Here’s our honest experience on what to expect as well as some useful tips when climbing Mount Kinabalu. It was really challenging as everything was compressed into 2 short days. From climbing up to the base camp to the summit climb, ferrata and then descending to the bottom. It was certainly a test of our endurance, both physically and mentally.
So here’s us, looking all excited and exuberant the day before the climb!
Tip: Rent a walking stick! It cost us only RM10 and it was really useful! Definitely helped to take pressure off the knees especially when descending the mountain.
There will be 4 check points in total throughout the entire climb whereby it’s mandatory for every trekker to sign off.
There were huts along the way where we stopped to rest and drink water. These huts soon became my short term goals. I’ll just keep moving, till the next hut is in sight.
Tip: Do not rest any longer than 5 minutes. As once your body cools down, you’ll use up more energy to regain the momentum again.
“Almost there!” We just kept telling ourselves that. And finally after almost 6 hours of non-stop climbing, we reached the base camp of Mt Kinabalu! As we were doing the ferrata, we stayed at the Pendant Hut. The rest of the trekkers stayed at a different lodge. We also had to reach by 3pm as there was a compulsory briefing on the ferrata. We started the trek at around 8am, and reached the hut at 2pm.
Surprisingly though there was hot shower, despite other reviews which stated that there was no hot waters. Perhaps it was only available at Pendant Hut where we stayed at.
Buffet dinner was provided as part of the package as well. The spread was really good! Didn’t take any photos of the food as we were starving!
Soon it was time for us to get some sleep, at around 8pm. Reason being we had to wake up again at 1.30am for the summit climb. Supper was served at 1.30am and we had to set off for the summit climb at 2.30am.
Tip: Bring along a day pack for this trip. It’ll come in handy for your summit climb where you’ll only need to pack your essentials such as warm clothing, sunblock, water, headlights, gloves, etc. You can leave the rest of your stuff at the base camp. Do note that headlight is compulsory for the summit climb. Read here for our top 5 things you must bring to climb Mount Kinabalu!
It was really cold at night and we were all decked in full winter wear at the start! I wore my dry fit top, cotton cardigan, down jacket and the waterproof windbreaker. I had a fleece hat on and gloves too! It was less than 5 degree celsius!
Tip: Practise layering! You’ll start removing layers by layers as you climb. When you’re nearing the summit, it’ll get really cold again and that’s when you’ll have to put back on your layers again.
Tip: Waterproof gloves with good grip would really come in handy when climbing those ropes to get to the summit.
We were blessed with good weather and it didn’t rain when we were climbing. But usually it’s almost always raining during the summit climb on other days!
And finally…..we did it! We reached the summit at around 5.45am and were blessed with clear skies to witness the most beautiful sunrise ever. It was a moment between us and nature, a moment that we’ll always remember for as long as we live.
We couldn’t stay too long to enjoy the sunrise as we had to reach the start point of the ferrata by 7.30am sharp. Read about our experience on climbing Mount Kinabalu via Ferrata Route!
Here’s the aftermath of our Mt K experience! Don’t be fooled by the smiles on our faces! Though we were feeling really accomplished, we were also extremely tired and our legs felt like they were gonna break any moment! We didn’t take much photos of our descend as we were too focused on getting down as fast as we can to get over and done with this climb. We finally reached the bottom at around 5.30pm.
For us, we booked our package via Amazing Borneo and chose the 3D2N Mount Kinabalu Climb With Ferrata & Highland Resort Star (Low’s Peak Circuit).
Check out our experience on the Ferrata Low’s Peak Circuit where we abseiled down vertical cliff faces, crossed the world’s highest suspension bridge and more!
If you’re looking for an alternative and even more challenging mountain to climb in Kota Kinabalu, why not try Mt Trusmadi also in Sabah! We both felt that Mt Trusmadi was more challenging than Mt Kinabalu in terms of its terrain, but very fun!
Also, check out our experience on the second highest volcanic peak of Indonesia – Mount Rinjani!
Do share with us your experience on climbing Mt Kinabalu in the comments below! We would love to hear about your experience too! 🙂
Nice account, gal… 🙂
There are hot waters in Pendant Hut, but they ran on solar energy. Hence, once the solar energy runs out, there will not be anymore hot waters. You guyz arrived at 2pm, which was good, cos there was still solar energy then. I arrived Pendant Hut at about 4.30pm, and there was no more hot waters by then… :”(
Hope that explains and lifts the suspense… Haahaa… 🙂
Hey Hoh!
Thanks for your compliments, glad you like our website.
Ohhhh i see….that makes sense now 🙂 Thanks for the heads up!
Hey Hoy! 🙂
Thanks for your compliments 🙂 Glad you enjoyed reading our post!
Ahhh….that explains, thanks for the heads up!
hye..
im going to climb this mountain on this august. i really like ur starry night picture.. make me more excited to do this climb.. 🙂
Hi yaya!
ha, thank you! Yes! the climb and the view during the climb is really beautiful, you would definitely enjoy it!
Hi! May I know what camera you were using to capture the starry night sky? It’s really beautiful!
Hey adeline, we are using the Canon 5d! Probably any camera can capture that night sky, it looks exactly the same with the naked eyes!
There is one photo where the climb is up steep, looks like almost a vertical rock slope (could be angle of photo), with ropes — you guys were wearing headlights. Is that slope truly very steep? Did you have to pull yourselves up for a long time (more than 15 minutes)? I am trying to judge if I need lots arm strength to pull myself up for more than 15 minutes. Also how do one go down that rock slope? Seems like it is “easier” to pull oneself up than to go down??? I have climbed the mountain to view the Pinnacles in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak a few years back. So I have a little experience climbing using ropes. That climb was tough but do-able…and LOTS OF FUN!
Hey ZQ Xu,
Hmmm, yes some parts of the summit climb were really very steep and you have to use the rope to pull yourself up. But there’s a technique to doing so though, you gotta use your legs to push against the rock and straighten your arms when pulling the rope. If your arms are too bent, your body will be very close to the cliff face and it’ll be very tiring for you as you will be using your arms to pull yourself up instead of making use of your legs. It should almost be like “walking” up the rock face. But don’t worry, it’s not like this throughout. Some parts are much gentler and you can walk up normally without using the ropes.
As for descending, we’re not very sure as we descended by a different shorter route cos we did the via ferrata. But overall, don’t worry! So many people have succeeded in climbing Mt K and it shouldn’t be much of a problem for you! Some of my friends were first timers in climbing a mountain and they succeeded too! 🙂
All the best! Enjoy your climb!
Hai, i m going to climb on April. Can u pls advice what type of pants is suitable especially on low’s peak?
Hi Tan! Actually any type of pants is suitable for low’s peak, physical ability is more important. However, we would recommend lightweight water proof pants in case of weather conditions.
Have a good climb in April! You are gonna love Mt K!
Thx a lot.
What camera did you used when climbing up? specially during the ferrata?
Hey NF, ha it was all done with a Canon5d 🙂
Nice blog! I’m planning to climb the mountain 2months from now. And I’m climbing alone! Is it dangerous to climb alone? And is there a route without the ferrata? It’s my first time to climb a summit. What preparations do I need before climbing mt. Kinabalu?
Hey Carl,
Nope, totally safe to climb alone. Reason being, even if you were to go there alone, you wouldn’t be alone haha. There would be plenty of people around you climbing with you. Not much preparation really, because you would have plenty of time for it. Mt K is a really good mountain for first timers! Yup the main route is without the ferrata, ferrata is an optional activity which you would have to pay extra for. Enjoy your climb!
Hi, I’m going to make the climb in 2 months. And was wondering at which stage of your fitness level is at… All things considered, I am not the fittest person or even close to it. Any advice or tips? I’m 18 years old 🙂
Hey Emily,
Well, we can’t really say how much fitness level is enough. But my sister reached the summit when she was 15 years old, without carrying anything. So maybe you can use that as a gauge haha.
Daniel
Thank you for such an informative post. Your post was the only post I could find with photos of the huts, the rooms etc. We are hiking next Saturday. We were planning on doing the via ferrate but I thought it would be too exhausting to do all in one day. I appreciate your comment that it could get boring after a while. I was wondering if there were any last minute sign ups for the via ferrate when you participated? I read that they keep a few spots available for last minute sign ups. I also had the question about the angle of the rock face for hiking up to the summit. Thanks for answering that question below. I am tempted to bring my climbing shoes to give me more traction but I don’t know if I want to haul extra weight. Were your hiking boots good enough? One last question, did you bring your own red down sleeping bags or were those provided? I read in another blog that the blankets at the other huts were lightweight and the author of that blog was cold while sleeping. Do you happen to have any knowledge regarding the other huts? Thanks so much for a thoughtful, thorough article.
Hey!
Glad you found our post useful!
Yes you can do the summit climb and via ferrata on different days, but you would have to pay for an extra night there at the accommodation, and also check for availability.
Yup there were last minute sign ups, but during the peak period, chances might be quite slim.
Climbing shoes would be useful, but really, normal trekking shoes are enough, normal sport shoes are even possible.
We did not bring any sleeping bags as it would be additional weight. But wearing jackets to sleep would probably be enough if it gets too cold. It depends on the period of your trip. Jackets would not be additional weight also, because you would eventually need it at the summit.
From what we know, there is only one accommodation there for the normal climb, and another one for via ferrata climbers.
Hope we answered your question! 🙂
Hello! may i check how much will it cost roughly? 🙂
Hi jt!
It would be around $650 including the via ferrata 🙂
https://sunriseodyssey.com/trekking-mount-kk-via-ferrata
Hey Shakirah! 🙂 We stayed at Pendant Hut actually…as we were doing the viaFerrata, the hut that we stayed at was different from those doing the normal trek…We climbed last yr March 🙂 I would say it’s quite a tough trek, as the ascend is very steep on the first day…but well, take your time and there’s no rush! And to assure yourself, just remember that there are tons of people that have succeeded in climbing to the top of Mt. K, so you should be able to do it too! All the best and enjoy your climb! 🙂
Thank you so much for the informative post! Just curious because a couple of posts I read said that they had to arrive at the designated stops at a certain time and they can’t spend too long at the peak.. (How am I supposed to take pictures?! Lol) My cousin once climbed it too when she was 20 years old and she couldn’t make it to the top. Just really stoked but at the same time I’m nervous! Thanks for replying ^^
You’re welcome! 🙂 It’s always a pleasure for us to read comments from our supportive readers like you! 🙂 Hmm, for us we had a timing to meet as we were doing the ferrata and we had to reach the ferrata station latest by 730am, that was why we had to rush to the summit and then back down to the ferrata point. But if you’re not doing the viaFerrata, I don’t think there’s a rush! But do try your best to make it up in time to see the sun rise though as the view from the peak is magnificent! Don’t worry, remember to enjoy and have fun too! Update us about your experience after your climb! 🙂
Hi again! I just got back from my climb 2 days ago and I’ve gotta say — it is worth the aching pain I have in my legs right now! I didn’t use the ferrata like you did but I did complete the climb to the peak by 6.30-ish am. Just wanted to say thank you for posting this post cause to be honest I wasn’t ready at all. I did train by hiking and running on track but on my way up the mountain and down I had severe altitude sickness. I really thought I couldn’t make it but my guide held my hand and held it all the way to the peak and down back to Laban Rata. I stayed at the Lemaing Hut and it was horrible.. No water & electricity! Felt so gross but the view was breathtaking. Sorry for writing a long comment lol if it wasn’t for your post I would’ve been a nervous wreck haha. Thanks so much again! ^^
Hey Shakirah! Omg you made it!! 🙂 Very proud of you! And so happy that our post managed to help ease your nerves a little by preparing you for the trek! Hopefully we set your expectations right! Sorry to hear that you had severe altitude sickness, it’s very common actually, cos the ascend is so high and intense in 1 day! Hope you remembered to bring panadol or painkillers or smth! We had to pop panadols too when we were at the hut…Thanks for following up with us 🙂 We appreciate it! 🙂 Take care!
hello! what kind of camera did you guys use for this trip? Images look soooo good. Can you write a post on travelling with photography equipments please!! :))
Hi as k,
We used the Canon5d for the trip. Yup we will be doing a post on photography equipments soon!
Daniel
Hello Daniel and Gina! My name is Leslie and I am a reporter for OZY Magazine. I am currently writing an article on Mount Kinabalu for our travel series (www.ozy.com/topic/travel). I just returned from the mountain today and used your blog post to help prepare for my trip. Very useful information – thank you! (Unfortunately, I was only able to go to Laban Rata, because of the recent earthquake and stricter regulations.) May I ask you a quick question? What do you think attracts people to Mount Kinabalu? And what did it feel like to climb to the summit via ferratta? Your photos look thrilling! Feel free to email me at leslien[at[ozy.com
Hi Leslie! Thanks for reaching out to us! 🙂 Hmm, a lot of climbers are from Singapore and they’re looking for a nearby mountain to climb and Mt Kinabalu is one of the nearest and highest peaks around us. Also, for Mt Kinabalu, it’s challenging but yet doable. The trail is very well maintained and safe for climb, as for the summit, it’s more challenging as certain parts are very steep, but yet thrilling at the same time.
Actually for the viaFerrata, it was done when we were descending from the summit. This was really exciting for us first timers. The thrill of hanging by the steep cliff face from more than 3700m above sea level! But it can get tiring after awhile, took us around 5 hours to complete this! And all that bearing in mind that you’ve just used up almost all of your energy to climb to the summit of Mt K.
Because of the recent earthquake, the summit of Mt K is now closed to public. But for those who are looking for an alternative, they can consider Mt Trusmadi which is the second highest peak in Msia. Super challenging terrain (tougher than Mt K). Can check out our blog post here – https://sunriseodyssey.com/climbing-mt-trusmadi-the-alternative-to-mt-kinabalu .
UPDATES from Hisham Osman!
Hit the Mt last week, 18th Dec 2015. New trail quite challenging, a bit longer though. Rock face area were where the ropes are now inaccessible. You turn towards the left just before the trees towards the new trail. Via Ferrata not ready yet.Many sections especially on the suspension bridge needs to be repaired. The destruction from the quake very obvious. Pieces from the Donkey’s Ears still visible around Sayat-Sayat Hut. Weather is very cold indeed. It hit 2 Celcius last Friday at 1.30am. For those planning to hike next year, my advise is to book early. Kinabalu Park now restrict up to a maximum 130 climbers daily ( this excludes those fit enough to take the daily package). Mersilau route close. Not sure if the Park will ever repair that trail again. Nevertheless…any hike is still superb. Train well,eat well a few months before and you’ll be ok
– Hisham Osman
Hi David, sure! You can email us at mailsunriseodyssey@gmail.com