8D7N Birding & Wildlife In Mystical Borneo Print

Kota Kinabalu / Kinabalu Park

On Day 1, you will be whooshed straight into the countryside.

After a couple of pitstops for handmade folk souvenirs and a perhaps a taste of some exotic fruits, you will arrive at Malaysia’s first ever UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as part of the Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark, Kinabalu National Park. Set at 1,500m above sea level, this 754sq kilometer park features one the tallest mountains in all of South East Asia as its center piece, Mount Kinabalu-- rising at 4.095.2m with cloud-hugging peaks that catches breaths, enchants eyes and shades valleys below. Certainly a sight to behold from Kinabalu National Park.

15:00 Hrs - 18:00 Hrs:  Birding session around the park.

Overnight in Kinabalu National Park.

Kinabalu National park

06:00 Hrs: Rise and Shine, an exciting Bird-watching session awaits at the crack of dawn! Keep an eye out for an array of montane endemics, such as the Bornean Green Magpie, Bornean Treepie, Black-sided Flowerpecker, Pale-faced Bulbul, the Orange Backed Woodpecker.

Collect a packed breakfast and proceed with your bird-watching session beginning from Timpohon Gate.

12:00 Hrs: Pause for packed Lunch.

15:30 Hrs: Continue the bird-watching activity.

Overnight stay at Kinabalu National Park.

Transfer to Sandakan / Sepilok Nature Resort

After breakfast, hit the road heading to Sandakan - the second largest town in Sabah with the greatest concentration of wildlife in all of Southeast Asia.

Check-in at Sepilok Nature Resort. Free and easy for the rest of the afternoon and optional night-walk after dinner.

Overnight stay at Sepilok Nature Resort.

Bird Watching In Rainforest Discovery Centre / Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

06:00 Hrs: Enjoy an early breakfast and proceed to the Rainforest Discovery Centre for birdwatching. Experience the canopy walk while looking for more birds, and explore some of the trails before lunch.

14:00 Hrs: Proceed to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre to witness the great arboreal ape endemic to Borneo.

Free and easy and overnight stay at Sepilok Nature Resort.

Gomatong Caves / Bilit Rainforest Lodge

Day five brings you to Sabah’s most extensive cave systems, The Gomantong Caves.

Upon arrival, gear up! A guided tour along the plank walk will unveil the intricate chamber system of Gomantong Cave, the largest bird’s nest cave in Sabah and home to millions of bats and swiflets.

About Gomantong Caves: Concealed within an enormous limestone hill, The Gomantong Cave is Sabah’s most extensive cave systems, well-renowned for bats, swiflets and scattered with prized swiflets’ nest. There are two cave complexes - Simud Hitam (Black Cave) soaring up to 90 meters high and the more accessible of the two, and Simud Putih (White Cave), where the more valuable nests are found. Simud Hitam is a five- minute walk from the registration Centre. A well-maintained boardwalk gives you easy access to do some exploring or watch the skilled harvesters at work.

Continue on an approximately 30 minute drive to one of the world’s richest ecosystems on the Lower Kinabatangan River. Arrive at Kampung Bilit, hop on a boat and cruise down the river heading to Bilit Rainforest Lodge where lunch will be served.

After settling in, the adventure continues. A wildlife river cruise awaits you for more birding action. Besides the feathered beauties, you may also be able to spot endemic Proboscis Monkeys, wild Orang Utans, leaf monkeys, gibbons and macaque, and sometimes if you are lucky, even the rare Borneo Pygmy Elephant.

Proceed for the night cruise after dinner to spot the night creatures.

Overnight at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.

Transfer to Danum Valley Borneo Rainforest Lodge

After an early breakfast, check out from Bilit Rainforest Lodge and depart on an overland drive to the district of Lahad Datu, home to the world-renowned Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley.  Lunch along the way.

About Borneo Rainforest Lodge: Snuggled within an ecosystem of unparalleled size, beauty, and diversity and wrapped by the sounds of the surrounding nature, Borneo Rainforest Lodge ushers you straight into the wilds of Borneo where you bask in luxurious comfort with an undisturbed primary rainforest literally at your doorstep—a habitat to more than 340 species of birds, 124 species of mammals and an astonishing 200 species of plants per hectare. You can also find all 7 hornbill species in Borneo in Danum Valley.

After arrival and checking in to the Lodge, spend the afternoon trekking along the birders path, with chances to spot other kinds of wildlife along the way.

Dinner at the lodge.

20:30 Hrs: Night walk in search of nocturnal animals (subject to weather conditions).

Overnight at Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

Borneo Rainforest Lodge Danum Valley

06:00 Hrs: Today you will be visiting one of the highlights of Borneo Rainforest Lodge, the Treetop Canopy Walkway, where a true sense of the expanse and beauty of the rainforest really unveils itself bare before your eyes.

The Tree Top Canopy Walkway made it to World Geography's list of World's Most Amazing Treetop Walkways, complete with multiple viewing platforms that span 300m in length and stands at 26m at the highest point, tall enough for an unobstructed up-close view of the 130 million-year-old virgin jungle’s canopy that will leave you spellbound.

Proceed back to the lodge for breakfast.

09:00 Hrs: Go on a short nature trail leading to the Viewpoint and back to the Lodge for lunch thereafter.

15:00 Hrs: After lunch, continue with the afternoon trek in search of more wildlife.

Afterwards, enjoy dinner at the lodge.

20:30 Hrs: Night Walk in search of nocturnal animals (subject to weather conditions)

Overnight at Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

Borneo Rainforest Lodge / Transfer Out / End of Tour

As the sun announces itself over the rainforest of Danum Valley, you’ll be on the trails for a morning walk to check out more wildlife that roam the jungle.

Return to the lodge for breakfast.

Free & easy to enjoy your last morning in wild Borneo.

Check-out of Borneo Rainforest Lodge after lunch and proceed to the Lahad Datu airport (2 and a half hours drive).