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Mount
Tambuyukon - Sabah's hidden gem (Part 1)
by K
Ravi Mandalam
 Lying 12 km to the north of Mount
Kinabalu, cloaked in cloud and mist,
Mount Tambuyukon at 2579 meters (8462 feet) is the third highest
mountain in Sabah and Malaysia. Sabah is home to Malaysia's three
highest mountains. Mount
Kinabalu (4095 m or 13,436 ft) is
well-known as the highest point in South East Asia between
the
Himalayas and the mountains of New Guinea; it is famous for the sheer
majesty and grandeur of its granite peaks and its immense biodiversity.
Mount Trusmadi (2642m or 8669ft), the second highest peak, located in
Tambunan district, and Mount Tambuyukon in Ranau district are much less
frequented because of their remote location.
 Mount Tambuyukon, a
twin peaked mountain which, from a
distance, looks
like the double hump of a buffalo immersed in murky waters, lies
between the boundaries of Kinabalu Park. Climbers, therefore, need to
obtain permission from Sabah Parks to ascend this mountain.
The ascent begins at Kg. Monggis on the eastern flank, a
2-hour drive
by gravel road from Ranau, best done in a sturdy 4wd vehicle. There are
two trails to the summit, one from Kg. Monggis, and the other, from the
Parks substation less than a km away from the village. Many climbers
prefer to use the older trail from the village on the way up, its
gentler gradient making the ascent that much easier. The trail from the
substation, cut recently by Sabah Parks, is more challenging because of
its many ascents and descents and river crossings. Both trails coverage
at 5000ft the location of the second camp.
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Key fact about Mount Tambuyukon
Location:
Kinabalu Park (Ranau & Kota Belud districts)
Height:
2579 meters (8462 feet); third highest mountain in Sabah and Malaysia
Highlights:
Summit flora of Nephentes, Orchids and Rhododendrons
Status:
World Heritage Site; protected under Sabah Parks
Base:
Park
sub-station at Kg. Monggis
Duration
of Expedition:
4days and 3nights |
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 And so it was that
over a long weekend during the
Deepavali-Hari Raya
holidays, I and two friends, George Ng and Liaw Yun Haw, made the
ascent to the summit of Tambuyukon. George and Liaw, regular
outdoors men, who have climbed Kinabalu many times and also been up
Trusmadi, were making their maiden ascent of Tambuyukon. I was making
my sixth ascent. Our climb was organized by TYK Adventure Tours Sdn.
Bhd., run by Tham Yau Kong, the well known nature tour specialist of
Sabah. Junik, ranger from Sabah Parks and two guides from TYK, Maik
Miki and Duin Limondok guided our party. Three youngsters from Kg.
Pinawantai, Wasidi, Samuel and Juais assisted us with porterage.
 We left Kota Kinabalu on Deepavali day
and drove to
Kundasang, where we
hired a 4wd to Kg. Monggis. After a brief stopover at Ranau to buy some
provisions including fresh vegetables, we drove straight to Monggis.
The road to Poring Hot Springs reaches a T-junction, where the left
turn leads to Poring. We took the right turn and reached the junction
where the gravel road to Monggis starts. It is another 1.5 to 2 hours
ride from here to reach the kampong. On the way, at Pinawantai, we
picked up the Park Ranger and porters, who were waiting for us at the
roadside.
 Upon
reaching Monggis, we informed the substation of our
arrival and
commenced our ascent at 1pm by the older trail. This trail, which
follows the ridge line of one of the northern buttress of Tambuyukon,
has been in use since the sixties when Kinabalu Park was established.
We
arrived at
the first camp, a small plateau on the ridge at
3500ft
elevation, in three hours, and halted here for the first night. The
camp sites surrounded by huge 200ft tall trees. A small stream in a
valley below the camp site served as the source of water. At night one
can her the drone of cicadas and the calls of wild deer.
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