Mount Kinabalu was first climbed by Hugh Low in 1851 (though he didn't reach the summit); the highest peak was finally reached in 1888 and named Low's Peak in his honour. The Mount Kinabalu National Park was established in 1964 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

The mountain's slopes are characterised by a tropical montane climate (at 1,500 metres, rainfall averages 2,700 mm annually) and constitute one of the world's most important ecosystems, with 6,000 plant species, 326 bird species, and over 100 identified mammal species. This climate is ideal for the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower (exceeding 90 cm in diameter). More common flowers include orchids. Many species are endemic: of the 600 fern species, at least 50 exist only here. Another distinctive plant is the carnivorous Nepenthes Rajah, which drowns its prey in bags of enzymatic liquid.

The fauna includes mountain squirrels, hornbills, snakes, frogs, and large primates like the orangutan (though very few inhabit the Kinabalu area). Among invertebrates, the Kinabalu giant red leech deserves mention.

Kinabalu's summit is essentially a large granite block. It's a relatively young mountain (10 million years old) and continues growing at about 5mm annually…!

Climbing Mount Kinabalu requires no technical equipment as it presents no significant difficulties beyond the considerable elevation gain. The mountain is equipped with 2 mountain lodges at Laban Rata, at 3,266 metres.

Only 135 permits are issued daily and you must be accompanied by an authorised guide. The route to Laban Rata is well-equipped with 7 rest stations featuring toilets and waste facilities. Unfiltered drinking water is available at almost all shelters. The final stretch from Laban Rata to the summit is less developed but well-managed. At certain points, ropes assist climbers on the non-slippery granite slab, which is never excessively steep. Alternatively, two via ferrata routes are available for the descent from the summit.