Orangutans, Pygmy Elephants, and the Kinabatangan River
Wildlife Adventures in Borneo
Overview
From endangered orangutans to pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, and sun bears, Borneo’s wildlife is just as fascinating as its emerald rainforests. At Sepilok Forest Reserve, we’ll walk among free-roaming orangutans, watching their vine-dangling prowess. From our ecolodge on the Kinabatangan River, we boat at dawn and dusk in search of primates and pygmy elephants. In the lowland forests of Tabin, we’ll look for flying squirrels, Asian palm civets, Malayan civets, and pig-tailed macaques. Our grand finale finds us in the stunning Danum Valley, with its incredible endemic animals in towering treetop canopies. Join us to discover one of the most biodiverse places on the planet!
Arrive: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Depart: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Highlights
- Walk among the free-roaming orangutans at the Sepilok feeding station
- Enjoy dawn and dusk excursions on the wildlife-rich Kinabatangan River
- Meet with conservationists in Tabin Wildlife Reserve and other locations
- Explore the Danum Valley’s world-famous primary rainforest
- Stay in remote lodges with modest amenities and superb access to wildlife
Itinerary
From Kota Kinabalu, we head to the Sepilok Forest Reserve, founded in 1964. Here each morning at the reserve’s feeding station, free-roaming orangutans come by for a snack and we can observe them. Found in the wild only on Borneo and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, orangutans are fighting a battle for survival as their habitat shrinks. Today about 60 orangutans live at Sepilok, and over time are released to live in the wild. We’ll walk the rainforest trails and have a private visit to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.
We boat along the winding Kinabatangan River, then continue through mangrove forests to our lodge in Kinabatangan. Exploring by boat at dawn and dusk, we keep an eye out for baby-faced pygmy elephants and tree-dwelling creatures along the banks. Ten primate species inhabit the Kinabatangan area, most of them endemic to Borneo. In Tabin Wildlife Reserve, one of Borneo’s best birding areas, we search for sought-after species such as the rhinoceros hornbill and the endemic blue-headed pitta, and at night, look for nocturnal creatures including various owls.
The pristine rainforests of the Danum Valley have off-the-charts biodiversity. Rare mammal species here include the Sumatran rhino, clouded leopard, and maroon leaf langur. We set out on early morning canopy walks, hike to an ancient burial site, and enjoy night drives in search of flying squirrels and mammals on the hunt. Depart on Day 11 via Kota Kinabalu.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
The trip is Level 2+, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip grading system. For your own enjoyment, we recommend you make a special effort to be in good physical condition. We've crafted an active expedition, with nature walks and light hikes of two to five hours on several days, in hot and humid climate, and over a variety of terrain including forest trails, cave passages, and wooden canopy walks and boardwalks.
The terrain is relatively flat but the forest floor can be slippery and uneven (especially with tree roots!), and the trails in the Danum Valley include hills. We also explore Borneo's jungles and river wetlands by speedboats and longboats. Our explorations are timed with wildlife activity, so dawn, dusk and nighttime nature excurisons are a highlight of the trip, but you will need to be prepared for long days.
Borneo has a typical tropical climate of high heat and humidity, with the “dry season” spanning March to October, although afternoon showers can occur year-round. Daytime temperatures are typically in the high 80s and low 90s. Inside the rainforest, humidity is at 85-90% and can make temperatures seem even warmer.
Our accommodations throughout the trip are a bit basic and modest in nature, but are the best available option in the area and offer us great access to amazing wildlife experiences.
Client Testimonials
"What a wonderful combination of thoughtful planning and outstanding leadership. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to spend time with Dr. Wong at the sun bear rehab center and the opportunity to plant trees."
Bonnie B.
Bakersfield, CA
"Many aspects of this trip were magical, especially the time in the Danum valley and the river based lodge. The wildlife is wonderful and the guides very knowledgeable. It is a fragile corner of the world and well worth seeing"
Cindy M.
New York, NY
"Dean has a superlative and encyclopaedic knowledge that he shared with us, a gifted guide and true naturalist—the trip was full of marvels of nature and cultural sharing."
Melissa S.
Kailua-Kona, HI
"A unique experience—just a wonderful opportunity to see a beautiful part of the world."
Melissa S.
Kailua-Kona, HI
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.