The 20th tallest mountain in the world and the 3rd tallest mountain in Southeast Asia, Kinabalu is an impressive massif on the island of Borneo. Tourists from all over the world come every year to Kota Kinabalu city in attempt to go climbing Mount Kinabalu. Kinabalu stands 4,095 m above the sea level, being the tallest peak between the Himalayas and the Jawijaya Mountains, in Indonesia.
The mountain is very important to the local people. The natives even considered it sacred, saying that it is inhabited by the spirits of their dead ancestors. That is why tourists used to sacrifice chicken before climbing Mount Kinabalu, hoping they will soothe the mountain’s spirit. In fact, the mountain’s shape is even displayed on the State flag. The life of the people from Sabah is in close connection to the mountain. The villages of Mesilau, Kiau and Bundu Tahan have a tradition in providing guides for the climbs at Kinabalu Mountain.
Thousands of tourists come every year, eager to make this memorable climb. Despite the massiveness of the mountain and its impressive physical features, climbing Mount Kinabalu does not necessarily require special skills. The two-days climb can be tiring, but if you are healthy and have a good physical condition you will be able to get to the top. In fact, Low’s Peak, the highest peak of the mountain, is the easiest to climb and the trip does not require any equipment. However, the other peaks are not that “friendly”; equipment and some abilities, or at least a greater effort, are needed to climb them.
The tourist trail extends to the southern part of the mountain; 8.5 kilometers before reaching the top. This journey usually takes two days and climbers spend one night at the huts in the vicinity of Laban Rata.
The first person who dared climbing Mount Kinabalu was a British colonial officer. Sir Hugo Low made this trek to the top in 1851. Now, men and women come to climb the mountain every year, trying to achieve the fastest times and beat the record.
The path is not that hard and equipments are not required because the climb is in fact a walk; only at the top it becomes a bit trickier. Moreover, all climbers must be accompanied by a guide, who knows the mountain well and makes the climb easier. To make things even better, there are rest huts and water taps at regular intervals along the path. At night you have a place to sleep and where to grab some food and hot drinks.
However, even if climbing Mount Kinabalu is not such a tough or inaccessible experience, people leave very impressed and hold these memories for the rest of their lives. So, amazing things are not always impossible to reach. The climb at Mount Kinabalu proves it; the mountain changes the lives of the thousands of tourists that come to climb it annually. Even you could be one of them.
