Climbing Mount Kinabalu Package

In general, there are two ways to book a travel package to climb Mount Kinabalu. There are pros and cons for each way.

1. DIY option

You can book your climb directly through the national park's sole operator, Sutera Sanctuary Lodge ("SSL").  It offers a standard 3D/2N climbing package that includes foods and accommodations. The price is cheaper than those offered by travel agencies. However, you need to book your place  6 months before the climb and the package does not include transport from/ to the airport to/ from Kinabalu National Park.

 2. Tour option

Alternatively, you can book climbing package from travel agencies who bought bulk places from SSL. It is slightly expensive, but it includes transport to and fro between airport and Kinabalu National Park. This will be a better option if you don't want to worry about arranging transports and local guides. It also gives more choices of tour's itinerary. And this is the only option if you urgently need a place to climb Mount Kinabalu in less than 6 months.

So, where can you find the travel agencies offering Climbing Mount Kinabalu Packages?

They usually advertise on internet. For instance, there are four ads below this paragraph and a few more at the left panel of this page. You can refresh this page to view more offers. You can book your climbing place through their websites, email them or call them. The staffs are able to speak English. You can check them out.




Alternative, you can search for travel packages to climb Mount Kinabalu using our custom search box below. Just search for "climbing Mount Kinabalu package". There should be at least 8 to 10 travel agencies showing their tour packages to climb Mount Kinabalu.



Climbing Mount Kinabalu Package: Comparison of the options


1. DIY option: if you book through SSL


The rate quoted for 3D/2N climbing package in 2011, when I climbed the mountain, was RM452 per person (in a group of 7 travelers) (include accommodation & all meals), RM30 per person climbing permit and RM RM7 per person insurance. In total, RM489 per person.

This year, 2012, a traveler reported in lonely planet, that the cost had increased to RM728 per single traveler, RM100 per person climbing permit and RM7 per person insurance. In total, RM835 per person. It seems SSL's price has been increasing for the last few years.

This climbing package includes:
  • 1 night stay at Kinabalu National Park before the climb (Dormitory)
  • 1 night stay at Laban Rata (Dormitory)
  • 2 breakfast buffets on day 2 and day 3
  • 2 lunch buffets on day 2 (lunch pack prepared for you to eat during your climb to Laban Rata) and day 3 (at Kinabalu National Park right after descent)
  • 2 dinner buffets on day 1 (arrival at Kinabalu Park) and day 2 (Laban Rata)
  • 1 supper (at Laban Rata 2am before your climb to summit)

It does not include the following:
  • Transport from airport to/fro Kinabalu Park. You need to arrange separately with tour or transport companies to pick you up from and send you back to airport
  • Park entrance fees (RM15)
  • Return shuttle to and from Kinabalu Park HQ to Timpohon Gate (RM33)
  • One compulsory mountain guide (RM100) per group of maximum 4 climbers.
  • Certificate (RM10) per person
  • Option to hire porter to bring essential things to Laban Rata (approximately RM8 per KG)
  • There are cost to leave your luggage at Kinabalu Park while you attempt the climb (RM10 per bag)
  • More price information here from SSL

Tips for DIY:
  • You can book for an extra night stay in the park after the climb. We stayed in Nephenthis Lodge and we simply loved the place. The price is affordable as we went in a group.
  • Talk to your transport driver if you want him to recommend you places to visit. They are usually happy to detour for a fee if the detour does not jeopardize your timing to climb or back to airport.




2. Tour Option: Checking out various fabulous climbing packages offered by travel agencies


In general, the 3D/2N package prices offered by travel agencies ranged between RM950 - RM1,400 per person depending on the itinerary and number of people in a group. It should cover everything that includes
  • Accommodations and food of the entire trip starting from the airport
  • Climb permit, insurance, park entrance fee, return shuttle from Park's HQ to Timpohon gate, mountain guide, etc.
  • Transport to pick you up from the airport until the last day sending you back to airport

There should be no extra cost. However, things vary depends on the climbing package that you order. Please check clearly before you place your booking.

Variations of the Standard Travel Package of Climbing Mount Kinabalu

Beside the standard 3D/2N climbing option, there are variations offered by different travel agents at different prices:
  • some packages offer longer period of stay,
  • some offer 2D/1N climb (very limited offers available)
  • some offer more places of visit, i.e. islands hopping & scuba diving at Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, Poring Hot Spring, white water rafting at Padas river, etc.
  • some offer luxury day climb with 2 days on the mountain
  • some offer a different climbing experience Via ferrata (Mount Kinabalu has the highest Via ferrata in the world)
  • etc.


Check out the climbing Mount Kinagalu packages offered by various travel agencies.

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Night Hike To Summit Before Sayat Sayat 6.0km to 7.0km (2)

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

The steepness (slope) of 6KM to 7KM is 0.28 (Vertical 383 meter and horizontal 924 meter) which is much easier as compared to the 0.41 slope of 7KM to 8KM.

However, this stretch of trail is tiring and "difficult" for a few reasons:

  • the climb is in the middle of night at our usual sleeping hours, i.e. 2am - 5am.
  • part of this stretch of trail, approximately 50 meters, requires the climbers to walk on a ledge in the dark and later hold to a white rope to pull themselves up
  • lacking oxygen, 7KM is at 3,653 meters or 11,985 ft above sea level
  • it is cold, our clothes is thick and we are sweating
  • it is dark, we need to get use to the torch lights visually




Walking on a ledge. Don't worry, it is safe.




Pull yourself up.

After the difficult part, take a rest.


Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:


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Climbing the terrain (Part 2: Descending)

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

From Summit to Sayat Sayat

  • This is the most beautiful stretch of the climb
  • Be careful of your steps and walk slowly. It is quite easy to slip and fall on the trail during downhill walk, especially when the scenery is so beautiful
  • Follow the white rope

Walk slowly


Grand view


Sayat Sayat checkpoint at the bottom

More photo on the descent before reaching Sayat Sayat



From Sayat Sayat to Laban Rata

  • Watch out for time. Breakfast buffet at Laban Rata closes at 10.00am. So make sure you return to Laban Rata before 10am
  • This is the part that you need to pull the rope during the ascending climb at night. Now you can see how beautiful the view is

Right after Sayat Sayat

You can see Laban Rata Resthouse at the bottom. But it is still quite a long way to reach Laban Rata.
You can't see this at night when you climb up. This is the stretch after Sayat Sayat before reaching Laban Rata during your descent.
Very near to Laban Rata now.


From Laban Rata to Kinabalu Park

  • Leave Laban Rata as early as possible. Chances of rain is higher at the later part of the day.


Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

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Climbing the Terrain (Part 1: Ascending)

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:
From Kinabalu Park Headquarters to Laban Rata

  • The first 3 km is an easy climb. It is not steep. However, do not rush, walk at a consistent speed that you will not pant.
  • Bring one set of dry cloth in your backpack in case you reach Laban Rata hours earlier than the porter who carry your luggage.
  • After KM 3, be aware of your body response toward altitude sickness, i.e. headache, dizziness, vomiting, loss of balance, etc. As altitude sickness commonly occurs above 2,400 meters (8,000 feet), which is approximately at KM 3 onward.
  • From KM3 onward, the slope becomes steeper.

Calculation of slope for each KM of walk. The higher the value the steeper the slope becomes. For instance, the slope from KM3 to KM4 is 0.30 which is steeper than the slope value of 0.22 from KM 1 to KM 2.

  • Last KM before reaching Laban Rata is long and tiring. The road from 5.5KM to 6.0KM seems never ending.
  • Generally the trail from Timpohon Gate to Laban Rata is safe. You will not slipped and fell off the trail or fell off the cliff. The climber walks on jungle trail most of the time. There is no cliff. At times, there are wooden fences on the trail that next to a slope.

(For those who live in Klang Valley and have chance to climb Bukit Gasing: Climbing from Kinabalu Park Headquarters to Laban Rata is not more difficult that the last 300 steps of Bukit Gasing. The trail before reaching Laban Rata is just like Gasing trail, except for the last KM. In the last KM of Summit trail, you walk on stones/rocks.

The trail is tiring as the road is long.)



Follow the link to see all the terrain photos of Summit Trail from Timpohon Gate to Laban Rata.





From Laban Rata to Sayat Sayat
  • As you can see from the table above, Laban Rata to Sayat Sayat 6KM to 7KM is the steepest part of the climb. 
  • First half of this 6KM - 7KM summit trail is okay. The climber just walks up wooden staircases and stones.
  • It can be tiring as the climber is climbing this part of the trail at 2.00 am before dawn.
  • In the second half of this 6KM - 7KM summit trail we need to follow and hold a white rope. Normal carefulness will be good enough. At one very short stretch of trail, we need to use both hands and legs.
  • Ensure guide is around at the steep angle area before passing this area.
Night climb before reaching Sayat Sayat Checkpoint.


How it looks like in the daylight.





From Sayat Sayat to Summit

  • Sayat Sayat is the last toilet stop, don’t miss this toilet as it is still a long way to reach Low's Peak and back to this check point.
  • All climbers must reach Sayat Sayat Checkpoint before 5am to be allowed to continue their climb. The gate closes at 5am. 
  • The stretch right after Sayat Sayat is the most difficult part of the climb. The slope is steep and the air is thin (only 62% of oxygen available at sea level). Many people reported to have thought to give up.
  • After 8km, all the way up. It is easy to sprain your ankle on  the steep slope if you are not careful.

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:
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Food and Drinks While Climbing Mt Kinabalu

From Kinabalu Park Headquarters to Laban Rata

  • Take your breakfast buffet at Balsam Buffet Restaurant before the climb to Laban Rata
  • Keep yourself hydrated during the climb. Bring along 1.5 litre of water, may be in three 500ml mineral water bottles. It should be sufficient.
  • The restaurant will prepare lunch box for you to bring for the climb. The lunch box consists of sandwiches, 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 fried chicken, 1 apple & 500 ml mineral water. It is quite heavy as we are also bringing 1.5 litre of water. I took out water, sandwiches and apple, packed them into my backpack and left everything else including the box behind. We had our lunch at somewhere 4KM to 5KM. 
  • In my backpack, there were also energy bars and banana. (Also, SLR camera, raincoat, altitude sickness pills, three 500ml bottles, etc. It was heavy. :-P )



At Laban Rata

  • Laban Rata's restaurant serves reasonably decent buffet dinner. (Hey, you are in a mountain, don't expect 5 stars hotel's food.)
  • In the restaurant, you can refill your water bottles with drinking water. Yes, it is free, you don't have to buy water.
  • They serve hot water, cold water, coffee and tea in the restaurant
Simple buffet at Laban Rata Restaurant



From Laban Rata to summit and back to Laban Rata

  • Take your buffet supper at Laban Rata Restaurant at 2am before the climb to summit
  • Keep yourself hydrate during the climb. It is still a 5KM - 6KM up and down hill walk that may take 6 hours. I still think 1.5 litre of water in your backpack is a must.
  • Bring along energy bars. It can be cold and tiresome.
  • Don't forget altitude sickness pills.
  • Take your breakfast at Laban Rata Restaurant when you are backed from summit. The breakfast buffet closed at 10am. After that you can still order A la carte.




From Laban Rata back to Kinabalu Park Headquarters

  • Take your lunch/ teatime/ dinner at Balsam Buffet Restaurant. So leave Laban Rata early after your breakfast.
  • Remember to refill your water bottle before going downhill



More general tips on food and drinks

  • Bring energy bars, breakfast bars OR banana for every trip. You need energy bars, something to munch when you are tire. But don’t eat too much during the journey.
  • Don’t eat and walk. It can be very tiring.
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Laban Rata to Sayat Sayat 6km to 7km

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:


Mid-night buffet supper at Laban Rata Rest House starts from 2.00am in the morning.
It is important to eat well because you need energy to climb to the summit. The climb may take as long as 4 hours to 8 hours before you come back to Laban Rata. It can be as late as 10.00 am in the morning. Breakfast buffet close at 10.00 am in the morning, after that you can only order for À la carte.

Most climbers start their summit climb by 2.30am, after a warm and comfortable supper meal at Laban Rata. I suggest you start earlier.

It is a long upward hike. Initially, you walk on wooden staircases or natural rocky-faced stairs. The last 200 meters (crude estimation) before Sayat Sayat (the last check point right after 7 km) is a climb that you need to hold on to a rope.

Sayat Sayat checkpoint gate closes at 5am. You need to reach Sayat Sayat checkpoint before 5am to be allowed to go uphill.


Not a good photo. I mistakenly forgot to adjust the focus.

Walking on a ledge at night. To be safe, at times, you need to hold the rope.

The only stretch of the whole journey that requires you to pull yourself with your hand.

Take a rest before going further. 

At KM7, just a few steps away from Sayat Sayat check point.

Here we are at Sayat Sayat check point. You need to be here before
the gate closes at 5pm. 

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

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