Unforgettable Sabah sojourn on Borneo

Transfer from Kota Kinabalu airport to your hotel - Transfer from Kota Kinabalu airport to your hotel - Borneo traditional living tour

Day 1: Kota Kinabalu

Transfer from Kota Kinabalu airport to your hotel
Other Transfer: We will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel in Kota Kinabalu. Estimated travel time: approximately 20 minutes


Borneo traditional living tour
Excursion: This tour captures the cultural diversity of Borneo’s ethnic groups and their way of traditional living. Each tribe has found ways to adapt to living in Borneo such as cooking using bamboo, starting a fire without matches, making ropes from tree bark and using local plants to create a refreshing drink. Discover the architectural uniqueness of each tribal house as you walk through the cultural village while enjoying the serene jungle environment. Complete your Borneo experience with a live presentation of music and dance and savour traditional cuisine unique to Sabah.

Visit Kinabalu National Park

Day 2: Kinabalu National Park - Kota Kinabalu

Visit Kinabalu National Park
Excursion: Nominated by UNESCO as Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site, Kinabalu National Park is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. Owing to the extensive range of habitats from tropical lowland and lush jungle to sub-alpine forest, Borneo’s most popular national park is teeming with life. With over 4,500 identified species, the region’s sheer variety of flora and fauna is simply astounding and is home to some of the most fascinating creatures in the world. Such as those endemic to the country like the majestic Kinabalu Serpent Eagle and Borneo’s largest insectivore, the Moonrat. Kinabalu’s plant species are just as weird and wonderful as its animal inhabitants, many of which are carefully cultivated in the Mountain Garden, allowing you to get a close look at some of nature’s most beautiful plants. But don’t get too close, species include the infamous Nepenthes Rajah, the pitcher plant, renowned for being the largest carnivorous plant in the world - it's a threat to all insects and even small mammals. You’ll also find the enigmatic Paphiopedilum rothschildianum, the Gold of Kinabalu Orchid, which has delicate green petals that appear to be painted with maroon red spots and stripes, rendering it worthy of such a title. The park’s centrepiece is a 4,095m mountain towering above the dense tropical forest. Mount Kinabalu located in the north of Borneo, attracts thousands of ambitious climbers every year, all hoping to conquer the rocky terrain of Malaysia’s highest mountain. For a novel perspective of the mountain’s striking exterior, experience the Mountain Torq, Asia’s first Via Feratta or ‘iron road’. This alternative climb is designed for the adventurous, with a route following tightrope walks and swinging planks that bring an extra adrenaline rush to the trek and reveal the immense beauty of the mountain plateau. What to bring: Raincoat, insect repellent, water bottle.

Transfer from Kota Kinabalu to the airport - Transfer from Kota Kinabalu to the airport - Domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan

Day 3: Sepilok - Kinabatangan River

Transfer from Kota Kinabalu to the airport
Other Transfer: We will pick you up from your hotel and ensure you make your flight in good time. Estimated travel time: approximately 30 minutes.


Domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan
Scheduled flight Transfer: You will be transferred via a short flight from Kota Kinabalu airport (BKI) to Sandakan airport (SDK). Estimated travel time: 45 minutes


Transfer from Sandakan airport to Sepilok Orang Utan Centre
Car Transfer: Once you have arrived at Sandakan airport, we will meet you and drive you to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, whose orangutan sanctuary has gained worldwide reputation for its conversation work. Estimated travel time: approximately 30 minutes.


Visit Sepilok Orangutan Centre
Excursion: The dedicated staff of the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre care for young, orphaned orangutans, as well as a number of other endangered species. With Malaysia as the world’s largest exporter of palm oil, deforestation has had a huge impact on the natural habitat of its wildlife - but particularly this orange-furred primate, the closest living relative to humans. However, the creation of the Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve, where the sanctuary is located, has largely helped mitigate the repercussions. Now, 60 to 80 orangutans roam freely in the reserve. At this centre, regarded as an important tool in educating both locals and tourists, you can observe man’s closest relative, the Orangutan, being rehabilitated to become wild in their natural habitat. When you arrive, you will proceed to the free roaming area to watch the 10.00 a.m. feeding of the young primates. Then, experience a walk in the Tropical Lowland Dipterocarp Forest of Borneo and absorb the sights, sounds and smell of the lush jungle. You can then visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre and get close to the world’s smallest bear by observing it in its beautifully restored natural forest habitat.


Transfer from Sepilok to the Kinabatangan River
Boat Transfer: Leaving Sepilok you will be transferred to the jetty at Sandakan. From here, you will enjoy a cruise upriver to the Lower Kinabatangan River Sanctuary. Estimated travel time - 1 hour.


The Kinabatangan River
Excursion: The Kinabatangan River begins its life as the second longest river in Malaysia high in the hills of southwest Sabah, before wending its way east to its mouth in the Sulu Sea, nearly 600km away. While excessive logging has seriously affected the ecology of its upper reaches, the lower Kinabatangan has been left alone and has become a verdant oasis, providing sanctuary for some of the world’s most remarkable wildlife. As you cruise up river to Sukau village unique habitats begin to reveal their natural wonders. Saltwater crocodiles dwell in the muddy waters of the mangrove swamps while the river’s depths are home to the endemic Borneo river shark. In the surviving lowland forests, native Proboscis monkeys leap between branches while in the trees sits a more placid primate, the renowned Bornean orangutan. The river itself offers a refreshing bath for beautiful Asian elephants and the floodplain, a declared protected area, hosts a vibrant array of bird species. Look out for a flash of orange amidst the green canopy, alerting you to the presence of one of the largest and most beautiful birds in Asia, the Rhinoceros Hornbill, whose distinctive beak is a marvel of nature. Historically, the Kinabatangan river has been renowned for its rare treasures. For centuries the red and white nests constructed out of the saliva of swiftlets have been harvested from the intricate system of limestone caves hidden deep within Gomatong hill. The nests have been used in Chinese cuisine for over 400 hundred years, most famously in bird’s nest soup, and are valued for their exquisite flavour and health benefits. In the late afternoon you will once again take to the water to explore the Menanggul River, a small tributary of the Kinabatangan. There is a nearby oxbow lake which is also good for spotting wildlife. Following this final exploration you will return to the lodge for dinner.

Transfer from Sukau to Danum Valley via Lahad Datu - Transfer from Sukau to Danum Valley via Lahad Datu - In Danum Valley for the afternoon

Day 4: Danum Valley

Transfer from Sukau to Danum Valley via Lahad Datu
Car Transfer: You will be transferred overland to Lahad Datu, a small coastal town that offers a welcome break for travellers on their journey into the Danum Valley. You will then be driven deep into the dense rainforest where you will finally reach the Borneo Rainforest Lodge overlooking the Danum river - your accommodation for the night. Estimated travel time: 4 hours 30 minutes


In Danum Valley for the afternoon
Excursion: The Danum Valley, carefully maintained and almost entirely untouched by modern civilization, is recognised as being one of the most complex ecosystems in the world. The tangle of tropical jungle flora and canopy of towering trees provide a home for a variety of beautiful, endangered species, including banteng, Asian elephant, clouded leopard, orangutan and proboscis monkey. In the afternoon, you have the chance to spot some of this rare wildlife as you walk the Nature Trail. Then, admire the breathtaking views of the forest from above and proceed to the Canopy Walkway, which allows you explore the wild rainforest from magnificent treetops, giving you an awesome new perspective of this unique habitat. In the evening, if weather permits, experience a night safari in an open-air truck, offering you a window into the secretive world of Borneo’s nocturnal animals.

In Danum Valley for a full day

Day 5: Danum Valley

In Danum Valley for a full day
Excursion: Enjoy the cool air beneath the green canopy as you are led on a guided trek through the jungle, gibbon calls echoing between the trees. Follow the trail upwards to Coffin Cliff, where the remains of an ancient Kadazandusun burial site are found. There you can examine the strange limestone wall riddled with caves, tombs of the ancient Sugpan tribe that once considered the elevated ground a sacred space. They believed that the higher you were buried, the closer you were to heaven. Continue to trek upward to the viewpoint for a bird’s eye view of the Danum Valley and marvel at the expansive vista of Borneo lowland rainforest. Afterwards, make your way down to the Jacuzzi pool for a refreshing dip in the crisp water. There is also the option of water tubing for an hour in the Danum River or trekking along the Segama River. In the evening, if weather permits, enjoy a night walk around the lodge in search of nocturnal animals.

Transfer from Danum Valley to Lahad Datu for flight to Kota Kinabalu - Transfer from Danum Valley to Lahad Datu for flight to Kota Kinabalu - Domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan

Day 6: Gaya Island

Transfer from Danum Valley to Lahad Datu for flight to Kota Kinabalu
Scheduled flight Transfer: Transfer from Borneo Rainforest Lodge to Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) for your flight to Kota Kinabalu. Estimated travel time: approximately 3 hours


Domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan
Scheduled flight Transfer: You will be transferred via a short flight from Kota Kinabalu airport (BKI) to Sandakan airport (SDK). Estimated travel time: 45 minutes


Transfer from Kota Kinabalu to Gaya Island by boat
Boat Transfer: Upon arrival Kota Kinabalu Airport, you will be transferred to Jesselton Wharf Point Jetty for a short boat ride to Gaya Island Resort

At leisure on Gaya Island

Day 7: Gaya Island

At leisure on Gaya Island
Excursion: As the largest island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park Gaya Island is a biodiverse paradise of jungle and marine life. Despite the rich and varied wildlife a supreme effort is being made to improve marine conservation, with special attention given to the island’s fragile turtle population. All activities are carefully created and regulated so that visitors can enjoy all of the island’s natural treasures while remaining in harmony with its animal residents. Afternoons are the hottest part of the day on Gaya Island, so it’s best to get your exploring done during the cooler hours of the morning. Trek through virgin forest to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife, including wild boar, monitor lizards and if you’re lucky some macaque monkeys. A jungle tour with one of the resident naturalists is an educational and engaging experience. In the afternoon, cool off by following one of the designated snorkelling trails that weave in and out of the colourful coral reefs, or for a closer look at the vibrant aquatic ecosystem Gaya offers some of the finest scuba diving spots in this part of the world. In the evening enjoy a dinner of exquisite seafood at the rooftop restaurant, Fisherman’s Cove, where you can unwind as you look out over the tranquil ocean and take in the breathtaking view of Mount Kinabalu in the distance.

Transfer from Gaya Island to Kota Kinabalu by boat - Transfer from Gaya Island to Kota Kinabalu by boat - Transfer from Kota Kinabalu jetty to the airport

Day 8:

Transfer from Gaya Island to Kota Kinabalu by boat
Boat Transfer: Depart on short boat transfer from Gaya Island Resort to Jesselton Point Wharf Jetty. Estimated travel time: 3 hours


Transfer from Kota Kinabalu jetty to the airport
Other Transfer: Meet at Jesselton Wharf Point Jetty to be transferred to Kota Kinabalu Airport (KKIA) in time for your departure flight.