{"id":1,"date":"2016-12-05T23:00:32","date_gmt":"2016-12-05T15:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"\/?p=1"},"modified":"2021-07-27T18:52:00","modified_gmt":"2021-07-27T10:52:00","slug":"climbing-mount-kinabalu-via-kota-belud-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mysabah.com\/wordpress\/climbing-mount-kinabalu-via-kota-belud-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"Climbing Mount Kinabalu via Kota Belud Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake on 5 June 2015 destroyed part of the old summit trails on Mt. Kinabalu. On 1 Dec 2015, a new summit trail named Ranau Trail<\/strong> is open and becomes the Standard trail<\/strong> to climb Mt. Kinabalu until now, and I had covered this trail in detail in my article “How to Climb Mount Kinabalu and How Much it Cost?”<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/a>
Ranau and Kota Belud Trails (Click to Zoom In). Both start from Panalaban and meet at Sayat-Sayat (checkpoint 1.6 Kilometres before the summit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kota Belud Trail<\/h3>\n

The second new trail called Kota Belud Trail is open on 9 Dec 2016<\/strong>. I had climbed it three months ago (with special permit by Sabah Parks, as it wasn’t open to public that time), and this post will give you an overall of this new trail.<\/p>\n

1. Kota Belud Trail is 170 Metres longer than Ranau (Standard) Trail<\/h4>\n

The one-way distance (from Timpohon Gate starting point to the Summit) of Kota Belud Trail is 8.97 KM, while Ranau Trail is 8.8 KM. The starting point of Kota Belud Trail is next to Gunting Lagadan Hut and Panar Laban Hut, while Ranau Trail is started behind the Pendant Hut.<\/p>\n

\"Ranau<\/a>
Ranau Trail is less challenging than the old trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kota Belud trail doesn’t start at Kota Belud town, and Ranau Trail doesn’t start from Ranau town too. You can see these districts from the trails on mountain hence their names. Both trails start at Laban Rata and end at Sayat-Sayat checkpoint.<\/p>\n

\"Descending<\/a>
Descending via Ranau Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Kota<\/a>
Though Kota Belud Trail is more challenging, the experience is more thrilling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Kota Belud Trail is more Challenging than Ranau Trail<\/h4>\n

Ranau Trail is more tourist-friendly and safer because there are a lot of staircase and climbing aid. Kota Belud Trail is quite “raw” with limited support, so it is meant for adventurers who want to do real climbing. You need to be quite fit, and more upper body strength is required for climbing at the steep section.<\/p>\n

\"Staircase<\/a>
Staircase on Ranau Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The most difficult part of Ranau Trail is still quite easy to climb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rock<\/a>
Rock climbing section on Kota Belud Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Kota Belud Trail is more Rocky<\/h4>\n

Most of the time you will walk on rock face and rocky ground, while Ranau Trail is flanked by dense vegetation most of the time.<\/p>\n

\"Granite<\/a>
Granite rock trail of Kota Belud Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nice<\/a>
Nice open view at Kota Belud Trail. You can see Aki Point platform far behind<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nature<\/a>
Nature path of Ranau Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Both trails start at Panalaban (then Laban Rata) and meet at Sayat-Sayat<\/h4>\n

Sayat-Sayat is a checkpoint 1.6 KM before the summit. The following routes are unchanged (before and after the earthquake):<\/p>\n