Borneo

Weird & Wonderful Wildlife + "Lost World" - 16-day Adventure

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1 Kota Kinabalu
Your Borneo tour begins when you arrive at Kota Kinabalu and then transfer to Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort for the night.

DAY 2 Sandakan – Selingan “Turtle” Island
Depart in the morning to Kota Kinabalu Airport for your flight to Sandakan. Arrive at Sandakan Airport and transfer to jetty for approximately 1-hour boat ride by speedboat to Selingan Island (40km). Check into chalet. Free at leisure to explore island, swim and snorkel. After dinner, wait for signal from the Park Ranger before we proceed in small groups to watch the Green Turtles lay their eggs on the beach, followed by the transplanting of these eggs to the hatchery, and then the extraordinary experience of the release of baby turtle hatchlings into the sea. This island is a park conservation area since 1977 and turtles have been nesting here every night throughout the year. Overnight Selingan Island.

DAY 3 Sepilok Orang-Utan Sanctuary, Track Borneo's Unique "Gliders"
Your Borneo tour continues at the Rainforest Discovery Center for environmental education to prime you for your remote adventure. Learn about efforts to combat deforestation and preserve orang-utan habitats. Witness orang-utans feeding. Visit a 28 meter tall canopy walkway to observe the breathtaking ancient forest.

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Tracking Borneo's Unique “Gliders” We will seek out prime habitat for Borneo's 33 species of unique flying and gliding animals, including flying lemurs, rare Wallace's flying frog, flying squirrels, paradise tree snakes, draco lizards and more. We'll visit several ecosystems at the right time of day with our expert naturalist guides to increase the chances of seeing these fascinating animals that are a major part of Borneo's unique natural heritage.

DAY 4 Kinabatangan River - Track Proboscis Monkeys & Pygmy Elephants
After breakfast, return to the Rainforest Discovery Center. Continue to Sandakan jetty for 2-1/2 hour boat journey to the award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge along Sabah's longest river, Kinabatangan. You'll have an opportunity to view birds and wildlife in virgin mangrove, wetland, and rainforest habitats. In the late afternoon, take a river cruise using electric motor boats in search of some of the ten primate species. Sukau is home to Borneo pygmy elephants, orang-utans, proboscis monkeys and all eight species of hornbill in Borneo. Return to the lodge for a solar-heated hot shower, candlelight dinner overlooking the riverbank, and slide show conducted by naturalist guide. After dinner, enjoy a late-night safari cruise spotting nocturnal animals, crocodiles and birds. Overnight at the award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge, named by National Geographic Adventure magazine in 2009 as one of the top 50 jungle lodges in the world.

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Late Night River Cruise After dinner, enjoy a late night safari cruise spotting nocturnal animals from 10:00pm until about midnight. While all other cruises fill the river just after dinner, at this later hour you have the best possible chance to see some of the most rare and hard-to-find animals that other travelers don’t usually see. Not only will we be the only travelers out at this hour, we’ll also focus on a narrow tributary and do the cruise by electric motor in total silence. On our very first such Late Night Cruise, Wild Planet Director Josh Cohen spotted a flat-headed cat, a feline so rare it had not been seen by local guides for nearly 6 years!

DAY 5 Menanggul River - Track Tarsiers & Slow Loris
After breakfast, enjoy a safari by boat with electric motor along the Menanggul River to experience the tranquility of this ancient rainforest at its best. We'll head towards the ancient primary forest surrounding Gomantong Cave, where wild orang-utans, the "man of the jungle", are often spotted. 

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Tarsier & Slow Loris Tracking! Night Hike at The Gomantong Park Forest Road This evening we'll enjoy a nocturnal hike to give us the best chance to see some of the world's smallest and cutest primates, tarsiers and slow loris. At night tarsiers move about in the trees, staying about three feet above ground level. They wake just before sunset, rest for a while, and then search for food. They sleep again around sunrise. Our expert local naturalist guides know the favorite habitat where tarsiers frequently come to forage. While there are never any guarantees, we have an excellent chance to see them during this exclusive Wild Planet activity.

While there are never any guarantees, we have an excellent chance to see them during this exclusive Wild Planet activity. Overnight at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

DAY 6 Kinabatangan River - Pygmy Elephant, Orang-Utan & Proboscis Monkey Tracking
An early morning start in search of elephants on a river cruise. The Bornean pygmy elephant can be seen mostly in the floodplain, tributaries, and the upper catchment of the Kinabatangan River. They also like to feed along river banks in the cool of the morning and the evening. Note: Elephants migrate along the river year-round. Like all wildlife, sightings depend on luck and persistence. After dinner enjoy a late night safari cruise spotting nocturnal animals from 10:00pm until about midnight spotting nocturnal animals, crocodiles and birds. Overnight at Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

DAY 7 Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary - Pygmy Elephant, Orang-Utan and Proboscis Monkey Tracking
Morning and afternoon private river cruise exploring one of the oldest rainforests in the world with one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in South East Asia. Track wild orang-utans and proboscis monkeys, visit areas where Borneon gibbons, marble cat, clouded leopard, sun bear, bearded pig, red leaf monkeys, and rhinoceros hornbills can be seen. Overnight at Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

DAY 8 Kinabatangan - Danum Valley
After breakfast, transfer overland from Sukau Rainforest Lodge to Lahad Datu. Continue the journey to the award winning nature lodge, Borneo Rainforest Lodge, set amidst 438 sq km of rainforest so thick it has never been populated by humans. Explore nature trail and nearby river. In the evening a slide show and if weather permits we go spotlighting to view some of the nocturnal animals. After dinner, enjoy the night drive for spotlighting some of the nocturnal animals. Overnight at Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

Known for its extreme biodiversity, the valley is home to the full range of Sabah's lowland fauna, including the rare Sumatran rhinoceros, pygmy elephants, clouded leopards, and orang-utans. 275 species of birds have been recorded in the area. Explore nature trails, river safaris, waterfalls, and swimming in natural pools, as well as wildlife viewing from a 560-foot hanging bridge walkway and tubing down the Danum River. Evening slide show to learn about wildlife conservation and scientific research. Night safari to see tarsiers, slow loris, marble cats and other nocturnal animals (weather permitting). Enjoy a soothing dip in the cool Jacuzzi pool after your activities.

DAY 9 Danum Valley
Continue your Borneo tour in Danum Valley by taking an early morning birdwalk before breakfast. Spend the whole day exploring the forest for birds and mammals, leading up to an escarpment with ancient burial coffins. Trek to waterfall for refreshing dip in rock pools. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, explore more trails leading to canopy walkway. Return to lodge for Dinner. Overnight at Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Riverbed Night Hike for Nocturnal Animals  In April 2015, Wild Planet Adventures Director Josh Cohen created an exclusive activity at Borneo Rainforest Lodge after noticing that the only open area good for night spotting was on the 4km road going in-and-out of the lodge, which had vehicles of all sizes traveling on it most hours of the day and night, which would scare away many of the more rare and hard-to-find animals. So with the help of BRL’s guides and a resident Ranger, Josh figured out a way to hike on an old trail to the east of the Raleigh canopy bridge that runs parallel to the Sungai Segama river, towards the confluence, and then cut back into the riverbed, enjoy a light snack while waiting until it gets dark, and then return via the riverbed. The riverbed, like the road, is wide open, allowing for ideal spotlighting of nocturnal animals, however, there is no human traffic in this area (foot or jeep), so there is a higher likelihood of seeing rare and endangered animals as well as animals that are unhabituated to human presence. We will depart BRL around 4:00pm and follow Josh’s footsteps for an exclusive and authentic night hike to spotlight nocturnal animals in an area un-trodden by other tourists. With luck, (and weather permitting) we hope to increase our chances of spotting tarsiers, slow loris, marble cats and other nocturnal animals, as well as unhabituated sun bear, samba deer, and flying lemurs.

DAY 10 Danum Valley
Early morning trek before breakfast. After breakfast, trek to the Trogon Trail (2.6KM) and Danum Loop Trails (1.6KM).

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Night Spotting Nocturnal Animals At Research Station By Special Permission We’ve arranged exclusive access to hike at the Danum Valley Research Station less than 1 hour away from Borneo Eco Lodge, and we’ve specifically requested a road or trail that is rarely used or otherwise has few people or vehicles on it during the week, so we have a higher chance of seeing animals that would otherwise be scared away by people. Where possible, we will choose open roads for their superior viewing conditions, as long as no vehicle traffic was on that road on the day of our visit.

Overnight at Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

DAY 11 Danum - Sipadan (Kapalai or Mabul Island)
Depart from Borneo Rainforest Lodge to Lahad Datu, and then proceed overland to Semporna for a 1-hour boat transfer to Kapalai or Mabul Island (lunch enroute).

DAY 12 Sipadan - Kapalai or Mabul Island
Enjoy your days at leisure on the Celebes Sea and Ligitan Reefs, one of the top 5 spots in the world for diving and snorkeling (these activities are available at extra cost, see more details below). Stay in your own private bungalow at an aqua lodge built atop sturdy stilts in the picture-perfect turquoise water. Overnight on Kapalai or Mabul Island.

*IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT DIVING AND SNORKELING AT SIPADAN ISLAND

Permits to visit Sipadan Island are only available to divers with a minimum 4-night stay, and even then can only be arranged upon arrival, with no guarantees. It is possible for snorkelers to accompany divers on the SCUBA boat and snorkel during dives, but this is dependent on space being available on that day, i.e. it also cannot be arranged in advance. Otherwise, diving and/or snorkeling is available without restrictions at Sipadan Kapalai and Sipadan Mabul, both of which are also high-quality sites.

DAY 13 Maliau Basin, the famous “Lost World” of Borneo
Your 16-day Borneo tour continues to Maliau Basin. Take the earliest boat back to Semporna and proceed overland to Maliau with lunch en route. Arrive in Maliau Basin Conservation Centre. Night walk to track wildlife. Overnight Studies Center Resthouse.

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Maliau Basin   Discovered only recently around 1990, Maliau Basin is a unique circular escarpment that protects a rainforest basin which has never been inhabited by man. It is one of three areas left in Borneo – the others being Danum Valley and Imbok Canyon – which encompass the last stands of the oldest rainforest on earth. Efforts are underway to nominate Maliau Basin, known as the “Lost World” of Borneo, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wild Planet Adventures is proud to be the ONLY International tour operator offering wildlife tours in Maliau Basin. Here, we will hike in areas so pristine, that if you step foot off the trail it is likely that no other human will have ever set foot where you are standing. Wildlife is much more shy here, although Wild Planet has made special arrangements with researchers and staff at the visitor center who will share camera trap photos of rare animals seen at Maliau Basin such as clouded leopard, sun bear, pygmy elephant, Malaysian badger or perhaps even the reclusive Bornean rhino. When possible, we will also be allowed to accompany rangers to check camera traps for current photos of rare wildlife. You will also have the opportunity to hike alongside a pristine river stained a deep rust color from the rich organic tannins in the leaves. If you’re in particularly good shape, you might be able to hike as far as a remote waterfall, or just enjoy cooling down with a refreshing dip at several points near the trail. All activities with researchers are dependent upon their availability and field conditions.

DAY 14 Maliau Basin Conservation Center
After breakfast, trek to Belian Trail and Seraya Camp Trail (8km). Visit Maliau Centre Laboratory. In the afternoon, drive to Agathis and trek to Agathis-Ginseng Trail (8km). After dinner, proceed for the night drive to track nocturnal wildlife. Overnight Studies Center Resthouse.

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive!

Researcher Interaction   Wild Planet has made special arrangements with researchers and staff at the visitor center who will share camera trap photos of rare animals seen at Maliau Basin such as clouded leopard, sun bear, pygmy elephant, Malaysian badger or perhaps even the reclusive Bornean rhino.

DAY 15 Maliau Basin Conservation Center
Morning walk around Study Centre. Drive to Agathis and trek to Agathis-Nepenthes Trail (12 km). Proceed with night drive for nocturnal animals. Overnight Studies Center Resthouse.

DAY 16 Maliau Basin - Kota Kinabalu
Mid-morning we'll say goodbye to the oldest rainforest on earth and transfer back to Kota Kinabalu in time for early evening flights, or overnight at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort at additional cost.