{"id":15484,"date":"2025-11-10T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mysabah.com\/wordpress\/?p=15484"},"modified":"2025-11-17T22:31:47","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T14:31:47","slug":"climbing-mount-sinsing-and-mount-kaingaran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mysabah.com\/wordpress\/climbing-mount-sinsing-and-mount-kaingaran\/","title":{"rendered":"Climbing Mount Sinsing and Mount Kaingaran: The Heartbroken and Pitcher Plant Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How do middle-aged people travel? Most people my age prefer leisure travel, choosing options like safaris or cruises. But can a 50-year-old guy like me climb Malaysia\u2019s 3rd and 5th highest mountains? Everyone says they\u2019re tougher than Mount Kinabalu. Maybe it\u2019s a midlife crisis, I just went for it. I don\u2019t want to wait until I\u2019m 60.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mountains\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Mount Sinsing and Mount Kaingaran are located within the Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve, managed by the Tambunan District Forestry Office as part of the FMU10 Sustainable Forest Management Project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mount Sinsing (2,586 m) and Kaingaran (2,482 m) sit inside the protected Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve in Tambunan, Sabah, Malaysia. The vegetation here is a mix of upland dipterocarp and montane forest. To make things easier, I\u2019ll refer to Mount Sinsing and Mount Kaingaran as \u201cSinkai\u201d<\/strong> throughout this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Climb Mount Sinsing and Kaingaran (Sinkai)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people spend a fortune to meet their favorite stars. I’m the same, but I spend my energy pursuing beautiful forests. I’m not passionate about the celebrities on the red carpets, but the green carpets in the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Climbers\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Sinkai received an average of less than two climbers per day throughout 2024. Mount Kinabalu? More than 150 climbers per day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My reasons might sound strange. Think of Vincent Munier, the French wildlife photographer who spent five years in the Himalayas just to see a snow leopard. Passion makes sense only to those who appreciate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Heaven of Nature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Climbing high mountains feels like walking among the clouds, offering a glimpse into a world untouched by humans. The reward is reconnecting with pristine nature and breathing the cleanest air on earth. The Buddha and his disciples often meditated in mountainous forests for stillness and insight. That\u2019s why the Kadazandusun people believe the souls of the dead rest on mountains, the closest thing to heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Climbers often can\u2019t resist striking the ‘Jesus pose’ at the summit. Tall mountains are often seen as sacred symbols. Far behind is the peak of Mount Sinsing, partially covered in mist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Conquer the 3rd and 5th highest mountains of Malaysia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mount Sinsing (2,586 m) and Kaingaran (2,482 m) are the 3rd and 5th tallest mountains in Malaysia.<\/strong> Lower than Mount Kinabalu (4,095m), but \u201cMountains are not feared for height alone, but for the path they hide.\u201d Climbing two mountains in one trip sounds crazy, but it\u2019s a worthy badge of honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Group photos on the peaks of Mount Sinsing and Kaingaran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every mountain has its own personality. Sinkai\u2019s mountains are made of ancient sedimentary rock, unlike Kinabalu\u2019s granite body. These sedimentary layers were once seafloor deposits uplifted by tectonic forces tens of millions of years ago, forming today\u2019s rugged valleys and sharp ridges<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Climbing\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Climbing certificates from Mount Sinsing and Mount Kaingaran, something to be proud of. These two peaks are part of the Sabah G5 Mountain Challenge (G = Gunung = Mountain), which includes the five highest mountains in Sabah and Malaysia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sinsing\u2019s height was listed as 2,603 m, but that came from an old GPS reading. In May 2023, the Forest Research Centre remeasured it using the Stonex S900A GNSS receiver. The result confirmed Sinsing\u2019s true height at 2,586 m<\/strong>, verified by a licensed surveyor. It remains Malaysia\u2019s 3rd-tallest mountain. Kaingaran\u2019s height is 2,482 m, ranking 5th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Mossy Cloud Forest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mount Sinsing\u2019s slopes host lush montane forest between 1,400 m and 2,586 m, often veiled in mist. From afar, its summit is always under clouds. Above 1,800 m, the air grows wet and moss carpets everything. It\u2019s like walking through a fairyland. If you\u2019ve seen Kyoto\u2019s moss temple, Saih\u014d-ji, you\u2019ll understand the magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nature is beautiful; it’s even more beautiful if you climb higher. Moss-covered soils can store significantly more carbon than bare soils.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The cloud forest trees are short and crooked, often draped in moss, lichens, orchids, and pitcher plants. They look ancient and enchanted, a stark contrast to the towering trees of lowland rainforests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Left: The delicate “Old Man’s Beard” lichen (
Usnea spp.<\/em>), also called the lungs of the forest, serves as a bioindicator, indicating that the air is pollution-free. Right: A glimpse into the pristine Montane\/Cloud forest environment of Mount Sinsing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bring a botanist if you dare, but be warned, they may never want to leave. Over 442 plant species have been documented here, including 108 found only in Borneo and 34 unique to Sabah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Pitcher Plant, the Meat-Eating Plant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pitcher plants are the stars of Sinkai. The Malay name, Periuk Kera<\/em>, means \u201cMonkey Pot.\u201d Early European travelers called Nepenthes “monkey cups” because they thought monkeys drank rainwater from the pitchers. Some indigenous beliefs say these plants are cooking pots for forest spirits. Others think they trap restless souls. Old Murut hunters even avoided touching large pitchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Big Three pitcher plants on Mount Sinsing and Kaingaran. From left:
Nepenthes macrophylla<\/em>, Nepenthes lowii<\/em>, and Nepenthes \u00d7 trusmadiensis<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I would say the trail between Sinsing and Kaingaran is the place with the largest number of pitcher plants I’ve ever seen.<\/strong> Among them are large, brightly colored species such as Nepenthes macrophylla<\/em>, Nepenthes lowii<\/em>, and Nepenthes \u00d7 trusmadiensis<\/em>, all endemic to Borneo. Alfred Russel Wallace, co-founder of the theory of evolution, once called pitcher plants among the most remarkable botanical wonders in The Malay Archipelago<\/em> (1869).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview of the Climb (Sinkai)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Sinkai climb covers about 21 km of rugged terrain for the round trip. I rate it 8.5 out of 10 in difficulty<\/strong>, second only to Mount Tambuyukon<\/a> (9\/10). It\u2019s for fit and experienced hikers. My friends warned me it was tough and damn cold. The trip usually takes 3 to 4 days:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mount\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Mount Sinsing and Mount Kaingaran on Google Earth. Mount Sinsing is only 8 km away from Mount Trus Madi, the second-highest mountain of Malaysia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day 1: Overnight at base camp in Tambunan
Day 2: Climb to Erick Camp on Mount Sinsing
Day 3: Double summit attack
Day 4: Descend and return home<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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