The Kinabalu Geopark — recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2023 — covers Mount Kinabalu, the surrounding Crocker Range foothills and the traditional Dusun villages that sit beneath the mountain. It is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth: over 5,000 plant species grow between its lowland forest and 4,095m granite summit, including rafflesia, pitcher plants and hundreds of orchids found nowhere else.
More than the summit climb
Most visitors know the Geopark for the Mount Kinabalu climb, but its foothill trails are a destination in their own right. From Kiau village — the traditional starting point of the very first Kinabalu expeditions — local Dusun guides lead forest treks to waterfalls and ridgelines with views up to the summit plateau, no climbing permit required.
Village life at Kiau
Our Kiau Dusun homestay puts you in a working village on the mountain’s flank: rubber tapping, bamboo cooking, rice wine and some of the warmest hospitality in Sabah. It pairs naturally with Geopark trekking as a two-day stay, or as an acclimatisation day before your summit climb.
How the Geopark fits your trip
The Geopark sits 90 minutes from Kota Kinabalu on the road east, which makes it the natural first or last stop of a cross-Sabah itinerary — our 5D4N Sabah Highlights starts here before continuing to Sepilok and the Kinabatangan river.
