Day 3 – Kampung Kionop to Kampung Melungung
Salt Trails Crocker Range Jungle Trekking day 3 starts shortly after sunrise.
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 probably the hardest. After a flat’ish start the trekking 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 takes the shape of a steep uphill that lasts for 2-hours, on the other side of which is the mother of all down-hills. Add some rain into the mix and you’re left with a slippery, muddy slope, making for a challenging-but-fun jungle trekking session.
Once you’ve beaten this challenge the path follows a river that takes you all the way to the last stop at Kampung Melungung.
Arriving early enough allows that very river to offer a refreshing bath option, otherwise slightly less basic facilities await 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.
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. It marks the end of the Salt Trails Crocker Range Jungle Trekking and the meeting point for your transport back to Kota Kinabalu.
In Summary
The Salt Trails Jungle Trekking along the Crocker Range 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 at least 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 to wash at night and use during the day, and another set to change into after a shower and for sleeping in.
Packing a pair or two of dry socks for each day is important, as they do not dry well overnight. Keeping your feet as dry as possible is good practice when jungle trekking.
Leech socks go 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 onto your skin 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 Crocker Range Jungle Trekking from where it starts at the Inobong Station in Donggongon, 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 Crocker Range Jungle Trekking adventure? Book it online with us right now.