Borneo Wildlife Adventure 8 Days – Sabah & Sarawak

Tour Overview

Experience the incredible wildlife and natural beauty of Malaysian Borneo on this 8-day adventure, from the vibrant city of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah to the stunning Mount Kinabalu, the famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, the wildlife-rich Kinabatangan River, the world-class diving of Sipadan, and the beautiful rainforests and caves of Sarawak including the famous Mulu Caves. Borneo is the third-largest island in the world and is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) is famous for its incredible biodiversity, its lush rainforests, its iconic wildlife including orangutans, pygmy elephants, rhinoceroses, and various other species, its stunning mountains including Mount Kinabalu (the highest mountain in Southeast Asia), its beautiful coral reefs including Sipadan (one of the best diving destinations in the world), and its fascinating indigenous cultures.

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah)

Arrive at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia). Transfer to your hotel. Explore Kota Kinabalu (KK), the capital of Sabah, a vibrant coastal city with its beautiful waterfront, its bustling markets, its delicious seafood, and its stunning views of the South China Sea and the nearby islands. Visit the Kota Kinabalu Waterfront (a beautiful waterfront promenade with its restaurants, bars, and beautiful sea views). Visit the Gaya Street (the famous Sunday market and street in the Chinatown of Kota Kinabalu, with its bustling market, its delicious food, and its vibrant atmosphere). Visit the Sabah State Mosque (a beautiful modern mosque with its stunning architecture and its beautiful setting by the sea). Visit the Signal Hill Observatory (a beautiful viewpoint with its stunning panoramic views of Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding area). Visit the nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (a group of five beautiful islands just off the coast of Kota Kinabalu, with their stunning beaches, crystal-clear water, beautiful coral reefs, and abundant marine life, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and diving). Take a boat to one of the islands (such as Manukan Island, Sapi Island, or Mamutik Island) and enjoy the beautiful beaches and snorkeling. Evening welcome dinner with fresh seafood and Sabah cuisine (Sabah is famous for its fresh seafood, its delicious grilled fish, and its various local dishes). Overnight in Kota Kinabalu.

Day 2: Mount Kinabalu & Poring Hot Springs

Morning drive from Kota Kinabalu to the Kinabalu Park (approximately 2 hours), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to Mount Kinabalu (the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, at 4,095 meters, a stunning granite peak with its beautiful alpine scenery and its unique biodiversity). Visit the Kinabalu Park headquarters, explore the beautiful rainforest trails, and learn about the unique flora and fauna of the park (including the famous Rafflesia flower, the largest flower in the world, which can be found in the park). Visit the Mountain Garden (a beautiful botanical garden with its collection of alpine plants and flowers from Mount Kinabalu). After lunch, visit the Poring Hot Springs (a beautiful hot spring area in the rainforest, with its natural hot springs, its beautiful canopy walkway (a suspension bridge through the rainforest canopy), its beautiful waterfalls, and its lush rainforest setting). Soak in the natural hot springs, walk across the canopy walkway, visit the beautiful waterfalls, and enjoy the beautiful rainforest scenery. Visit the nearby Kipungit Waterfall and the Laganan Waterfall. Evening return to Kota Kinabalu or stay near the Kinabalu Park. Dinner with Sabah cuisine. Overnight in Kota Kinabalu or near Kinabalu Park.

Day 3: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation & Sandakan

Morning take a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan (approximately 45 minutes), a city on the east coast of Sabah, famous as the gateway to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Kinabatangan River. Upon arrival, visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (one of the most famous orangutan rehabilitation centers in the world, founded in 1964, dedicated to the rehabilitation and conservation of orphaned and injured orangutans, with its beautiful rainforest setting and its famous feeding platforms where you can see the orangutans up close). Watch the orangutan feeding (the orangutans come to the feeding platforms twice a day to be fed milk and bananas, and you can watch them from the viewing platforms, seeing these incredible primates up close in their natural habitat). Visit the Sepilok Orangutan Discovery Centre (with its excellent exhibits on orangutans, their habitat, and the conservation efforts). Walk through the beautiful rainforest trails and look for other wildlife including various species of birds, monitor lizards, and other animals. After lunch, visit the nearby Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (a beautiful conservation center dedicated to the conservation and rehabilitation of the Bornean sun bear (the smallest bear in the world), with its beautiful forest enclosures and its educational exhibits). Visit the sun bears and learn about their conservation. Visit the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre (a beautiful education center with its canopy walkway, its beautiful rainforest trails, and its excellent exhibits on the rainforest ecosystem). Evening dinner with Sabah cuisine. Overnight in Sepilok or Sandakan.

Day 4: Kinabatangan River Wildlife Cruise

Morning drive from Sepilok to the Kinabatangan River (approximately 2 hours), the second-longest river in Malaysia, famous for its incredible wildlife, its lush rainforest, and its beautiful river scenery. The Kinabatangan River is one of the best places in the world to see wildlife in Borneo, with its high concentration of wildlife including orangutans, pygmy elephants, rhinoceroses (rare), proboscis monkeys (endemic to Borneo, with their distinctive long noses and pot bellies), macaques, langurs, hornbills, crocodiles, and various other species. Upon arrival, check into your riverside lodge or resort. After lunch, take an afternoon river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, looking for wildlife along the riverbanks. Look for proboscis monkeys (often seen sitting in the trees along the riverbanks), macaques, langurs, orangutans (sometimes seen in the trees), hornbills (including the famous rhinoceros hornbill and the great hornbill), crocodiles (often seen basking on the riverbanks), monitor lizards, and various other species of wildlife and birds. Enjoy the beautiful river scenery and the lush rainforest. In the evening, take a night river cruise (a unique experience to look for nocturnal wildlife including crocodiles (their eyes glow in the spotlight), various species of nocturnal birds, and possibly other nocturnal animals). Enjoy the beautiful night scenery on the river. Evening dinner at the lodge. Overnight at the Kinabatangan River lodge.

Day 5: Kinabatangan River to Sipadan (Semporna)

Morning take an early morning river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, looking for wildlife in the early morning light (the early morning is one of the best times to see wildlife, as the animals are active and the light is beautiful). Look for more wildlife including proboscis monkeys, orangutans, pygmy elephants (sometimes seen along the riverbanks), hornbills, and various other species. After breakfast, drive from the Kinabatangan River to Sandakan (approximately 2 hours), and then take a flight from Sandakan to Tawau (approximately 45 minutes), and then drive to Semporna (approximately 1.5 hours), the gateway to the famous Sipadan Island and the beautiful diving and snorkeling areas of the Celebes Sea. Upon arrival in Semporna, check into your hotel or resort. Explore Semporna, a small coastal town with its beautiful sea views, its bustling fish market, and its vibrant atmosphere. Visit the nearby islands for a snorkeling trip (if time permits), visiting the beautiful coral reefs around Semporna (including the famous Mabul Island and Kapalai Island, known for their beautiful coral reefs and abundant marine life). Evening dinner with fresh seafood and Sabah cuisine. Overnight in Semporna.

Day 6: Sipadan Diving & Snorkeling

Full day diving or snorkeling at the famous Sipadan Island (one of the best diving destinations in the world, a small oceanic island in the Celebes Sea, famous for its stunning coral reefs, its incredible marine life, its steep walls covered in coral, and its abundant pelagic species including sharks (including hammerhead sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and grey reef sharks), rays (including manta rays and eagle rays), sea turtles (green turtles and hawksbill turtles, often seen in large numbers), barracudas, jacks, and various other species. Sipadan is a protected marine park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the number of divers is limited to preserve the fragile ecosystem). Take a boat from Semporna to Sipadan (approximately 1 hour), and spend the day diving or snorkeling at the various beautiful sites around Sipadan. Visit the famous dive sites including Barracuda Point (famous for its huge schools of barracudas and jacks, and the occasional shark or ray), Turtle Cavern (a beautiful cave with its resident sea turtles), the Drop-off (a stunning wall dive with its abundant marine life), and the various other beautiful sites. Snorkel or dive at the beautiful coral reefs, see the abundant marine life including sea turtles, sharks, rays, and various species of tropical fish, and enjoy the crystal-clear water and the beautiful coral reefs. Evening return to Semporna. Dinner with fresh seafood. Overnight in Semporna.

Day 7: Semporna to Kuching (Sarawak) & Semenggoh

Morning take a flight from Tawau (via Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur) to Kuching (Sarawak, approximately 3-4 hours with connections), the capital of Sarawak, a beautiful city on the Sarawak River, famous for its beautiful waterfront, its rich multicultural heritage, its delicious food, and its proximity to the beautiful rainforests and wildlife of Sarawak. Upon arrival, check into your hotel. Explore Kuching: visit the Kuching Waterfront (a beautiful waterfront promenade along the Sarawak River, with its beautiful views, its restaurants, bars, and its vibrant atmosphere). Take a river cruise along the Sarawak River, enjoying the beautiful views of the city and the surrounding area. Visit the various temples, mosques, and churches in Kuching, including the beautiful Tua Pek Kong Temple (the oldest Chinese temple in Kuching), the beautiful mosques, and the various other religious sites. Visit the Sarawak Museum (one of the oldest museums in Southeast Asia, with its excellent collection of artifacts and exhibits on the history, culture, and natural heritage of Sarawak, including the famous collection of indigenous artifacts and the natural history exhibits). After lunch, visit the Semenggoh Nature Reserve (a beautiful nature reserve just outside Kuching, famous for its orangutan rehabilitation program and its semi-wild orangutans that live in the reserve. Visit the orangutan feeding (the orangutans come to the feeding platform to be fed, and you can watch them from the viewing platform, seeing these incredible primates up close in their natural habitat). Walk through the beautiful rainforest trails and look for other wildlife including various species of birds, squirrels, and other animals. Evening dinner with Sarawak cuisine (Sarawak is famous for its delicious food including Sarawak laksa, kolo mee, and various other local dishes). Overnight in Kuching.

Day 8: Mulu Caves & Departure

Morning take a flight from Kuching to Miri (approximately 1 hour), and then take a small plane from Miri to Mulu (approximately 30 minutes), the gateway to the famous Gunung Mulu National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its incredible limestone caves, its beautiful rainforest, its unique biodiversity, and its stunning karst landscape. Gunung Mulu National Park is home to some of the largest and most spectacular caves in the world, including the Sarawak Chamber (the largest underground chamber in the world, capable of holding 40 Boeing 747s), the Deer Cave (the largest cave passage in the world, with its huge opening and its famous bat exodus), the Lang’s Cave, the Clearwater Cave (one of the longest caves in Asia), and the various other caves). Upon arrival, visit the famous caves: visit the Deer Cave (the largest cave passage in the world, with its huge opening and its beautiful interior, famous for its bat exodus in the evening, when millions of bats fly out of the cave in a spectacular swirling column). Visit the Lang’s Cave (a beautiful cave with its stunning stalactites and stalagmites, and its unique rock formations). Visit the Clearwater Cave (one of the longest caves in Asia, with its beautiful underground river and its stunning crystal-clear water). Visit the Wind Cave (a beautiful cave with its stunning stalactites and stalagmites, and its beautiful rock formations). Visit the various other caves and attractions in the park. Walk through the beautiful rainforest trails and look for wildlife including various species of birds, monkeys, and other animals. Visit the famous Mulu Canopy Skywalk (a beautiful canopy walkway through the rainforest canopy, with its stunning views of the rainforest and the surrounding area). In the evening, watch the famous bat exodus from the Deer Cave (a spectacular natural phenomenon, when millions of bats fly out of the cave in a huge swirling column at sunset, a truly unforgettable experience). After the bat exodus, take a flight from Mulu back to Miri, and then connect to your onward flight (to Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu) for your departure. Concluding your 8-day Malaysian Borneo wildlife adventure of rainforest, orangutans, and diving.

What’s Included

• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Driver
• Fuel Cost, Parking Fee, Toll Fee
• Accommodation in selected hotels
• Daily breakfast

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses