🔀 For Everyone

Mount Kinabalu Stats 2026 — 4,095m, Permits & Ecology

Q: How hard is the Mount Kinabalu climb?

It is not technical — no ropes or rock-climbing skills are needed on the standard route — but it is steep and high. At 4,095 m the air pressure, and so the oxygen available, is only about 60% of sea level, and the summit push starts in the early hours. Reasonable fitness and training beforehand make a big difference.

Q: How long does the climb take?

The standard climb is two days and one night . On day 1 you register between 7:00 and 10:30 am and climb from Timpohon Gate to Panalaban; on day 2 you set off for the summit between 2:00 and 3:30 am, aiming for sunrise at Low's Peak, and must be down by 4:00 pm (Sabah Parks).

Q: How many climbers are allowed each day?

Sabah Parks lists its own hostels at 20 climbers a day at Lemaing and 30 a day at Panalaban . Every group needs a mountain guide: one guide for five climbers, or one for two climbers aged 15 and below. 2026 bookings opened on 1 December 2025 (Sabah Parks).

Q: What happened in the 2015 earthquake?

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck on 5 June 2015 , triggering rockfalls on the summit trail and killing 18 people. The Mesilau route has stayed closed since; Sabah Parks tells climbers not to plan on it.

Q: Why is Kinabalu Park a World Heritage Site?

UNESCO inscribed Kinabalu Park in 2000 under natural criteria (ix) and (x), for its ecological processes and its exceptional plant and animal diversity. Sabah Parks records 5,000–6,000 vascular plant species in the park, including 711 orchids.

Last updated: 28 September 2026

Mount Kinabalu summit at sunrise with Low’s Peak rising above clouds

ℹ️ The quick answer

Mount Kinabalu is 4,095 metres high, the highest mountain in Malaysia and on Borneo. Kinabalu Park covers 754 km², was established in 1964 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Sabah Parks records 5,000–6,000 vascular plant species in the park. The standard climb takes 2 days and 1 night from Timpohon Gate, with a mandatory mountain guide.

⛰️

4,095m

Elevation

Low's Peak

🏞️

754 km²

Kinabalu Park

established 1964

🏛️

2000

World Heritage

UNESCO criteria (ix), (x)

🌿

5,000–6,000

Plant species

vascular plants (Sabah Parks)

🌸

711

Orchids

documented species

🧭

1 : 5

Guide ratio

climbers per guide

How high is Mount Kinabalu?

Low's Peak, the summit of Mount Kinabalu, is 4,095 metres above sea level, the highest point in Malaysia and on Borneo. The mountain sits in Kinabalu Park (754 km²), gazetted in 1964 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 under natural criteria (ix) and (x). The standard route needs no ropes or technical skills, but at the summit the air holds only about 60% of the oxygen available at sea level.

How many species live in Kinabalu Park?

Sabah Parks records 5,000 to 6,000 vascular plant species in the park, including 711 documented orchids, 621 ferns, 81 palms, 78 figs, 45 wild gingers, 27 rhododendrons and 9 species of pitcher plants (Nepenthaceae). The park also has more than 100 mammal species and more than half of Borneo's 518 bird species.

Kinabalu Park: species in selected plant groups

Orchids and ferns are the richest plant groups in Kinabalu Park, with more than 600 species each.

Source: Sabah Parks, Kinabalu Park flora and fauna

How does the climb work?

Route: the standard ascent starts at Timpohon Gate. The Mesilau route has been closed since the 2015 earthquake.
Schedule: 2 days, 1 night. Register 7:00–10:30 am on day 1 and climb to Panalaban; start the summit push at 2:00–3:30 am on day 2 and be down by 4:00 pm.
Hostels: Sabah Parks lists Lemaing Hostel at 20 climbers a day and Panalaban Hostel at 30.
Guides: compulsory — one guide for five climbers, or one for two climbers aged 15 and below. Sabah Parks lists the guide fee at RM350.
Booking: 2026 bookings opened on 1 December 2025; check Sabah Parks for the 2027 season.

The 2015 earthquake

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck on the morning of 5 June 2015, setting off rockfalls on the summit trail. Eighteen people died. The Mesilau route has remained closed since.

Frequently asked questions

Q How hard is the Mount Kinabalu climb?

It is not technical — no ropes or rock-climbing skills are needed on the standard route — but it is steep and high. At 4,095 m the air pressure, and so the oxygen available, is only about 60% of sea level, and the summit push starts in the early hours. Reasonable fitness and training beforehand make a big difference.

Q How long does the climb take?

The standard climb is two days and one night. On day 1 you register between 7:00 and 10:30 am and climb from Timpohon Gate to Panalaban; on day 2 you set off for the summit between 2:00 and 3:30 am, aiming for sunrise at Low's Peak, and must be down by 4:00 pm (Sabah Parks).

Q How many climbers are allowed each day?

Sabah Parks lists its own hostels at 20 climbers a day at Lemaing and 30 a day at Panalaban. Every group needs a mountain guide: one guide for five climbers, or one for two climbers aged 15 and below. 2026 bookings opened on 1 December 2025 (Sabah Parks).

Q What happened in the 2015 earthquake?

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck on 5 June 2015, triggering rockfalls on the summit trail and killing 18 people. The Mesilau route has stayed closed since; Sabah Parks tells climbers not to plan on it.

Q Why is Kinabalu Park a World Heritage Site?

UNESCO inscribed Kinabalu Park in 2000 under natural criteria (ix) and (x), for its ecological processes and its exceptional plant and animal diversity. Sabah Parks records 5,000–6,000 vascular plant species in the park, including 711 orchids.

Sources & References 3 sources