Stopping at suspension to admire the mighty Kadamaian River, Kg Tambatuan on Feb 14.
NATURE sets the best standard in beauty and harmony. There is not one iota of doubt that Mt Kinabalu vibrates that epic standard of natural attraction that UK folks find irressitible. British Army man Ross Worthington believes that.
This was his directive to Tham Yau Kong of TYK Adventure Tours way back in 2019 when he made clear his intention: “Help me design an attractive, challenging but short climb up Mt Kinabalu, starting from the sea.” Tham did exactly as instructed.
Kuala Abai – a sea-bound start
For a sea-bound start, Tham picked scenic Kuala Abai, Kota Belud, and dropped Worthington’s 10-member group of runners there, on Feb 14, for their “on your mark, get set, go” – a phrase from the 1800s to start a foot race but this is no race, making sure needy local communities along the way get some incomes out of the package!
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The sea-bound starting point – Kuala Abai, Kota Belud on Feb 14.
Sight of curious buffaloes in Kg Abai, Kota Belud.
A cheer-some point that must not be missed here is that a more nature-loving UK market is back after a ruinous pandemic!
From Kuala Abai, they ran mixed with walking off track totalling 112km from village to village in the foothills of Mt Kinabalu, benefiting Kg Tambatuan and Kg Kiau Nulul with two homestays, before mounting their two-day summit assault on Feb 16, all done in four days by Feb 17.
Scintillating village to village country foot track
The short and sweet intemsive nature experience is as follows:
- Feb 14: Breakfast at Kg Kuala Aabi catered by a local, then ran past Kg Labuan, Kg Piasau to Kg Tamu Darat for lunch before settling down for a night of homestay at Kg Tambatuan.
This first-day challenge was a long 58km foot powered trek through heat and humidity which ended in a heavy evening tropical downpour just before reaching Kg Tambatuan.
- Feb 15: This 25km foot-work covered what is called ‘British Route’ once used by famous British Colonial Administrator of Labuan and naturalist – Sir Hugh Low in his epic first ascent in March 1851. It crosses padi fields, rubber and pineapple farms, secondary jungles, passing Kg Kaung, Kg Labong Labong and Kg Kaiu Nulul for the second homestay at Miki House where dinner consisted hill rice and diverse local vegetables etc.
Walking through the village of Kg Kaung.
A basic suspension bridge in Kg Kaung deep in a scenic foothill of Mt Kinabalu.
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- Feb 16: Starting at the crack of dawn, the group ran from Kiau Nuluh to Kinabalu Park, then climbed to Panar Laban at 11,000ft for the night.
- Feb 17: Again, all woke up in the wee hour for the 3am final ascent to Low’s Peak which they made it, before descending to spend the night at Nexus Karambunai Resort and later flew back to the UK very early Feb 18.
Starting the walk from Kg Kiau Nulul to Kinabalu Park at the crack of dawn on Feb 16.
Wading across slippery bed rocks of a fast flowing stream as Ross Worthington leads the way.
Walking past a rubber farm on British Route.
Kinabalu Park reached – admiring the iconic Mt Kinabalu at background.
Dinner at Tambatuan homestay-hill rice, diverse local vegetables and chicken.
Rare package meant to be done in 2020
“They were meant to do this rare package in April 2020 but the pandemic killed the deal until Feb this year,” Tham said.
Of course, literally hundreds of groups have climbed Mt Kinabalu without making it to Special Report in Daily Express, how come this one does?
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The reason is it is reminiscent of the epic climbs by pioneers like Sir Hugh Low and Spenser St. John (British Consul General in Brunei) – all starting from the sea.
Famous pioneer climbers all started from the coast: Dr. Ravi
Noted radiologist Dr Ravi Mandalam, who knows Mt Kinabalu like the back of his hands: “On his first climb in 1851, Sir Hugh Low started from Kimanis Bay, and then proceeded to Kiau.”
Reaching Panar Laban at 11,000ft.
The real business of climbing Mt Kinabalu up the Tourist Trail.
The descent on the barren summit rock face, scrapped bald by glaciers 10,000 years ago.
Bravo – Mission accomplished on top of Low’s Peak-the highest point of Mt Kinabalu, Feb 17.
“On his second climb in 1858, Low and Spenser St John, landed at Tempasuk in Kota Belud (roughly where Kuala Abai is) but Low could not complete the climb due to blisters in his feet because there were many hillsides, he had to climb on foot and his shoes gave him trouble. St John went up alone,” Dr Ravi noted.
So it looks like Worthington went out of his way to mimic the historic ascents of these distinguished pioneer climbers but made sure it was an ultimate experience of ‘the emperor of mountains’ of Southeast Asia – Mt Kinabalu!