Kinabalu Park Office and its Head Quarter located approximately 90 km away from Kota Kinabalu International Airport. From Kota Kinabalu city, you can rent a car or get a taxi to go Kinabalu Park. The journey takes less than 2 hours.
For a group of 6 -8 persons you can hire a van with driver to take your group from Kota Kinabalu International Airport to Kinabalu Park Office, where you register your attendance for the climb (** Important: you need to
book your place to climb earlier before you come). The cost to hire a van big enough to fetch 6-8 persons (and luggage) in a group ranged between RM450 to RM500, it includes trip from Kota Kinabalu International Airport to Kinabalu Park Office AND the return trip from Kinabalu Park Office to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Cost per person for such "return trip" (to and fro) transport van from KK International Airport to Kinabalu Park is only less than RM70 per person if you go in a group.
If you are going in a smaller group, i.e. 2-3 persons, hiring taxi is a solution. And I think it should only be a bit more expensive than the above.
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In our previous trips, we hired vans from the
two car rental companies listed below. Frankly, I don't know them well. It is just that we had used their transport service of return trip transport to Kinabalu Park from KKIA.
First,
Bimaz Tours & Travel And Rent-A-Car Sdn Bhd (Co.625562-P) KPL/LN:3958 MATTA No.2904
Kota Kinabalu Sabah
Tel : (+6) 088 767214 | Fax : (+6) 088 766214
Second,
Syarikat Gunung Kinabalu
Contact person: Charles Kong
Tel : (+6) 088 492 535
Mobile : (+6) 012 869 7677 | (+6) 016 552 7177
Email : kcydavid@yahoo.com
One more,
We had not used their service before, but we add the info here purely based on goodwill and suggestion.
GBMS Management Services
Contact person: Hani NJ (and her blog)
Tel : (+6) 088 760 521
Mobile : (+6) 014 658 7181
Email : gbms.centre@gmail.com; hani_nj@yahoo.com.sg
Upon arriving at Kinabalu Park Head Quarter, you need to register your attendance at Reception Office. The receptionists will brief you about accommodation and meals arrangements and pass you your hostel room keys. You will be informed of a 6pm climbing briefing.
You will need to walk next door to Transport Office to arrange for tomorrow transport (it is a van) from Kinabalu Park Reception Office to Timpohon Gate or Mesilau Gate (depends on your choice of trail). This transport cost is NOT included in the price that you paid to Sutera Sanctuary Lodges for the climbing package. You can buy a good hiking pole here.
Again, you need to walk next door to Operations Office to confirm the names of your climbing team members and mountain guide arrangement. You also confirm if you and your team members want certificates.
All transport within Kinabalu Park Head Quarter, i.e. from your hostel to office, from your hostel to Balsam Buffet Restaurant, etc. are free. You just need to call Reception Office, which open 24 hours 7 days a week, for transport.
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| To the right is the door to Reception Office. To the left is the door to Transport Office. |
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After her short briefing on accommodation to a group of us, she asked, "Do you have any question?"
I could not resist and said, "Yes."
"Yes?" she nodded.
I asked, "Can I take a photo of you?"
Everyone laughed. She graciously said yes. So this is the photo. |
You can find a bit more information at the
mountain operator's, i.e. Sutera Sanctuary Lodges/ Sutera Habour, website here.
This is the
Reception Office location at Google Maps.
More Resources
You can read more about
flights and road transports.
You can read more about
public transports to and back from Kinabalu Park at Lonely Planet's website.
