In June of 2017, I embarked on a solo journey to Malaysian Borneo with the goal of climbing Mount Kinabalu. The mountain is part of Kinabalu National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and features a striking summit which reaches 13, 435 feet (4,095 meters). Kinabalu is located in Sabah, Malaysia, and the warmer climate and altitude changes throughout the climb provide an interesting blend of tropical and subalpine forest.
While completing the trek does not require technical skills, it is not an easy feat; climbing Mount Kinabalu is still the most difficult physical challenge I have taken on, and the post-climb recovery was also more painful than I’d anticipated. Honestly, there were a couple of points at which I was not entirely sure I could finish the ascent and found myself wondering why I was out there at all. Such moments can be defining though, and the difficulty and daunting nature of such endeavors often make them even more worthwhile.
I was not an experienced climber, and despite living relatively close to CO at the time, I hadn’t even attempted practice hikes on the nearby peaks. Instead, I spent time putting in miles at the gym and gutting it out for long periods on the step-machine (which I’m aware was not the best preparation for such an event, but I’m simply sharing my experience and it was better than no training at all). To my credit, I had spent the last couple of years working hard on improving my diet, integrating strength training into my weekly routine and building muscle, and had finally achieved a decent level of physical fitness. After spending a considerable amount of time reading and watching YouTube videos about Mount Kinabalu and the surrounding area, I became enthralled with the idea of it and began planning for my next adventure.
To provide a little more background, I’d been planning on taking another extended trip that summer and really wanted to accomplish some “bucket list” items; while Kilimanjaro was high on the list (and an area which I’d researched quite a bit as well), economic considerations ultimately led me to choosing a destination which included a climb that would cost significantly less, and a region in which I could travel farther, longer, and more inexpensively overall. I couldn’t be happier with the choice of trip and travel plans I made that summer, as I was able to climb Mount Kinabalu (which was absolutely incredible), finally travel to Bali, and then venture overland across Australia and camp in the Outback. It. Was. Awesome!!
I’ll be sharing more on my adventures in Bali and Australia later on (including tips for low-cost travel!), so be sure to check back.
Climbing Mount Kinabalu does require one to obtain a permit, and climbers are also required to be accompanied by a licensed guide for the duration of the trek. Both of these requirements were easily taken care of in booking my climb through Amazing Borneo Tours, along with overnight accommodations on the mountain. Based upon information I’ve come across, climbing Mount Kinabalu requires a two-day minimum stay in most cases, and climbers must wear the identification tag provided by the park at all times while en route.
The total cost for the climbing package at that time was around $550 – 600, and my hostel in Kota Kinabalu was fairly inexpensive. As one might expect, such packages are a bit pricier when going solo, but there was food provided, helpful staff, and I had my own guide throughout the climb.
While some might doubt the need for a guide on such a seemingly-short trip, I can confirm that the difficult terrain and what may be unfamiliar elements for some makes having a guide necessary and incredibly helpful. While I probably could have handled the first day on my own, I would not have wanted to trek solo during the final ascent beginning at 2:30 am, which involved a much steeper and colder journey and required the use of a headlamp. While the second day of the climb was certainly more nerve-wracking, it was absolutely worth it and I’m so glad I continued on!
In my next post on Kinabalu, I’ll provide some details about the trail and accommodations, along with my packing list and pre-trip photo. Thanks for reading, and be sure to subscribe to receive updates on new posts!