Wildlife Highlights in Untamed Borneo

After a short drive, we got a speedboat to our first riverside accommodation, Abai Jungle Lodge, located on the Kinabatangan River. After settling in, it was finally time for our first river cruise safari! As we set off, the cooling wind on the boat was a welcome relief from the constant humidity we were quickly becoming accustomed to.

Within ten minutes of cruising, our boat slowed to a stop and our guide Eric pointed out a family of proboscis monkeys up in the green canopies on the river bank. As the boat drew closer and closer, their noses seemed to get larger and larger! Eric informed us that the larger the nose of the male proboscis, the more attractive they were to the females to mate with. We watched this family for a while, intrigued by their interactions with each other and their human-like mannerisms. 

On continuing our boat safari, we spotted rhinoceros hornbills, herons, egrets (lots of them!), a beautiful blue kingfisher, and a baby crocodile - definitely one checked off the bucket list! A few metres down the bank, we pulled up to an impressively-sized monitor lizard, perched on a branch overhanging the water’s edge. The short distance between us and him provided a great photo opportunity, so we snapped away as our guide teased us with stories of how lizards have jumped into the laps of unsuspecting tourists!

As dusk settled in, we pulled up next to a riverbank and enjoyed a civilised cup of tea and biscuits, and then headed home before dark. En route, we stopped at a mangrove tree encased in glistening fireflies, imitating a twinkling Christmas tree – a truly magical sight! We were greeted home with an amazing Malaysian family-style dinner, as we reflected on our first day and shared stories with fellow visitors. 

The river cruise the next morning was, little did we know, going to be the best experience yet. Amongst the great sightings was a group of long-tailed macaques who were crossing a tributary of the river using man-crafted ropes. A young macaque was attempting to crawl across the rope in the hope of following his older brothers to get to the other side. Much to our amusement, his skills were lacking in the balance department, and he swung precariously upside down and clambered awkwardly across the rope. He eventually made it across, but a few giggles were shared amongst the group.

Later, our very switched-on spotter sighted an orange blob roughly nine metres above ground level … upon closer inspection, it was definitely an orangutan! Although she was mostly hidden from view, we could see her moving around and eating foliage, so we stuck around for a while to try to catch a better glimpse of her. Our patience paid off when both mum and baby ventured out of their nest to give us an amazing view – seeing an orangutan in the wild is one of the best feelings in the world!

After a neck-aching 20-minutes of admiring this gorgeous duo, our boat was put dramatically in reverse, and we were shooting off in the other direction down the river before we could blink. Many confused looks were exchanged, however after a quick eaves-dropping of the radio call our guide made, it was made clear what we were racing towards … pygmy elephants!

The hair-raisingly fast acceleration down the river was worth it, as we were suddenly metres away from two young males wading in the shallows of the river. It really was a spectacular feeling being in the presence of these majestic animals, especially as they're the smallest elephant in the world – we really had hit the jackpot.

As if this evening couldn’t have got any better, an incredible sunset had developed in front of the boat, casting a beautiful golden hue across the river. We stopped for a cup of coffee and biscuits, and were all delighted in how lucky we were.

If you'd like to experience the breathtaking Borneo wildlife like Jess, discover our collection of Borneo trips. We offer both group trips and tailor-made holidays to suit your requirements. For more information, contact our expert wildlife team today.