Sabah is a mountainous state with the Crocker Range of mountains prominently in its center.  Here’s a view of this majestic rainforest-covered range.

The Crocker Mountain Range in Sabah Malaysia

Sometimes, you see peculiar sights like this one:

Funny-looking cloud and mountain in Sabah, Malaysia

Mount Kinabalu is Sabah’s top tourist destination. It is South-East Asia’s highest peak, standing at 4096 meters or about 13,350 feet above sea level. The temperature at its summit is between 0 and 4 degrees Celcius. Nothing grows there; it is one huge mass of solid rock. But the scenery from the peak of Mount Kinabalu is nothing short of stunning!

Mount Kinabalu has a unique jagged shape at the top giving it many peaks and each peak has its own peculiar name.

The Jagged Peaks of Mount Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia

The highest of all the peaks is Low’s Peak. You might be confused why a peak called Low’s Peak is named as the highest. That’s because the first recorded person to conquer this highest peak was Britain’s Sir Hugh Low who did so in the 1800’s. He not only climbed to the top but started his journey from the coast on foot! History tells us that he found the journey from the coast to the foot of the mountain more arduous than the climb itself. That Low successfully climbed to the summit in those days when there was nothing but dense jungle is nothing short of amazing. Thankfully, today a clear cut-out trail exists for all climbers. Hence, even without specialized training and snow equipment you can make it to the top provided you are in good health and reasonably fit.

How to Climb Mount Kinabalu

You must not attempt to scale the mountain if you have any health problem such as asthma or blood pressure problems. If in doubt, you must consult your doctor.

It is best to do some training to build up the strength in your legs and the stamina in your lungs. It is mandatory to be accompanied by a guide. An optional extra would be to engage a porter to carry your luggage. Most people take 3 days to go up and down the mountain. They would stay a night at Kinabalu National Park and begin their ascent the following morning. There are 7 huts along the trail where you can rest or have a snack. The weather at such a height is always capricious so you must have a raincoat, a torch and plenty of clothes. It often rains now and again and you will get drenched by the rain or your own perspiration. Depending on your fitness level, you can get to the 11,000 feet point between 3-7 hours. Here at 11,000 feet you would spend another night at Laban Rata where there are dormitories and a canteen. Don’t worry, there is hot water!

Get an early night’s sleep because at about 2 a.m. the following morning, you will begin your climb up the final 2,000 feet to the summit of Low’s Peak. Here’s where you need your torch. Why 2 a.m.? It’s so that you will get to the top of the mountain by sunrise at 6 a.m. There are parts of the ascent where you have to rope climb but these ropes are securely fastened into the rock and you will not be dangling in mid-air, so it’s perfectly safe. But you must have a good pair of gloves, though because the ropes can be wet due to the fog or rain. The sunrise at the top of Low’s Peak is spectacular.

Near the summit of Mount Kinabalu. You can see the rope for rope climbing on the ground

You can spend as long as you wish at the summit before you begin your descent. When you climb down, you will see the trail you were on at 2 a.m. It would surprise you that some of the gorges you climbed pass are so deep you cannot see its bottom. It will take you a whole day to get back to Kinabalu Park. So the entire trip takes 3 days. All the accommodation arrangements need to be done before you get to Kinabalu Park. The management of Mount Kinabalu is undertaken by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. Depending on the package you choose, the entire cost would be about $150 excluding food. If you wish, you may bring your own food but it would be an additional weight in your backpack. If you are successful in getting to the summit of Low’s Peak, you will be awarded a certificate. If you make it only to 11,000 feet but not the summit, you will also get a certificate but a different one.

The most important thing about climbing Mount Kinabalu is that you MUST stay on the trail and follow the instructions of your guide at all times. It gets extremely foggy most of the time so it is possible to get lost if you do not stay on the trail, which is very dangerous.

After the Climb, Another Great Attraction

Your muscles will ache for about 3 days after the climb up Mount Kinabalu. Most people will carry on their adventure by going to Poring Hot Springs, which is a further 45 minutes’ drive away from Kinabalu National Park. Here’s where you get to soak your aching muscles in the water of the lovely hot springs. It’s nature’s sauna. After a couple of hours in the sulphur-laced water, your skin will come out smoother than ever.

It would be a great idea to spend a night at Poring instead of just a day trip. This is because besides the hot springs, Poring has many other attractions. You can picnic at any of the waterfalls there, explore the caves or visit the butterfly park.

Beautiful clear streams like this one can be found at Poring, Sabah Malaysia

One interesting attraction for those who have the courage is the canopy walk. As the name suggests, it is a series of suspension bridges that connect the canopies of very tall rainforest trees. These trees can be up to 200 feet high and grow high up in the hills. You have to walk up a trail that brings you to about 1,000 meters above sea level to get to the canopy walk. Then you start your walk from one tree canopy to another. Looking down can be quite scary but rest assured, it’s perfectly safe.

For Non-climbers, There’s Kinabalu National Park

Kinabalu National Park is a two and a half hour drive from Kota Kinabalu. The park itself is a huge area just above the foot of Mount Kinabalu. It sits about 6,000 feet above sea level so the climate is nice and cool.  Many tourists visit Kinabalu National Park as a day trip or for a family picnic. For those who choose to stay overnight, there are various types of accommodation available – dorms, chalets and bungalow lodges. There are also two restaurants and many huts at various locations where you can have a picnic. The view from certain parts of the park is simply fantastic. You can see the Crocker Range of mountains with its virgin rainforests and cascading waterfalls.

Waterfall down the Crocker Range mountains, Sabah Malaysia

Kinabalu Park also has an exhibition center where various photographs, exhibits of stuffed animals and information on the flora and fauna of Mount Kinabalu are displayed. At certain scheduled times, you can also catch video shows about the mountain and related topics. Mount Kinabalu and Kinabalu National Park are classified as one of the World Heritage Sites.

For a relaxing and refreshing holiday, whether you climb Mount Kinabalu or not, come to Sabah and visit Kinabalu National Park and Poring Hot Springs.