Get some early hearty breakfast, before departing on a 2-hour drive to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu (about 1500m above sea level!). You’ll make a short stop at Pekan Nabalu market, a small town featuring many mouth-watering local fruits such as the sweet mangosteen, hairy rambutan, and smelly yet delicious durian (depending on whether or not they are in season).
Once you’ve had your fill of these local delicacies, head on over to the Kinabalu Natural History Gallery, featuring exhibitions of traditional handicrafts, animal specimens, geological samples, and historical information relating to Sabah. Next, you’ll make way to the Mountain Garden at Kinabalu Park Headquarters, a botanical paradise filled with some of the mountain’s unique flora! If weather permits, you can even take a guided walk on one of the trails – a refreshing trek in the pleasantly cool climate of the montane forest (temperatures at the park are usually around 14°C - 25°C).
Spend the rest of the day at your own leisure acclimatising to the mountain’s climate, before staying overnight at one of the park’s comfy houses or dormitories.
Overnight at Kinabalu Park (Run of House/ Dormitory)
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Please bring along your passport, sun block lotion, personal toiletries, hat, good walking/trekking shoes, windbreaker, warm clothing, towel, torchlight, waterproof gloves, raincoat, water bottle, energy food and personal medical kit including headache tablet and Paracetamol for altitude sickness, lip gloss, insect repellent, extra socks, tissue papers and water proof bag for camera.
Read notes on Mount Kinabalu Climbing
Mountain Guide, who is registered under the jurisdiction of Sabah Parks Authority is compulsory for all mountain climbers. Majority of the mountain guide can only converse in basic English language. Licensed English Speaking Guide for mount climbing is available on request at a surcharge and subject to availability.
It is recommended that all climbers should have themselves medically checked before attempting any mountain climb. If you have a history of suffering from the following ailments, it is highly recommended that you should refrain from climbing: Hypertension, diabetes, palpitation, arthritis, heart disease, severe anemia, peptic ulcers, epileptic fits, obesity (overweight), chronic asthma, muscular cramps, hepatitis (jaundice) or any other disease which may hamper the climber.
Hot water in most lodges in the Kinabalu Park will require some time from the moment the switch is turned on to the time when hot water is available. There is a waiting time of about 30 minutes before hot water is available. Depending on the water usage, there could be a 15-minute interval for subsequent users. While at Laban Rata, hot water is available from 12pm to 3pm only and room heaters run from 8.30pm to 1am only.
Borneo Eco Tours (or our supplier partners) reserves the right to cancel this tour in the event of adverse weather conditions or in any circumstances beyond our control that is deemed unsafe. Guests will not be entitled to a refund should cancellation of this tour occurs. However, where possible, every effort will be made to substitute any cancelled tour with an alternative tour.