Mount Kinabalu is the 20th prominent mountain in the world and is over 4000 meters high! You can see its imposing peaks from most of the surrounding area. This area is one of the most important biological sites in the world due to the sheer variety of flora and fauna that call this mountain home and has been accorded UNESCO World Heritage status.
Vibe: Cooler and damper than the rest of Boreno, you're truely in the rainforest!
Known As: Borneo’s biggest mountain
Must Do: Hike the trails in the UNESCO World Heritage National Park
Things to see and do
Hike in Mount Kinabalu National Park
The lower area of the mountain is thickly forested and there are nine trails you can take in the park around the park headquarters. There are a couple of shorter tracks that run alongside a stream and loop back around to the base. It’s a good chance to see a variety of mosses, ferns, orchids and bird life and experience the National Park without having to climb the beast!
Visit the Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens located at the base of the mountain near the park headquarters, houses a collection of the plants that can be found on and around the mountain, all in one place! As part of the Borneo Explorer tour we take a guided tour of the gardens. The guide introduces you to different species and tells you what they are used for.
Climb Mount Kinabalu
Climbing Mount Kinabalu is up there with seeing the orangutan for many visitors to Borneo, but it’s not for the faint hearted (or unfit). The 4095m climb takes place over 2 days and includes a scramble up rock faces, using ropes and abseiling down (if you choose to). We don’t include this in the Borneo Explorer tour, as it doesn’t appeal to everyone, but our friends at TopPeak travel are happy to arrange this on your behalf. Just make sure you book as far in advance as possible as the number of climbers is limited.
Ready to delve into the rainforest?