Best and Cheapest Way to Climb Kuching Highest Peak

Well, if you have not read the post on Kuching's Highest Peak. Read now. This is an order. Ahem~~

What I did not mention in that post is how much it will cost IF you decided to go up to Kuching's Highest Peak. Generally, it will cost roughly RM200 per person to go specifically for the climb bundled in with refreshment (packed sandwich something) and a guide.

Now, what is the best and cheapest way to conquer Kuching's Highest Peak? If, by now you are still not sure where is Kuching's Highest Peak, please be informed that it is Mount Penrissen. Yes, I am that considerate. Now, thank me.

Back to the topic, the best and cheapest way to conquer Kuching's Highest Peak is to join the BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010. Yep, you heard it right. An upcoming event on the 4th July 2010 organised by Borneo Highlands Resort and Padawan Municipal Council.

Before I go on further, let do some intro on the BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010 for the uninitiated shall we? Directly ripped from the event website and quoted:

For the 3rd year, Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) & Borneo Highlands Resort (BHR) jointly organise the BHR Padawan Nature Challenge.

The BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010 is a cycling and trekking adventure with competition categories for experts, amateurs and those who loves the nature and environment.

The Challenge gives an opportunity for nature lovers and adventurous individuals to be close to Mother Nature and to experience the environmental and adventure tourism aspects of Padawan (Including Borneo Highlands Resort).

Logo ripped from the event website

There are 4 categories for the BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010. The main category is the MPP Chairman Challenge Trophy with a whopping cash prize of RM4K as in four thousands ringgit for the champion team.  To get that RM4K, all you have to do is to find a fit partner (make sure you yourself are fit) then cycle 10KM from Kampung Annah Rais to Borneo Highlands Resort Plateau and then straight away proceed with the 15KM trekking to the peak of Mount Penrissen.

The other three categories are:

• Penrissen Summit Trekking Challenge (Open) - 15KM Trekking (To the peak of Mount Penrissen)
• Batu Panggah Trekking Challenge (Open) - 10KM Trekking (Batu Panggah is the legendary cursed stone - more story on this later in the post)
• Kalimantan View Trekking Challenge (Ladies Only) - 10KM Trekking (Trek to Kalimantan View Point)

Anyway, if you are interested please go to the event website and there is this thing called contact form for you to utilize instead of asking me questions here. Mmmmmkay?

By now, you must have been wondering where the best and cheapest way to climb Kuching's Highest Peak that I mentioned earlier in the post. Got feel cheated or not?

Of course not, BenardCometh Revelations only reveals stuffs and not cheat people. Ahem.

If you browsed through the event website, by now you would have realised that the participation fee for a team of two for the Penrissen Summit Trekking Challenge is only RM100. That is like RM50 each. So, now you get it. Right?

No? Must I explain everything? Use your grey matter people. Grey matter = brain in case you are wondering.

Let's say there are like 10 of you (friends / buddy buddy) who suddenly wanted to climb Kuching Highest Peak. On normal day, it would cost you and your buddy buddy around a total of RM2K aka two thousands aka dua ribu aka liang chien kuai. Around RM200 per pax remember?

Now, let's say the 10 of you postpone your sudden impulse to climb Kuching Highest Peak to 4th of July during the BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010, by joining the Penrissen Summit Trekking Challenge in 5 teams. The total damage done would be around RM500. RM100 per team of two remember?

That is like a whopping RM1500 savings!!!!! RM1500 can do a lot of beneficial stuffs ya know? Like for example donate to BenardCometh Revelations. Ahem~~

So, please tell me that is not the best and cheapest way to climb Kuching Highest Peak. Tell me.

"But but but there is no refreshments included if I join the event in order to go up Kuching Highest Peak and some more I would have to rush my pretty arse off competing with other people and some more there is no guide."

Yes, I am a mind reader. I heard you thinking just now.

Please tell me RM1500 savings cannot buy something decent to eat, might as well donate to BenardCometh Revelations if that is the case. Ahem....

I am pretty sure if you go for leisure climb rather than competing, no one will rush you . It will maybe take around 4 hours to 5 hours only. However, the downside would be that the will be a lot of people trekking and probably you will feel being rushed. Being an event and all. Well up to you also lah.

Oh, one more thing. There is even a 50% off participation fees if both of you are students. Like hell, only RM50 per team. If this is not the best and cheapest way to climb Kuching Highest Peak then I also don't know what other way liao.

Lazy to type liao lah. Go check out the event website if you want more information or the previous post on the climb to Kuching Highest Peak if you want to see some pictures from the peak.

Back to the promised story about Batu Panggah, the legendary cursed stone.

Legend has it that there was this couple, An Iban guy and A Bidayuh lady (or maybe it was the other way round) that are so madly in love and decided to run when villagers from their village protest to their relationship and wanted to capture them.

This is because if you don't know yet, before Sarawak is the Land of the Hornbills, it was the Land of the Headhunters and people head hunt by chopping down heads and take the skulls as trophies and so the different tribe are at war with each other and mixing with other tribes are considered a taboo. The skulls of their enemies are stored in a hut called the Panggah and it is a taboo for females to enter the Panggah. The more skulls you have for your collection, the more popular you are especially if you are single, you would have chicks all over you drooling at your manliness and machoness.

So, back to the story. The couple decided to run when being chased (of course lah, being chased wor) and being cornered, they have no where to run but to enter the Panggah. Lo and behold, lightning struck the Panggah and turning it into a stone.

Thus, from then onwards it is known as Batu Panggah - The Legendary Cursed Stone. Exciting or not? That is what I heard anyway. More or less.

There you have it.

BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010 info and even story on Batu Panggah.

And there is just one more thing. The closing date for the BHR Padawan Nature Challenge 2010 is on the 18th of June 2010.

Sekian Terima Kasih. (Translated is "That is all, Thank You")