Proud moment for Sabahans as Mount Kinabalu is touted “the world’s most in-demand hike this summer”

 

WITH a visitor cap being introduced at Japan’s Mount Fuji this summer, Malaysia’s tallest peak Mount Kinabalu has been deemed as the world’s busiest hike judging from “over 22,000 Instagram posts per km of trail” by outdoor adventure company Explore Worldwide.

Topping the list of most in-demand hikes is Mount Kinabalu, Explore Worldwide said the highest peak in Borneo does not require mountaineering equipment although walkers need to be fit enough to take on its high-altitude terrain.

“It’s a short climb, only 8.5km but with over 22,000 Instagram post uploads per km of trail, it’s the most popular trail in the world according to social media,” revealed the outdoor adventure outfit.

“Hikers of the trail love to share snaps of the summit’s breathtaking sunrise views as well as Mount Kinabalu’s lush rain forests lower down the mountain. The climb offers walkers a chance to see local wildlife such as mountain blackbirds or the park’s rare pygmy squirrels.”

Coming at a ‘far’ second and third spot ss the world’s top three most crowded walking trails are Peru’s Inca Trail and Hawaii’s Kalalau Trail with 6,723 and 3,684 Instagram posts per km of trail.

The iconic ancient Inca Trail in Peru which leads to Machu Picchu is a bucket-list hike for many travellers where a four-day trek leads explorers through the Andean landscapes, cloud forests and centuries-old archaeological sites.

Peru’s Inca Tail (Image credit: Sebastian Tapia Huerta)

Meanwhile, the challenging 18-kilometer hike to Kalalau Beach is an adventure that attracts many photographers and hikers, thanks to the trail’s striking waterfalls and spectacular coastal views along the Na Pali Coast.

Hawaii’s Kalalau Beach (Image credit: Alain Bonnardeaux)

Methodology-wise, Explore Worldwide said it has compiled a comprehensive list of 132 popular hiking and trekking trails from around the world.

Information was gathered on the length of each trail in kilometres as well as the number of Instagram posts with the trail’s hashtag.

To calculate which trails are deemed most in-demand, the number of posts was divided by trail length, thus determining the number of Instagram posts per km. Data is correct as of May 2024. – Focus Malaysia