Journey to Malaysian Borneo on this specially designed small group tour where we visit the best locations to encounter the magnificent orangutan in its natural habitat.
Closely related to humans, the remarkable Bornean orangutan is among the world’s most endearing animals. They are highly endangered animals, but there are still locations where they can be sighted regularly in the wild and we visit the finest of these on this itinerary.
Among the best sites for tracking, watching and photographing wild Bornean orangutans, are Danum Valley and the Kinabatangan River. We spend plenty of time at both of these locations to observe wild individuals as well as an incredible array of other wildlife, much of it found nowhere else.
As an introduction to the remarkable Bornean orangutan, we begin our tour at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre where hundreds of rescued apes have been helped return to life in the forest.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
Today, we depart the UK on overnight flights to Sandakan in Malaysian Borneo (via Kuala Lumpur).
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Day 2:
Arrive Sandakan
On arrival in Sandakan, we are met and transferred half an hour or so to Sepilok and our accommodation where we spend the next night.
Accommodation: MY Nature Resort, 1-night
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Day 3:
Visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary
After breakfast, we visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, where captive and semi-wild orangutans are rehabilitated and reintroduced back to the wild. We will schedule our visit to coincide with the feedings of the orangutans, and this is our first opportunity to observe these magnificent primates.
The sanctuary's excellent network of boardwalks and trails should provide us with some memorable sightings of the orangutans, as well as other species including pig-tailed macaque, Bornean pygmy squirrel, Prevost's and ear-spot squirrels, oriental pied and rhinoceros hornbills and the gorgeous black-and-red broadbill.
By late morning, we transfer to the jetty in Sandakan and take a boat cruise along the Lower Kinabatangan River to Abai Jungle Lodge, looking for wildlife as we travel. In the afternoon we depart the lodge on a small, motorised boat cruise in search of proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, silvered langurs, a wide range of birds, reptiles, and other wildlife. This is our first opportunity to experience the incredible biodiversity of lowland Borneo. As night falls, we can witness the glittering of fireflies on the mangrove trees and be spot various nocturnal species such as colugo, civets and possibly a Sunda leopard cat or resting pit viper.
Accommodation: Abai Jungle Lodge, 2-nights
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Day 4:
Boat trips along the Lower Kinabatangan River
Early this morning, we take a wildlife cruise to Balad Dami to search for wild orangutans that frequent the area as they feed on nipah palms within the mangrove range. To observe an orangutan feasting on one of these palms is an unforgettable encounter. After lunch, there's some time at leisure to relax or explore the boardwalk and search for smaller wildlife. Later, we take another boat ride and search for wildlife at the nearby Pitas Lake, an excellent area for hornbills, storm’s stork, and many primates. We return to the lodge, passing the established riverine forest searching for pygmy elephants, saltwater crocodiles and much more.
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Day 5:
Boat trips along the upper Kinabatangan River
This morning, after breakfast, we revisit the boardwalk to search for wildlife. We then check out and cruise upriver to Sukau, searching for wildlife along the way. Upon arrival, check in to Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge and have lunch.
Once we've had some time to settle into our new accommodation, we head out on a boat cruise to the Menanggul River in hope of encountering wild orangutan, proboscis monkey, Bornean pygmy elephant and a variety of birds which could include buffy fish owl, Sunda frogmouth and a number of beautiful kingfishers and elegant hornbills.
Accommodation: Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge, 2-nights
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Day 6:
Kinabatangan River & Gomantong Caves
It's an early start to the day as we enjoy a morning boat trip along the Kinabatangan River and on to a nearby oxbow lake. We hope to observe the range of intriguing species that the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary has to offer. Our focus is on encountering orangutans, but we may also find proboscis monkey, silvered langur, long-tailed macaque, small-clawed otter, grey-headed fish eagle, oriental darter and Brahminy kite.
This afternoon, we visit Gomantong Caves, which is the largest cave system in Sabah and home to 27 species of bat and four species of swiftlet. It's also well worth exploring the surrounding forest for pig-tailed macaques, maroon langurs and orangutans which are frequently seen here. We stay at the caves until the evening, when we climb the staircase to the white cave to observe the mass exodus of wrinkle-lipped bats at dusk. It's an impressive sight to see the hundreds of thousands of bats depart the cave as they set out for an evening of foraging. The abundance of bats attracts a number of predators including bat hawk, peregrine falcon, Wallace's Hawk-eagle and even hornbills, and it can be incredible to see these birds trying to snatch a bat midair.
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Day 7:
Transfer to Lahad Datu & continue to Danum Valley
Following breakfast, we depart the Kinabatangan and transfer to the town of Lahad Datu in southern Sabah. It takes around two hours to reach Lahad Datu and from here we continue on to Danum Valley. We reach our lodge, where we stay for the next three nights, by the early afternoon.
Later in the day, we follow one of the nature trails and canopy walkways to experience the diversity and life of this verdant habitat. Along with orangutans, we could also view pig-tailed macaque, red langur, Bornean gibbon and a plethora of birdlife ranging from rhinoceros hornbill to the lustrous red-bearded bee-eater.
Accommodation: Borneo Rainforest Lodge, 3-nights
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Days 8-9
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Explore Danum Valley
We have two days to fully explore this wonderful area. Close to our lodge there is a network of accessible and well maintained trails that follow the course of the river and venture deep into the forest interior. This network provides ample opportunity for observing and photographing some of the forest’s amazing flora and fauna, especially orangutans which are our particular target on this itinerary.
During the mornings various hornbills, barbets and broadbills can be seen as well as the endemic Bornean bristlehead. We could also encounter a number of primate species including long-tailed macaque and red leaf monkey.
After dark, night walks and vehicle rides offer a window into the secretive world of the forest’s nocturnal creatures – greater mouse deer, red giant flying squirrel, Thomas's flying squirrel and colugo may be seen. There is also a reasonable chance of seeing both Philippine slow loris, western tarsier, Wallace’s flying frog and a number of other amphibians and reptiles.
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Day 10:
Return to Lahad Datu & departure
We enjoy a leisurely morning in Danum Valley before transferring back to Lahad Datu and its airport to catch our onward flights.
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Day 11:
Arrive UK
