Kinabalu Park House
Hotel
Day 1
Kinabalu & Kinabatangan - 6 Days (Kota Kinabalu, Kinabalu Park, Laban Rata, Low's Peak & Sepilok)
Six days — a 4,095 m summit, then orangutans and a river safari. Six days with the climbing permit secured months ahead, a private mountain guide and a river lodge on the quieter upper stretch.
Tenzing Trails
Runs this trip
Trekking
Six days — a 4,095 m summit, then orangutans and a river safari
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
KK waterfrontKinabalu permits are capped and named. Timpohon GateAlmost the entire ascent is built steps. Sayat-Sayat checkpointThe last stretch is bare granite with fixed ropes, done in the dark.
Itinerary
Kinabalu permits are capped and named. The briefing confirms yours before anything else.
Kota KinabaluHow the day runs
- 1 hrsAirport transfer, then the night market
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationKinabalu Park House
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Hotel night
- Climb briefing and kit check
LANDMARKS KK waterfront Filipino night market Start point Kota Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), Sabah 00:00 - 23:59Almost the entire ascent is built steps. It is not technical and it is relentless on the knees.
Kinabalu Park, Laban RataHow the day runs
- 2 hrs6:00 AM — up to the park gate
- 6 hrs8:30 AM — the Timpohon trail, stepped almost throughout
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationLaban Rata Courtyard
Included Activities
- Park fee, climbing permit and compulsory mountain guide
- Laban Rata dormitory with meals
LANDMARKS Timpohon Gate Carson Falls Laban Rata The last stretch is bare granite with fixed ropes, done in the dark. It is the highest point between the Himalaya and New Guinea.
Laban Rata, Low's Peak, Kinabalu ParkHow the day runs
- 3 hrs2:00 AM — ropes across the granite slab to the summit
- 7 hrs7:00 AM — all the way back down to the gate
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch
- AccommodationKota Kinabalu Inn
Included Activities
- Guide throughout
- Hotel night at Kota Kinabalu
- Summit certificate
LANDMARKS Sayat-Sayat checkpoint Low's Peak Donkey Ears Sepilok rehabilitates orphaned orangutans for release. Feeding platforms at 10 and 3, and no contact of any kind.
Kota Kinabalu, SepilokHow the day runs
- 1 hrs9:00 AM — the short hop east to Sandakan
- 1 hrs11:00 AM — to the rehabilitation centres
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationSepilok Retreat
Included Activities
- Domestic flight
- Both centre entries
- Lodge night at Sepilok
LANDMARKS Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Bornean Sun Bear Centre Rainforest Discovery Centre Proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants and hornbills come to the river because the plantations have taken everything behind it. That is the uncomfortable reason the wildlife viewing is so good.
Sepilok, KinabatanganHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — south to the river lodge
- 2 hrs4:00 PM — the first cruise, on the dusk
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationKinabatangan Courtyard
Included Activities
- River lodge with all meals
- Two boat cruises
- Night walk
LANDMARKS Kinabatangan river Oxbow lakes Proboscis monkeys The dawn cruise is the better of the two. Then a long transfer day home.
Kinabatangan, Kota KinabaluHow the day runs
- 2 hrs6:00 AM — the dawn cruise
- 1 hrs2:00 PM — Sandakan back to KK
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Dawn cruise
- Transfers and domestic flight
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 1Climb briefing and kit check
- Day 2Park fee, climbing permit and compulsory mountain guide
- Day 2Laban Rata dormitory with meals
- Day 3Guide throughout
- Day 3Hotel night at Kota Kinabalu
- Day 3Summit certificate
- Day 4Domestic flight
- Day 4Both centre entries
- Day 4Lodge night at Sepilok
- Day 5River lodge with all meals
- Day 5Two boat cruises
- Day 5Night walk
- Day 6Dawn cruise
- Day 6Transfers and domestic flight
- Day 1 · 1 nightKinabalu Park House
- Day 2 · 1 nightLaban Rata Courtyard
- Day 3 · 1 nightKota Kinabalu Inn
- Day 4 · 1 nightSepilok Retreat
- Day 5 · 1 nightKinabatangan Courtyard
- Day 1Kota Kinabalu to Kota KinabaluAirport transfer, then the night market
- Day 2Kota Kinabalu to Kinabalu Park6:00 AM — up to the park gate
- Day 4Kota Kinabalu to Sepilok9:00 AM — the short hop east to Sandakan
- Day 4Sepilok to Sepilok11:00 AM — to the rehabilitation centres
- Day 5Sepilok to Kinabatangan9:00 AM — south to the river lodge
- Day 6Kinabatangan to Kota Kinabalu2:00 PM — Sandakan back to KK
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Laban Rata Courtyard
Hotel
Day 2
Kota Kinabalu Inn
Hotel
Day 3
Sepilok Retreat
Hotel
Day 4
Kinabatangan Courtyard
Hotel
Day 5
What you'll eat
5 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners across 6 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 6.
- DinnerServed on days 1, 2, 4, 5
- BreakfastServed on days 2–6
- LunchServed on days 2, 3, 5
12 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 7 reviews
Review summary
Food4.4/5
Guide4.7/5
Itinerary4.4/5
Transport4.7/5
Accommodation4.3/5
Tour operator4.4/5
Sort by:Recommended
4
A
Ananya Gupta – Kolkata2025-09-14 · Verified booking
Did this over 6 days and it was the best walking I've done in years.
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5
D
Divya Reddy – Chennai2025-09-14 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. Would book with them again.
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4
N
Nikhil Joshi – Pune2025-09-14 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. No hesitation recommending them.
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4
C
Carla Mendes – Dublin2025-09-14 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Would send friends their way.
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5
C
Carla Mendes – Singapore2025-09-14 · Verified booking
Borneo in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Would send friends their way.
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5
A
Arjun Pillai – Bengaluru2025-09-14 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Would send friends their way.
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5
A
Arjun Pillai – Chandigarh2025-09-14 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Never went hungry, and the tea appeared exactly when it was needed. Worth every rupee.
Reply from Tenzing Trails
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →