Day 3 – Kampung Kionop to Kampung Melungung

The day starts at sunrise as your body wants to get off the hard, wooden floor.

A basic, village breakfast again provides the fuel for the day, so don’t be shy and eat up.

Where Day 2 is the easiest, Day 3 is the hardest, and after a flat’ish start, consists mostly of uphill walking, including the highest peak on the route at 1,400m.

The scenery today is just as stunning, with jungle canopy so dense it will seem like night.

There are multiple river crossings on this part of the Salt Trails and although the rivers are narrow, heavy rain could make them difficult to cross.

The start of the end will be apparent when you hit an uphill that lasts for 2-hours, on the other side of which is the mother of all down-hills, which – if it has been raining – will be a slippery, muddy slope.

Once you’ve beaten this challenge the path follows a river that takes you all the way to the final stop at Kampung Melungung.

Arriving early enough allows that very river to provide a refreshing bath option, otherwise one western-style toilet and low-pressure shower awaits in the main building.

Your guide will team up with the rangers at this station to cook another delicious meal using local ingredients – if it was a rainy day, the chicken soup will feel like your mother’s hug.

Depending on the size of your group, there might be a soft sleeping spot available, otherwise it’s the floor once more.

Day 4 – Out to Kampung Tikolod

The last day is around 2 hours of easy walking along the Bolotikon river that leads you all the way to the village of Tikolod, where you meet your transport back to Kota Kinabalu.

In Summary

The Salt Trail jungle trekking along the Crocker Rainge Mountains is a proper adventure, and would suit people who love hiking, the outdoors and rainforest jungle.

The trail is not technical, but is physically demanding with about 10km per day of jungle path, that requires an average of 6 – 8 hours of hiking.

Unless you want to use the services of a porter, you will have to carry your own water (3 litres minimum of you hydrate properly every evening and in the morning before you set off), clothes, sleeping bag, mat and some energy snacks.

It’s possible to take only 2 sets of clothing. A quick-dry set that can be washed at night and used during the day, and another set to change into after a shower and for sleeping in.

A pair or two of dry socks per day is quite important though, as they tend to not dry as well. Keeping your feet as dry as possible is good practice on a jungle trek.

Leech socks goes a long way towards keeping leeches off your feet and legs. A travel-pack of hand-sanitiser will be your weapon against the sneaky ones that make it in somewhere. To get rid of leeches, simply dab a tiny drop of hand-sanitiser on the offender and it will drop off almost immediately.

Below is an interactive Google Map of the Salt Trails from where it starts at the Inobong Station in Dongongon, over the Crocker Range Mountains, along the rivers right out to where it ends near Tabunan. You can zoom right down into the village at Kg. Terian or even see the isolated community centre / church at Kg. Kionab.

Ready for your Salt Trails jungle trekking adventure? Get in touch with Sabah Parks and get going.