At 4095m, Mount Kinabalu also known as “Aki Nabalu” (means “revered abode of the dead”) by the local Dunsun tribe is the tallest mountain in the Malay Archipelago. It is located in the East Malaysian state of Sabah and is protected as Kinabalu Park, a World Heritage Site. Mount Kinabalu is one of the world’s most accessible peaks and one of the easiest to climb. The climb to the summit Low’s Peak takes about 2 days 1 night without any technical climbing skills involved. The trekking trail is well marked and maintained by the national park with shelters equipped with drinking points and toilets along the way. From Low’s Peak, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view to watch the sun rise illuminate the surrounding peaks Donkey’s Ears (4055m), Ugly Sister Peak (4034m), Victoria Peak (4094m) with brilliant hues. Look out for the spectacular gully known as Low’s Gully – an 1800m deep gorge just beside Low’s Peak which separates the whole summit plateau into western and eastern halves. The trek will bring you through different geographic and habitat zones from tropical lowland rainforest, montane forests with Oaks, Conifers and Rhododendron, subalpine zone with stunted trees to the above tree-line alpine zone with lichens and mosses. The area is also rich in flora and fauna including a giant pitcher plant whose bell can hold more than 3 liters of water and many varieties of orchids.
ITINERARY
Day 01
SINGAPORE – KOTA KINABALU
Upon arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, you will be greeted by our friendly local representative who will provide your transport to the hotel in Kota Kinabalu. Enjoy the rest of the day exploring and shopping around the main city area at your own leisure.
Overnight: Hotel in Kota Kinabalu
Day 02
KOTA KINABALU – MOUNT KINABALU PARK
In the early morning after your breakfast (arrange with hotel as you will be departing around 630am), our local representative will pick you up from your hotel, where we will head towards the Kinabalu National Park (approx. 2 hrs drive). You will first proceed to the Kinabalu National Park Headquarters to register for the climb, followed by a mandatory safety briefing. After collecting your packed lunch and getting acquainted with your mountain guide, you will take a short ride to the trail head at Timpohon Gate (1886m) where you will begin the trek. The trail is well marked and brings you through the rainforest terrain where you can spot various wildlife and plants including pitcher plants. As you venture upwards, the terrain changes gradually and you will eventually come to an open area where you can spot the summit plateau. The uphill trek will take approximately 4-6 hrs to reach Laban Rata (3314m), where you will check in to one of the rest houses (non-heated dormitory or heated private room) to get a good night’s sleep.
For via ferrata participants, you will attend a short briefing session between 2 to 4pm at Pendant Hut.
Overnight: Rest house at Laban Rata
Day 03
SUMMIT CLIMB – KOTA KINABALU
Be prepared for an early morning wakeup call at 2am for the summit climb. After a quick bite, you will set off for the final 2 km push to Low’s Peak (summit) which will take approximately 3 hours. As the climb will be windy and chilly as you near the summit, we will advise you to be layered appropriately. From Low’s Peak (4095m), you will be rewarded with a breath-taking view to watch the sun rise illuminate the surrounding peaks Donkey’s Ears (4055m), Ugly Sister Peak (4034m), Victoria Peak (4094m) with brilliant hues. Look out for the spectacular gully known as Low’s Gully – an 1800m deep gorge just beside Low’s Peak which separates the whole summit plateau into western and eastern halves. After the sunrise, get ready to descend back to Laban Rata (trek back normal or descend via ferrata) for a late breakfast to replenish your energy before trekking back down to Timpohon Gate where you will be transferred back to the park headquarters for lunch. Your mountain guide will then present you with your well deserved climb certificate, and our local representative will then transfer you back to your hotel in Kota Kinabalu.
Overnight: Hotel in Kota Kinabalu
Day 04
KOTA KINABALU – SINGAPORE
Enjoy a leisure breakfast in the hotel and take some time to explore the city at your own leisure – do go for a well deserved massage to soothe your muscles. Pick up some last minute souvenirs before our local representative transfers you back to the airport for your flight home.
Package includes:
- All land transfers including airport transfers
- All accommodations in Kota Kinabalu and Laban Rata
- Hotel breakfasts (if applicable) and meals during the trek
- National Park entrance fee
- Climbing permit
- Climbing insurance
- English speaking mountain guide
Package excludes:
- Return international air ticket
- Travel insurance
- Malaysian Tourism Tax of 10 MYR per room upon check in
- Meals not mentioned
- Porter fee
- Tips for guide and porters
- All expenses of a personal nature
HIKING GRADE
VIA FERRATA
A via ferrata (“iron road” in Italian) is a mountain path consisting of a series of rungs, rails and cables embracing the rock face. The crux of via ferrata is a steel cable which runs along the route and anchored at regular intervals (every 3-10 metres) to the rock. Using a ferrata kit (harness and carabineer), climbers can secure themselves to the cable limiting any fall. Thus via ferrata allows inexperienced climbers a safety means to transverse precarious cliffs and enjoying the dramatic views and thrills of mountaineering.
There are more than a few hundred via ferrata routes around the world but most of them are situated in the Alps. The via ferrata in Mount Kinabalau is the first via ferrata in Asia and also the highest via ferrata in the world. There are two different routes which correspond to two different level of difficulty; the beginner level route – “Walk the Torq” and the intermediate level route – “Low’s Peak Circuit”.
Walk the Torq which starts at 3520m and ends at 3411m is an introductory route designed for the beginners. The total length of the route is 430m with a vertical height traverse of 109m. It is a leisurely 2-3 hours descends down the side of a granite cliff face. Highlights of Walk the Torq include the 2-cable Monkey Bridge, the Tyrolean Traverse and the Balancing Beam. Low’s Peak Circuit which starts at 3776m and ends at 3411m is an intermediate route designed for the ultimate thrill seekers with above average fitness level. The total length of the route is 1.2km with a vertical height traverse of 365m and takes about 4-6 hours to complete the whole route. It is actually an extension of the Walk the Torque route but with steeper descends and additional “obstacles” like a suspension bridge at 3600m and 3-cables Nepalese bridge at 3580m.
The ferrata activities will commence after your summit climb. From the summit (4095m), you will trek back towards Sayat Sayat Hut to the starting points of Walk the Torq (3776m) or Low’s Peak Circuit (3520m) where your ferrata guide will be waiting for you to start the descends via ferrata. Both Walk the Torq and Low’s Peak Circuit end at the same point (3411m), from where is a short distance walk back to your rest house in Laban Rata.
FAQ
Need more information on Mount Kinabalu? Read through our Mount Kinabalu frequently asked questions and get them answered!
OPTIONAL PROGRAM
White Water Rafting at Kiulu River (Grade 1 – 2) or Padas River (Grade 3 – 4) can also be arranged.
TESTIMONIALS
I really liked getting picked up and taken to our guest house. The trip up the mountain was well organised, the guide and the porter were great as were the stopping stations up the mountain.
– Henrietta (Group of 4 on a 4D3N trip to Mount Kinabalu in May 2016)
Pre trip briefing and the follow up emails that followed after the briefing was very thoughtful and personalised. Additional information was sent to us regarding the questions posed during our pre trip briefing. Guides were helpful, patient.
Everything! The organisation and coordination was great!
– Yuqi & Su Yee (Group of 8 on a 4D3N trip to Mount Kinabalu in Apr 2016)
See latest reviews on our Google page!There was flexibility in customising itinerary for our private group. HS was very patient, responsive and knowledgeable in helping my group plan our day trip to desaru. We were thankful to mr Rugu as well who did a gd job of driving us around safely.
– Jaddine (Group of 8 on a Desaru Day trip in May 2019)
Organization of transport and guide. It was well arranged and went on smoothly.
– Rodney (Group of 28 on a Mt Belumut trip in Mar 2019)
We had a fabulous time at Mt. Panti, thanks to 'I Wanna Travel'. The organisation was smooth from the beginning. My support, HS, was attentive to details and always available at my beck and call. The guide was friendly and encouraging. The last stretch of the climb before reaching the summit was thrilling. We absolutely loved it! We were treated to a large spread of delicious vegetarian Chinese food at the end of the trip. The highlight of the trip was the Firefly Cruise. What a mesmerising experience! Thank you for a great trip. We'll be coming back for more.
– Arathi (Group of 5 on a Mt Panti trip in Nov 2018)
Organisation of the trip was good as communication with iwannatravel was smooth and fast, and the itinerary planning was well suited for my group needs and wants. The driver, Mr Thina, was very accommodating towards our schedule and took care of our needs, example needing to buy rubber shoes, where he drove us to the shop. Our guides were well experienced and could pace and entertain us well with their knowledge and fun-loving nature. Mount Panti had more leeches than what we imagined though and the difficulty level of the treks was as what iwannatravel said, not to be estimated as it had moderate difficulty. Overall we had a good experience with our activities and accommodations! And would definitely recommend this trip for the more adventurous people.
– John (Group of 9 on a 2D1N Mt Panti & Pelepah Falls trip in Dec 2018)
The guide, Mr Azhar was very experienced. He was able to pace us accordingly and guide us throughout our entire trek to the peak and the Big Tree. The trek was not easy, considering it started to rain halfway thru the journey, making the route slippery but Mr Azhar was willing to guide us and pace us accordingly throughout so that we wont overexert ourselves.
– Salmiah (Group of 4 on a Mt Lambak day trip in Nov 2018)
The climb itself. Eventhough, the mountain itself is not that high, it still needs some form of resilience in order to reach the summit then to the big tree. The guide that was with us was a very experience one. He leads us all the way with lots of patience and give us some tips on how to overcome some parts of the trek.that was not so easy. Witj his level of expertise, we manage to.complete the trek. The four of us really enjoy the trek.
– Sunita (Group of 4 on a Mt Lambak day trip in Nov 2018)
The transport van was spacious and driver was really friendly and accommodating. Double thumb ups!
– Huizhen (Group of 4 on a 2D1N Mt Ophir & Resort trip in Oct 2018)
The whole trip was great! Everything went very smooth and it was a great experience. The guide allowed us to choose which route we wanted to go, and was accommodating to all our pictures and video. The driver was very friendly and provided recommendations for dinner. The pre-trip experience was great as well and all our questions were answered so we were well prepared for the trip!
– Khang Siang (Group of 7 on a 2D1N Mt Ophir Camping Trip (Summit & Twin Falls) in Jun 2018)
Everything was on time and according to plan. hs and his colleagues were all very nice, friendly and approachable. The climb was abit harder than we thought it should be. But nevertheless we did have fun as a group of friends who barely get to meet each other when we are back in SG.
– Kian Kok (Group of 10 on an Mt Ophir Summit Day Trip in Jun 2018)
Trip was well planned, transport was on time, recommended eating place was good and affordable - very good experience!
– Jerome (Group of 10 on an Mt Ophir Summit Day Trip in Jun 2018)
Organisation was very easy; all relevant information was provided and all questions were answered quickly. The trip itself was excellent and went exactly to plan. Our guides were friendly and encouraging to everyone in the group. We all had a fantastic time
– Oonagh (Group of 9 on an Mt Ophir Summit Day Trip in Apr 2018)
Overall excellent planning, coordination and communication ahead of the trip. The arranged driver was jovial and accommodating as well. Could not ask for more for a trip like this. A very positive experience indeed by all in my team!
– Habib (Group of 5 on an Mt Ophir Summit Day Trip in Apr 2018)
We had a lovely trip! Well organized. Everything was ok. Friendly and flexible driver. Knowledledable guide. Resort was basic, but ok. Slight feedback is the breakfast wasnt ready in time. Overall perfect trip.
– Maarten (Group of 3 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Summit & Resort Trip in Feb 2018)
Very well organised. Clear instructions. Quick response to emails. All worked exactly as planned. Good guide. Driver was always on time. No complaints. Impressed with service.
– Joe Windle (Group of 2 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Summit & Resort Trip in Dec 2017)
HS was very prompt, clear and honest in his responses. Great organisation and hassle free with the whole process. Kumar the driver is friendly and accommodating. The guide Hazali is just great! Patient with our slower pace (mainly due to old age me) and even pro-actively to offer to help us carry some stuff. The whole camping experience was great for my wife and 2 kids who did it for the first time. Overall very happy that we made it to the summit, and grateful to the kind and great weather where there was no rain at all.
– Melvin (Group of 4 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Summit & Camping Trip in Nov 2017)
thanks for everything, the rest were too tired when they reached the wall, only 3 of us summit, was great fun n experience n sense of achievement for everyone though they were complaining along the way which is normal. Everything were great from driver to guide to dinner n cruise, we didn't shower at waterfall, rented a chalet for that instead with credit to your indian colleague, the chalet was value for money n did a big part in washing n recuperating after the climb, our older folks had a restful afternoon there too, overall had been a great experience n hs thanks again for ensuring that everything went on smoothly for us, kenny
- Kenny (Group of 13 on a Mt Panti & Kota Tinggi Trip in Nov 2017)
The trip was successful thank you and we all made it up and down in 9 hours. Fitri our guide was very good and looked after us well. Gunung Ledang Resort is indeed basic but sufficient for the night before the hike. Many thanks.
– Nick (Group of 4 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Summit & Resort Trip in Oct 2017)
Guide Syami was amazing! Very patient and extremely helpful towards my parents (55 and 50 year old folks) . His guidance really helped my parents with their hike. Shared his knowledge on the mountain and the wildlife there. Perfect.
– Farhana (Group of 6 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Camping Trip in Apr 2017)
Very nice group, glad I made some good friends. Thanks to the organisers who took us for dinner near a vegetarian friendly place.
– Rajan (Group of 12 on an Open Mt Ophir Trip in Mar 2017)
Coordination with IWT was a breeze. Ying was quick in responding to queries and very helpful, giving tips according to her own experience climbing Pelapah Falls. Prasanth, the driver, was on-time, friendly and skillful. Despite the hours of driving and waiting for us, he always wore a smile on his face. Nan, our guide, was very experienced. He was like a fatherly figure who knew exactly what he was doing and that brought a lot of assurance to us. Pelapah Falls has its challenges but it was such a good experience for my friends and I. We had to tread through cooling rivers, climb using ropes, avoid giant ants and manage a few leeches but the amazing and therapeutic waterfalls made it all worth it. All of us were counted as beginner hikers and we all made it. So don't worry. Just do it!
– Xiuqing (Group of 5 on a Pelepah Falls & Kota Tinggi Trip in Feb 2017)
We have went for hiking in Mount Lambak. Though its our first hiking have enjoyed it to the full. Guide received us with his warm wishes and provided his support through-out the trip and gave tips on what are all things to do and not to do during the trekking/hiking.
– Mahendran (Group of 5 on a Mount Lambak Trip in Feb 2017)
Transport - Driver was friendly and punctual Guide - Experienced and knowledgeable; was able to resolve any issues that cropped up in a calm, steady manner
– Paul (Group of 4 on a Mt Panti & Kota Tinggi Trip in Jan 2017)
Organisation is very efficient, we can get all the help we needed. in terms of transport , bus guide and mountain guides. food was great , ready and prepared sufficiently.
– Qinmei (Group of 6 on a 4D3N trip to Mt Kinabalu with Via Ferrata in Dec 2016)
The whole planning process went very smoothly, and Ying was very accommodating to our requests. We were even able to secure a chalet instead of camping like our initial plan, because we were worried about the monsoon season. We were kept well-informed of what we needed to take note of as well, and all our queries were answered promptly.
– Pearlyn (Group of 4 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in Nov 2016)
Transport was great, the driver knew his way around well and was always ready to pick us up. The fact that one of the organizers came down at 5am in the morning to ensure that everything was in order and to send us off, gave a great personal touch to the trip. The guides for the trek were both friendly and experienced.
– Alexander (Group of 21 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in Nov 2016)
Transport was good. Always around and never late. The hiking guide Azizi was really good also. Could tell he enjoyed his job and enjoyed the people as well. Friendly, fun and very supportive. Accommodation's facilities were quite old but the functionality is there.
– Joy (Group of 17 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in Sep 2016)
The trip was well planned and the guides provided were experienced and friendly. Azizi, Chamin and Boy were our guides. Azizi was motivating us with the hot coffee that he will make for us at the peak, best coffee ever! He was really friendly and continuously motivating us.
– Serene (Group of 17 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in Sep 2016)
I really enjoy the whole travel experience. The driver is always contactable and prompt, and transport it’s quite comfortable. The mountain guide is friendly, and is knowledgeable and ensures that the last person is not left behind, and there are 2 guides provided to us for a group of 10 which I think is quite good. The accommodation at Melaka is quite clean and it’s within the tourist attraction; Jonker Street and there’s also some free and easy time to explore with driver provided.
– Xian Ying (Group of 10 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in May 2016)
The coordinators (Bob and HS) were very accomodating and patient in answering all my queries. They were also quick to provide our group with options for budget-friendly trips. HS also made sure that our group’s transport is comfortable by providing us with a friendly driver – Mr. Kumar. HS also provided us with a guide – Mr. Nan , who has ensured our group’s safety throughout the whole trek. Last but definitely not the least, our group loved the dinner at the Firefly Leisure Park. My friends and I had so much fun over the weekend. Overall, the organisation is excellent! *^_^*
-Michelle (Group of 5 on a Mt Panti Day Trip in Nov 2015)
Our driver was very accommodating. He never made us feel like we were imposing and always asked us what we preferred. As with our previous trip, I really did enjoy IWT’s responsiveness. The speed with which Ying managed to book everything was great.
– Rachel (Group of 4 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Panti & JB in Nov 2015)
A well-organised and overall pleasant trip. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we returned home in high spirits. On behalf of Yale-NUS GOYAC. thank you!
– Yale-NUS Good Ol’ Yale-NUS Adventure Club (Group of 22 on a day trip to Mt Panti & Kota Tinggi in Oct 2015)
Thanks Bob for organizing and leading this memorable getaway for me and my cousin. Bob’s attention to details was exemplary. He kept us constantly updated on the daily activities, meal times, coach timing and helped us get a good pair of kampung adidas for the caving which spared our shoes from getting drenched. Yeah, thanks for “saving” my “dao sa piah” from being ended up in the dustbin:)
– Willie Peck (Group of 2 on a Gopeng 3D2N Trip in Oct 2015)
Despite the heavy rain, slippery and gruelling hike, it was a fantastic trip made possible by the guide Aiyee. Bob was very accommodating too. We managed Stong only but surely will come back for Ayam.
– Piruz (Group of 2 on 4D3N Mount Stong Trip in Aug 2015)
Loved everything about the trip! It was very well organized by IWT! Especially to HS! He was very informative in providing us with instructions and tips before the trip.Transport was on time and the driver was flexible in his timing. He was nice to recommend a couple of food places for us to have our breakfast and lunch. He even agreed to take us to our favorite massage place after the hike. The overall hike was great! Definitely an experience not to be missed. The guide was very experienced too although he was only 21. He would constantly check on us when we slept in tents through the night. He watched out for our safety too.
– Claire (Group of 6 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in Aug 2015)
My friends and I felt that the entire trip was well put together from the arrangement to climb Mt Ophir to the extension of our stay in Melaka. The iwannatravel service was prompt and always on the ball. This was one of my best trips to Malaysia.
– Ian (Group of 3 on a 5D4N trip to Mount Ophir & Melaka in Apr 2015)
We had a brilliant day climbing Mount Belumut after what we thought may be a show stopper – heavy rain in the morning which luckily cleared for perfect climbing conditions. The climb was a great challenge, and we have taken back memories of our wonderful guide, the twists and bends, the summit view, beautiful forests and wildlife. Thank you to Bob and his Team at Iwannatravel for arranging our trip and providing an unforgettable experience.
– Rekha and Christian (Group of 2 on a Belumut Day Trip in Feb 2015)
We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The most memorable part would be that all the service providers had a very personal touch.
– Charmaine (Group of 7 on a Belumut & Kluang 3D2N Trip in Aug 2014)
The transport was appropriate for our group & it was comfortable. The driver also helped us get to places safely & efficiently. Azam & Fairus were very jolly (mountain guides) who made our hike an enjoyable one. Azam was very encouraging and helpful too. It was also good that guidelines, packing list & other necessary information were clearly put across.
– Rachel (Group of 13 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in Aug 2014)
Overall arrangement is good. The hiking guide take good care of us. Is nice to know that HS call the guide make sure everything is ok. Well done! Thank you!
– Eng Hwee (Group of 12 on a day trip to Mt Panti & Kota Tinggi in Aug 2014)
We had an awesome time on Mt Ophir thanks to HS! He checked in on us a few times to make sure we were safe and even managed to get us some sparklers to play with. The independence of traveling without a (tour) guide was also a plus point!
– Sharlene (Group of 16 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in July 2014)
A very unforgettable trip! Everyone pushed themselves to the limit and even though it was tough. With many encouragement from the organizers, everyone managed to reach the summit and finish the hike.
– Wai Keong (Group of 15 on a Belumut Day Trip in June 2014)
Climbing the mountain (Mt Panti) is great for us. Thanks very much HS in patiently arranging the trip for us, making it possible for us to enjoy climbing. Appreciate your good work! And hope to enjoy climbing more with your agency.
– Soh Beng (Group of 2 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Panti in Apr 2014)
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