OVERVIEW
Highlights
๏ Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary – View rescued semi-wild orangutans as they eat at their feeding stations in the rainforest
๏ Bako National Park – Travel via boat to this unique area containing almost every type of vegetation found in Borneo; the plant life is beautiful, the wildlife abundant and there is a great chance of seeing the endemic and endangered Proboscis monkeys
๏ Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre – Home to over 30 rescued sun bears
๏ Rainforest Discovery Centre canopy walk; 28 metres above the forest floor and great for bird
watching
๏ Kinabatangan River – A wildlife hotspot within Borneo and the only other place to spot Proboscis monkeys at close range other than Bako National Park
๏ Boat cruises – Ideal for wildlife spotting and bird watching
๏ Abai village – Enjoy a local-style lunch and participate in a tree planting project
๏ Gomantong Cave – The largest birds nests cave in Sabah
๏ “Jacuzzi / Coffin Trail” – Jungle trek leading to an ancient Kadazan-Dusun burial site and lookout point.
๏ Kinabalu National Park
Overview
JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF BORNEO WITH OUR ECO & WILDLIFE ADVENTURE TOUR
The Malay Archipelago’s natural beauty and unique wildlife are so extraordinary that they inspired British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace’s theories of natural selection in the 1800s.
On our jungle adventure, we travel to the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia to the world’s third- largest island, Borneo, where jungles and rainforests dominate the landscape and life flourishes beneath the forest canopy.
With some of the world’s oldest rainforests (second only to Australia’s Daintree Rainforest), it is no surprise that this rugged island is extremely rich in biodiversity. Some 222 mammals, 420 birds, 150 reptiles, 100 amphibians and 394 fish species call the island home.
EXPLORE BORNEO’S WILDLIFE WONDERS ON A TOUR
We will also encounter Borneo’s most iconic species, the Orangutan (meaning “man of the forest” in Malay). Orangutans are highly intelligent creatures, sharing 96.4% of their genes with humans. They are also the only great ape to be found in Asia. Today, wild populations only exist in Bornean and Sumatran rainforests, so getting a glimpse of these gentle giants in their natural setting is a rare and beautiful opportunity.
We also hope to find more well-known species, including pygmy elephants, clouded leopards, rhinoceros hornbills, saltwater crocodiles, and the rare proboscis monkeys.
Borneo is also home to 15,000 plants, including pitcher plants, orchids, conifers and rhododendrons. Bird watchers, botany enthusiasts and general wildlife viewers alike will be delighted by the sheer variety of fauna and flora and the significant parts of the rainforest that remain intact despite pressures from deforestation in recent decades.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrive in Kuching | Upon arrival in Kuching, you will be transferred to the hotel to meet your Coates Tour Leader and fellow tour companions. This afternoon is free for you to relax and recuperate from your flight, and tonight, we will enjoy a welcome dinner as a group at the hotel restaurant (earliest check-in at 3.00 pm). Accommodation: Kuching Hilton D |
| Day 2 | Kuchinga - Bako National Park - Kuching | After breakfast, we will be picked up from the hotel (between 7.50 am and 8.10 am). Bako National Park is situated on a peninsula on the coast, and the departure point for trips to the park is Bako village, 35 minutes drive from Kuching. We will proceed by boat from the village for approximately 25 minutes to the park headquarters. En route, we hope to see crocodiles, sea eagles and other shore birds. Arrive at the park HQ and begin exploring the trails and searching for wildlife. Return to Kuching mid-afternoon. Accommodation: Kuching Hilton BL |
| Day 3 | Kuching - Kota Kota Kinabalu | After breakfast, transfer to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. It is located 24 kilometres from the centre of Kuching. The Semenggoh Wildlife Centre provides an excellent opportunity to view semi-wild orangutans in a natural setting. This orangutan rehabilitation centre receives orphaned or rescued orangutans and trains them to survive in the wild. Over 20 orangutans live in the forest within the nature reserve and often return to the centre for supplemental feeding. The feeding area is set in a natural amphitheatre where it is possible to observe the orangutans coming down from the surrounding forest for the food provided. The rangers give a briefing on the purpose of the centre and the conservation objectives. Return to hotel. The afternoon is free until we are transferred to the airport at around 3.30 for our 6.05 pm direct flight to Kota Kinabalu. Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel Kinabalu BD |
| Day 4 | Kota Kinabalu - Kinabalu National Park - Kota Kinabalu | An early start this morning for a 2-hour (90 km) journey through breathtaking scenery to Kinabalu Park. A guided nature walk with a park naturalist provides an introduction to this spectacular park. The park’s botanical garden has an impressive collection of mountain flora and showcases some of the many species of plants found within the park. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and, in the afternoon, visit the National Park Gallery, providing more information on the park’s botanic diversity. We return to Kota Kinabalu in the afternoon. Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel Kinabalu BLD |
| Day 5 | Kota Kinabalu - Sandakan - My Nature Resort | This morning, we will be transferred to the airport for your 10.00 am flight to Sandakan. We then travel to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) for a tour and a private briefing by the Founder. This centre rescues captured sun bears and is involved in sun bear conservation, welfare rehabilitation and education. Over 30 sun bears live at the centre in the bear house and outdoor enclosures. We then proceed to the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), an education centre within the Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Upon arrival at the RDC, we look in the visitor information centre before walking to the centre’s 147- metre-long canopy walkway, up to 28 metres above the forest floor. This walkway offers a unique way of seeing Sabah’s rainforest from an elevated viewpoint and is an excellent place for bird-watching. Over 250 species of birds are found here. We then transfer to MY Nature Resort for check-in around 5:30 pm. This resort is set in 25 acres of rainforest bordering the Sepilok forest reserve, a protected area rich in wildlife. Red giant flying squirrels are resident within the grounds of MY Nature Resort. They come out almost every night, but sightings are not guaranteed. Resort staff will point out which trees the squirrels sleep in and let you know when they start to come out of their hiding places. You’ll see the giant squirrels emerge from their nests and glide across the sky if lucky. Dinner tonight is at MY Nature Resort. Accommodation: MY Nature Resort BLD |
| Day 6 | My Nature Resort | This morning, we visit the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, where rescued orangutans are reintroduced into the wild. You can observe them at their feeding stations in the rainforest (the feeding session is at 10.00 am) and at the nursery if it is open. We return to My Nature Resort for lunch and the opportunity to spend the afternoon exploring the resort's surroundings and enjoying a swim in the resort's pool. Accommodation: MY Nature Resort BLD |
| Day 7 | Sepilok – Abai | After breakfast, we will depart from Sepilok to a boat jetty in Sandakan. We will then take an hour boat cruise up the Lower Kinabatangan River, passing pristine mangrove forests and searching for wildlife. The cruise will bring us to the Abai Jungle Lodge, our home for the night. We will have lunch; the afternoon is free for you to relax or explore the surrounding area on the nature boardwalk. At 4.30 pm, we go on another cruise searching for proboscis monkeys, birds, reptiles and other wildlife. As night falls, you will witness fireflies glittering on the mangrove trees. We return to the lodge for dinner and go on a guided night walk around the Lodge’s nature boardwalk in search of insects, birds and other wildlife. Accommodation: Abai Jungle Lodge BLD |
| Day 8 | Pitas Lake – Abai Village –- Menanggul | It is an early start today. At 6.30 am, you will embark on another bird-watching and wildlife-viewing boat trip at nearby Pitas Lake. We return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, we will visit the nearby village of Abai and participate in a tree-planting project. You will enjoy a local-style lunch prepared and served by the villagers. Alternatively, you may return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, we will cruise upriver to Sukau, searching for wildlife. When we arrive in Sukau, we will check in to Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge. At 4.30 pm, take another cruise up the Kinabatangan River to Menanggul River in search of more probosci monkeys, birds and other wildlife. Dinner is at the lodge tonight. Accommodation: Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge BLD |
| Day 9 | Oxbow Lake – Gamantong Cave - Menanggul River | Another early start today as we leave for our 6.30 am bird watching and wildlife viewing boat trip at nearby Ox Bow Lake, after which we return to the lodge for breakfast. Later, we visit Gomantong Cave, the largest bird nest cave in Sabah, famous for its swiftlets and edible nests. At 4.30 pm, venture on another cruise down the Menanggul River in search of wildlife. We return to the lodge at dusk, and you have the evening to spend at your leisure. Accommodation: Kinabatangan Riverside lodge BLD |
| Day 10 | Sukau – Kopel/Mescot - Lahad Datu – Borneo Rainforest Lodge | We have an early departure from Sukau this morning. Leaving the river behind us, we head to Lahad Datu, where we will be met and transferred to the Borneo Rainforest Lodge. On the way, we visit Kopel /Mescott for breakfast. A village-based co-operative of local rural people, fishermen and farmers. It was primarily set up to promote sustainable development with efforts to protect the forest habitat, wildlife and biodiversity of the Lower Kinabatangan ecology while preserving the livelihood of the local population. After breakfast, there will be a presentation about the introduction of a village Cooperative and how Eco Tourism is improving the lives of the villagers. After the presentation, we will continue onto Lahad Datu, where there will be a brief orientation on Danum at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge’s reception office. You will be briefed on Danum Valley's activities and facilities. After this, we will depart for the scheduled transfer to the lodge, arriving at around 4.00 pm. If time permits, enjoy a guided walk on a nature trail (400 m boardwalk circuit) and the 300m canopy walkway in the afternoon. In the evening, we will have dinner at the lodge, and if the weather permits, you can go for a night drive in search of nocturnal animals after. Accommodation: Borneo Rainforest Lodge BLD |
| Day 11 | Jacuzzi / Coffin Trail – Hornbill Trail | Following breakfast, depart for a trek along the “Coffin Trail” that leads to an ancient Kadazan-Dusun burial site. It’s a 3km return trip involving a 40-minute climb to a magnificent lookout point (all walks are optional). We will then return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, you can go on another jungle trek in search of wildlife, or you can opt for a relaxing tubing down the Danum River. After dinner, you can join a night walk in search of nocturnal creatures. Accommodation: Borneo Rainforest Lodge BLD |
| Day 12 | Waterfall Trail – Wildlife Trek | In the morning, hike to a beautiful waterfall, searching for wildlife. We then return to the Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy another walk in search of more wildlife. After dinner tonight, you can have a night walk or night drive (subject to space availability on the vehicles). Accommodation: Borneo Rainforest Lodge BLD |
| Day 13 | Lahad Datu – Kota Kinabalu | Today, enjoy a leisurely breakfast. The morning is then for you to spend at your leisure. After lunch, you will check out of the Lodge and depart at 12.30 pm for the scheduled transfer to Lahad Datu airport (for a flight to Kota Kinabalu). Upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu, you will be transferred to the hotel. As our journey ends this evening, we will share a farewell dinner at the hotel restaurant. Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel Kinabalu BLD |
| Day 14 | Depart Kota Kinabalu | After breakfast, you will be collected and transferred to the airport for your flight as scheduled. B |
NOTE: the above itinerary may be varied according to conditions and advice.
availability
Places available
Inclusions
- Breakfast (B), lunch (L) and dinner (D) as indicated on itinerary
- Welcome and farewell dinner
- Twin share accommodation in resorts, lodges and hotels
- Camera fees (lens less than 400MM)
- Internal domestic flights (Kuching – Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan & Lahad Datu – Kota Kinabalu)
- Australian Coates Wildlife Tours Escort
- Qualified and experienced local English-speaking naturalist guides (one per region).
- All entrance fees
- All excursions and transfers set out in the itinerary
- All tourist taxes
- Tipping
