( CNN ) -- Before Christianity and Islam became the dominant religions of the island of Borneo , Animist beliefs dictated that when a person died , their spirit rose to the peak of Mount Kinabalu . At 4,095 meters above sea level , it 's one of the highest mountains in Southeast Asia . Today , UNESCO-listed Mount Kinabalu National Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state of Sabah , in Malaysian Borneo , with visitors forced to book two to three months in advance to secure one of 196 daily allocated hiking permits . Though Sabah is developing at pace , villagers living at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu continue to perform Animist rituals to appease spirits residing at the cloud-ringed peak so no harm comes to those who scale it . The above images were taken on the rock-strewn 8.7-kilometer trail to the summit with Evan Conrad , a guide with Amazing Borneo Tours who first climbed Mount Kinabalu 20 years ago . `` I 've climbed the mountains maybe 100 times , '' Conrad said . `` But I never get bored of it . Every time I see something new that excites me , and the view at sunrise is never , ever the same . '' More information is available from the Mount Kinabalu Official Climb & Booking Information Centre , which says March to August are the best months to visit as it 's the dry season . There are multiple options for those wanting to hit the summit , ranging from from one-day to two-night climbs . The pros recommend beginners do the three-day , two-night option . It allows them to acclimatize to the altitude . Only the super fit should try to get to the summit in a day . Guides and permits are required by law . Getting there . From Malaysia 's capital , Kuala Lumpur , a number of flights to Sabah capital Kota Kinabalu are available . The flight time is about two and a half hours . The drive from Kota Kinabalu to Mount Kinabalu takes about two hours . CNN Travel 's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile . However , CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports . Read the policy . Ian Lloyd Neubauer is a Sydney-based freelance journalist specializing in adventure travel . He has reported extensively across East Asia and the South Pacific and is the author of two travel novels , Getafix ( 2004 ) and Maquis ( 2006 ) .
UNESCO-listed Mount Kinabalu is one of Malaysian Borneo 's most popular tourist attractions . Mount Kinabalu climbers are required by law to have a guide and hiking permit . Dry season of March to August are the best months to climb .