Landscape
The Kelabit Highlands is a highland plateau of over 1,000m. It lies between the Tama Abu Range and Apo Duat Range on the Sarawak-Kalimantan border. The many valleys in the region are peppered with settlements of cottage-like homes and often surrounded by paddy fields. The area also boasts many high peaks including Sarawak's highest mountain, the 2,423m Gunung Murud.
Villages
Bario
The "capital" of the highlands and main entry point into the highlandsBa Kelalan
The Lun Bawang village is the starting/ending point of popular two-day trek to/from BarioPa' Umor
a 50 minute walk from the airport of Bario centre. small but a good starting point for trekking or visiting cultural sites. Far more remote feeling than Bario with no power lines which are currently inactive anyway. A church, longhouse, and a few private dwellings, there are a few guesthouses here and Gem's Lodge is on the edge.Pa'Lungan
Tiny, remote village with 100 inhabitants and rather untouched by modern society use of local produce, no internet. Only reachable by foot 3-4 gentle hour trek through jungle and rice fields which can be done without a guide. The path from Bario airstrip is only partly marked so make sure you ask someone for directions there are two or three forks. Ideal location of the beaten path to relax and start of jungle trekkings.
Understand
The Kelabit Highlands comprise a vast highland plateau in the interior of Sarawak, near the border of Kalimantan, Indonesia. The area is the headwaters of the mighty Baram, Limbang, Lawas Rivers. Administratively, it comes under the Miri and Limbang Divisions.
People
The area is named after one of Sarawak's ethnic groups, the Kelabits. They are mostly highland farmers and staunchly Christian, belonging to the Sidang Injil Borneo Borneo Evangelical Assembly church. They are also known to place a lot of importance in education and many hold professional jobs, including the managing director's post of Malaysia Airlines.
Although the highlands are named after the Kelabits, it is actually home to many other groups such as the Penan and Lun Bawang. The Lun Bawang, who are the same group as the Lun Dayeh in Sabah, are the predominant people around Ba Kelalan in the northern part of the highlands. All of them are collectively known as the "Orang Ulu" or "People of the Highlands".
Climate
As most of the highlands is over 1,000m, the nights can get a little chilly. Daytimes are usually warm and humid, especially when struggling through thick forests while trekking. The rainy season is between October and February.