Visiting some of Borneo’s best mammal watching nature reserves and national parks, this small group tour provides opportunities to see a host of rare mammals including the possibility of encountering the elusive Sunda clouded leopard.
Borneo offers some of the most exciting mammal watching opportunities anywhere in South-east Asia, and two of its standout forests, Deramakot and the ancient Danum Valley are now firmly established as premier locations for encountering its rarest and most secretive species. These landscapes hold wildlife that, until only a few years ago, was almost never seen by visitors, including the famously elusive Sunda clouded leopard – one of the world’s rarest cats. Despite being elusive and endangered, these majestic cats are still seen here by a lucky few each year.
This 2-week small group journey is designed to give dedicated mammal enthusiasts the best possible chance of observing an exceptional range of species. Our focus includes Malay sun bear, marbled cat and Sunda leopard cats, colugo, binturong, Philippine slow loris, western tarsier, silvery langur, moonrat, otter civet and banded civet, and with luck the magnificent Sunda clouded leopard. Alongside these rarities, we also spend time enjoying some of Borneo’s more familiar and iconic mammals such as orangutans, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys.
Locating many of these mammals requires patience and persistence, and the itinerary reflects this. We divide our time between Deramakot and the Danum Valley, undertaking extended nocturnal drives in a rugged 4WD vehicle equipped with open bench seating for optimal viewing.
Accommodation at both Deramakot and Langom Research Station is simple but comfortable, with en suite bathrooms and air-conditioning, and a dedicated cook travels with the group to prepare meals throughout.
This tour is designed for those who enjoy immersive wildlife experiences, are comfortable with basic forest lodges, and relish long and exciting nights in the field in search of some of Borneo’s rarest mammals.
Read Kate Humble's blog about her visit to Deramakot.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
Depart the UK on an overnight flight to Sandakan via Kuala Lumpur.
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Day 2:
Arrive Sandakan
On arrival in Sandakan, we meet our local leader at the airport who accompanies us throughout the itinerary. We then transfer by road to our accommodation close to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, and the rest of the afternoon is free to relax around the lodge.
Accommodation: Sepilok Nature Resort, 1-night full board basis
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Day 3:
Visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary & Transfer to Deramakot Forest Reserve
After breakfast, we visit the world-renowned Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary to see these iconic primates and learn more about the rehabilitation and conservation work that happens here.
Following our visit and a spot of lunch, we proceed to the Deramakot Forest Reserve by road, taking around four hours. Arriving at our lodge in the late afternoon, we're free to rest as after dinner we explore the reserve and search for its excellent wildlife. We take our first night drive tonight, hoping to discover an exciting cast of nocturnal mammals.
Accommodation: Deramakot Tourist Chalets, 4-nights
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Days 4-6
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Deramakot Forest Reserve
Over the course of the next three days we explore the Deramakot Forest Reserve to find some of Borneo’s rarest mammals. We take a series of daily walks and extended night drives in the reserve in order to maximise our opportunities to see the diurnal and nocturnal wildlife whilst returning to the lodge for our meals and rest during the heat of the day.
The night drives are a major focus of our time here. As we move slowly along the forest tracks after dark, we look for everything from beautiful cats and sun bears to unusual, little known species such as moonrats and otter civets. Deramakot is particularly rich for civets, and we hope to see several species: Malay, striped and island palm civets, the distinctive banded civet, and the large, charismatic binturong. The beautiful Sunda leopard cat is frequently encountered here, and with luck we hope to even enjoy a sighting of the Sunda clouded leopard, one of the world’s rarest cats. Deramakot is widely regarded as one of the very best places in the world to search for this incredible feline.
Alongside mammals, the reserve offers superb birdwatching. More than 250 species have been recorded, and it's entirely possible to see 50 or more in a single day as we explore the forest.
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Day 7:
Transfer to Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary
In the late morning, we travel back to Sandakan, a journey of approximately five hours by road. In the afternoon we board a boat for our journey along the coast and then upriver into the Kinabatangan water course. The boat transfer takes around two hours, though it may be longer if we pause often for wildlife sightings en route. As we travel upstream, there's a good chance of encountering a range of species, including the endemic proboscis monkey, long-tailed macaque, and silvered langur, plus birds such as white-bellied sea eagle, brahminy kite and stork-billed kingfisher.
This evening, we take a nocturnal boat safari after dinner in search of more nocturnal species where with lots of luck we may even find a rare flat-headed cat hunting along the water’s edge.
Accommodation: Borneo Nature Lodge, 2-nights
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Day 8:
Gomantong Caves & Kinabatangan River
We begin early this morning with a wildlife-focused boat trip along the Kinabatangan River and into a nearby oxbow lake. This calm, early morning journey offers excellent opportunities to watch the rich fauna of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
Our main focus is primates, with chances to see orangutans, proboscis monkeys, silvered langurs and long-tailed macaques, as well as the Bornean pygmy elephants that move through this area. Birdlife is equally rewarding, with possible sightings of grey-headed fish eagle, oriental darter, blue-eared and oriental dwarf kingfishers, and the rare Storm’s stork.
In the afternoon, we take a short drive to the remarkable Gomantong Caves, Sabah’s largest cave system and home to several species of bat and cave swiftlet. We remain here into early evening before climbing the 570 step staircase to the White Cave to witness the spectacular dusk emergence of wrinkle-lipped bats.
This is one of Borneo’s most impressive wildlife events: thousands of bats pour out of the cave in swirling groups as they head off to forage, while raptors and hornbills circle overhead, attempting to snatch them in mid air. We again take a boat trip after dinner in search of more nocturnal species along the riverbank.
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Day 9:
Transfer to Langom & Explore the Danum Valley Conservation Area
This morning, we head out early on a boat cruise in hope of encountering more of the region’s charismatic primates. After breakfast, we depart our lodge and travel by road to Lahad Datu, arriving in time for lunch. From here, we continue into the awe-inspiring Danum Valley, with the final section of the journey following a dirt track that leads deep into the rainforest. We reach our lodge in the afternoon.
Our base is Langom, the new research centre located in the buffer zone of the Danum Valley Conservation Area. It's simple but comfortable, with a relaxed atmosphere and an excellent position for exploring the ancient forest, especially after dark. Following dinner, there's the option to head out on our first night drive here along nearby forest tracks. A wide range of nocturnal mammals, birds and smaller creatures may be encountered during these evening excursions.
Accommodation: Langom Research Station, 4-nights
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Days 10-12
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Exploring the Danum Valley
Over the next three days, we have plenty of time to explore this exceptionally biodiverse region. On one or two days, we visit the Danum Valley Field Centre to learn more about the conservation work and ongoing research taking place here. A network of well-maintained trails around the centre provides excellent opportunities to discover the forest and encounter its remarkable wildlife.
During our daytime walks, we explore both secondary and pristine rainforest in search of a wide range of Bornean wildlife. Possible sightings include eye-level views of orangutans, gibbons, Diard’s trogon, red-bearded bee-eater, and Bornean bristlhead along the ridge top access road.
After dinner, we head out again for night drives, hoping to encounter more of Borneo’s elusive nocturnal wildlife. The ridge top access road at Langom is considered one of the best places in Borneo to observe nocturnal arboreal mammals, and it's especially good for sightings of the elusive marbled cat.
This region supports an exceptional range of species, with potential sightings including sun bear, Western tarsier, Sunda clouded leopard, binturong, masked palm civet, Malay civet, banded civet, Bornean striped civet, lesser mouse deer, long-tailed and Bornean porcupines, Sunda skunk and an impressive seven species of flying squirrel.
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Day 13:
Transfer to Lahad Datu & Depart
This morning, we depart Langom and transfer two hours to Lahad Datu airport. From here we take a flight to Kota Kinabalu and on to Kuala Lumpur and finally connect with a flight back to the UK.
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Day 14:
Arrive UK
We arrive back into the UK early in the morning.
