Borneo Kinabalu Mountain is located at Kinabalu Park in the Malaysian state of Sabah, which is about 80 km east of Kota Kinabalu.
The most important attraction at the Kinabalu Park is the majestic Mount Kinabalu, one of the highest mountains in South East Asia standing at 4095.2 metres.
This mountain is also the tallest peak between the Himalayas and the Jawijaya Mountains in Indonesia. The first person who climbed Mount Kinabalu in the year 1851 was a British colonial officer, Sir Hugo Low.
For those who are not aware, the name Malaysia comes from a Sanskrit word which means “land of mountains” and true to its name this country is blessed with over 50 mountains and out of which Mount Kinabalu is the tallest one in the country. But many of you will be surprised to know that it is considered to be one of the easiest peaks in the world to conquer. It is said to be a climber friendly mountain compared to other lower mountains around the world.
An interesting aspect of Borneo Kinabalu Mountain is that, it is considered to be a sacred place by the locals since they believe that the mountain is a resting place for the spirits of their ancestors who inhabit the top of the mountain. In fact it is heard that earlier a chicken was sacrificed at the peak of the mountain every time a climb was made but nowadays this ceremony is conducted only once a year when seven chickens are sacrificed for the spirits.
In fact majority of the tourists who visit Kinabalu National Park each year come with the intention of climbing Mount Kinabalu Sabah. It is world famous due to its outstanding biological attributes; it is home to a tremendous botanical and biological species that are rare to find in any other part of the world. It place is rich with many species of attractive flora and fauna not easily found anywhere else.
Here you can also find numerous unusual plants, 26 species of rhododendrons, countless orchids and the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia. No wonder why Mount Kinabalu is the favourite destination for climbers and why this mountain included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
It just takes two days and no specialized mountain climbing skills or previous mountain climbing experience is required to ascend this mountain. It is one of the important reasons why climbing Mount Kinabalu Sabah is considered as one of the most exciting and rewarding activities both among the locals as well as the tourists.
Since Borneo Kinabalu Mountain is the gateway to many natural wonders of Sabah, one can easily find the mode of transportation such as taxi or a bus from there to visit the park headquarters. It will only take around two hours to reach the park.
In general the mountain climbers start at the foothills of Borneo Kinabalu Mountain for registration and then visit the Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site where they can stay for the night. A variety of accommodations can be found within this area, ranging from budget accommodation to luxurious accommodation.
On the second day, the climbers can start with the first phase of their trek at the Timpohon Gate. On the third day they can start climbing the summit at the early morning time in order to reach the summit during sunrise to have a spectacular view of the sunrise from the peak.
You will be able to make all the necessary bookings for a guide, permit, insurance, certificate and transportation to the starting point (Timpohon Gate) while you are there.