Found in the Malaysian part of the mysterious and magical island of Borneo, Mount Kinabalu stands at 4,095 metres tall making it the tallest mountain in South East Asia. It’s also one of the most accessible mountains in the world, which makes Mount Kinablau trekking holidays really special.
A real treat for both mind and body, Mount Kinabalu is a challenging trek but one that is suitable for reasonably fit trekkers of all ages. Home to incredible biodiversity, you’ll be sharing the mountain with some amazing animals and the panoramic views from the summit make the climb well worth it.
Mount Kinabalu
Although this is a big mountain, no specialist mountain climbing skills are required to reach the summit. Although along some of the summit sections there are some guide ropes. Most people ascend using the ‘trek and scramble’ trail with people as old as 80 managing to reach the peak. There’s also a yearly marathon held here, which shows that although tough, if you can run it, you can climb it.
You can ascend and descend all in one day but most Mount Kinabalu trekking holidays are broken up with a stay overnight at Laban Rata. That gives climbers the time to reach the summit for a spectacular sunrise. The stunning views and maze of rock formations at the top are definitely worth checking out. And there’s even a via ferrata section up there for those feeling a little adventurous.
On a clear day you can see the Islands of the Philippines in one direction and an unbroken carpet of green rainforest in the other.
National Park
Surrounding the mountain is the national park, one of Malaysian Borneo’s two UNESCO World Heritage sites. It covers an area of around 754 square kilometres and is home to some incredible landscapes and magnificent wildlife. All found in the shadow of the mighty mountain.
The flora is also spectacular, because the mountain covers so many different climate zones. A few highlights are the worlds largest flower, 800 species of orchid and 600 species of fern many of which are only found here making mount Kinabalu trekking holidays even more special.
