Mount Kinabalu is located in the national park of the island of Borneo (the island's other name is Kalimantan) and is its trademark. The park is named after its main attraction, Kinabalu.
In Southeast Asia, Kinabalu is considered one of the highest mountains at 4,095 metres. Kinabalu National Park is home to many endemics, both animal and plant species. For example, almost one-tenth of the world's known fern species grow in the park. Nearly 800 species of the orchid family have been recorded here. In Kinabalu Park, the species diversity of mammals exceeds a hundred, with four species of great apes alone. The number of bird species totals 326, and 12 species of ringworms, also endemics, have been recorded. Because of the great diversity of nature, the mountain and the park around it were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The landscape of the mountain varies from lush tropics on the lower level, to montane forests on the middle level and subalpine meadows on the upper level.
Mount Kinabalu is not volcanic in nature. It is one of the youngest mountain systems in the world, and it continues to grow by five millimetres each year. The first known expedition to explore the region was in 1895, led by British naturalist Hugh Lowe. He also had the honour of being the first person to climb to its summit. The highest point of the mountain bears his name - Lowe's Peak. There are other bizarre peaks with unusual names.
Kinabalu, in terms of climbing difficulty, is accessible even to amateurs, provided they are in good health. Every day about a hundred tourists attempt to climb to its summit. Not everyone succeeds: in case of fog and rain, the summit is closed due to slippery slopes and minimal visibility. The ascent is usually two days long and must be accompanied by a guide.
"The abode of the dead" - since time immemorial, the indigenous people call the sacred and revered Mount Kinabalu. According to legend, the summit is the dwelling place of departed ancestors, and the lives of chickens are sacrificed to appease their souls.
