Climbing Mount Kinabalu - Day One

The Climb - Day One

These are the signs in the shelters that inform you of your current altitude and the distance to the next shelter.

These are the endless steps of Mount Kinabalu. Most of the steps are huge and some of them are even bigger.

It can't be emphasised too much that you have to take it easy up these steps. Climbing steps is generally much harder on your legs and lungs than a steady incline.

Most of the shelters on the way up have toilets and some even have two!

At most shelters there are tanks full of untreated water. These are perfectly good to drink as it is purely rain water. Some people would rather treat the water with iodine which is fine.

This lady is taking a well earned drink as she hauls 40KG up to Laban Rata guesthouse. For this she gets paid very little for the effort she is putting in.

This is the sign at the Villosa Shelter. Many people might start feeling the effects of altitude sickness as they approach 3000 metres above sea level. Generally only shortness of breath and lightheadedness is the worse symptoms.

If you feel very ill and have bad headaches it is advisable to go to a lower altitude as soon as possible. Taking headache pills might only mask worse symptoms.

This is your typical Mount Kinabalu shelter.

Laban Rata hut, a welcome site in the late afternoon and home for many for the night. Situated at over 3200 metres above sea level Laban Rata is one of the main Mount Kinabalu huts where people will sleep until 2am in the morning before starting the final ascent of Mount Kinabalu.

As earlier mentioned you do not have to stay in Laban Rata as there are many other huts around. Even if you stay in another hut you can still use the facilities in Laban Rata which include a nice restaurant and shower rooms. There is a nice balcony where out can sit out with a wonderful view and contemplate the early morning climb ahead.