Malaysia Hotels, Travel and Vacation

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Kota Kinabalu Weather: Climb Mount Kinabalu, Borneo

Flight: Kota Kinabalu Intl(WBKK)-Bali Intl(WRRR) Distance: 970.5nm Aircraft company/manufacturer/type: Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-200 Estimated fuel burn: 5569.9gal/37313.8pounds Estimated time en route: 2 hours 6 mins Cruise altitude: 12000ft Cruise speed: 300kts Departure time: 12:45pm Arrival time: 14:55pm Weather condition at departure: Clear – wind 179 at 00 Weather condition at arrival: Clear – wind 178 at 00 Remarks: N/A

Climb Mount Kinabalu, Borneo

Location

 The Kinabalu Park is famous the world over for the highest mountain in South-East Asia – Mt. Kinabalu, a vast, jagged granite massif rising to 4,101m. (13,455 ft). The mountain is the focal point of the whole Park, which covers an area of 754 sq km (291 sq miles) of Borneo Island in Sabeh, Malaysia and includes vegetation types ranging from the lush lowland zone through the tropical oak, rhododendron and conifer forests, to the alpine meadow plants and stunted bushes of the summit zone. The Park probably has one of the richest diversities of flora in the world.

Trek Kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in south-east Asia and offers a unique climb from tropical luxuriance through sub-alpine forests to the rocky summit plateau. The climb starts from Mount Kinabalu Park Headquarters, only a couple of hours drive but already more than 1500m above Kota Kinabalu on the coast. There is ample accommodation here, from dormitories to comfortable two-person cottages. Whilst the round-trip trek to the summit can be accomplished in two days, a more comfortable 3-day trek is recommended for biology-lovers who want to fully enjoy the rich diversity of flora on the mountain. There are 2 trails up Mt. Kinabalu. The recently-opened Mesilau Trail offers more opportunities for viewing flora and fauna, whilst the Summit Trail is the more direct route.

The use of an authorised guide is compulsory, whilst a porter is an optional luxury. Many of the trees and flowers are unique or extremely rare but to the uninitiated novice in matters botanical, there is no doubt that the pitcher plant steals the show. Even the most casual observer cannot fail to notice these impressive insect-guzzling monsters, with up to a pint of liquid in their death-by-drowning chambers, waiting to lure and then drown the passing fly or mosquito.

The summit trail winds up a steep staircase of gnarled tree-roots to a mossy world of drifting clouds and orchid-draped trees, where pitcher plants and rhododendrons abound. Just above the tree line at 3350m is a comfortable rest house where most parties spend the night. Before dawn next morning everybody is up and climbing by torchlight towards the summit. A steep rock step is aided by a fixed rope which continues all the way to the summit even where the way becomes quite flat when it winds across bare granite slabs in an eerie moonscape of rock twisted and contorted in weird wind-fashioned ways.

 The early start is a good idea in order to enjoy the views before the usual mist descends on the summit, which normally happens at around 10 am. It is not a good idea to climb too quickly as the wait for the magnificent sunrise at the summit is rather cold. The arrival of daylight reveals the remarkable summit plateau of the mountain, a vast expanse of smooth rock with a weird assortment of rocky pinnacles rising from it, almost like the udders of an inverted cow. In clear weather, you can almost see all of Sabah spread out below in a magnificent soul-expanding panorama of jungle and forest, river and rock. Luckily for peak-baggers the highest pinnacle, Lows Peak, is also one of the easiest. On the way down you can take a glimpse down the dizzying depths of 1,000 meter-deep, 16 kilometer-long Lows Gully, which splits the summit plateau into the western and eastern plateaus. With the early start the descent to Park Headquarters is easily done in one day and is normally accomplished with the satisfied glow of having climbed one of the world’s most spectacular and interesting mountains.

Rafflesia

Labels: Borneo, Climb, Kinabalu, Mount, Weather:

by kanuar at 11:42 AM |