11-Day Wild Encounters of Borneo with Kuching - Small Group 2027

Tour Code 383-21097 Language English
From
US$4795
¥32356
€4162
C$6722
Rs.456693

Highlights

Explore Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia, on a Borneo journey that brings you closer to rainforest wildlife, river life, island shores and local communities. See orangutans in two conservation settings, look for proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park and cruise the Kinabatangan River by day and after dark. You’ll taste coffee with the Dusun community, stay deep in protected wetlands and continue to Kuching for local food, riverfront views and a warm welcome into Bidayuh village life.
  • Discover Sandakan, Sepilok, Kinabatangan, Kundasang and Kota Kinabalu
  • Visit orangutan and sun bear sanctuaries, the Kinabatangan River, rainforest canopy walkways, Mount Kinabalu foothills and Ara Dinawan Island
  • Explore Kuching and Bako National Park
  • Visit Agnes Keith House and the Dusan community
  • Sepilok: See conservation in action at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, where orphaned orangutans and those once kept as pets are cared for as they learn to return to the wild. Watch them feed on fruit and swing through the trees, then view the nursery where young orangutans practise the survival skills they need in the rainforest. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.
  • Sepilok: Meet the world’s smallest bear at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, guided by founder and CEO Dr Wong. Learn how his team rescues and cares for sun bears threatened by habitat loss and the illegal pet trade, and see how each bear is given space to climb, forage and behave more naturally.
  • Sepilok: Explore the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve from suspension bridges and a 147-meter canopy walkway, with the rainforest rising around you. Look across the treetops, watch for rare birds and see the scale of Borneo’s lowland forest from above, where every sound, branch and movement draws you further into this protected habitat.
  • Kinabatangan River: Glide along the Kinabatangan River with your guide helping you scan the banks, branches and shallows for Borneo’s Big Five: orangutan, proboscis monkey, pygmy elephant, rhinoceros hornbill and crocodile. From the water, you’ll see why this river is one of Sabah’s great wildlife corridors, linking rainforest, wetlands and mangrove habitats.
  • Kinabatangan River: See the Kinabatangan after dark, when the river feels completely different. With your guide, scan the banks and branches for civets, flying foxes, palm civets and owls, using the boat’s quiet pace to pick up small movements, eye shine and the sounds that carry across the water after sunset.
  • Sandakan: Step inside Agnes Keith House, the restored hilltop home of the American writer who wrote about life in North Borneo before and after the Second World War. Through its rooms, photographs and gardens, you’ll see Sandakan’s past through one family’s experience of this former British North Borneo capital.
  • Sandakan: Sit down to lunch at the English Tea House, set beside Agnes Keith House on a hill above Sandakan. Expect colonial-style surroundings, garden views and a menu that nods to the city’s British North Borneo past, with familiar tea house favorites served in one of Sandakan’s best-known dining spots.
  • At the Everything Pineapple Project, see how local pineapple is turned into handmade jams, chutneys and juices. Browse the products, taste the sweet and sharp flavors and learn how this small project uses a crop grown across Sabah in ways that support local makers.
  • Kota Kinabalu: Get to know Kota Kinabalu through the places that shape Sabah’s capital. Visit the city mosque, pass the Atkinson Clock Tower and stop at a local market, seeing how coastal life, faith, trade and daily routines sit side by side in one of Borneo’s busiest cities.
  • Ara Dinawan Island: Enjoy time away from the city on a small stretch of Sabah’s coast known for clear shallows and coral close to shore. Take the pace you want here, from quiet beach time to optional activities on the water, with space to enjoy the island without feeling rushed.
  • Ara Dinawan Island: Enjoy a private beach barbecue lunch on Ara Dinawan Island, with grilled seafood, chicken, fresh salads, tropical fruit and cold drinks served close to the water. After time on the beach or in the sea, sit down with your fellow travelers and enjoy what’s been cooked over the grill.
  • Kuching: Explore Kuching with your Travel Director, walking through a city shaped by river trade, Malay, Chinese and colonial influences. See the cat statue and cat fountain, visit a Chinese temple, follow the river promenade and view the mosque before sitting down to Sarawak laksa, a local favorite made with noodles, coconut, spices and fresh herbs.
  • Bako National Park: Explore Sarawak’s oldest national park and one of the best places to see Borneo’s habitats packed into a small area. Your guide will help you understand how rainforest, mangroves, cliffs and beaches support different species, from long-nosed proboscis monkeys to plants that survive in poor coastal soil.
  • Semenggoh: See rehabilitated orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Conservation Center, where those once orphaned or rescued are released into the surrounding forest. You’ll watch for them moving through the trees and feeding nearby, while learning how the center gives orangutans space to live more freely in their natural environment.
  • Visit a Bidayuh longhouse and meet a community whose traditions are tied to shared living, food and family life. Sit down to a home-cooked lunch, see a community dance and explore the longhouse, learning how its spaces bring generations together under one roof.
  • Kinabatangan River: Reach Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort by boat, passing fishing villages before entering the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands, Sabah’s first RAMSAR site and Malaysia’s largest. Set among ancient mangrove trees, the timber-built resort places you deep in a protected wetland, reached on foot through groves of nipah palms.
  • Sandakan: Follow Sandakan’s streets with your Travel Director and taste the flavors locals know well. Try roti kosong, a plain flatbread often served with curry, kueh, colorful bite-sized cakes or sweets and teh tarik, Malaysia’s pulled milk tea known for its frothy top.
  • Try playing Sarawakian instruments with members of the Bidayuh community guiding you. Hear how the rhythms support local dance and celebration, then have a go yourself as your hosts show you how the instruments are held, played and used in community life.
  • Mount Kinabalu: Meet the Dusun community in Kiau Village, where coffee growing supports local families in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu. Fresh coffee gives you your first taste of the village before you sit down to a home-cooked lunch with your hosts, hearing how farming, food and daily life are connected here.

Dates & Prices

Price in USD (per person, based on double occupancy)

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Itinerary

Includes & Excludes

Price Includes

  • 7 Dinner (D)
  • 10 Breakfast (B)
  • 8 Lunch (L)
  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • Must-see sightseeing
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • Optional Experiences and free time

Additional Notes

  • DAY 1: Complimentary arrival transfers from Sandakan Airport (SDK) depart at 14:00 and 18:00 on the first day of the tour. We recommend flights to arrive 2 hours prior to the last complimentary transfer time. Flights to arrive prior to 16:00.
  • DAY 11: Complimentary departure transfers arrive at Kuching International Airport (KCH) on the last day of the tour at 08:00 and 14:00. We recommend flights to depart 3 hours after the first transfer arrival time at the airport. Flights to depart after 11:00.
  • ENTRY INTO MALAYSIA: All guests entering Malaysia must submit their Malaysian Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) a minimum of 3 days before arriving. Note that first-time visitors will not be able to use the auto-gates as their passports need to be verified at the counter manned by Immigration personnel. These visitors will be able to use the auto-gates upon arrival and departure for subsequent visits.
  • MOTORCOACH NOTE: Various vehicles without onboard washrooms are used, depending on the group size; however, the Travel Director will arrange regular comfort stops during longer journeys to ensure guests' comfort.
  • LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE: Each guest is permitted one bag with maximum dimensions of 58 linear inches (147 cm), the total of length, width, and height - and a weight not exceeding 44 lbs (20 kg). Guests may also bring one personal item, such as a purse, backpack, or similarly sized item that fits comfortably under the seat in front of them or the overhead compartment weighing no more than 15 lbs (7kg).
  • RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST: Insect repellent, raincoat, good walking shoes, sunscreen, sun hat, binoculars, flashlight, swim wear, sandals, personal toiletries, and extra light cotton clothing.
  • SMALL GROUP SERIES: This trip is featuring exclusively small-group departures, operating with a maximum of 18 guests for the entire series.
  • GROUND HANDLER: This trip is operated by Intrepid.

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From
US$4795
¥32356
€4162
C$6722
Rs.456693
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