Kinabalu Park is a pure cease on the Malaysian Borneo journey route. Understandably then, you is likely to be questioning what to do in Kinabalu Park, particularly for those who’re not ready to fork out the $300+ entry value for the summit.
To hike the a number of Kinabalu Park trails beneath the mountain and to see many of the space’s choices it’s potential to move right here on a Kinabalu Nationwide Park day journey from Kota Kinabalu.
In the event you go away early sufficient, you’ll nonetheless have loads of time to get nature and mountaineering repair in.
Kinabalu Nationwide Park
Kinabalu Nationwide Park is Malaysia’s first World Heritage Web site, made well-known for its plant and animal range, and naturally, housing the tallest mountain in South East Asia; Mount Kinabalu.
Kinabalu Park is Malaysia’s first World Heritage Web site. Additionally the Centre of Plant Range for South East Asia, the Park boasts greater than 5,000 vascular plant species and the Park has no scarcity of fauna as properly, being residence to some 90 lowland mammal species and lots of others.
Sabah Tourism
Aside from the principle summit, there are many winding and interconnecting trails that supply nice mountaineering alternatives.
The place is Kinabalu Nationwide Park?
Kinabalu Park is situated roughly 100 kilometers east of Sabah’s Capital; Kota Kinabalu (KK). The street in from KK is a steady regular ascent because it snakes its means up the mountain foothills of the park.
You’ll instantly discover the altitude, with temperatures quickly dropping when you attain the Kinabalu park entrance, which sits at 1550 meters.
Kinabalu Nationwide Park Lodging
In the event you’d favor to remain within the park over taking a Kinabalu Nationwide Park day journey from Kota Kinabalu, then you might have a few choices:
CHEAPEST HOSTEL OPTION: HAPPY GARDEN RESORT
This hostel is simply exterior the principle entrance to the Kinabalu Nationwide Park space. You’ll be capable to seize a room in an 8-bed dorm right here for below $7 an evening.
STAYING INSIDE THE PARK: SUTERA SANCTUARY LODGES
This one is a bit more dear, however nonetheless isn’t going to interrupt the financial institution at roughly $28 for a twin room.
You even have the selection of staying in close by Ranau or Kundasang, each of which have a number of lodges and hostels to select from. You possibly can examine all the very best lodging offers across the “Mount Kinabalu Landmark” by clicking these hyperlinks to Reserving.com or Agoda.
The right way to Get to Kinabalu Park
Attending to Kinabalu Park is kind of straightforward from Kota Kinabalu. You’ll have the choice of selecting both a shared bus or a non-public taxi. Each choices take roughly 2 hours.
Bus From KK to Kinabalu Park
The most cost effective approach to get to Kinabalu Park from KK is to take a shared bus. These go away often from the small inner-city bus station, situated in entrance of the resort “Dreamtel”. I’ve pinned the precise location of the bus terminal beneath.
The fee for a bus from KK to Kinabalu Park is 20 ringgit per particular person for a small minivan that drops you on to the park entrance. My recommendation is to get right here earlier than 6:30 AM for those who plan to make it a day-trip, as the primary bus fills up shortly.
In the event you miss the primary bus, you might need to attend a few hours for the second bus to replenish, or soar in a shared taxi.
Taxi from KK to Kinabalu Park
In the event you’d favor to take a taxi, yow will discover 4 and 6-seater vehicles proper subsequent to the bus terminal. The fee-per-person for this selection is 25 ringgit or 100 ringgit for a non-public automotive.
Whereas the Seize App does work in Kota Kinabalu, we discovered it cheaper to simply go to the bus terminal and arrange taxi transport from there.
Getting Again to Kota Kinabalu
Each the above choices to get to Kinabalu Park from KK are one-way solely. This implies that you will want to prepare your individual return transport. After you’ve completed the hikes and all the issues to do in Kinabalu Park, yow will discover minibusses going again to KK again on the entrance to the Nationwide Park.
Since we had been returning somewhat late, we didn’t see any non-public minivans. As an alternative, we waited to wave down a passing bus heading again from Ranau.
The fare for the bus journey again from Kinabalu Park to KK was 20 ringgit, nevertheless dropped us on the Northern Bus Terminal (Inanam). We then wanted to get a Seize automotive again to our hostel, which was solely a further 10 ringgit.
Kinabalu Park Entrance Price 2019
Earlier than you hit the paths, you’ll must pay the Kinabalu Park entrance price. This price is 15 ringgit per particular person, which is roughly $4 USD. Kids get a reduction at solely 10 ringgit per particular person.
What to Do in Kinabalu Park – Path Information
After arriving and paying the doorway price, you is likely to be questioning about what to do in Kinabalu Park. In the event you’re not climbing Mount Kinabalu, then there are nonetheless a number of mountaineering trails that loop across the park.
Because of the excessive altitude, Kinabalu Park has a singular number of vegetation, which is a habitat for a whole lot of various birds, possums, and monkeys. The world is pretty moist year-round, so the hikes show to be an actual Bornean rainforest expertise.
In the event you’d additionally like so as to add within the Porong Sizzling Springs to you Kinabalu Nationwide Park day journey, then you can additionally guide this tour upfront, which incorporates all charges, lunch, and transport to each locations.
FULL SABAH GUIDE: SABAH ITINERARY 7 DAYS – THINGS TO DO IN SABAH BORNEO
Mount Kinabalu Path Map
Right here’s the official map that can assist you orientate your self round Kinabalu Park. It particulars all the fundamental trails in addition to the principle Mount Kinabalu trailhead.
Need to journey right here your self? Lease a motorcycle on-line upfront in KK.
Kinabalu Park Climbing Trails
Right here’s a fast abstract of the principle quick mountaineering trails that wrap across the feetof the towering Kinabalu peak.
Liwagu Path
HIKE DISTANCE: 5620M
HIKE TIME: 2 hours
The Liwagu path is the longest path in Kinabalu Park. Nearly all of the path follows the small river that runs down the mountain. Because it’s the longest, you gained’t discover many day-trippers right here, which is ideal for those who’d favor to hike by your self.
Alongside the way in which, you’ll climb over a number of waterpipes, make some steep ascents and descents and finally attain the highest carpark which is the trailhead for Mount Kinabalu. For my part, for those who’re questioning about what to do in Kinabalu Park and you need to select one path, make it the Liwagu Path.
Mountain View Path
HIKE DISTANCE: 150M
HIKE TIME: quarter-hour
On the high of the Liwagu Path, simply earlier than the doorway to the Mount Kinabalu trailhead, you’ll see a small however steep path that penetrates into the thick scrub on the alternative facet of the street.
This path is brief however affords a number of the greatest views of Mount Kinabalu and the Kandamaian Borneo Waterfall which flows down its steep cliffs.
Bukit Ular Path – CLOSED
I used to be planning so as to add this path into the loop however discovered that it was closed (October 2019). Sadly, I can’t remark an excessive amount of on this one, however for those who go to Kinabalu Park and discover that it’s open, let me know what it’s like.
Kiau View Path
HIKE DISTANCE: 2344M
HIKE TIME: 1 hour
A substitute for the longer Liwagu path is the Kiau View Path, which additionally begins close to the park entrance. This path can be scenic, with many colourful species of birds. There’s no river to observe on the Kiaw View Path, however the finish affords a superb view over the Kinabalu Park.
Pandanus Path
HIKE DISTANCE: 598M
HIKE TIME: half-hour
The Pandanus path is a brief path that joins the Kiau View path to the street main via the middle of the park. You sometimes wouldn’t select this path as the principle mountaineering path, however it’s higher served to entry the Kiau View Path.
Silau Silau Path
HIKE DISTANCE: 3057M
HIKE TIME: 1-1.5 hours
The Silau Silau path is among the hottest trails within the park because it joins a number of of the opposite branching trails within the Kinabalu Park. In comparison with the others, it’s additionally very straightforward on account of being virtually fully flat.
Mempening Path:
HIKE DISTANCE: 3396M
HIKE TIME: 2 hours
Mempening is one other flat path, which can be a standard alternative for what to do in Kinabalu Park. I didn’t full all the path, however it’s pretty flat the entire means as much as the street the place you possibly can be a part of onto the Kiau View path to create one other loop.
From the Mempening path, you may as well detour up the steeper routes to Bukit Tupai and Bukit Burung for some small shelters and viewpoint alternatives.
Mount Kinabalu Hike
In fact, the principle attraction of what to do in Kinabalu Park is Mount Kinabalu itself. The mountain is the tallest in South East Asia, and trekkers could make the summit in a 2-day journey with none climbing expertise.
Which means the trek could be very busy. The Nationwide Park has responded by making the entry value and trekking charges ridiculously costly. Consequently, I selected to not climb, largely due to my price range but in addition as a result of I don’t notably help the requirement of paying a whole lot of {dollars} to do a hike.
Nonetheless, if it’s in your bucket listing, you’ll must guide upfront as apparently, slots fill out in a short time.
For a full bundle with all permits and transport organized for you, you possibly can guide this bundle which is the highest-rated Mount Kinabalu bundle I might discover on-line.
Alternatively, you can try the official web site, which additionally has a wealth of data for the hike.
Over to You
As you possibly can see, when it comes right down to answering what to do in Kinabalu Park, it largely is simply mountaineering and trekking! In the event you’re like me and determined to not hike to the summit, then I’d nonetheless suggest that you just take a Kinabalu Nationwide Park day journey to discover the decrease trails and to identify some distinctive vegetation and wildlife!
Need to share your experiences? Let me know what you considered the park within the feedback!
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