Mount Kinabalu is Malaysia’s highest peak and it stands at 13,435 (4,095m) tall.

✨how I booked✨

I booked through River Junkie as a “solo join in” for a group. There were 3 other people in my group (a couple and another solo female) but we ended up splitting in half since we were at such different hiking paces. I booked via email about a month before the trek. It was $610.

✨are there cheaper options??✨

If you just want to do the hike and have the ability to plan months ahead (or hope for a last minute cancellation) you can string the whole thing together yourself (minus the via ferrata). This still ends up costing hundreds of dollars. In February I was looking online for spots to sleep at the mountain accommodation and they were booked out till October. I heard some people at a hostel saying that they booked on a last minute opening with a tour company for about $300 and just did the hike, no VF.

✨ok but was it worth $610??✨

yes…and kinda no?

Now keep in mind this is subjective and I have a bit of prior experience hiking similar mountains (for free). To be completely honest, if I were to spend $600 on a summit again I would want it to be a full mountaineering route (exposure, technical aspects, way more remote). But that’s just my opinion and is something I’ve learned!! Now it was absolutely gorgeous and I’m very grateful to have experienced it.

It does make sense why it’s expensive and they strictly limit the amount of people that summit per day. All of the materials taken up and down from the lodges are done so by people. Porters carry trash, water, bedding, food, anything. There’s not laundry up there so even all that comes all the way back up and down.

The $610 includes the National Park entrance, guide fee, climb permit, insurance, all transportation, night at Pendant Hut, all meals, and the Via Ferrata fee and guide.

Overall I’m very thankful for how the experience went. My guide was amazing, the weather couldn’t have been better, sunrise was insane, and getting to hike the tallest peak in another country is now checked off my list!

#mtkinabalu #solofemaletraveler