Itinerary (Mesilau – Summit – Kinabalu Park/Timpohon):
Day 1 -- Take a cab to Kota Kinabalu city with charges RM30 per trip (about 20 minutes journey). Check-in a room (can consider hotel near Jesselton Point. i.e., Capital Hotel, Lai Lai Hotel, etc.). Do sightseeing if you have time. Strolling around Jesselton Point Jetty and doing some shopping around the area are recommended.
Day 2 --- After breakfast, take bus/cab at about 9am from Kota Kota Kinabalu city to Kinabalu Park headquarter (2 1/2 hours driving distance).
At 12.00pm-3.00pm, at Kinabalu Park headquarter, register for climbing slot and make the payment (payment for mountain guide is done here. But payment for porter is done after the mountain climbing. Pay directly to the porter). Confirm your porter (you may share the porters with your friends or have an individual porter to carry your things) and mountain guide. Tell them to wait for you at 7.20a.m. at Mesilau gate the next morning.
After all the arrangement, you can enjoy your lunch, shopping, sightseeing at Kinabalu Park.
At 3.00pm, you may leave for Mesilau Nature Resort. Check in, do the sightseeing and enjoy your dinner at Mesilau Nature Resort. Try your best to go to bed by 10p.m. (if possible).
Day 3 -- Take breakfast at Mesilau Nature Resort and check out at 7am-7.30am. You may ask staff at Mesilau Nature Resort to send your luggage (that you do not wish to carry to mountain) to Kinabalu park (so that you can collect after the climb) at affordable charges. Meet your mountain guides and porters at Mesilau gate and hike at 7.30am-8.00am (the earlier the better). Porter will pack lunch for you from Mesilau Nature Resort.
Stay at Laban Rata (You may book directly via Sutera Sanctuary Lodges) or nearby accommodation units. Laban Rata Rest House is the only heated unit up there. You may also stay at non heated units at Gunting Lagadan Hut, Panar Laban Hut and Waras Hut. Go to bed as early as possible so that you will feel refreshed the following morning.
Day 4 – Wake up at about 2a.m. Climb to summit (if you can). Descend to Laban Rata (or nearby accommodation units). Take your breakfast. Descend to Kinabalu Park at about 10am-11am.
Stay at Kinabalu Park or Kota Kinabalu city.
Day 5 – Take the flight back or continue your trip in Kota Kinabalu. If you have at least half a day in Kota Kinabalu, you may consider to go to Jesselton Point Jetty and take a ferry to nearby islands (i.e., Mamutik Island, Manukan Island, Sapi Island, etc.).