of the earth's last frontiers of wilderness, this is a natural paradise.
The park is home to an incredibly diverse range of flora and fauna including
the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower. Situated in Sabah, the park
covers an area of 754 sq. km. Towering 4,101 meters (13,455 ft) above
the mysterious tropical jungles, Mount Kinabalu is the majestic center
piece of Kinabalu Park and is also the highest mountain in Southeast Asia.
The majestic mountain has a fascinating geological history. It began approximately
a million years ago when the granite core lying beneath the earth's crust
was solidifying. This granite massif was later thrust upwards through
the crust to the surface. Subsequent erosion removed thousands of feet
of overlying sand and mud stone, thus exposing this massif. During the
Ice-Age, glaciers running through the summit plateau smoothed it out,
but jagged peaks that stood out above the ice surface remained unaffected
by these cosmetic touches and retained their extremely ragged surfaces.
Today, the allure of this awe inspiring mountain and its great heights
act like a powerful magnet and challenge, which attracts eager climbers
from all corners of the world. About 30,000 people scale the mountain
each year, including more than 10,000 foreigners. Despite its intimidating
size, Mt. Kinabalu is the one of the easiest mountains in the world to
climb. No special skills or equipment are needed and each year, thousand
of visitors climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu's Low Peak. Keep in mind,
however, that the ascent is a physically tough and challenging climb,
requiring a minimum of two days to reach the summit.