At 130 million years old, the forest in Danum Valley is one of the few places in the world where visitors can experience the magnificent splendour of nature in its original, unspoiled state.

The Danum Valley Conservation Area was formerly part of a 972,000 hectares forest concession assigned to Yayasan Sabah (The Sabah Foundation) which was spared from logging in 1981 in recognition for its outstanding biodiversity. It was gazetted under the Forest Enactment 1968 as a Class I Forest Reserve by the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, under the authority of the Sabah Forestry Department in May 1995. The inter-agency, Danum Valley Management Committee, is responsible for the management and administration of the area. The area was also gazetted under the Cultural Heritage Conservation Enactment 1997.

The primary lowland dipterocarp forest in Danum Valley supports several important globally threatened species and a rich diversity of biome-related species. 170 species of mammals, 72 reptiles, 56 amphibians and 37 fishes have been identified here. Significant populations of 10 species of primates, including the Orangutan and Proboscis Monkey are present. Danum Valley Conservation Area is a crucial refuge of many endangered and protected species of fauna including the pygmy elephant, orangutan, proboscis monkey, bay cat, otter civet, Borneon Gibbon, sun bears, hairy nosed otter, grey leaf monkey and flora including Parashorea malaanonan, Shorea johorensis, Shorea pauciflora, Dryobalanops lanceolata, Engelhardia danumensis, Aglaia laxiflora, and Mangifera rufocostata.

After the establishment of the Danum Valley Field Centre (Danum Valley Study Center) – a research facility for conducting research and supporting scientist in the rainforest studies in 1986, Danum Valley Conservation Area started to gain more popularity inviting more visitors this the eventual inauguration of the Borneo Rainforest Lodge in 1994 – a hospitality service facility which focuses on sustainability.