Borneo Wildlife Discovery

Kuching, capital of Sarawak, is a vibrant riverside city with a rich mix of cultures, an excellent museum and a beautifully preserved colonial centre. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers to get to know one another and hear about the adventures ahead, then enjoy a warm Malaysian welcome with a group dinner at the waterfront hawker stalls. If you want extra time in Kuching, arrange pre tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We make our first foray into Borneo’s wild side with a visit to Bako National Park, where rainforest meets the sea and proboscis monkeys roam. After about an hour’s drive, we take a boat into the park and explore its wildlife, jungle streams, waterfalls, secluded beaches and trekking trails – remarkable diversity in Sarawak’s smallest national park. We return to Kuching for the night. Please note, timings in Bako depend on tides and weather – our leader will confirm details the day before.

We fly to Mulu National Park and, after checking in at park headquarters, meet the park guides and walk through the forest to Deer Cave, the largest cave passage in the world and home to millions of bats and swifts. Nearby Lang’s Cave, though smaller, dazzles with stalactites, stalagmites and striking formations, and the surrounding forest is superb. The walk to Deer Cave is 1.9 miles (3km) each way along boardwalks with wooden steps to viewing platforms inside. We aim to reach Deer Cave at dusk to watch the bat exodus – weather permitting – when a winding ribbon of bats sweeps across the sky. Depending on flight timings, we may visit the caves tomorrow instead. Please note, there is limited time for lunch after arrival, so you should pick up something at the airport to eat later.

With a local guide, we continue exploring Mulu’s show caves, including Clearwater, where we enjoy a picnic by the river – lunch not included – in a beautiful setting. The park protects extraordinary biodiversity, with more than 3,500 plant species, 8,000 types of fungi, 170 orchid species, 262 bird species, almost 300 butterfly species and many reptiles and mammals. Members of the Penan people live within the park as nomadic hunter gatherers and, while encounters are unlikely, we may see fishing shelters or signs of recent visits. This afternoon, relax in the park or follow self guided trails while listening to the forest’s chorus. If you have a head for heights, you can join the optional canopy walkway – a 480m skywalk taking about two hours – with chances to spot macaques, hornbills, flying lizards, squirrels and rainforest birds; time slots are subject to availability. In the evening, you can take an optional night walk or try tuak, the local rice wine.

This morning we bid farewell to Sarawak and our Sarawak tour leader, aiming for the morning flight from Mulu to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah – though delays are not uncommon. Depending on our departure time, we may have a little time for a self guided walk or a look around the visitor centre before flying. Known locally as KK, Sabah’s capital is a modern, multicultural city; on arrival we meet our Sabah tour leader for the rest of the journey. The evening is yours to relax, browse the lively Filipino markets or enjoy a waterfront sundowner.

Today is free for you to enjoy Kota Kinabalu’s many options. A favourite is a trip to one of the tropical islands in the nearby marine park – a 15 minute boat ride – with excellent snorkelling and diving, or simply relax on white sand and swim in the warm South China Sea. You can also go birdwatching in wetlands near the city or visit Mari Mari to learn about Sabah’s cultures. Your tour leader can help organise any of these activities.

We transfer for about two hours to Mount Kinabalu National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site and home to Southeast Asia’s highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu at 4,095m. From the Crocker Range, which we cross, there are panoramic views of countryside and soaring hills, while the lower slopes are cloaked in rich vegetation famed for exceptional diversity. En route we stop at Nabalu market, where villagers sell produce and handicrafts, before continuing to the Sabah Tea Plantation – this afternoon you can stroll through the estate on your own. From the plantation, sunrise views of Mount Kinabalu are often spectacular, and if we are lucky we may see the rafflesia in flower nearby or along the way.

We visit the tea factory, then continue east to Sepilok – about five hours – home to a renowned orangutan rehabilitation centre. As dusk approaches, we head to the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre for superb birdwatching along easy trails and an impressive canopy walkway; sightings depend on luck, but hornbills and Bornean bristleheads are often seen, and orangutans sometimes appear in the fruiting season.

Early risers can join an optional walk near our resort for birdlife and wildlife before breakfast. We then visit the Sepilok Orangutan Centre, the largest orangutan sanctuary in the world, to see rehabilitated orphans and formerly captive orangutans as they learn the skills needed for life in the wild – with the chance to witness both morning and afternoon feedings. We also view the nursery, where youngsters are trained to climb, from a special platform behind one way glass so they are not disturbed. You can also visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, which focuses on research, rescue, rehabilitation and community education.

After breakfast we depart Sepilok, pausing at the Sandakan War Memorial, then transfer for around two to three hours to the Kinabatangan, the third longest river in Borneo. Our lodge by the river sits amid exceptional wildlife habitat that supports 10 primate species – four endemic to Borneo – with high concentrations of proboscis monkeys and orangutans. Other residents include Bornean gibbons, long tailed macaques, sun bears and barking deer; Asian pygmy elephants and clouded leopards also live here, though sightings are rare. There are also more than 200 bird species, including hornbills, eagles, herons, kingfishers, oriental darters, night jars, flowerpeckers and spider hunters. Later this afternoon we take our first river cruise.

We rise with the animals for a dawn wildlife cruise followed by a trek. In the afternoon we return to the river in search of more sightings – perhaps even a crocodile or two.

We transfer for approximately three hours to Lahad Datu, change vehicles and drive off road for about one hour 45 minutes into Tabin Wildlife Reserve – the first section is on sealed road, the remainder on gravel, so expect some bumps. Our accommodation is tucked within rainforest beside the Lipad River, a lovely setting alive with birds, insects and small mammals. After a late lunch and a briefing from our in house guide on conservation and wildlife in Tabin, we transfer about 30 minutes to the trailhead for a 30 minute walk to the active Lipad Mud Volcano, a mineral rich salt lick for wildlife. Our resort guide helps identify tracks and any birds or small mammals we may spot, before we return to relax ahead of dinner. After dinner we head out on a night drive of about one hour 30 minutes to look for nocturnal wildlife and admire the constellations in the clear, dark sky. Please note, the order of activities may vary based on recent animal sightings and local knowledge.

At dawn we join a guided walk to look for some of the 300 plus bird species in Tabin. After breakfast, we drive to the core area to learn about local orangutan conservation, climb the birdwatching tower and trek through species rich rainforest. Depending on water levels, we may visit Lipad Waterfall to swim in the natural pool and enjoy a refreshing shower beneath the falls, stopping at the Tabin Giant Tree on the way back. In the early evening we take a dusk drive to seek more nocturnal life and birds; after dinner we explore on foot along the Kingfisher Trail in search of sleeping birds, frogs and other night creatures.

We travel to Sandakan – approximately five to six hours – with a packed lunch en route. Once a major logging centre with strong Chinese and Filipino heritage, the city makes for a pleasant evening wander along the waterfront, and you might like to round off the day with a cocktail at the rooftop restaurant of the Nak Hotel.

After breakfast our Borneo journey ends. Depending on your flight time, you may be able to enjoy the hotel pool or explore more of Sandakan before beginning your journey home. Alternatively, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Borneo.