All reviews

Review Author: Celina Schmidt-Petersen

Review Date: 09 Apr 2026

Review Body: Our hike up Mount Kinabalu was an unforgettable experience and easily one of the highlights of our trip. From start to finish, everything was incredibly well organized, and it really showed in the quality of the infrastructure and accommodation on the route. The lodge was comfortable and well maintained, which made a big difference after long hours of hiking. There are showers at the lodge, but only cold water though (to be expected 😊). Towels and soap is provided, so no need to bring this. We also had a wonderful guide, Johny. His English wasn’t great, but he was incredibly kind and paced the hike well. And then there are the views - absolutely breathtaking. As you ascend, the landscape changes dramatically, and reaching higher elevations rewards you with stunning panoramas that make every step worth it. The sunrise from near the summit is something we’ll never forget. That said, it’s definitely a strenuous hike and shouldn’t be underestimated. A good level of fitness is important to fully enjoy it without feeling overwhelmed. Also, it gets surprisingly cold near the peak, so bringing proper warm clothing is essential. Overall, we loved every minute of it. It’s a challenging but deeply rewarding adventure that we would highly recommend to anyone considering it.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lauren Abston

Review Date: 28 Sep 2024

Review Body: Climbing to the top of Mt. Kinabalu was the coolest experience I've ever had, and I think the price and experience booking through Seek Sophie were well worth it. The hike is definitely not to be underestimated; you need everything listed on the packing list, especially warm clothes. Once I booked the trip, Olivia reached out to me to give me more details and collect all the information needed. She was extremely knowledgable and also helped give advice for the rest of my trip on Borneo! The driver for my trip, Rashid, was fantastic. And my trail guide, Jiro, was amazing. It was just me so it was a very different experience than it would be if you were with a partner or a group. Everyone was very professional, and I always felt taken care of. I wouldn't highly recommend adding on the night at the Poring Hot Springs, but it was nice enough since it was in the area. I went the day before my hike, but it might have been better to have it the day after. Highly recommend this excursion!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Evgeniia

Review Date: 07 Jun 2026

Review Body: I will definitely recommend this place if you want to climb the Mount Kinabalu. First of all, everything was organized top notch. As a single lady traveler, I didn’t need to think about anything, even though I’ve booked this trip last minute - I was picked up from the hotel, brought to the starting point where I met my wonderful guide Jabadie. Once we got down, I was picked up again and transferred to Hot springs place to have rest after the trek. When I needed to get back to catch my flight, my new good friend Mr. Minang did everything for me to catch it. Special thanks to Olivia who was there for me the whole time. Thank you so much, team! I had wonderful time getting to know a small part of Borneo. Next time we try something else together. Take care! ☀️

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Eugene Chew

Review Date: 12 Jul 2024

Review Body: Trip was well planned and enjoyable. Olivia was very responsive and helpful in the organisation of the climb. Rashid brought us to Kinabalu National Park and back to our hotels efficiently with an entire mini bus to ourselves. Jerald, our guide, was so helpful with pacing us through the entire hike, taking many photos for us and ensuring that we were safe throughout. in all, it gave us peace of mind that every thing was well taken care of mind when we were already so pre-occupied tackling the challenging Mt Kinabalu. Couldn't have asked for better people during this trip.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Neil

Review Date: 21 Jun 2024

Review Body: Purchased the Kota Kinabalu 2D/1N package (with mandatory guide) through SeekSophie, and was relayed to Olivia, who was spectacular in looking after all logistics and answering my questions. Friendly, professional and eager to help at every interaction. Pricing at some other companies was over 3x higher than here but offered nothing extra. Very happy with the experience overall (but hey, we can’t control the weather). Would highly recommend booking through this site.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Pascal Galeron

Review Date: 18 Feb 2025

Review Body: Wir waren lange auf der Suche nach dem richtigen Veranstalter für den Mount Kinabalu zu besteigen. Wir haben uns dann für Seek Sophie entschieden und haben nichts bereut. Von A-Z alles super organisiert. Olivia die sich um alles kümmert, ist sehr hilfsbereit und kann man jederzeit schreiben. Es war ein sehr harter und anstrengender Weg nach oben. Fast nur Treppen. Also Treppen steigen im Fitnessstudio wäre sehr ratsam als Vorbereitung.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lian Choy Li

Review Date: 25 Jul 2024

Review Body: Planned and booked for my first & ever solo hike trip, where SeekSophie really helps in accommodating me with my late booking request. Giving advices accordingly, making the whole travel journey so so much enjoyable. Most importantly, being very lucky with the weather that allows me to reach the summit. PS: guide assigned was helpful & friendly (Mr. Jiro Leinsin) took mostly 90% of my hiking photos.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Co & Juls

Review Date: 09 Jun 2025

Review Body: Olivia was extremely kind and helpful from the start to end of our trip. We loved having transportation waiting for us, saving us the hassle of having to coordinate between locations so we could just enjoy the journey. Our mountain guide, Arno, was also fantastic and able to adapt to our physical condition so we could reach the summit and back in good time. Would definitely use their services again! 😍

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Emma Phelps

Review Date: 31 Jul 2023

Review Body: My friend and I recently climbed Mount Kinabalu and we were so happy with everything - from our incredible guide to the experience of staying in the hut and hiking at 2:00am. Tips for the hike - Slow and steady. Take breaks if you need. Take hydration sachets and yummy snacks. Coming down is not easy but just take your time and you’ll get down and relish in the accomplishment.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Mark Johnson

Review Date: 03 Sep 2023

Review Body: From the moment I was connected with the local operator via seek sophie, everything was smooth running. Constantly in contact and always helpful, had no doubts about experience from that moment onwards. The guide up the mountain was great - he gave me space so that it felt like my adventure but was always there for pointers. Highly recommended.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Laboni

Review Date: 09 Mar 2026

Review Body: The climb (and descent) was tougher than I expected but thanks to Olivia for helping me connect with the right guide (shout out to Robbny!) and travel operators for making the entire experience seamless. 10/10 would recommend for groups or solo travelers like me. It's safe and convenient so you can focus on your adventure!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Dan Widdi

Review Date: 30 Apr 2026

Review Body: We have a great (and gruelling!) time making it up to Low's Peak at the top of Mount Kinabalu on April 29 , 2026. The organization was very smooth, coordinated by Olivia Chong, with a superb mountain guide Robnie and safe & reliable driver Roslan. Strong recommendation: get training well in advance, as it is no joke!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Kaye

Review Date: 11 May 2026

Review Body: Seek Sophie made everything very easy and all their guides and accommodations and experiences have been amazing so far. Really easy to communicate with, all the information if forwarded through in an easy to read format. Thank you for all your help making my journey in Borneo so great!! Worth every cent!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Anke Ditz

Review Date: 20 May 2025

Review Body: This company do a great job . Thank u . Everything works out wonderful. Pick up Service from The hotel To the mountain, the guide was great , and when we came down from the summit , it was also everything perfectly arranged. I really recommend this Seeksophie company

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Willem Van Melkebeke

Review Date: 21 Jun 2023

Review Body: Amazing experience booking this trip. Everything was taken care off and the local agency responded quickly to any queries I had. Recommend choosing to stay the extra night at the poring hot springs as it is closer to the park and they prepare some amazing food for you

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Sam Barnes

Review Date: 26 Jul 2024

Review Body: From start to finish, Olivia was an exceptional communicator, organiser and host. Fully preparing us for our trip, taking care of every detail with great care and making sure everything ran flawlessly. Highly recommend for you trip to Beautiful Borneo.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Dan Bengtsson

Review Date: 20 Dec 2025

Review Body: Great guides. Professional and with a great sense of humor. The kids loved them. We all felt safe during the whole experience. Olivia who organized everything was very professional and did a very good job. I highly recommend Seek Sophie.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Euan

Review Date: 15 Oct 2024

Review Body: Faultless organisation with great communication. Olivia organised a fantastic guide, accomodation on the mountain, transfers and lunches, which meant I didn’t have to worry about anything, other than all those stairs to get to the top!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Jean-Philippe Gaillard

Review Date: 16 Feb 2026

Review Body: Outstanding experience, from pick up in Kita to the guiding up the mountain and logistics around it. Definitively something we will be recommending to people visitng Sabah! Seamless experience and great support along the whole journey.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Didier 973

Review Date: 07 Aug 2026

Review Body: Great experience.Everything was top services. The guide was very experienced and everything went smoothly as we take the right pace at the right times.Transportation,office all a great professional team working with efficience

Review rating: 5

Itinerary

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Depart for Kinabalu National Park from Kota Kinabalu Town. Start your climb

Itinerary Description: 6:30AM Depart for Kinabalu National Park 8:30AM Arrive and register at the park HQ 9:30AM Begin Climb 2:00PM Arrive to Panalaban Base Camp 6:00PM Dinner

Itinerary Day 2

Itinerary Summary: Today you'll wake up at 2am to start your Mount Kinabalu sunrise hike. Summit Kinabalu!

Itinerary Description: 2:00AM Begin summit climb 5:00AM Reach summit for sunrise 8:00AM Breakfast at Panalaban Base Camp 3:00PM Arrive back to Timpohon Gate 5:00PM Arrive back to Kota Kinabalu

2D1N Mt Kinabalu Summit | With Free Night at Poring Hot Springs

Mt Kinabalu summit + relax in natural hot springs

4.8

|122 Reviews

Group size

Up to 30 guests

DURATION

2 days 1 night

Booking type

Join-in trip

MEET UP

Free pick-up

Group size

Up to 30 guests

Experience highlights
Itinerary
Inclusions
Accommodation
Availability
More Info
Host
Reviews

Conquer Mt Kinabalu summit & enjoy free night at Poring Hot Springs!
This is the regular climb up Mt Kinabalu, comprising a 8.7km trek (one way) to reach the summit at 4095m. The overnight stay is either at Panalaban Hut or Laban Rata, depending on availability. You'll get a Certificate of Completion at the end of your climb!How this is different from other KK packagesIf you’ve researched Mount Kinabalu, you’ll notice prices vary, and it’s hard to tell why. The reality is that accommodation at Laban Rata, meals, permits and park mountain guides are standardised and appointed by the park. So the core climb itself is the same.What makes the difference is how smoothly everything is handled before and during your climb.This host is one of the most experienced and professional Kinabalu operators. They are highly organised, secure permits efficiently (only 160 are issued daily), manage logistics tightly, and communicate clearly so you know exactly what to expect. On a regulated climb like Kinabalu - where permits, timings and coordination matter - that reliability gives real peace of mind.You focus on the mountain. They handle the rest.Free night at Poring Hot SpringsThis experience also provides you with a complimentary stay at Poring Hot Springs Hostel / Dormitory (assigned based on limited availability only) the night before OR after completing the 2D1N trek. Please indicate whether you would like to claim this at the time of booking.We'd recommend staying at Poring Hot Springs after your climb so you can go to the hot springs to relax your muscles!For the night before your climb, if you'd like to acclimatise and to not have to wake up early before you start your trek, kindly upgrade your reservation for a 1 night stay at Kinabalu Park (1563m ASL) instead of Poring Hot Springs which is 400m ASL. Upgrade section is located at the "add on".About the climb: This is a 2 day 1 night climb. Depending on your fitness levels, you will be climbing 6 hours on the first day, and 10-12 hours on the second day. Please see the itinerary below for more details.Mount Kinabalu is a beginner-friendly climb, but we do recommend training up at least 1 month in advance. Do make sure that you're able to carry a pack of 8-10KG, and hike for up to 10km on an elevated surface.Important info about booking process: Please indicate your preferred climbing date in the booking form. Since all climbing permits are issued and controlled by Mount Kinabalu Park, we must check availability with them before confirming your booking.The dates shown on our website may not always reflect real-time availability, as permits are booked up quickly directly with the park. When submitting your request, please let us know if you have any flexibility in your dates so we can check alternative availability with the park.Your booking is not confirmed, and no payment will be charged until the park confirms availability. Please do not book your flights until your climbing dates are secured.Only 163 permits are issued by the park each day, so we would recommend booking at least 3-4 months in advance for peak season (May to Aug), and 2-4 weeks in advance during off-season.As permits are issued by Mount Kinabalu park (and not us), any permits that have been issued are strictly non-refundable.OtherHealth: It is recommended that all climbers should have themselves medically checked before attempting any mountain climb. If you have a history of suffering from the following aliment, it is highly recommended that you should refrain from climbing: Hypertension, Diabetes, Palpitation, Arthritis, Heart Disease, Severe Anemia, Peptic Ulcers, Epileptic Fits, Obesity (Overweight), Chronic Asthma, Muscular Cramps, Hepatitis (Jaundice); or any other disease which may hamper the climber.  Age: There are no particular age limits for Mount Kinabalu climbers. As long as you are good in health status or you have seek approval from your doctor.  However, we suggest young children be at least 10 years old due to the numerous steps and steep slopes. Similarly, elderly climbers need to be in good health and fitness level to attempt the climb.Free Accomodation: In the event that free accomodation at Poring Hot Springs is completely booked, customers are required to upgrade to one of the available accomodations featured in the add-ons.Luggage Storage: if you would like to store your big bags, you are able to store them at the national park head quarters before the start of your climb. Please prepare cash, currently the price is RM 15 per luggage (subject to change at any time without notice).

Experience highlights

See Mount Kinabalu summit at sunrise

Easiest Mt Kinabalu climbing route

1 night free stay at Poring Hot Springs

Includes food, accommodation + guide

Return transfers from Kota Kinabalu

Beginner friendly (with some training)

Includes certificate of completion

What You’ll be Doing

Day 1:

Depart for Kinabalu National Park from Kota Kinabalu Town. Start your climb

Day 2:

Today you'll wake up at 2am to start your Mount Kinabalu sunrise hike. Summit Kinabalu!

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What’s Included

1 night accommodation at allocated mountain hut (regular dormitory)

1 night accommodation at Poring Hot Spring's hostel before or after trekking Mount Kinabalu

Meals - packed lunch, dinner, early supper, breakfast and lunch

State Park Mountain Guide

Climbing permit

Climbing Insurance

Entrance fees

Mountain guide service

Certificate of achievement

Return airport transfer

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Who you’re supporting

Community Champion

Women-led Wonder

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Where You’ll Sleep

Laban Rata Resthouse - Dormitory

All Nights

Next Available Dates

Prices shown in USD

Select Time for 01 Oct 2026

Additional Information

Where we'll meet

Start Point

Free pick-up from Anywhere in Kota Kinabalu(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia)

06:30am
Notes: Please note that the above pick up and drop off times are approximate and will depend on the location of hotel as well as descent timing as the transportation is shared with other groups.

End Point

End at Start Point(s)

Start & Ends

06:30AM on Day 1 - 05:00PM on Day 2

Suitability / Accessibility

Vegetarian food available
Halal food available
Child Friendly (No Minimum Age)

Cancellation & other policies

Cancellation
To secure your spot, your host will turn away other guests. Because of this, cancellations aren't allowed.

What to Pack

Basic first aid supplies (e.g. painkillers, bandaid, ibuprofen, antiseptic and gauze)
Cash (we recommend RM100 - 150 in case you need to rent equipment, hire a porter, tip the guides, buy beer at the top, etc!)
Extra clothing and socks
Hand gloves and beanie
Head torch (compulsory)
High energy food such as chocolates, nuts, biscuits, sweets, energy bars
Jacket/Wind breaker (if your jacket isn't waterproof, we would also recommend bringing a disposable raincoat)
Long sleeves shirt/Hiking trousers
Personal toiletries
Refillable water bottle (0.5 - 1 Litre)
Towel (optional - in case you would like to shower at Base Camp - the showers at Base Camp can get chilly though!)
Trekking or running shoes with good grip
Walking poles (may be helpful for the peak ascend as parts of it can be slippy when wet)
Warm clothing*
Waterproof backpack to store your items

From

RM3,136.05

/person

4.8(122)

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Meet your host

Olivia has been helping travellers explore Kinabalu since 2010. A true Sabah local, she knows the ins and outs of the area and is always ready to sort out any last-minute hiccups. She doesn’t lead the trips herself, but she’s the one making sure everything runs smoothly – from organising logistics to sharing insider tips on Kota Kinabalu. Super organised and incredibly reliable, Olivia is the kind of person who makes things happen. Whether it’s finding forgotten hiking boots or handling unexpected changes, she’s got it covered. Guests appreciate her quick responses and genuine care, making every adventure stress-free. With Olivia behind the scenes, you can focus on enjoying your trip.

Experience: 16 years

Speaks: Fluent English

Acceptance rate: 75%

Top Rated Host