Borneo Sabah Wildlife Highlights

Our tour starts today in Kota Kinabalu. The capital of Borneo's Sabah region (KK as it's affectionately known by the locals) is a cultural tapestry - its inhabitants are a mix of Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino, Indian and of course Malay. This blend of influences makes KK a foodie's dream, with fusion restaurants popping up all over town and street-food stalls serving classics like Nasi Goreng (fried rice with spices) and satay alongside curries and kimchi. For those arriving on time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for a welcome meeting. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), which is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will catch you up over breakfast on day 2. Please note that some members of your group may have booked a longer version of the tour, which includes an additional 7 days in Sarawak before the Sabah tour starts. For them, this evening marks the end of their previous journey and the beginning of their time in Sabah.

After breakfast, we'll drive to the Crocker Mountain Range (a two-and-a-half-hour journey), home to the highest mountain in Southeast Asia - Mount Kinabalu. Our destination is the small village of Tanak Nabalu where we'll share lunch with the local villagers. The people here are from the ethnic Dusan tribe, most of which now offer their services as guides and porters up to Mount Kinabalu's summit. We'll spend time learning about their ancient culture and customs over a hearty lunch of Hinava. Similar to the Peruvian dish ceviche, Hinava is a raw fish dish which originates from Sabah's Kadazan Dusun tribes. Mackerel is the traditional fish used in Sabah - it's marinated in lime and served with red chilli, ginger, shallots, Bambangan seeds, and prawns. After lunch, we'll walk through the Botanical Gardens to see exotic species of flora such as slipper orchids, a variety of pitcher plants, yellow rhododendrons and much more. Finally, we'll drive on to the town of Kundasang, our rest stop for the night.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning at the cottages before taking the road for our longest drive - approx. four to five hours. There will be stops along the way to stretch our legs and to have lunch. We aim to reach Sepilok by mid-afternoon. On arrival, we'll visit the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, one of the best places to see Borneo's most iconic - and unique-looking - primate: the proboscis monkey. The males are instantly recognisable by their large, pendulous noses, reddish flat-top hair, pot bellies, and long white tails. The females, in contrast, are smaller with upturned noses. Locals affectionately call them Orang Belanda - meaning “Dutch people“- a cheeky nod to early Dutch colonisers, who were said to bear an amusing resemblance! These monkeys live in small groups and mainly feed on fruit and leaves. While we wait for them to arrive at the feeding platform, we might also spot other wildlife such as silver leaf monkeys, squirrels and oriental pied hornbills. Overnight in Sepilok.

We have a day full of wildlife ahead of us today. This morning, we set off on foot to the Sun Bear Conservation Centre. Sun bears are the smallest bears and their survival has been threatened by decades of ongoing deforestation. In the wild, they play a key role in keeping the forest healthy. To conservation centre cares for orphaned and confiscated bears, aiming to rehabilitate them and return them to their natural habitat. We'll continue our walk to Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary. A highlight for many of Borneo's visitors, Sepilok is home to the largest of the three orang-utan rehabilitation centres in the world. Covering over 4,000 hectares of forest, the centre was established in 1964 to rehabilitate captured, injured or abandoned apes. So far about 100 'wild men of the forest' have been brought to the centre, and there has been a remarkable success rate with up to 75% having returned to the jungle. The animals are taught how to survive in their natural habitat. We'll visit the centre in time for feeding when, along with the resident apes, females who normally live in the jungle, come to supplement their diet after the birth of their young. We'll continue this afternoon with a visit to the Rainforest Discovery Centre, a fantastic educational hub located by a tranquil lake at the edge of the Sepilok Forest Reserve. Next up we go on the Plant Discovery Walk, which highlights the traditional and medicinal uses of various herbs and leaves. One of the main highlights is the impressive canopy walkway, stretching 347 metres long and reaching 87 metres high. Suspended among the treetops, it offers an excellent vantage point for birdwatching - with up to 250-300 bird species recorded in the area - and if we're lucky, we might even spot a wild orangutan. It's the perfect outdoor classroom to experience the incredible biodiversity of Borneo's rainforest. Second and final night in Sepilok.

After breakfast, we'll drive to Sukau, located along Sabah's longest river, the Kinabatangan, an overland journey of a scenic two and a half hour drive to Bilit Jetty. On arrival, we'll be welcomed with a refreshing drink and a short briefing before sitting down to enjoy lunch at the lodge's restaurant. There will be some free time to settle in before a mid-afternoon light tea, then we'll get ready for one of the highlights of the day setting out on a late afternoon river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, one of the best places in Borneo for wildlife viewing. Keep an eye out for proboscis monkeys, rare bird species, hornbills, gibbons, and with a bit of luck, even the elusive pygmy elephants. For those feeling energetic, tonight there'll be a night walk in the jungle with the chance to spot nocturnal animals like the civet cat, tarsier and slow loris as well as owls, frogs and a variety of insects.

Waking to the distant calls of gibbons and hornbills, we'll have an early breakfast before joining a morning river cruise to Kelenanap Oxbow Lake. The Kinabatangan River area is home to an incredible array of wildlife - a total of 10 primate species including proboscis monkeys, langur monkeys, gibbons and macaques are all common here. With some luck, we might even spot an orangutan in the wild. The area is also known for pygmy elephants, Malay sun bears, clouded leopards and crocodiles. Birdlife is just as prolific, with all eight species of hornbill present, not to mention kingfishers, ospreys, storks and eagles. We have another river cruise this afternoon to spot more of Borneo's varied wildlife with the help of our tour leader. After dinner this evening, we'll also have an optional night cruise. This is an excellent opportunity to see the water lit up by fluorescent light, with the chance to see the shine of a pair of eyes staring back at us.

We head deeper into the rainforest today on our drive to the Reserve of Tabin (a three-and-a-half-hour drive). On route, we'll see many reminders of man's interference with nature. Much of the route to the conservation area has been deforested and replaced with vast swathes of palm oil plantations. Malaysian Borneo and Indonesia account for over 90% of the world's production of palm oil, and the drive today gives us first-hand experience of the problem it causes by displacing endemic and endangered wildlife and flora. Our tour leader will add some extra insight into the palm oil industry, a complex issue that isn't pleasant to witness but is a reality in modern-day Borneo. Fortunately, the Tabin Wildlife Reserve has long been kept as a conservation area, meaning the rainforest here has remained entirely intact. The Tabin Wildlife Reserve was created in 1984 to preserve some of Sabah's most endangered species and, covering an area of some 122,000 hectares, it's the largest in Malaysia. Tabin is home to the Sunda Clouded Leopard and the Borneo Elephant, as well as seven of Sabah's primates and a huge array of bird species. In the afternoon we head out for our first walk, along the Elephant trail to the Lipad Mud Volcano. This small active volcano provides a mineral salt lick and thus attracts a multitude of wildlife which we hope to spot. A variety of animal footprints are usually visible across the mud, and the adventurous can try out the effects of the mud which is said to be excellent for skin care. Our accommodation for the next two nights is the Tabin Wildlife Resort, a charming collection of wooden chalets built on stilts that look out over the river and surrounding hills. The chalets are comfortably appointed with en-suite facilities and a ceiling fan, and the resort also has a restaurant and bar.

We rise early this morning amongst the birdsong and gibbon calls to travel to the core of the reserve, climbing the observation tower to discover some of Tabin's near 300 species of birds. Here, we hope to spot species such as the Bronzed Drongo, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot and Purple-throated Sunbird, to name but a few. We'll continue on foot, through the lush steamy rainforest to Lipad Waterfall, where it's possible to take a dip in the natural pools and brave a shower under the falls. In the afternoon, you're free to relax in the natural surroundings, or perhaps try out the Tabin Rainforest Foot Soak - a mixture comprised of a natural blend of local herbs to ease those weary feet. After dinner, there will be the option to head out on a night walk. Keep an ear and eye out for some of the nocturnal wildlife found near the resort.

This morning, we have our final chance to spot some of Tabin's wildlife on a nature walk. At lunchtime, we'll drive to the bustling town of Sandakan. Formerly named Elopura, it's the second-largest town in Sabah and it boasts a reputation for some of the region's most fresh and delicious seafood. We'll check-in for our final night in Sabah.

Our trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Sandakan. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Sandakan at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Sandakan Airport (SDK), which is a 20-minute drive from the hotel.