South East Asia’s highest mountain- Mt Kinabulu

Malaysia is known the world over for its many diverse attractions, many of which have been accorded UNESCO World Heritage site status. One such magnificent specimen is the spectacular Kinabalu National Park, located at a distance of ninety-kilometers from the city of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, and considered to one of the world’s most glorious natural environments.
The Kinabalu park is home to an awe-inspiring amount of bio-diversity that includes thousands of species of flora and fauna, most of which are resident on the slopes of the park’s, towering sentinel, the magnificent Mount Kinabalu, which rises to a height of 4,095 meters (13,435 feet) above sea level and whose peak, called Low’s Peak seems to be perennially shrouded in swirling mists.
Kinabalu National Park is visited by thousands of tourists every year.  Most of the visitors to the park come with the aim of climbing Mt Kinabalu, one of the highest peaks of South East Asia. Luckily for these tourists, Mt Kinabalu is one of the easiest peaks in the world to conquer and climbers of all abilities including those with little or no mountain climbing experience have been known to have successfully reached its summit and drunk in the breath-taking views.
On average, climbers equipped with a reasonable level of fitness take two days to scale the mount. Climbers usually start their journey from the Timpohon Gate situated near the park headquarters. The climbers then can choose to follow one of the two trails that lead to the summit-the Summit Trail or the Mesilau Route. After hiking throughout day one, climbers usually break for the night at a point called Laban Rata, which is located at a height of 3273 meters (10,738 feet) and is equipped with guest houses. They then continue onwards with their journey to the top rising early on the second day, in order to get to the summit to take in the usually stunning views at sunrise. After having had their fill of the panoramic views, the climbers generally begin their descent back towards the park headquarters.
All throughout their climb, the climbers are awarded with sights of the peak’s diverse montane vegetation patterns.  These varied patterns of plant and tree life, include fruit trees like durian, rambutan, fig and carnivorous pitcher plants that inhabit the lower rungs of the mountain.  A range of trees like conifers, oaks, members of the tea and eucalyptus families and mosses, ferns and liverworts are then widespread between levels located at heights between 2,600 to 3,200 m (8,530 to 10,499 ft.).  The mountain is then anointed with many varieties of orchids which are visible on its higher rungs. Also on display is the vibrant animal and bird life endemic to the Kinabalu Park, like pygmy squirrels, fruit bats, black and Kinabalu shrews, the mountain blackbirds, rhinoceros hornbills and leaf monkeys and many others.
A climb up Mount Kinabalu is certainly a treat for the mind, body and soul and is definitely recommended on any trip to the wondrous paradise, Kinabalu Park.