Facts
- Elevation: 1,805 m (5,922 ft)
- Prominence: 1,313 m
- Ribu category: Kurang Tinggi
- Province: Sabah (Malaysia)
- Division: Bahagian Sandakan
- Google Earth: kml
- Rating:
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Bagging It!
The highest point of the Maliau Basin area of Sabah, little is known about this peak or whether it has actually been climbed yet. There is apparently a two-day trek to a 1,667 metre high point on the long ridge, which is claimed to be Mount Lotung, but this appears to be several kilometres to the west of the true summit and well over 100 metres lower. In 2023, no access is possible due to the trail being regarded as too dangerous by Park authorities.
Back in 1996-97, an article by Patricia Mobilik was written, entitled ‘The Maliau Basin “Sabah’s Lost World” Highest Peak Challenge’. It details the 1996 Raleigh International Malaysia expedition to the Maliau Basin which focused on constructing a trail from Camp 88 to Lotung Peak via the Rambutan Ridge, a distance of 15-20 km. The ‘peak’ appears to be the lower point on the rim with an elevation of 1,667m. The article mentions that the mountain got its name from the local Murut word for slow loris.
Practicalities
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- Getting there: Currently unknown
- Accommodation: Currently unknown
- Permits: Currently unknown
- Water sources: Currently unknown
Local Average Monthly Rainfall (mm):
More sad news – as is often the case relating to mountain access in Southeast Asia. I enquired about the Lotung trek via Maliau Basin WhatsApp number (+6017 348 8435). The trek up Lotung (2 days return from Park HQ) was definitely done in 2019 – see this link https://www.worldnomads.com/explore/southeast-asia/malaysia/exploring-the-lost-world-of-the-maliau-basin
Unfortunately the latest from the official number is that ‘we only handle booking to our 5 main waterfalls which is Maliau Falls, Ginseng Falls, Takob-Akob Falls, Gyluk Falls and Fowzi Falls. Gunung Lotung is not open to visitors yet’. This message was followed by one of those awful smiley faces that try to force you into accepting something negative whether you like it or not.
I replied to ask whether or not it would be open by July 2023 and the reply was ‘for now Lotung is not open to visitors due to its difficultly as well as safety reason’ which was once again followed with another annoying infantile smiley face.
I can only assume that post-pandemic the authorities are less than enthused about clearing the trail and therefore decided to simply ‘close’ it to the public and sell the tours to the easier spots nearer Park HQ. It appears that the Lotung hike even when it did happen went nowhere near the true highest point of the ridge anyway but it would have been nice to be able to do a write-up on the area anyway. One less for the proposed e-book on 50 Malaysian mountains. The bureaucracy in Indonesia and Malaysia is getting much worse – the very idea of closing a mountain from the perspective of a British person is simply nonsense and the tours that are offered to tourists appear increasingly regimented and limited in scope. Hoping for better luck elsewhere in Sabah this July!