Borneo

Weird & Wonderful Wildlife 12-Day Adventure

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1 Kota Kinabalu
Arrive Kota Kinabalu and transfer to Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort for the night

DAY 2 Sandakan – Sepilok Orang-Utan Sanctuary, Track Borneo's Unique "Gliders"
Depart in the morning to Kota Kinabalu Airport for your flight to Sandakan. Arrive at Sandakan Airport and transfer to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre before proceeding to Rainforest Discovery Centre. This will prime you for the remote aspects of your 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 3 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 4 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 5 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 6 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 7 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 8 Danum Valley
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 9 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 10 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 11 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 additional 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 12 Sipadan - Kota Kinabulu
Transfer by boat from Kapalai/Mabul to Semporna and proceed to Tawau Airport to catch a flight to Kota Kinabulu. From there you can connect to your onward international flight, or transfer to the Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort for the night (at additional cost).