Kinabalu Park Day Trip

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating

From: RM295

A visit to Kinabalu Park provides a chance to ‘escape’ the city of Kota Kinabalu and spend time at a cooler altitude as you visit the stunning Kinabalu National Park. We offer our day tour to Kinabalu Park as a private trip, so we can tailor your tour itinerary to help you get the most from your day – from joining guided walks along the trails within Kinabalu Park (a great choice for nature lovers), or learning more about the history and culture of Sabah with visits to Kundasang War Memorial and Kundasang Market. A private Kinabalu Park tour at a great value price.

Note – The price shown above is per person based on a booking of 8 people. The minimum booking is for 2 people.

Kinabalu Park – A Day of Mountain Views and Stunning Forests to Explore in Sabah, Borneo

Join a Kinabalu Park tour to get a glimpse of the flora & fauna that makes Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia so special. This private Kinabalu Park day tour is a great choice for enjoying the mountain scenery, joining guided walks along trails through the forest in Kinabalu Park Headquarters and seeing some of the beautiful endemic flowers of Sabah, Borneo.

Kinabalu Park was established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its “outstanding universal values” and is an important biological site in the world with more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird and around 100 mammal species. Kinabalu Park, Sabah has a changing climate that supports rain forest plants in the lower regions then as you ascend you are able to experience different types of plants from coniferous forest to alpine type plants near the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

The Kinabalu Park tour starts with collection from your hotel in central Kota Kinabalu. On your journey to Kinabalu Park, you’ll have a short stop at Nabalu Market before arriving at Kinabalu National Park Headquarters. Once at Kinabalu Park you will join a guided walk along the Silau Silau trail as your Nature Guide helps you to see some of the fauna and flora found along this trail, followed by a visit to the Botanical Garden. The Botanical Garden (or Mountain Garden) is home to a wide variety of orchids boasting 1500 species, and rare species of plants and endemics.

Get close to Nature – Kinabalu Park Tour, Sabah, Malaysia

After lunch, you will have two options to choose from depending on what interests you the most:-

Option 1 – For those of you interested in experiencing more of the beautiful scenery of Kinabalu Park you can join another guided walk along a different trail in Kinabalu Park with the chance to experience more of the sights, and sounds, of the beautiful forest found in Kinabalu Park Headquarters.
Option 2 – Alternatively, for those wanting to learn more about the history and culture of Sabah you can visit the Kundasang War Memorial (which is dedicated to the soldiers who died during the ‘death marches’ to Ranau during World War 2) and Kundasang local market home to learn about the local foods and the Dusun people who call the mountains their home.

If you want to visit Kinabalu Park and also see wildlife during your holiday then why not choose our unique 4D3N Kinabalu Park & Kinabatangan River Trip. Alternatively, if you are wanting to visit Kundasang, and Desa Cattle Farm, then check out our Kundasang Trips.

Trip Itinerary – Kinabalu Park Tour, Sabah, Malaysia

8:00hrs: Pick up from your hotel in central Kota Kinabalu and start your ~ 2 hours drive to Kinabalu Park Headquarters, passing along mountainous roads that wind over the Crocker Mountain range.

9:45hrs: Stop on the way at the Mountain View Point where you can take a photo of the mighty Mount Kinabalu. There’ll also be a chance for a toilet break and a short visit to the Nabalu Market and witness the local Handicraft skills of the Dusun community.

10:45hrs: Arrival at Kinabalu Park Headquarters. You’ll notice the change in temperature due to the change in altitude with Kinabalu Park Headquarters at 1563m asl. Join a guided walk along the Silau Silau trail – the so-called “yellow” trail. Listen to the chirping of birds and learn more about the plants and animal life you come across on the trail. Next, you’ll visit the Botanical Garden and learn more about the amazing variety of orchids species found within Kinabalu Park, with hopefully some of them flowering for that perfect photo opportunity.

12:30hrs: Time for lunch. You’ll be transferred to the nearby Cottage Hotel for a set lunch offering a selection of local dishes. Make the most of your lunch break to rest your feet.

After lunch you can choose between two options for your afternoon activities for your Kinabalu Park tour:-

OPTION A – More Trails in Kinabalu Park

14:00hrs: Transfer back to Kinabalu Park to join a guided walk along the Bundu Tuhan View Trail. This trail is around 460 meters, a ~ 30 – 45 minute walk, with a good opportunity to experience the tropical rainforests. The plants which can thrive in rainforests are wild orchids and the presence of butterflies, dragonflies and rare insects are typical. On a clear day, it offers a view of a nearby Kadazan Dusun village, Bundu Tuhan which makes hikers choose this trail as one of the top 3 trails of Kinabalu Park.

15:00hrs: Have the last walk near the Park Headquarters where the mountain climbers usually descend at this time. Wind up through the gardens of Mountain View trail for the last glimpse of plant life.

OPTION B – History & Culture

14:00hrs: Transfer to the historical Kundasang War Memorial and learn stories of the brave heroes of the past during the Death March. The Kundasang War Memorial is dedicated to the British and Australian soldiers who died in the Sandakan POW camp during their death marches to Ranau. The memorial is divided into four interconnecting continuous areas that are connected by a trail – the Australian Garden, the English Rose Garden, the Borneo Garden with wildflowers of Mount Kinabalu and the Contemplation Garden. The first three gardens represent the home countries of the victims.

14:30hrs: Visit Kundasang market, a thriving community market where the locals come to sell their local produce. It will not only be an opportunity to come across local produce like bambangan, tuhau, wild honey and fruits but discover the culture of the Dusun people who live in these mountainous highlands.

15:00hrs: Transfer to Kinabalu Park area and have a last walk near the headquarters where the mountain climbers usually descend at this time. Wind up through the gardens of Mountain View trail for the last glimpse of plant life.

15:30hrs: For both options, you will start your journey back to Kota Kinabalu. Sit back relax and enjoy the scenery as you make your way back across the Crocker mountain range towards the west coast of Sabah.

17:30hrs – 18:00hrs: You will arrive back at your hotel (the exact return time is depending on traffic).

Trip Pre-requisites

Minimum 2 persons per booking. This trip is suitable for all. Please note is a ~ 2 – 2.5 hour coach transfer per way so this trip is not suitable for you if you want to avoid long coach journey’s.

Trip Inclusions

Return road transfers in a private minibus
Entrance fees to Kinabalu Park Headquarters, Botanical Garden and Kundasang War Memorial.
Lunch – typically a set meal with a selection of local dishes.
Private guiding by an English speaking licensed Nature Guide.
0% Sales & Service Tax on the tour price as applicable from 6th May 2019.

Trip Exclusions

RM5 fee per camera and RM30 fee per video camera Kinabalu Park Headquarters.
Visits to other locations near Kinabalu Park are not included in the above itinerary.
Purchases at Kundasang market.

Recommended Packing List For The Trip – Kinabalu Park Tour

Binoculars, insect repellent, long sleeve shirts & long pants, raincoat, sun hat and sun protection cream, comfortable walking shoes, water bottle (for the minibus/coach transfers, and for on the trails), camera, day rucksack for use on the trails, dry bag (to keep items in your rucksack dry), spending money if you choose to visit Kundasang Market. For the trails in Kinabalu Park, it is important to wear good walking shoes (with a good grip, please note your footwear will get wet on the trails) and have a jacket with hood/ windbreaker in your rucksack just in case it rains.

Notes – Kinabalu Park Tour, Sabah, Malaysia

The Kinabalu Park & Poring Hot Springs tour price is valid for trips up to 31st December 2023.

1 review for Kinabalu Park Day Trip

Rated 5 out of 5

WickedGav, AU (TripAdvisor) – 11/06/2018

2 fun days – I booked two trips with Borneo Dream. First one the KK park & Poring hot spring and the second the Kilas wetland river cruise to spot the proboscis monkeys. I contacted the operator via email and Leia got back to me pretty much right away. She was very professional and answered all my concerns. I was a bit iffy about large groups so I had put my concerns forwarded to a few other major operators. One operator literally told me to look elsewhere. On the other hand, Leia was really patient with me and addressed all my concerns. Simply put, she made me feel welcomed. So I went ahead and booked my two trips with her.
Upon arrival in KK, I was invited to the office prior to my trips to a “meet and greet” which was really a nice touch. I got to ask a bit more questions and got all the details right.
I was really happy that both tours were with a small group. The first day about 8 people and the second about 6. Both guides were fantastic and knowledgeable. Drivers were really great too.
Got to do a lot and saw a lot and I will definitely recommend this operator.

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Kota Kinabalu tours

Most watersports trips depart from Jesselton Point Jetty (https://g.page/JesseltonPoint) in central Kota Kinabalu. If you are staying at a city centre hotel or guest house you will often find it far quicker to walk to Jesselton Point. If you are staying at hotels or resorts such as Shangri-La Rasa Ria or Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa then I would certainly grab a taxi.

The Kota Kinabalu International Airport KKIA (airport code BKI) is located to the south of the city and is 8.5 kilometres from the city centre. This journey can be easily done by private car, taxi or shuttle bus. A taxi will charge around RM 30 each way for a pre-booked taxi. Arrivals are on the lower level with departures on the upper level. At busy times allow 30 minutes from the city centre to the airport.

Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, is the starting point for most holidays to Sabah. From Kota Kinabalu, most visitors go to explore other parts of Sabah whether it be on a tour from Kota Kinabalu (to go rafting, biking, climbing Mount Kinabalu etc.), or via a short internal flight to visit other parts of Sabah like the Kinabatangan River or Danum Valley. If you have a couple of days free in Kota Kinabalu during your holiday then there is surprisingly quite a bit you can do and see on your doorstep.

On the first day, you can explore the city with its many attractions. At the start of the day visit the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Ramsar Site, a bird sanctuary close to the city centre. You could then choose to walk up Signal Hill to enjoy views out over the City from Signal Hill observatory platform, visit the Sabah State Museum for a walk through Sabah’s history or explore the handicraft market located on the waterfront. Visit the Atkinson Clock Tower, the oldest building in Kota Kinabalu, or one of the famous Mosques in Kota Kinabalu – Kota Kinabalu City Mosque (‘Floating Mosque’) or the State Mosque. Later in the day watch the sunset from Tanjung Aru Beach before heading back into the city centre for a spot of early evening shopping. Finally, choose from one of the many local cafes and restaurants for a tasty meal to end the day.

For your second day visit the local islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. The Marine Park is located in front of Kota Kinabalu and easily accessible via a boat transfer from Jesselton Point Jetty. You can choose to join an organised day tour to help you get the most from your visit to the Marine Park whether it be a Snorkeling Trip or going scuba diving to explore the tropical waters. You could also choose to visit the islands independently via an island transfer service and chill out on one of the public beaches on the islands in the Marine Park. Sun, tropical sea, sand – a perfect way to spend a second day in Kota Kinabalu.