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The Highest I’ve Ever Been: Trekking Mount Kinabalu

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“If you want to try it, I know of a way to do it for cheap,” he said to me from the dorm bed across the room.

I had only met just met him, and we were talking about doing something fairly major together.  I hadn’t planned for it and, frankly, was ill-prepared for what awaited me.  Still, I was so intrigued, I told him that I’d like to try it.

We awoke early the next morning and set out on foot, casually talking about our past travels and avoiding focusing on the monumental task ahead of us:

We would be climbing Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo, Southeast Asia’s tallest mountain, in just one day.

Update as of June 2017: Unfortunately, after the earthquake that rocked Kinabalu in 2015, due to safety reasons, hiking Mount Kinabalu in one day is no longer permitted. While it is stated as a temporary suspension by Sabah Parks, there is no indication as to when will hikers be able to hike it in one day again. Currently, hikers are required to do a minimum of 2D1N compulsory climb itinerary. Read on to get a glimpse of how it’s like to climb Mount Kinabalu in one day, and prep yourself for doing it over two days. I have also done the research on how you can climb Mount Kinabalu on a budget in 2 days at the bottom of this post!

Most people train for this, plan ahead, and book several weeks or days prior.  I, however, hyperventilate when I have to plan things far in advance, so I didn’t do anything of the sort.

I had thought climbing the mountain, at what normally costs closer to $400 for a stay in the lodge halfway up and a climb broken into two days, was simply not in the cards for me.

That’s where Neil came in. He had looked into it and discovered that for closer to $65 per person, one could climb the mountain in one day and avoid staying in Laban Rata, the lodge at the 6 km mark that held a monopoly on the area, and therefore set the prices sky high for an overnight stay (and food).

Oh dear. What are we in for?

The catch is, to summit Mt. Kinabalu in one day, one must make it to the top by 1pm, leaving only 5 and a half hours to make it to the peak at 4,095 meters (13,440 feet).  This would seem entirely doable given it is only 8.7km (5.4 miles) to the top, however, given the elevation gain of 2229 meters (7,313 feet), and the thinning of the air as each foot is placed higher, this is no easy task.

The hike was, to put it bluntly, brutal.  There were no flat parts to speak of.

If it weren’t for Neil, who graciously carried my camera, water, and food, and who also kept up a very positive attitude that lifted me as well, I doubt I would have made it to the top.

The beginning was only a taste of what was to come. It was mainly stone steps punctuated by the occasional steep wooden staircase.  Each half kilometer seemed like a feat of mankind and leg strength.  At about 15 minutes per half km, we were making decent time.

Around the 6th kilometer, I started to worry I might not make it.  I sat down next to Neil, panting, as we took a peanut butter sandwich break.  It was a bit tougher than we both had bargained for.

“I can’t get this close and not make it to the summit,” he said. 

I realized that I couldn’t, either. 

The final 2.7 kilometers were the toughest.  1000 meters of elevation was gained just over that short period. It started to take me 25 minutes per half kilometer.  I asked Neil to go ahead, just in case I might not make it by 1pm.  Just as I thought I might not be able to go any further, I remembered I had brought along my iPhone, and plugged in my headphones.  Why hadn’t I thought of this sooner? Music always gets me through the tough parts.

It’s getting steep!

Clouds of icy rain formed around me as I gripped the rope and climbed ever higher, as quickly as my legs, lactic acid screaming through them, would allow me. About .7 km from the top, I started to feel dizzy from the altitude.

“Just a bit further! We can make it!” my guide smiled to me.  I glanced down at the time and realized it would barely be possible. I was going to do it.  I was going to make Mount Kinabalu my bitch.

Prepare to be summited (er, submitted, as it were)

Finally I glimpsed the summit.  Neil was sitting there smiling – he had made it about 45 minutes earlier.

As I climbed the final step, he held out his watch. It read 12:57pm.  We had done it. Just barely.

On top of the world.

Finally, a feeling of elation came over me.  The view was beautiful.

Clouds resting at the summit

If asked only the afternoon before, I would have had no idea I’d summit Southeast Asia’s highest mountain. The serendipity of travel never ceases to amaze.

Beauty

We took in the vistas for about 20 minutes before heading back down the mountain.  Unfortunately for me, what goes up must come down.  We had 8.7km of stone steps to take on and complete before 5pm.

All in all, the climb was, of course, worth it.  I proved a little something to myself and realized, through sore knees and walking like an 80-year old down stairs for the next two days, that with a positive attitude and determination, almost anything is possible.

Do it yourself (2D1N):

  • From Kota Kinabalu, take a mini bus (at a cost of 20 RM) from Merdeka Field the day before.  Ask the bus driver to drop you at a guest house close to the park.  I chose Kinabalu Mountain Lodge, which was only 2km from the park entrance and a serene place to spend the evening. The price was right at 35 RM per night for a dorm room.  
  • Booking in advance is recommended, as the daily total number of climb permits is capped at 135, and they can easily book out during high season. However, if you are hiking during shoulder seasons, or simply want to try your luck to get a lower, last-minute price, arrive at park headquarters the day before your intended hike and reserve a permit and guide. Try to arrange with the guide to take off prior to 8am the following day (gate closes at 10:30am).
  • Fees: Pay the park entrance fee of RM 200 (USD $48), and hire a guide for RM 230 (USD $55). It is compulsory to hire a guide, but the cost can be divided between up to 5 persons. The final fee is RM 33 (USD $11) to be driven to the gate where the climb officially starts. Trust me, it is worth it to pay for this ride rather than walking up to the gate, especially given the tough hike ahead! Click here for the official pricing information on porters.
  • Expect to climb 5-6 hours to the rest house at Laban Rata in the morning on day 1, have early dinner, and get up at 2:30am the next day to ascent to the top. Day 2 should see hikers taking about 3-4 hours to summit, and another 4-5 hours to descent.
  • Bring along snacks and ample water. The key to avoiding altitude sickness is staying fed and hydrated.  Be sure to also tote along a rain jacket and a long-sleeved hoodie.  A head or ear cover is also a wise decision as the peak often experiences temperatures close to freezing.
  • Risks: Weather can be unpredictable as the day wears on.  Given both timing and weather, hikers often make it close to the summit and have to turn back.  Not everyone who set out at the time that Neil and I did made it to the summit. One must be in fit condition and be free of joint problems.

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Comments

  1. Awesome! I wanted to do this while I was there, but it was raining a lot and they wouldn’t let me try it.

    We did nearly the same hike (distance/elevation), though, when we climbed Jade Mountain in a day.

    It was painful, and we were pretty well trained.

    Good job!

    Reply

    • The more I read from other people who attempted the one-day climb, the more I realize that we massively lucked out with the weather. I didn’t realize Yushan was as tall! I need to get myself back to Taiwan. I have too much unfinished business there.

      Reply

  5. These are breathtaking photos Kristin and how big must your sense of achievement be after taking it on in a day! Looking back always helps you to realise just how far you’ve come doesn’t it?! 🙂

    Reply

  6. Holy shit girl, you rock! I hike a lot out here in Colorado, but that would be TOUGH. Even hiking a 14er I think my biggest elevation gain was below 5,000 feet. Mad props!!

    Reply

    • Thank you! The second highest I’ve ever been was actually Keystone in Colorado, and it was barely below this mountain. Take it on, girl!

      Reply

  8. Hats off! Really amazing story, I really want to climb a mountain one day, but the spontaneity of this climb made it legendary! Definitely added to my bucket list 🙂

    Reply

  9. Nice one, and congrats on climbing Mt. K! My wife and I are going there in mid-August, so thanks for your helpful information. Reading your blog and seeing your amazing pics helps confirm that it can be done in one day, which is also our hope/goal/dream! Cheers from Korea.

    Reply

  10. Congrats! Good to know that they still allow one-day hikes – according to a few online sources and Lonely Planet, they might stop doing that in the future. I’ll be at Mount Kinabalu at the beginning of September and hope they’ll let me attempt the one-day hike.

    cheers from austria

    Reply

    • I think they like to discourage it because a lot of money is lost when people do the hike in one day. They were supposedly limiting the number of hikers to 4 per day when I went, but that turned out to be anything but true – there were at least ten of us who attempted. The real challenge is if the weather will permit you to get to the top. It’s much clearer in the early AM than the early afternoon. Good luck and please let me know how it goes!

      Reply

      • We ended up doing it in two days instead of one. We had already decided to stay at the Kinabalu Mountain Lodge for a couple of days, so before for the montain we walked into the Sutera Habours (the company who basically runs the Mount Kinabalu national park) office in Kota Kinabalu and asked for the price of a two-day package. The offered us the package for a little less than 1400 Ringit for two persons, which at the time were about 360 EUR or so. Since that was less than 100 EUR per person extra over what we expected to pay for a one-day hike, we went for it. After all, the extra day would mean more time to enoy the absolutely extraordinary scenery, and give us a chance to see the sun rise over Borneo from the summit.

        And it was worth it! Even though the summit was already very crowded when the sun came up, it’s still a breathtaking sight. We didn’t get to experience the athletic challenge that a one-day hike represents, though, but well, you can’t have everything 😉

        BTW, I can highly recommend staying at the Kinabalu Montain Lodge too! Being at 1500m-1800m for a few days prior to the climb to the summit helps preventing altitude sickness, and it gives you time to explore the various trails through the national park. And DO NOT pre-book your climb over the internet. Rates for online bookings seems to be much higher than what we paid at the Sutera Habor office in Kota Kinabalu – I guess because they usually insist on selling you a second night at one of the Sutera-run accomodations inside the park.

        Reply

        • Great suggestions, Florian. Definitely book at Sutera Harbors if you do want to do the hike over two days. I did miss out on the sunrise which is meant to be spectacular, so there are definite benefits to breaking it up into two days!

          Reply

  12. Hey

    Massive respect for getting through that. I am thinking of doing that in a few days time – did you have any problems with getting the approval to do it in one day?

    Reply

    • I showed up the morning of and it was no problem. I can’t make any promises but it wasn’t an issue for me, nor the Irish guy I met on the summit who did the same thing.

      Reply

  13. Hi Kristin,

    Is there a special permit that you need to apply for in advance? Also, do you have the number/s of any good guide or company that charges an affordable rate?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • It’s best if you go the night before and sign up. The guides charge a flat rate as organized through the park’s official office – they’ll assign one to you.

      Reply

  14. Hi great post!

    Question, do you think it is possible to catch a minibus back to Kota Kinabalu after descent?

    Thx

    Reply

    • I honestly am not sure how late they run, but you would probably be able to. If not, sharing a taxi with a few other people is always an option and not too expensive as long as there are enough of you in there.

      Reply

    • Maybe it helped that I hadn’t psyched myself out and didn’t really know what I was in for. Thanks to my climbing buddy for being so positive, it was infectious.

      Reply

  16. Hey Kristin (or anyone else),

    I am taking a last minute trip to Borneo this week. My friend and I have time and money constraints, so we are doing the one day climb. The only issue is we need to get back to Kota Kinabalu the night of the trek. Is there still transport available back to KK from the park at about 4 or 5pm (when we are likely to be at the bottom again)?

    Thanks,

    Will

    Reply

    • I didn’t make it to the bottom until closer to 7pm, actually. You can always share a cab – that’s what I ended up doing since there were 4 of us and costs weren’t much more.

      Reply

  17. Hey Kristen,

    Thanks for writing this up – insanely helpful. Wish I had found it earlier rather than me trying to plan it step by step. My turn Wednesday!

    Reply

      • Hey Kristen,

        Thought I would pop in. It went well, only 2 of the 9 who attempted it in the one day made it. Funny story: me and Hannes (commenter below) end up in the same minibus to the national park. Your blogs connecting people 😉

        Reply

        • Thanks so much for coming back and telling me how it went! Yes, the day that I went only 4 of us out of 9 made it as well. It’s not easy! That’s so funny that you ended up in the same minibus! This world is small, indeed!

          Reply

  18. Thanks for the amazing story. I just got back from a walk around kk tour agancies all put off by the prices and the limited slots hassle. Definetley gonna try it your way tomorrow! I’ll get back with a report in a few days if I make it.

    Reply

  19. Thanks for the amazing story. I just got back from a walk around kk tour agancies all put off by the prices and the limited slots hassle. Definetley gonna try it your way tomorrow! I’ll try to get back with a report in a few days if I make it.

    Reply

  20. Hi Kristin,

    I got to point out that Kinabalu is not the tallest mountain in South east Asia. there are 2 or maybe more above 5000m high in Northern Myanmar (Burma).

    Reply

  21. as always, thanks Kristin for this very informative blog of yours. my friend and i, will be trying to do the 1 day hike up mt. KK this Sept. 2014. is the admin/park office open on weekends? we’ll be arriving on a sat. in KK and we plan to do the hike on a Sun. or Mon. the latest.

    Reply

    • I’m trying to remember, but I’m pretty sure it’s always open. Don’t quote me on that but I think I might have even done it over a weekend.

      Reply

      • have read somewhere that the granting of permit is only on weekdays though the park’s office is open on a weekend. we re-booked our plane ticket to arrive on a thursday instead of a saturday. just making sure..hehe..

        thanks..thanks..

        Reply

  22. Kristin, this post is informative and amazing! I wish so bad I’d seen it when I was in Borneo last year because I wrote off Kinabalu Mountain as soon as I saw the prices! I didn’t know you could do it on $60. It just goes to show: it always pays off to speak to people!

    Reply

  23. Hi

    What a lovely post. I am going to do the climb in December. Do you know how I can book a stay at Labaing or other rooms ar Laban Rata without doing a tour?

    Thanks in advance

    //Michelle

    Reply

    • Nope, that’s the one and only place to stay there and they have a monopoly, so you’re going to have to pay up, unfortunately and book some kind of package unless you do it in one day.

      Reply

  24. Wow Kristin – You made it in one day!!! Congrats!!

    And I’m so glad you had some blue sky at the summit!! Everyone I’ve spoken to who did the one day climb only got clouds and hardly a view to speak of.

    I did the two day climb and the Via Ferrata which was INCREDIBLE and, while expensive, worth every cent. And there are ways to book semi-independently rather than with a tour company as such to keep the costs a bit lower than they would have been otherwise. But then – there’s NO WAY I’d have been able to do the one day climb like you did!!

    Martina 🙂

    Reply

    • I have heard from multiple people that the two-day is worth the money. At the time I just didn’t have the funds, but seeing the sunrise there and doing a via ferrata would have been amazing. I did get very lucky with the weather!

      Reply

  26. Wow, this looks amazing! I’ve never been to South East Asia. Most folks here (Australia) seem to do it at some point, so maybe it’s my time. Reading your posts and seeing your snaps is really inspiring me to do it. I did USA and Mexico by myself (Mexico was guided), so keen for this solo too! Thanks for the inspiration, Kristin. Enjoy Berlin!

    Reply

    • Thanks Dave and just because a bunch of other people do it too doesn’t mean you can’t still find non-touristy places. I really enjoyed my time in SEA and it’s still one of my favorite places in the world.

      Reply

  27. Hey Kristin so did you do find a hostel when you arrived, stayed there for a night, climbed the mountain the next day and then go back to the hostel that night? I’m just wondering what you did with all your bags cause I imagine you didn’t carry all that stuff while you were climbing. If I were to do this climb in 2 days where would I put my bag?

    Reply

    • Yes I did it in one day and left my bag at the hostel. I’m sure if you do it for 2 days the company you book with or the hostel you stay in before you depart will keep your stuff for you. That’s what I always do. I even left my stuff with a hostel for 2 weeks once while I trekked in Nepal.

      Reply

  28. Wow! So happy i found your blog!

    I’m planning to climb Mt. KK in January next year but I don’t want to spend much money doing it. I think the tour packages are too pricey for me since I’m a backpacker type of mountaineer, and I don’t really that much fund. Thanks for sharing your experience. I will try this when I visit KK next year!

    Reply

    • Hi Odil!

      Did you make it to kinabalu? Looking to go next month and we need updated info. Online, it seems like theyve stopped giving one day permits or thats just what they want people to know… but according to one Sabahan, they still release them. So confused here. Any updates appreciated!! 🙂

      Reply

      • Hi Annemari! Did you make it to Kinabalu? We are also wondering if they give one day permits now, after the earthquake last June. Any updates would be awesome! =)

        Reply

  29. hi kristin,
    i nearly died climbing mt kk over 2 days. you’re freaking fit! how do you do that while you travel all over the world? is there a daily regimen that you follow, hence allowing you to go conquer S.E. mountain on a whim? kudos to you!

    Reply

    • I nearly died too! I think the reason why I did it is because I actually went into it with no idea how hard it was going to be. At each point, I didn’t realize it was about to get tougher. I’m also ridiculously stubborn and competitive and I couldn’t stomach the thought of not finishing in a day.

      But I do trek a lot. It’s my main source of fitness so my legs are primed for it and that helps.

      Reply

  30. Kristin,
    Having done it in 2d1n back in 2012 – I know how tough it must have been for u to do it within a day!
    Some comments – one guide can now hold up to 6 hikers, this was the information provided to my group and I when we hiked in 2012, while Mt Kinabalu is not the highest peak in SEA (some peaks in Myanmar tower above it – they are above 5000m and are part of the Himalaya range) 🙂 But most people accept Kinabalu as the highest peak in SEA due to its easy accessibility
    New track to the peak is being opened in Dec – am gonna attempt it in April 2016 🙂 Feel free to join!

    Cheers,
    Vignes

    Reply

    • I hiked in 2013 so my guess is the rules changed to one guide, 2 hikers from 6 but everyone should double check!
      Cool about the new track! Ugh I don’t know if I ever really want to do Kinabalu again but never say never!

      Reply

  31. Great mountaineering adventure! It is very helpful that you provide at the end of your blog the things that might done in Mount Kinabalu. The views are very amazing, it feels like you are in the top of the world that the clouds are very reachable. Indeed a breath-stopping view.

    Reply

  32. Ive climbed this mountain exactly 4 weeks before the earthquake. From experience, i can tell hands down that this is one of the hardest climb especially for amateur like me. So I just want to say how amazing it is to know you can conquer it within one day.

    That being said, I just want to know what time did you started climbing and what time did you managed to get to the top?

    and also which entry did you take and which route did you take to end your climb? Timpohon or Mesilau

    Reply

    • I didn’t know there was more than one entry. At the time I think there was just one. It took me 12 hours from 7 to 7

      Reply

  34. Hey Kristin looks like a great adventure! I’ve been wanting to do this trip for a few years now. Did you guys have to book anything in advance or you just show up and get a permit the night before? I had heard that guides were booked out months in advance… which prevented me from trying last time I went to Kota Kinabalu.

    Reply

    • I just showed up because booking in advance was a lot more expensive. I believe things may have changed regulation-wise after the earthquake, though. This was about 3 years ago that I did it.

      Reply

  35. My wife and I did the walk at the beginning of August 2016. We did book months ahead of time as from what I am told post earthquake they only allow 100 walkers per day (used to be 200) and no more same day walkers anymore, it books out months ahead of time we were told, not sure if true or not. When we did arrive on the day there were signs up also saying no 1 day trips for sale. We booked directly via Sutera in January and for whatever reason they sold us a 1 night package which of course was cheaper than the 2 day one where the first night is at the park entrance. We just stayed at far cheaper accommodation close to the park entrance. All up including guide and entrance fees and the stay at Laban Rata, the shuttle to the start of the track etc, we paid about $290 USD each. Sadly for us a storm came in once we reached Laban Rata and lasted all night, and coupled with a very minor earthquake it prevented anyone from summiting, so we never made it to the top, but the walk to that point had been amazing as we had trained so were fit enough for it not to bother us. All the same our legs were sore for a few days after descending. Hope this gives people an idea about the current situation that we experienced.

    Reply

    • Thank you for updating us! I’d heard that there were no more 1-day permits post-earthquake (but I don’t really understand why that would matter or change anything, unless the trail became more precarious).

      Reply

  36. Hi, your trek seemed awesome and beautiful. I would like to do the same this year. Can you give me any contact to do the trek (guide…) ? And I have no idea regarding the price for 12 days of trek, can you help me on that ?
    many thanks for your help

    Reply

    • It only takes 2 days max to hike up there. I have no idea about 12. I did this all in person at the base of the mountain.

      Reply

  37. Hey Kristin,

    Awesome blog you have here! Love your ‘no worries, just see what happens’ approach. Gave me quite a few ideas for my future travels.

    For people who would like to climb the mountain in 1 day, give my approach a try. I did the climb in March 2015 (this was a few months before the earthquake). During that time a 1 day climb was already not allowed anymore.. well so the staff said at the reception desk of the national park. Reason for this was that too many people who try it in 1 day couldn’t make it and this created dangerous situations in a few cases.

    Stubborn as we were we insisted that we could speak to the manager. A phone call was made and half an hour later we were sitting at the managers desk. We convinced him that we were fit enough to do the 1 day climb and he told us that it is still possible but you had to buy a 5 day climbing permit (normally used by teams who are practicing for more extreme mountaineering adventures). This permit was more expensive but still cheaper than an overnight stay on the mountain. Total costs for park entrance, permit and guide was around 180 dollar per person.

    Reply

  38. Well done for doing it in 1 day! Very nice guide, just a question, doing it yourself you mention park entrance fee, a guide and transport and sleeping at Laban Rata. Is your room at Laban Rata automatically booked and included with park entrance fee for $55 or where do you book this and what does it cost? thank you

    Reply

  39. Hi,
    After reading that sound like a great hike! Thanks for sharing!

    And is it possible to hike it in one day still exactly how you did? Or if I read correctly you did this before they changed the rules? Thanks so much!

    Reply

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