Kinabalu National Park

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The Kinabalu National Park is one of the most sought after destinations in Sabah, as the park is the guardian of the most revered mountain in Malaysia, Mount Kinabalu. It was designated as a protected national park in 1964, and later in 2000 it was marked as Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the incredible richness of its tropical rainforests and biodiversity combined with its unique geological, topographical and climatic conditions. Kinabalu National Park is Sabah’s oldest park and occupies 745 square km around Mount Kinabalu and encompasses a variety of habitats, elevations and vegetation zones. Six major topographical features occur within the park. These include peaks and plateaus, gullies, rivers, streams, waterfalls, hot springs, caves (Paka Caves and the Tumbled Bats Cave at Poring) and granitic slabs (a characteristic of the slopes at the summits) and is comprised of three main mountains, from South to North, Kinabalu (4,095m), Tambuyukon (2,579m) and Templer (1,133m).

A two hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the Malaysian state of Sabah, is the park headquarters located at the southern boundary of Kinabalu Park at an elevation of 1,563m. At a height of 4,095.2m, and still growing at an annual rate of 5mm, Mount Kinabalu is the tallest peak between Papua New Guinea and the Himalayas and is the world’s youngest non-volcanic mountain. This distinction has earned it considerable attention in geography as well as in myth and legend; the mountain has for most of its history been venerated as a sacred spot. In fact, it figures centrally in the traditional belief of the once animistic Dusuns in the foothills and the Kadazans in the plains and valleys beyond, whom for centuries had regarded it as the resting place of the dead - their version of heaven. Until today, Dusun high priests dutifully perform the annual sacrificial rite of killing seven white chickens near the summit to appease the spirits.

Kinabalu Park has been designated as a Centre of Plant Diversity for Southeast Asia and is exceptionally rich in species. The park contains high biodiversity with representatives from more than half the families of all flowering plants in the world. At Kinabalu Park, one can experience the protected species of this tropical country in an unspoilt paradise of thousands of rare flora and fauna that are native to the area and several hundred of which are only found in the park itself. There are 11km of marked and graded trails in Kinabalu Park of which the Silau Silau trail is about the easiest and perhaps the most beautiful. Orchids, in which species number around 1,200, grow in abundance and range in size from a pinhead to huge stems over 2 metres in length. The park boasts at least 5 species of Slipper Orchids two of which are endangered including the Rothschild Slipper Orchid that is so precious and rare it is considered to be the ‘Gold of Kinabalu’. Ten species of carnivorous Pitcher plants, including the Nepenthes Raja that can hold up to more than 3.5L of water; are among the most famous plants in the park and many are on display in a botanical walk near to the park headquarters. One of the world’s largest flowers, the Rafflesia, whose red petals can reach up to 28 inches in length and which blooms for only a matter of days every year, can also be seen within the park. There are over 6,000 vascular plant species, 700 fern species, 50 species of oak and 12 species of chestnut, 19 species of begonia, 30 species of ginger, 78 fiscus species, 6 species of bamboo, and 53 palm species. Also, well represented are numerous lichens, mosses, fungi, conifers and fruit trees such as fig, rambutan, and durian. Rhododendrons are amongst the most spectacular of Kinabalu mountain flowers and 24 of Borneo’s 50 species are found here with 5 being endemic to Kinabalu Park. The Koompassia Excelsa( Tualang), a member of the legume family and one of the world’s tallest trees, growing to a height of 90 metres; calls Kinabalu Park home. They are perhaps best known for the immense honey combs which hang from the bottoms of their branches giving them the nickname ‘honeybee tree’. The combs can reach up to 2 metres across, can contain more than 30,000 bees and one tree can house more than 100 nests. The world’s largest honey bees, Asian Rock Bees are 1 inch long and prefer the Tualang tree in which to nest as the height provides safety from marauders.

Kinabalu Park includes several vegetation zones, the largest of which is the Lowland Dipterocarp Forest that comprises 35% of the park. The temperature of this area ranges from 20 degrees Celsius during the day and can get as cool as 13 degrees Celsius at night. This area has the highest concentration of animal life in the park and the canopy can be upward of 50 metres. A little further up at about 1,200-1,900 metres, you will find the Lower Montane Forest. As the altitude increases the Dipterocarps are replaced by laurels, oaks and chestnuts and a large variety of orchid species thrive here. The Upper Montane Forest comes next at an altitude of 1,900-2,700 metres where the chestnuts and oaks give way to stunted twisted trees decorated in mosses and lichens. Conifers, rhododendrons, orchids and pitcher plants dominate this part of Mount Kinabalu. The tallest trees in this area grow only to a height of about 6 metres. The Ultra Basic Rock Forest at 2,700-3,000 metres, the Lower Granite Boulder Forest at 3,000-3,300 metres and then the Upper Granite Boulder Forest have nearly the same flora as the Upper Montane Forest with a drop only in abundance. Finally the Sub-Alpine Forest is between 3,200-4095 metres not many plants can survive the thinning of the soil and the generally harsh conditions of the summit on Mount Kinabalu. The hardy conifer and rhododendrons can still be seen along with several shrub species like the shrub raspberry and in the clearings of the alpine meadows thrive orchids, buttercups, gentians and other temperate flowering species.

Even with over 100 different species of mammals that are in Kinabalu Park, sightings are not a guarantee as most are nocturnal or tree-top dwellers. Many of the mammals are unique or extremely rare in Kinabalu Park such as the Sun Bear, Leopard Cat, Civet Cat, Bay Cat, Pangolin, Pygmy Squirrels, Bearded Pigs, Sambar Deer, Mouse Deer and Barking Deer. The primates include the Orang Utan, Bornean Gibbons, Red Leaf Monkeys, Grey Leaf Monkeys and the nocturnal Slow Loris and the tiny Tarsier. There are 28 species of tree shrew of which the Black Shrew and the Kinabalu Shrew are found nowhere else in the world. 326 of the 518 of Borneo’s bird species make Kinabalu Park their home such as Mountain Blackbirds, Barbets, the Kinabalu Friendly Warbler and several species of Hornbills. There are over 60 frog and toad species, 200 species of butterflies, 112 ‘macro’ moth species and 40 species of fish in Kinabalu National Park. The squeamish will not be happy to hear that the Kinabalu Giant Red Leech and Kinabalu Giant Earthworms are found extensively throughout the park; but may be happy to know they live nowhere else on the planet.

Aside from the incredible nature to be discovered and trails to be hiked at Kinabalu National Park, there are galleries and a museum to be browsed through. Head to the Butterfly Farm, Poring Hot Springs, Canopy Walkway and get to the Mesilau Nature Park where you will be rewarded with her beauty. There are several options for accommodation within the park itself ranging from dorm-style hostels to grand chalets; it is a good idea to spend the night to reap all the benefits Kinabalu National Park has to offer.

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National Parks