Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia..

Mt Kinabalu (4095m) is one of the tallest mountains in South-East Asia and is situated in the Kinabalu National Park in the province of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. Thousands of tourists visit Kinabalu National Park each year and most come with the intention of climbing Mt Kinabalu.

Fortunately, Mt Kinabalu is one of the easiest peaks in the world to conquer. It takes just two days and climbers don't need any previous experience at mountain climbing. At sunrise, the views from the Mt Kinabalu's summit at Low's Peak are spectacular, making all the effort worthwhile.

Most climbers take two days to ascend and descend Mt Kinabalu. The eight-kilometre climb generally starts from the the Timpohon Gate near park headquarters (1800m), with an overnight stay at one of the guest houses at Laban Rata (3273m), before pushing on to the summit early next morning. Mt Kinabalu's summit is usually reached in time to view the sunrise, before returning to Laban Rata for breakfast. Climbers then descend the mountain, generally reaching the park headquarters by mid-afternoon.

Anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and the willpower to push through fatigue and discomfort can climb to the summit of Mt Kinabalu. It is achievable and incredibly rewarding.


Climbers must be accompanied by accredited guides at all times due to national park regulations. There are two main starting points for the climb : the Timpohon Gate (located 5.5km from Kinabalu Park Headquarters, at an altitude of 1,866 meters (6,122 ft)), and the Mesilau Nature Resort. The latter starting point is slightly higher in elevation, but crosses a ridge, adding about two kilometers to theascent and making the total elevation gain slightly higher. The two trails meet about two kilometers before Laban Rata.