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Borneo's wonders of nature: apes, monkeys, birds, mini elephants & lush forests!
The group flight is an overnight flight departing the day before. Those travelling on the group flights will be met on arrival at the airport this morning and transferred to our hotel, where the rest of the group will join throughout the day. Today is a free day but there will be a welcome meeting in the evening with your tour leader; details of where and when this will take place will have been left with the hotel's reception. The hotel check-in time is from 2pm. Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, is an intriguing city that was born between the Borneo jungle and the South China Sea. Having recovered from World War II bombings, 'KK' now possesses a gateway charm that can only be found in a frontier town. If you have enough free time, why not immerse yourself in local history at the Sabah State Museum or visit the Mari Mari cultural village for a fun and interactive learning experience. *Dreamtel Hotel or similar*
Leaving the city behind we head towards Mt. Kinabalu. After about 2-2.5hrs we arrive at the Dusun village of Tanak Nabalu (please note that at time of writing the roads to the village are quite bad so we may have to use smaller minibuses for this journey). The Dusun people are the largest ethnic group in Sabah, the province of Borneo where we find ourselves. In the village we are separated into different homestays and will spend the rest of the day hiking through orchards and rubber plantations, going for a swim in the river, exploring the village and, possibly, if anyone is feeling energetic, playing football on the village pitch. This evening we all gather together for a cultural show which helps the Dusun preserve their ancient, traditional dances. As not all families speak English, our tour leader will hand out language sheets and will be on hand to assist with communication. *Tanak Nabalu Homestay or similar *
This morning we visit the Mini Mount Kinabalu, a natural rock formation that looks exactly like the summit of Mt. Kinabalu. We continue into Kinabalu National Park (approx. 30 minutes). Here we will go for a 1-2 hour hike along some of the lower trails and the Mountain Botanical Gardens with an excellent showcase of the mountain’s diverse plant life. There is an option to visit the Kundasang War Memorial which commemorates Prisoners of War who died during the infamous death marches of World War II. The memorial is made up of four gardens, the Australian, English, Malaysian and the Contemplation Garden that represent the different nationalities. We then take a short transfer, to the Zen Garden Resort where we spend the night. *Zen Garden Resort*
This morning we transfer 1 hour to the Poring Hot Spring where there will be plenty of time to enjoy the cool pools and hot-tubs (into which the steaming hot water is piped) as well as the well maintained, self-guided walking trails to a nearby waterfall. The hot springs can get quite popular with locals especially during school and public holidays and you may wish to pay the additional charge to enjoy a private bath if you want a good soak. We later take to the trees as we head on a canopy walkway which follows a trail including a number of suspension bridges hanging from the trees at canopy level, some up to 40m above the ground. There is also a butterfly and orchid garden within the complex. We later take a short transfer to the Sabah Tea Gardens, where we will spend the night in a traditional reconstructed longhouse with shared bathrooms. *Sabah Tea Longhouse*
Waking to the spectacular views overlooking the mountain, we start with an early morning visit to the tea plantation, learning about the process of tea production, before driving to Kinabatangan (approximately 5-6 hours). The Kinabatangan River is the longest in Sabah and its lower reaches are recognised as one of the best places in South East Asia for wildlife viewing. The surrounding forests are home to ten species of primate, including orang-utans, Proboscis monkeys and gibbons as well as hornbills, crocodiles and the elusive Pygmy elephants which come down to the river to drink, amongst others. We spend the next day and a half exploring the surrounding jungle. We go on river cruises, jungle hikes, a night walk, and plant trees. *Bilit Adventure Lodge or similar*
The next two days are spent in and around Sepilok. The drive to Labuk Bay and the Proboscis monkey sanctuary takes about 3-4 hours. These monkeys, only found in Borneo, are very distinctive with their large noses and can often be seen jumping from tree to tree with tremendous leaps through the air. After visiting the sanctuary we continue towards Sepilok, about 40 minutes away where we will be staying just 5 minutes from the famous Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre in a guesthouse with a pool. The Kabili Sepilok Reserve, established in the 1960s, is home to between 60 and 80 rehabilitated orang-utans which roam freely in the forest. In addition to this, the rehabilitation centre was established to care for the apes and is home to a further 25 young orphaned orang-utans who live in a nursery. The rehabilitation centre provides medical care for the orphaned and confiscated apes as well as various other wild animals. Whilst the semi-wild orang-utans roam free in the reserve and forage for food, their diet is supplemented by milk and banana. There are two feedings a day, at 10am and 3pm, and we have the opportunity to witness both. There is also the opportunity to visit the nearby Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre. The smallest of all bears, Sun bears were once widely found across much of Asia but have drastically decreased in numbers. The Centre aims to protect and promote conservation to return these bears to the forest. The nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre is a centre for environmental education situated within the famous Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. Its primary function is to create public awareness and appreciation of the importance of conserving forests, as well as the sustainable use of forest resources. The 147m long, 28m high steel canopy walkway gives spectacular views of beautiful rainforest giants like the Mengaris tree, and there are also 250 species of bird to look out for - experience forest life high in the canopy. *Sepilok Jungle Resort or similar*
Leaving early we head to Sandakan Airport (about 25 minutes) for our flight back to Kota Kinabalu (40 minutes). Please note there is a 15kg restriction on checked baggage for the domestic flight, but it is possible to pay for excess luggage at the airport or your leader can arrange this at the start of the tour. Upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu, we then travel by boat to Manukan Island, part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Manukan Island is the second biggest island in the national park and is covered in thick forest with a nice beach and some good corals for snorkelling. There is also a network of easy walking trails around the island. We spend the next two nights in the lovely Manukan Island Resort with its Balinese style villas facing the South China Sea. The rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy the pool and the beach. *Manukan Island Resort or similar*
Today we head out exploring the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park on a snorkelling trip to some of the best sites with vibrant coral and schools of colourful fish. The more intrepid can also zip-line from one island to another. *Manukan Island Resort or similar*
We have a leisurely morning to enjoy the beach before heading back to Kota Kinabalu. Please note that on some departures the flight schedules may require us to catch the evening flight to Kuala Lumpur connecting to the overnight flight back, in such cases, those on the group flights will be taken to the airport in time for their flight. Otherwise we have time in Kota Kinabalu for some last minute shopping and our final night in Borneo. *Dreamtel Hotel or similar*
For land only passengers, the trip ends after breakfast this morning in Kota Kinabalu.
* 9 nights hotels/lodges (mostly en suite), 1 night homestay and 1 night
longhouse
* Travel by minibus, speedboat, longboat, local bus and 1 internal flight
All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners are included.
Malaysia is renowned for its culinary excellence, however, food can often be
relatively unexciting and limited in the lodges and for hotel breakfasts.
Meals will be more varied for everyone in cities and seafood is widely
available on the coast.
Most meals will be basic based around rice and noodles although most
accommodation does offer a western breakfast of beans, toast and eggs. In the
bigger hotels and cities the full range of Western and local foods are
available. You can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. You should
allow at least GBP 10-20 (USD 15-30) per day for lunch and dinner. You can
eat out very cheaply in Borneo, but if you go to the more expensive
restaurants most of the time, you will spend more than the suggested amount.
Dinner at Manukan Resort is currently buffet style only (no a la carte menu)
and costs approximately MYR 65 per dinner.
Vegetarians can be catered for but will find the food choice limited. Please
inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.
Please note that in Borneo the availability of certain products is minimal or
non-existent, for example wheat or dairy-free, please be prepared for this
and you may need to bring such items from home.
* 9 nights hotels/lodges (mostly en suite), 1 night homestay and 1 night
longhouse
* Travel by minibus, speedboat, longboat, local bus and 1 internal flight
Activity Level: 3 (Moderate)
Designed for 9-12 year olds, also suitable for 13-16 year olds.
This holiday is designed so that you can see the best parts of Borneo using a
mixture of private buses, boats and flights.
Our family activity levels are aimed at children in the primary or
‘Designed for’ age group. We are confident it is also suitable for those
in the ‘Also for’ age range, however please note if your child is in this
secondary category they may find it a little easier. Please see the family
activity levels on our website for further information. When grading our
trips we consider multiple factors, such as the pace, the level of activity
involved, the amount of time a family will spend travelling and the weather
is an important factor too.
Anyone in good health should be able to go on this trip as there is no real
physical difficulty involved, although you will be doing a fair amount of
walking in some places and the heat and humidity can be tiring. Travel time
is kept to a minimum wherever possible, although there are some long travel
days and as we use some local transport at times, it may sometimes be quite
cramped and without air conditioning. On some long travel days we depart
early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination.
Some of the accommodation along the way is very basic, staying in local
guesthouses and homestays with limited facilities. Some facilities are shared
and some accommodation has cold water only. Much of the accommodation is
comfortable with air-conditioning and private bathrooms.
Borneo has an equatorial monsoon climate with the weather remaining similar
throughout the year. Only in the mountains does it get cooler.
Locals and other Asian tourists may want to take photos of themselves with
your children particularly if they are young, blond and have blue eyes, you
shouldn't be surprised if they do this without asking permission first.
*FIB departures 25 July 2021, 1 August 2021, 8 August 2021, & 19 December
2021 update:*
Please be advised these 4 scheduled departures will be 1 day longer for
flight inclusive group flight bookings due to changes in airline scheduling.
The Flight Inclusive duration of these departures for group flights is 14
days (instead of 13 days). The group flight is now arriving back to LHR early
morning on day 14 (FI duration) of the trip for these 4 departures.
Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as
generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a
regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss
the trip and your personal condition.
Hotels/Lodges, Homestay & Longhouse
9 nights hotels and lodges (all en suite), 1 night homestay and 1 night
longhouse (shared bathroom facilities).
We use a range of accommodation on this trip from basic longhouse to
comfortable jungle lodge. In Kota Kinabalu we stay in a comfortable hotel
with en suite facilities. In the Mt. Kinabalu region we experience rural life
first with a night in a homestay in a village on day 2, day 3 will be spent
in a comfortable resort lodge, then we spend one night on day 4 in a
traditional longhouse at Sabah Tea Gardens with spectacular views. Both the
accommodations on day 2 and day 4 are basic and have shared bathrooms. In
Kinabatangan and Sepilok we stay in jungle lodges with air-conditioning and
private bathrooms. Whilst on Manukan Island we stay in a nice resort, also
with air conditioning and private bathrooms. Triple share accommodation is
rare in Borneo, so in these instances fold out beds are commonly used.
All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners are included.
Malaysia is renowned for its culinary excellence, however, food can often be
relatively unexciting and limited in the lodges and for hotel breakfasts.
Meals will be more varied for everyone in cities and seafood is widely
available on the coast.
Most meals will be basic based around rice and noodles although most
accommodation does offer a western breakfast of beans, toast and eggs. In the
bigger hotels and cities the full range of Western and local foods are
available. You can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. You should
allow at least GBP 10-20 (USD 15-30) per day for lunch and dinner. You can
eat out very cheaply in Borneo, but if you go to the more expensive
restaurants most of the time, you will spend more than the suggested amount.
Dinner at Manukan Resort is currently buffet style only (no a la carte menu)
and costs approximately MYR 65 per dinner.
Vegetarians can be catered for but will find the food choice limited. Please
inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.
Please note that in Borneo the availability of certain products is minimal or
non-existent, for example wheat or dairy-free, please be prepared for this
and you may need to bring such items from home.
We use a number of different modes of transport. The majority of transfers
will be in private minibuses, although we also travel by local buses. We use
a number of different boats, including speedboats and traditional longboats.
There is one internal flight.
*Travelling flight inclusive from London: 13 days*
The group flight from London is an overnight flight departing the day before
Day 1 of the itinerary.
*Flights from London*
We normally use the scheduled services of Malaysian Airlines (depending on
availability). As flight timings and schedules change regularly we recommend
you call one of our specialist sales staff or your agent to confirm
up‐to‐date timings. Please note timings may change at a later date and
cannot be confirmed until approximately two weeks before departure.
*Travelling land only: 12 days starting and ending in Kota Kinabalu*
Your trip normally starts at our accommodation in Kota Kinabalu in the
afternoon of Day 1 of the itinerary. Details of how to reach the start point
are provided in the Final Joining Instructions ‐ sent approximately two
weeks before departure.
Airport transfers are included for those on the group flights. Please note
that transfers are not included for clients arriving on any other flight,
even if Exodus has booked it.
If you require airport transfers, you may (by prior arrangement only) be able
to join the group transfer. Transfers are arranged to coincide with the
arrival time of the group flight ‐ please check the group flight details 2
weeks before departure. If you do not take this transfer, or miss it, you
must make your own way to the joining point at your own expense.
Borneo has an equatorial monsoon climate with the weather remaining similar
throughout the year. It is hot and humid; temperatures range from 23-33ºC
during the day and rarely drop below 20ºC at night. The rainy season is from
November to January/February and the dry season is from May to September,
though really it can rain at any time. A Borneo rain shower is quite an
event!
Please remember that Malaysia is a traditional, Muslim country, and local
sensibilities should be respected. Shorts are acceptable in towns as long as
they are neither too tight nor too short. On the homestay modest dress is
essential - skimpy tops are not appropriate and long trousers are preferable.
Below is a suggestion of what you might find useful to take on this trip. It
is not an exhaustive packing list.
* Lightweight clothing (cotton) is best (be prepared for it to get dirty!)
* Wind/waterproof jacket
* Sun-hat
* Lightweight trail boots or walking shoes/trainers
* Swimsuit
* Trainers/trek-sandals for relaxing
* For women - a sarong so you can bathe in the river at the homestay (you
can buy this locally)
* Sheet sleeping bag (optional)
* Refillable water bottle (1 litre minimum)
* (Head) torch
* Sunglasses and sunscreen
* Personal first aid kit
* Toilet paper
* Binoculars
* Insect repellent - there is a local deet-free repellent available in
chemists in Kota Kinabalu which works well
* Anti-bacterial gel for 'washing' hands
* Mosquito net (optional)
* A daypack (25-30 litres), large enough to carry what you need for the day
including camera, water, etc.
* Overnight bag for stays such as the jungle camp and homestay. In this you
will need to carry a change of clothes, torch/flashlight, toiletries, warm
clothes and any other essentials.
* Plastic bags to protect the contents of your baggage from rain.
Mosquito nets are provided at the longhouse, but not elsewhere. Other lodges
have netting on the window, but this cannot be wholly relied on in case of
holes etc. Mosquito coils can be provided, on request, from your leader or
taken with you from home.
A laundry service may be available in some places, but we recommend you take
travel detergent.
*Baggage:*
For your comfort we recommend you travel as light as possible. Please only
bring one main piece (a soft bag or rucksack, not a hard suitcase).
Please bear in mind that the internal flight has a luggage weight limit of
15kg for checked luggage and 7kg for cabin luggage. It is possible to pay a
supplement for additional luggage once your trip commences. If you would like
to pay for additional luggage for the internal flight please speak to your
group leader on day 1 who can arrange this in advance – you will then need
to pay in cash to your group leader. Alternatively you can purchase
additional luggage when checking in at the airport before the domestic
flight. Please ensure you take note of your baggage weight when you board
your flight from home so you will know if purchasing additional luggage for
the internal flight will be required during the trip.
* Leeches are more of an annoyance than a real threat, leech socks can be
bought, alternatively a pair OF football socks also work well
* Avons 'skin so soft' dry oil spray is recommended; the original fragrance
works well to combat the sandflies and is highly recommended
* Binoculars
* Flip flops or trekking sandals for getting in and out of boats as your
feet may get wet
* Rash vests or swim suits that are like shortie wetsuits as they can
protect children from the sun
Please ensure that you allow enough money to cover meals that are not
included in the price of the tour, and for personal expenses such as drinks,
snacks, souvenirs and any optional excursions which may be available. We
suggest you allow around GBP 100 (USD 130) per person for meals that aren't
included in the trip.
Please be aware that some places will charge a camera fee if you wish to take
pictures:
Camera fee - Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, Sepilok - 10 MYR
Camera fee - Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sepilok - 10 MYR
*Optional Excursions*
The following optional excursions may be available to you during the tour -
please note that although prices are correct at the time of writing, prices
may fluctuate and are given as a guideline only.
*Kinabalu Park*
Kundasang War Memorial- 20 MYR
Botanical garden- 5 MYR
*Kota Kinabalu*
Sabah Museum, Kota Kinabalu - MYR 15
*Poring Hot Springs*
Rafflesia viewing- 20-30 MYR (if in bloom, costs can vary)
Orchid Conservation Centre- 10 MYR
*Sepilok*
Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok - MYR 15
Sun bear Conservation Centre - 30 MYR
If you are happy with the services provided, a tip - though not compulsory -
is appropriate.
At your group meeting on Day 1 your tour leader will discuss with you the
idea of running a group tipping kitty, whereby everybody contributes an equal
amount and then your tour leader pays the tips to local guides, drivers,
hotel staff etc. while keeping a running record of all monies spent (except
restaurant tips). The record can be checked at any time and any money
remaining at the end of the tour returned to group members. This is often the
easiest way to avoid the hassles of needing small change and knowing when and
what is an appropriate amount to tip. This is not compulsory but just aimed
at making it easier for you. Your leader will collect per person in local
currency approx. 100 MYR (24 USD) in Kota Kinabalu for this purpose.
*Your Group Leader:* You may also consider tipping your leader for service
throughout your trip. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however
as a guideline MYR 10 per person, per day can be used. Of course you are free
to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service
quality and the length of your trip.
* Travel insurance
* Single accommodation (available on request)
* Visas & vaccinations
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.
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