Summit For The Soul

Adrenaline junkie Leanda Rathmell recommends Sabah’s famous summit to kickstart the crave to climb.

- Leanda Rathmell

My boyfriend and I have always enjoyed adding a challenge to our travel itineraries, especially if it comes in the shape of a mountain. Our first weekend away was spent atop glorious Mount Rinjani in Lombok – sure, it involved two shower-less days, one tiny tent and a 3am wake-up call, but it was an epic experience. And that blanket of stars is forever etched in my mind.

Six years later, we’re still racing each other to the top – from Norway’s Trolltunga, across the Twelve Apostles of Cape Town to the northern peaks of Sapa, Vietnam. My knees still ache and I’m cursing every step, but I have yet to find a more rewarding way to see the world.

If you haven’t had that taste of triumph or experienced a sunrise from the peak of a mountain, then our most recent endeavour is one worth adding to your bucket list; there’s no better place to bag your first mountain summit than in the bosom of Borneo.

Mount Kinaba-who?

Located in the Malaysian state of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu is the highest nonHimalayan peak in Southeast Asia at 4,095 metres. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kinabalu Park is made up of a vast biodiversity of plants (including rare orchids and the famous Rafflesia) and a variety of landscapes – from rainforest to alpine meadows, and then, as you near the top, desolate rocky flats, and majestic granite peaks. This makes the trek rewarding every step of the way.