The final two kilometers to Laban Rata is steep and really rocky. The vertical ascent is 1400 metres from Kinabalu Park.
Day Two – the Summit
- Rise up 2:30 for ascent, carry headlamp
- Hike 3-4 hours to summit for dawn
- Descent takes avg 5-6 hours
The overall distance for day two is 11.4 km, from the summit it’s nonetheless a great distance down. From Laban Rata, the climb could be very steep, it is just 2.7 km to the summit with a enhance in elevation of 800m! principally sluggish progress up steps and over easy rock faces.
There are about 180 units of steps on the second day virtually all within the first 700m, from right here the following 2 km is on easy granite rock surfaces, there are information ropes to help and comply with the summit. There may be numerous scrambling getting up this powerful half, typically utilizing the ropes to rise up over the graceful floor. Some part are actually steep and holding on to the ropes when happening is usually crucial.
Mount Kinabalu through Ferrata
Mount Kinabalu has the very best through ferrata route on the earth and is famend for its spectacular views. A through ferrata, that means ‘iron street’ in Italian, is a protected mountain pathway consisting of rails, cables and bridges on the steep rock face. By utilizing the through Ferrata, steep rock faces that may usually solely be climbed by mountaineers and rock climbers with expertise might be climbed by anybody of avg health, even with none expertise.
This street begins at 3,200 meters and ends at 3,776 meters above sea stage. This mountain pathway consists of a collection of rails, cables, and bridges that lead you from the start line to the tip, strolling subsequent to the rock’s face.
The Mount Kinabalu By way of Ferrata has 2 routes; Stroll the Torq and Low’s Peak Circuit. Lows Peak Circuit is the tougher route. No climbing expertise is required to aim both of the routes.
The route has a size of 1.2km and a enhance in elevation of 365m.
The through ferrata is finished after reaching the summit. In the event you do the conventional hike you’ll begin happening after reaching the summit, however when you’ve got opted for the through ferrata (Stroll the Torq or Low’s Peak) you’ll do the extra exercise after reaching the summit, earlier than they head down the mountain.
Lodging on Mount Kinabalu
- Laban Rata Hut – Hosts 77 normal summit climbers each worldwide and Malaysian.
- Pendant Hut Hosts 33 By way of Ferrata climbers, each worldwide or Malaysian
- Lemaing Hostel 25 normal summit climbers, solely Malaysian
Easy methods to Climb Mount Kinabalu with or with no Tour.
Mount Kinabalu can’t be climbed impartial, it’s obligatory to make use of a information. As much as 5 persons are allowed to share one information so this isn’t an enormous expense. It’s nonetheless not obligatory to do an organised tour. You may e book every part by yourself, or use an company, which is clearly simpler, however extra expensive.
Climbing Kinabalu with out an company – It’s doable to prepare the hike by yourself, crucial factor that’s normally totally booked forward of time is the lodging on the mountain. Do all your personal reserving the next method:
- Guide a mattress at Laban Rata lodging on the mountain by contacting Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (SSL) the administration of lodging in Kinabalu Park and Laban Rata or visiting their workplace in Kota Kinabalu
- Go to Park Headquarters the day earlier than within the morning and e book a information.
- Arrive on the Park Head quaters, pay for allow, insurance coverage, mountain information, shuttle bus and park entrance payment. Obtain a packed lunch, identification tag (have to be worn through the hike)
- Meet your information
- Get on the shuttle bus
- Begin trekking
Since there are restricted areas accessible individuals e book as far forward as doable. It’s at all times doable to get a final minute reserving, individuals typically cancel, if you’re alone your probabilities of getting a final minute reserving is significantly better.
Reserving by way of an company – reserving by way of an company is dearer, however they normally make it problem free, with many packages beginning and ending in Kota Kinabalu and together with a number of providers. We checklist a pair right here, I’ll advocate you learn evaluations on the varied excursions. Please learn the phrases and situations cautious when reserving, most bookings just isn’t refunded upon cancellation of the climb for any cause.
Climbing Mount Kinabalu Packages
There are a number of choices for climbing mt Kinabalu; the 2 day one night time possibility (2D1N), the three day 2 night time possibility (3d2N) and climbing Mount Kinabalu through Ferrata. There are numerous firms providing packages to climb the mountain.
Sutera Sanctuary Lodges
- Sutera Sanctuary lodges are properly priced since they personal the lodging on the mountain, what you get could be very fundamental.
- Packages don’t embody transport.
- Prepare your personal climb allow, climb insurance coverage, mountain information providers, and transportation earlier than your climb.
- Rent a porter at Kinabalu Park HQ if required.
- Carry money in MYR to pay Sabah Parks authorities for varied bills.
Mt Kinabalu – the 2 day one night time possibility (2D1N) – with no tour
The 2-day one-night possibility is the shortest and hottest method of presently climbing Mt Kinabalu. If you e book your climbing package deal by way of SSL you reserve a spot for climbing and your dormitory mattress on the mountain. The package deal contains meals and lodging, you continue to have to pay a few different charges:
- Sabah Parks entrance payment Malaysian RM3/foreigner RM15 – $3.30
- Climbing allow Malaysian RM50/foreigner RM200 – $50
- Climbing insurance coverage, obligatory RM7 – $1.72
- Obligatory Information RM230 can break up one information with as much as 6 hikers =RM38 – $8.50
- Sutera Sanctuary climbing package deal RM 1330 staying in dormitory lodging – $295
- TOTAL $352 worth for solo worldwide climber staying in dormitory lodging*
* Non-public Rooms can be found (sleeps 2)
Elective charges
- Memento certificates: RM10
- Left-luggage storage: RM12
- Mountaineering pole rental : RM15
- Rent porters: The speed is RM65. – you shouldn’t want a porter to hold your gear for one night time.
Klook Funds 2D1N Inclusive Climb
Nice costs, solo non-Malaysian climbers $446, nice reductions couple from $324 pp – extra information costs reserving – Climb Kinabalu
- 1-night lodging at Laban Rata Relaxation Home (non-heated dormitory bunk-bed with sharing rest room & rest room)
- Return Kota Kinabalu city resort switch (Sit-In-Coach)
- Return switch (Park HQ – Timpohon Gate – Park HQ)
- 1 x breakfast / 1 x packed lunch / 1 x lunch / 1 x dinner / 1 x supper
- Entrance charges
- Climbing insurance coverage
- Climbing allow
- Certificates
- Mountain information
The three day two night time possibility (3D2N)
These packages don’t take any longer to summit, you get an additional night time round Kinabalu park, mixed with further actions. The benefit is that these packages might be booked greater than 30 days upfront.
The Greatest season to climb Mt Kinabalu
One of the best months to climb mt Kinabalu are February, March and April the dry season. The worst time is October to January throughout monsoon season on account of heavy rains. Summit climb is usually cancelled throughout heavy rain, climbers must go down after spending the night time within the resthouse.
Mt Kinabalu lodging
Kinabalu Park is situated about 2 hours from the capital, Kota Kinabalu. There are numerous public buses of various budgets doing this journey. If you might want to e book lodging near the park there’s a selection accessible for each price range we advocate the next:
Backpacker Funds Kinabalu Valley Homestay – For $10 per night time, room is an excellent deal. Good location close to Kinabalu park, pleasant homeowners, shared rest room, use of kitchen nice for price range vacationers.
Need a bit extra luxurious after the hike? Ren – Hana Kampungstay Kundasang – superior location close to the park, good view of Mount Kinabalu, personal bathroom- $27 for room
Gear for climbing Kinabalu
Gear that’s important for this hike:
LIKE THIS POST? PIN IT!
Please comply with and like us:
The sturdy half of Stingy Nomads, a nomadic aquaman that will be blissful to spend all his life within the water diving, browsing and spearfishing however typically has to compromise with Alya and go climbing as an alternative. Campbell is accountable for all our marine adventures and following them with write-ups. He loves touring, braai (BBQ in South Africa), purple wine and spending the day in a wetsuit.