SAVE NOW: Tour the Rivers & Rainforests of Borneo
If you're looking for an unforgettable wildlife holiday, look no further than this river and rainforest adventure.
Discover the cultures that have influenced two of the island’s cities, breathe in the thick, humid forests and spy a variety of wildlife. Explore gardens of exotic flowers and climb into ancient tree canopies. Search for proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants as we leisurely cruise remote rivers. Discover how passionate preservationists are caring for the orang-utan and the world’s smallest bear.
- 23 meals - 10 breakfasts 7 lunches 6 dinners
- Accommodation - 10 nights in hotels
- Local Tour Manager
- 14 Excursions & visits
- Included drinks 6-9pm in Kinabalu National Park; glass of wine with the final group dinner
Your fare excludes:
- Airfares & Insurance
Day 1 - Kota Kinabalu - Join your tour group at the hotel.
Day 2 - Kota Kinabalu - A tour takes us through a city of old-world charm and modern hopes, friendly locals and a fine food scene ranging from street food to a revolving restaurant. The city mosque is a resplendent masterpiece large enough to hold 12,000 worshippers. The Sabah State Museum offers insight into the city’s rich history and modern art, while a stop at a handicraft market and bazaar shows the working life of the city.
Excursions & visits: City tour of Kota Kinabalu (morning)
Day 3 - Kinabalu National Park - We drive along the ridges of the Crocker Range to Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO-protected area of tropical lowland and hillside rainforest dominated by Mount Kinabalu. It has an exceptionally rich variety of plants, including over a thousand species of orchid. The majority of Borneo’s mammals, birds, amphibians and invertebrates (many threatened and vulnerable) can be found here too. We make our way along the mountain’s garden trails with naturalist guides, which showcase the diversity of plant life here. We’ll also visit a handicraft market, before arriving at our hotel for two nights - within the national park, in the heart of the action.
Excursions & visits: Visit Kinabalu National Park (morning)
Day 4 - Kinabalu National Park - The Poring Hot Springs are an excellent place to view lowland birds and some mammals. Those with a head for heights and nature will love the Canopy Walkway, taking you 43m up into the treetops, where around 75% of rainforest animals spend their time. We then stroll around the Butterfly Garden, an excellent place to watch for beautifully coloured butterflies, birds, and maybe even a flying lizard! We proceed to the Kundasang War Memorial Park, dedicated to the British and Australian prisoners of war who perished on the Sandakan Marches during World War II. We’ll complete our day at Kundasang Market, where local farms sell their produce, including fruits unknown to the British table.
Excursions & visits: Visit the Canopy Walk and Butterfly Farm at Poring Hot Springs (morning)
Visit Kundasang War Memorial Park and market (afternoon)
Day 5 - Kinabatangan River - Travel overland to the tiny village of Sukau on the Kinabatangan River, where we spend two nights in an authentic, basic wooden lodge deep in the Borneo jungle. The greatest concentration of wildlife in Malaysia is found in this area, including rare orang-utans, proboscis monkeys and endangered birds, pygmy elephants and saltwater crocodiles. We’ll take a cruise along Menanggol River to see what we can spot, with our naturalist guide on hand for all your questions.
Excursions & visits: Cruise Kinabatangan River (all day)
Day 6 - Kinabatangan River - We have more opportunities to spot Borneo’s incredible array of wildlife as we cruise to a nearby oxbow lake this morning and along the river this afternoon. Maybe a gibbon, red or silvered leaf monkey, hornbill or Oriental darter will be on the cards today.
Excursions & visits: Cruise Kinabatangan River (all day)
Day 7 - Sandakan - The whole of today is dedicated to visiting Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, the perfect place to watch a pendulous nosed proboscis monkey leaping amongst the trees or dining on young leaves. We'll join a mangrove forest walk, offering plenty of opportunities to spot birds and wildlife, before having time to observe its fascinating proboscis monkey residents themselves - a species only found in Borneo's coastal areas. We stay in Sandakan, amidst the tropical rainforest.
Excursions & visits: Visit Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary (all day)
Day 8 - Sandakan - See orang-utans in their natural habitat at Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre was founded in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned, injured or displaced orang-utans and return them to the wild. Today nearly 80 can be observed while roaming freely in the reserve, while others are cared for in nurseries. Next is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, which rehabilitates the world’s smallest bear. These bears continue to be threatened by forest degradation and poaching. Large forest enclosures provide a natural environment while the bears prepare for the wild. Our last visit is to the Rainforest Discovery Centre to learn of the tropical flora and fauna which attracts an astounding 300 species of bird to the reserve, plus unique forest mammals such as flying squirrels.
Excursions & visits: Visit Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & the Rainforest Discovery Centre (all day)
Day 9 - Sandakan - Kota Kinabalu - Return to civilisation for a tour of Sandakan. Religious relics, colonial mansions and reminders of World War II dot the city, which has grown on trade. We visit the market and see the colourful interior of the magnificent Chinese Temple, before heading to Sim Sim, where the stilt houses of local tribes sit above the water. We transfer to the airport for our flight to Kota Kinabalu and our luxury property close to the tropical forest.
Excursions & visits: City tour of Sandakan (morning)
Day 10 - Kota Kinabalu
A day to relax in our luxurious resort or on the beautiful two-mile crescent beach of pale sand.
Day 11 - Kota Kinabalu
Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.
Please note: Exact itineraries may vary slightly depending on departure date - your full itinerary will be shown on your confirmation invoice.
Book by 31 July 2024 and save $1,250 per person*
Pricing for 10 September 2024 departing from Kota Kinabalu.
- From $
4,627$3,377 per person twin share* - From $
6,221$4,971 for Solo Traveller*
Additional departure dates are available for this tour between February and November 2024. Call our team today to find out more on 1300 414 198.
Our team can also assist with booking International flights and accommodation as part of your overall travel plans.
Please note: prices are subject to change without notice.
- Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel (5-star)
- Nepenthes Lodge, Mount Kinabalu National Park (3-star)
- Bukit Melapi Lodge, Kinabatangan River (2-star)
- Sabah Hotel, Sandakan (4-star)
- Shangri-La Rasa Ria Hotel, Kota Kinabalu (5-star)
Each of our tours has been given a rating from 1 to 3, with 3 being the most strenuous. It’s really important that you discuss with us your suitability for this tour prior to booking.
This tour has been classified as: Level 3 - A faster paced holiday. You’ll need a good level of fitness and mobility in order to partake in physical activities, such as longer walking tours over greater distances, which could include hikes or treks over challenging terrain and varying inclines.
Please note: This is a guide only. Please be aware that for each level you should also be comfortably able to manage the requirements set out in the lower levels. For cruising, this guide refers to the onboard experience and included excursions only.
Travel at 60 and supplier booking conditions apply.
A non-refundable deposit of $550 per person is required within 7 days.