Wildlife, Rainforest and Rivers of Borneo

Upon arrival in Kuching, meet & greet with our representative before your transfer to your hotel. There is something utterly fascinating and mystical about Sarawak. This is the largest state in Malaysia, occupying the southwestern ridge of Borneo. Its verdant jungles are strewn with massive natural formations, the world’s largest cave chambers as well as endemic flora & fauna. Arrive at your hotel, check in and at leisure.

Breakfast will be taken at the resort.
Bako National Park is one of the best places in Sarawak to see wildlife in a natural setting. Commonly spotted at Bako are the Borneo endemic proboscis monkeys, silvered langurs (monkeys), long-tailed macaques, wild boar, monitor lizards and numerous species of birds. The park has an impressive range of forest types from mangrove to kerangas (heath forest), tropical swamp vegetation, cliff vegetation and beach vegetation. A trail network provides access to different parts of the depending on level of fitness and areas of interest. The park’s spectacular coastline is dotted with small bays, coves and beaches.
07:50-08:10am: pick up from hotel in Kuching. Bako National Park is situated on a peninsula on the coast and the departure point for trips to the park is Bako village, 35-minutes drive from Kuching. From the village, proceed by boat for approximately 25 minutes to the park headquarters. En route there is a chance to see crocodiles, sea eagles and other shore birds. Arrive at the park HQ and begin exploring the trails and searching for wildlife. Return to Kuching mid-afternoon.

Note: The exact schedule is subject to tide and sea conditions. This tour is not always possible during the wet season (November - February) owing to sea conditions. The duration of this tour during the wet season is approx. 5 hours as it is often necessary to leave the park earlier owing to sea conditions.

Breakfast will be taken at your resort and check out.
Pick up from hotel in Kuching and drive to Batang Ai reservoir. Along the way stop at Lachau Bazaar. Stroll around the shops and the small native market and have an early lunch in a local coffee shop. Then continue your journey, arriving at Batang Ai Lake around 1330-1400 hours. Board a longboat and travel upriver to Nanga Sumpa, arriving at approx. 15:30 hours, although the exact time will depend on river conditions. Settle in at Borneo Adventure’s lodge and have dinner. After dinner visit Nanga Sumpa longhouse.
Relax on the ruai (common verandah) and spend time with the Iban people. Interact with the community; learn about their culture and enjoy some local rice wine. Overnight at Nanga Sumpa lodge.

Following breakfast hike the jungle trails along the river. Then continue upriver by longboat. Our destination is the scenic Enseluai waterfall. Arrive at the waterfall and have time to relax, swim and enjoy the rainforest surroundings. Enjoy a riverside BBQ lunch prepared by your Iban hosts. Return to the lodge. After dinner visit Nanga Sumpa longhouse. Relax on the ruai (common verandah), spend time with the Iban people and enjoy some local rice wine. Overnight at Nanga Sumpa lodge.

Breakfast in the lodge. 09:00AM: travel downriver to the Batang Ai Lake jetty, arriving around 1030-1100 hours. Then travel overland back to Kuching with lunch enroute. Arrive in Kuching approx. 1630 hours. Recheck-in and overnight The Waterfront Hotel.

Note: Weather conditions and the water level of local rivers may force our guides to modify the tour in the interests of safety. For example, some trekking activities are not possible during heavy rain or a thunderstorm. No refunds will be offered if a trek is cancelled or boat transfer delayed due to bad weather or river conditions.

Breakfast will be taken at the hotel and check out.
At 07:45-08:00am: pick up from hotel. Located 24 kilometres from the centre of Kuching, the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre provides an excellent opportunity to view semi-wild orangutans in a natural setting. This orangutan rehabilitation centre receives orphaned or rescued orangutans and trains them to survive in the wild. Over 20 orangutans live in forest within the nature reserve and they often return to the centre to receive supplemental feeding. The feeding area is set in a natural amphitheatre where it is possible to observe the orangutans coming in from the surrounding forest for the food provided. The rangers provide a briefing on the purpose of the centre and the conservation objectives.
Later, transfer to the airport for flight to Kota Kinabalu.
Upon arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, meet & greet and transfer to your hotel. Stunning tropical islands and luxuriant nature makes Sabah the ideal destination for eco- adventures. The state’s most famous icon is the majestic Mount Kinabalu, reputed to be one of the highest in Southeast Asia. Another jewel is Sipadan, an internationally famed dive destination. Kota Kinabalu was formerly known as Jesselton. Most parts of the city have been reconstructed after World War II and there are only there surviving buildings from the war. Visit this “Land Below the Wind” and enjoy unforgettable adventures!
Check in to your hotel and rest of the day at leisure and own activities.

Have an early breakfast at the hotel.
07:00am: pick up from city hotel. Depart Kota Kinabalu for the 3-hour drive to Poring Hot Spring. En route, make a stop at Nabalu village to savour local fruits and to shop for local handicrafts. There is also a lookout tower providing views of the surrounding area and of Mount Kinabalu. Upon arrival at Poring proceed to the canopy walkway for a chance to observe wildlife and the trees from 100 feet above the forest floor. Afterwards take a dip in one of the soothing, hot mineral springs set in beautifully landscaped gardens. Poring also has an interpretive centre with information on the local flora and fauna. Proceed to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kinabalu Park. Explore the mountain gardens – home to many species of orchids, pitcher plants, birds, insects and butterflies – with your guide before returning to Kota Kinabalu in the late afternoon. Return to your hotel and at leisure.

Breakfast will be taken at the hotel and check out.
Pick-up and transfer to the airport for flight to Sandakan. Upon arrival, meet and transfer to your accommodation. Around 15:30 hours depart the sanctuary and proceed to the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), an education centre located within the Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. The focus of this excursion is to experience the rainforest from high. Arrive at the RDC and have a quick look at the visitor information centre before walking to the centre’s 147 metres long canopy walkway, which is up to 28 metres above the forest floor in places. The walkway and towers offer a unique way of seeing Sabah’s rainforest and are an excellent place for bird watching. Over 250 species of birds are found here.

Breakfast will be taken at the resort & checkout. Pick-up and visit the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary where captive orangutans are reintroduced into the wild. You will be able to observe them at their feeding stations in the rainforest and at the nursery (if open). Watch the feeding session at 1000 hours. Then proceed to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). This centre rescues captured sun bears and is involved in sun bear conservation, welfare rehabilitation and education. Over 30 sun bears live at the centre in the bear house and outdoor enclosures.
11:30am: travel by road to Sukau. Arrive at Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge around 1330 and have lunch. 16:30 hours go on a river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to the Menanggul River in search proboscis monkeys, birds, reptiles and other wildlife.

Note: The nursery at Sepilok is sometimes closed to visitors. This occurs if any of the young orangutan are sick. As such there is no guarantee that the nursery will be open.

06:30am: take a boat trip for bird watching and wildlife viewing at the nearby Ox Bow Lake. Then return to the lodge for breakfast. Free at leisure to relax. 16:30 hours venture on another river cruise down the Menanggul River in search of wildlife. Return to the lodge at dusk. Evening at leisure.

After breakfast depart the lodge at 09:30am and return to Sandakan by road. Dropped off at your hotel or the airport.

Note: Suggested flight on this day would be after 13:00.