Location
Kinabalu Park is famous worldwide for the mountain highest in Southeast Asia – Mt. Kinabalu, a huge granite massif irregular reaching 4101 m. (13,455 feet). The mountain is the focal point of the entire park, which covers an area of 754 square kilometers (291 square miles) of the island of Borneo in Sabeh, Malaysia and includes vegetation types ranging from lowland area through the lush tropical oak, rhododendron and conifer forests to alpine meadow plants and shrubs in the area of the summit. The Park has probably one of the most rich diversity of flora in the world.
Kinabalu Trek
Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia and offers a unique ascent through lush tropical forests to subalpine rocky summit plateau. The climb begins on Mount Kinabalu Park Headquarters, only a couple of hours drive but more than 1,500 feet above Kota Kinabalu on the coast. There is ample accommodation here, from the comfortable sleeping cabins for two people. While the round trip travel to the summit can be accomplished in two days, a 3 day trip easier is recommended for lovers of biology who want to enjoy of the rich diversity of the flora of the mountain. There are 2 paths to the Mt. Kinabalu. The recent opening Mesilau Trail offers more opportunities to see flora and fauna, while that the path of the Summit is the most direct route.
The unauthorized use of a guide is compulsory while a porter is an optional luxury. Many trees and flowers are unique or very rare, but to the uninitiated novice in the field of botany, there is no doubt that the carnivorous plant steals the show. Even the most superficial observer can not fail to notice these impressive insect-guzzling monsters, with up to a liter of fluid in his death by drowning cameras, waiting to attract and drown crossing flies or mosquitoes.
The summit trail winds up a steep staircase of gnarled tree based on a moss-covered world of drifting clouds and trees covered with orchids, where the carnivorous plants and rhododendrons abound. Just above the tree line at 3350m is a comfortable rest house where most of the night games. Before dawn next morning everybody is up and climbing by torchlight towards the summit. A steep rock step is aided by a fixed rope that goes all the way to the summit, even when the path becomes quite flat when winds through granite slabs in a mysterious bare moonscape rock twisted and contorted in strange ways wind fashion.
The early start is a good idea to enjoy the views before the regular mist descends summit, which normally occurs in about 10 hours. Not a good idea to go too fast as the waiting time for the magnificent sunrise at the summit is more cold. The arrival of daylight reveals the remarkable summit plateau of the mountain, a vast expanse of smooth rock with an odd assortment of pinnacles rock that rise from that, almost like a cow's udder reversed. On clear days you can almost see all of Sabah extends down into the soul magnificent panorama of the expansion of the jungle and forest, river and rock. Fortunately baggers to the highest peak of the pinnacle, Low peak, is also one of the easiest. On the way down can have a look dizzying depth of 1,000 meters deep, 16 miles long Lows Gully, which divides the summit plateau in the western and eastern plateau. With the early start the descent to Park Headquarters is easily done in a day and is usually done with the satisfied glow of having climbed one of the highest mountains spectacular and interesting in the world.
Rafflesia – World's Biggest Flower Rafflesia is perhaps one of the two groups of plants Kinabalu which are associated with more than any other, besides orchids. The spectacular Rafflesia, which grows wild in the woods is, perhaps surprisingly given its size, a parasite – no stems or leaves of their own and get their food from thread-like filaments that extend through the roots and stems of forest vines host.
The buds appear as small bumps covered in dark brown bracts on the stem of the vine and take approximately nine months to develop the size of a cabbage before they open. The flowers are known for their bad smell, which is very unpleasant, but only lasts three to four days. Two species have been found in Kinabalu, the huge Rafflesia keithii, which really is a giant, growing to a whopping 94 centimeters (37 inches) in diameter and smaller pricei R., about 30 centimeters (12 inches in diameter).
Other mountain peaks are from Victoria's Peak (4,090 m.), dunce's Peak (4,054 m.), South Peak (3,931.5 meters) and Pico de San Juan (4,090.7 meters) in the western plateau. Power on the eastern plateau, stand King Edward Peak (4,086 m.), Mesilau Peak (3,801.3 meters) and King George Peak (4,062.6 million). These peaks are only for experienced climbers, as they are challenging climbs that require rope, for which special permission is required from the Park authorities.
While In Thailand, why not visit one of the three countries currently finest beach resorts:
Koh Lao Liang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/kohlaoliang.shtml
Ao Nang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/ao_nang.shtml
Railay / Tonsai: http://www.andamanadventures.com/railay-tonsai.shtml
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About the Author:
Runs Andaman Sky Co., Ltd, specialising in climbing and diving trips to Thailand’s best beach destinations.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Climb Mount Kinabalu, Borneo
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