Danum Valley is arguably Borneo’s premier wildlife location and boasts all ten of Sabah’s primate species. Early morning is the best time to enjoy the canopy walkway through the surrounding lowland rainforest and view the stunning birdlife. It also offers maybe the best chance to see orangutan in the wild.
As well as the many primates, this river valley is also home to the rare Bornean pygmy elephant, banteng, clouded leopard, marbled and flat-headed cats and Malay sun bear.
Common species include mouse-deer, endemic Bornean yellow and red muntjacs, and sambar. Early morning walks reward with possible sightings of hornbills, barbets and broadbills, plus the endemic Bornean bristlehead; whilst a night safari offers a window into the secretive world of Borneo’s nocturnal creatures. Chances of spotting orangutan may increase when the durian trees are in fruit.
Some two hours drive – around 80 kilometres – from the town of Lahad Datu, Danum Valley Conservation Area consists of 438 square kilometres of relatively undisturbed lowland rainforest. Before it became a conservation area there were no human settlements, so hunting, logging and other human interference was virtually non-existent. Danum Valley Field Centre is a research establishment for scientific and educational purposes.
Visitors can stay at Borneo Rainforest Lodge and enjoy guided walks and drives on rainforest trails in the early morning and at dusk. Many people come here for birdwatching, as it is the only place where the spectacled flowerpecker has been recorded.
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