A Few Tips

45 days had passed since I climb the SE Asia's highest mountain and yet I still can't get over with it as every time my friends found out that I did climb they keep asking me about my preparations for the climb and how did I get to KK. They're interested to do it too.. Well for you guys who really wanted to climb here are my tips..

1. You need to book a ROOM or BED on the mountain hut at Sutera Sanctuary Lodge website, 2 or 3 months ahead of your scheduled climb as its a lot cheaper. Just check their website for the current price but take note it is still very expensive (well for me it is! hehe) and once you paid thru Credit Card, they can no longer refund you if ever you want to cancel (that is their policy) so make sure you will climb on the date you specified or you'll be sorry :(

2. As far as going to KK, you don't have a problem getting there as there are 2 airline operators from Philippines that has flight schedule to KK. One is Air Asia (daily from Clark) and Cebu Pacific (twice a week from NAIA 3). Just check their website for the airfare. Book also in advance if you are on budget.

3. If you want to stay in the city for a night prior to your Mt. Kinabalu Adventure, you got lots of choices for your lodge. From best hotels to backpackers/youth hostels lodge. The price starts from 20RM up. For me its good to stay in youth hostels coz aside from its cheaper you can meet a lot of friends from around the world there.

4. As for your physical preparation, I suggest u look for the tallest building in your area and then take the stairs up and down on that building maybe twice a week for two months. The trail on Mt. Kinabalu is only a series of steps/stairs and its not that hard to climb if u got a stronger legs. Jogging and walking is also okay and any exercise will do as long as it involves the lower portion of your body.

5. What to wear? A short and a shirt will do during the first phase of the climb. Then a pair of walking or hiking shoes. If u have a goretex shoes much better. Both of my toes were hurt during descent so I suggest u also bring a sandal to be used only for that purpose. Don't forget to bring a raincoat coz the weather up there is unpredictable. We never thought it would rain along the way since the weather when we started the climb is very sunny but the change is so sudden and I was not prepared. I should have bought a disposable raincoat at the base but I listened to my partner that I don't need it :(

6. Bring some medicines with u. Paracetamol, OTC pain killers, oral rehydration (to be mixed in your drinking water) and best if u can have some tablets for altitude sickness. That was my number 1 enemy as I climb higher.

7. Don't bring a lot of stuff with u as it gets heavier on your backpack and believe me it will make u miserable as u climb like what happened to me. Hehe. I bring along my DSLR camera but never used it there because of tiredness and altitude sickness.

8. What else? You need a spirit of determination..there came a point in my climb that i felt like giving up but because I am determined to finish and make myself proud, nevertheless, I continued. As sir Edmund Hillary said "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."


If you still have some question just post it in the comment section.