Mount. Kinabalu is one of the highest peak in Southeast Asia, it’s 4,095.2M above sea level, whether you are a adventurous person or not, the view from the peak will absolutely ‘WOW’ you!!

I wasn’t an adventurous person but I’m a runner as I started running since 2012, and I make it to the peak of Mt. Kinabalu on February 2014, frankly, you really do need a good stamina to make it to the peak! I went for a 3D2N mountain climb trip with Sanctuary Borneo travel package, there are 2 different route which connect to the half point of the mountain where you need to stay 1 night, one is from Timpohon Gate & another one is from Mesilau.

This is the half point – Laban Rata, where you can take a rest and have your lunch and dinner before continue the midnight trek to the peak. I started the trek from Mesilau gate at 8.30a.m. and make it to the half point at 3.30p.m., it’s about 7km, but if you go up from Timpohon, the route will be shorten to 6km.

You can do either to go up from Timpohon Gate or Mesilau gate, or if you wanted to do both route, you can choose to go up from either Timpohon or Mesilau and come down from different route. These 2 route lead to the same half point and there’s only ONE route to reach to the peak which is called ‘Low’s Peak’.

In order to witness the amazing sunrise, you have to be at Low’s Peak before 5.30a.m., everyone started their climb to peak at about 1am or 2am in the morning (Yes, you only get to rest for a few hours!), so I started my trek at 2a.m. and reached Low’s Peak at 7a.m., the climb to the peak is ain’t that easy as you thought, with the lack of oxygen and the cold temperature at midnight, you become more fatigued far more quickly. So, remember to take a short break from time to time!

Yes, you have to take a photo with this board in order to owned the Official Certificate. You’ll get two certificate if you have trek the Mesilau route.

If you thought of climbing the mountain without any tour guide, it’s IMPOSSIBLE! ONE tour guide can only bring maximum 6 people, so if you have more than 6 in a group, you’ll need extra guide. That is why is best to go with travel agent and ask for the best tour package they can give.

TIP: Don’t lose the KINABALU PARK ‘access card’, you need to bring that card with you all the time, and you’ll need that card to check in your name half way to the peak!

SUMMARY:

3D2N, ascending from Mesilau and descending from Timpohon.

Mesilau route is longer as i mentioned above, but you get more beautiful views along the route as compared to Timpohon. Timpohon route, it’s only STAIRS and STAIRS and STAIRS and….hell, never-ending STAIRS!! My knee suffered big time while descending due to the continuous ascending climb for more than 12 HOURS and descending right after the climb.

So TIP: Bring a knee guard will be very useful while descending, also remember to rent the stick or bring your own stick, you’ll bring the usefulness of the stick while descending!

Rough Itinerary:

Day 1: Reached airport, 3 or 4 hours transfer to Mesilau Nature Park Resort, have your dinner and rest!

Day 2: Wake up at 7am, go for breakfast, and get ready for the climb, 5 or 6 km climb to half point – Laban Rate, started from 8.30 am and reached around 3.30pm (some people are fast and some are really slow, our tour guide said there are some even reached the half point at night around 12am and couldn’t make it to the peak!), dinner and take a really good rest!

Day 3: Wake up at 12am, had supper and continue climb to the peak at 1 or 2am, reached Low’s Peak at 6.30am, take photos and slowly descending to half point again for breakfast. After breakfast, continue descending to the bottom at 10 or 11am, reached the Timpohon Gate point at 3pm. After that you may choose to transfer to Kota Kinabalu town for your own leisure time or back to the airport.

WARNING: You’ll suffer for muscle pain from the bottom of your body to your upper body, so get whatever muscle pain relieve cream or yokoyoko or whatever READY!