Transport

Boat , Plane , Private mini van

Others

Complimentary Arrival Transfer Kuching - Welcome Dinner Batang Ai - Nanga Sumpa Dinner Batang Ai - Lachau Bazaar Lunch Batang Ai - Jungle and Plantation Walk Batang Ai - Local Longhouse Visit Batang Ai - Enseluai Waterfall Kuching - Group Lunch Mulu National Park - Sunset bat experience Mulu National Park - Deer & Lang Caves guided walk Mulu National Park - Wind & Clearwater Caves guided walk Mulu National Park - Picnic Lunch Kota Kinabalu - Sunset Cocktail Kota Kinabalu - Seafood Market Tour and Dinner Kota Kinabalu - Local Market Tour Kinabatangan River - Afternoon Wildlife Spotting Cruise Kinabatangan River - Evening Wildlife Walk Sandakan - War Memorial Kinabatangan River - Morning wildlife spotting cruise Kinabatangan River - Evening Wildlife Spotting Cruise Sepilok - Sun Bear Conservation Centre Sepilok - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Sandakan - Farewell Seafood Dinner

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. Lodge (4 nights), Hotel (5 nights), Resort (2 nights)

Hygieneprotocol

All Intrepid travellers 18 years and older and Intrepid leaders will be required to be fully vaccinated. Travellers must provide proof of vaccination to the leader at the group meeting on day 1 of the trip. All children 5 and above must provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative COVID-19 test. Any high-risk customer who is unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons can apply for an exemption. Exemptions will be assessed on a case by case basis. Customers must provide a medical certificate from a medical professional.

Meals

11 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Premium leaders are Intrepid’s most experienced, with in-depth knowledge and extensive local networks to make it a trip of a lifetime. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. When not already included in your trip, your leader will be able to recommend a local guide service who can share more detailed or specialised information at specific sites should you be interested in delving deeper.

Not included:

Others

Departure transfer Entrance fees Pre and post-tour accommodation Tipping Other meals, snacks and drinks

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Please make sure you are adequately covered. TourRadar has partnered up with XCover so that you can travel with peace of mind. You can add TourRadar Travel Protection on the booking page for your tour.

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost and will be provided to you with your finalised travel documents. Please contact our team of Travel Experts for more information.

Flights

Please note that the intra-flights for this tour are mandatory but are not included in your tour price. Please contact our Travel Experts for more information. As we have travellers from all over the world, flights before and after the tour are not included in the tour price and you need to arrange these separately by yourself once your tour is guaranteed. As we specialise in organising the best tours around the world for you, we are unable to advise on flight prices or book flights on your behalf. We recommend that you do not book your flights until your place on the tour has been confirmed.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Kuching
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Kuching

Selamat datang! Welcome to Borneo. When you arrive in Kuching, you’ll be collected from the airport by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. You’ll then have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet your local leader and group members. If you arrive early, you might like to take a stroll along Kuching’s scenic waterfront or visit the Borneo Cultural Museum. After your meeting, your leader will help you get acquainted with the city on a walk to one of Kuching’s food courts popular with the locals, where you can sample some local delights and get an introduction into Malaysian cuisine.
Day 2 Day 2: Batang Ai National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Batang Ai National Park

This morning, begin your journey to Batang Ai National Park where the remote and lush rainforests are alive with the calls of hornbills and gibbons. The Iban people have called these rainforests home for 400 years, with entire villages living under one roof in longhouses built alongside the river. Hidden away from the modern world, these communities have retained centuries-old traditions. Stop off at the native market in Lachau, where you can pick up locally made goods like woven baskets and traditional Iban clothing. Then, take a longboat down the Delok River to your accommodation for the evening – the serene and secluded Nanga Sumpa Lodge, tucked away on the riverbank. The operator here has had a long-standing relationship with the community, creating jobs and community involvement so the local people can benefit from tourism. He also set up a scholarship fund to boost children’s education in the community. Tonight, you’ll sit down for a traditional dinner at the lodge.
Day 3 Day 3: Batang Ai National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Batang Ai National Park

After breakfast surrounded by nature, you’ll take a 2-hour walk through the jungle, passing local farms, orchards and plantations as your leader shares stories from the region and teaches you about foraging for edibles and local medicinal plants. Next, take a longboat up the river to the Enseluai waterfall. Keep your eyes open in case of a rare orangutan sighting! Take some time to relax and go for a swim, then your leader will choose a scenic spot for a picnic using local ingredients. In the afternoon, cruise back to Nanga Sumpa for a walk through the village. After dinner, visit a traditional longhouse and spend time with the Iban people who will teach you about their way of living. Hang out on the common veranda, share some rice wine and gain insight into the local Iban culture.
Day 4 Day 4: Kuching
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Kuching

Wake up to the songs of birds and after breakfast, take a longboat out of the rainforest and make the journey back to Kuching, stopping off for lunch at a local coffee shop along the way. The name Kuching literally translates to ‘cats’, and the city has fully embraced this moniker. You’ll have free time here, so maybe wander the streets to see the giant cat statues, spray-painted street art and local cat museum. If you’d like to dive deeper into the city’s fabulous food scene, your leader can recommend some spots to eat.
Day 5 Day 5: Mulu National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Mulu National Park

Say goodbye to Kuching and take a flight to Mulu National Park. This national park is full of rainforests, mountains, caves and karst formations. Your leader will provide insight on how the park’s weird and wonderful geographic features came to be. In the late afternoon, visit Deer Cave and Lang Cave, which are reached by a scenic jungle walk along a 3-km plank path, passing through peat swamp, alluvial flats and limestone outcrops. Watch millions of bats fly out of Deer Cave at sunset and see the large ring-shaped formations they make as they circle the cliff face, before moving out across the rainforest. Return on the same path and head to your accommodation for the evening in secluded forest bungalows, tucked away in the park.
Day 6 Day 6: Mulu National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Mulu National Park

Today, join your leader and further explore Mulu National Park. First, head to Wind Cave (named for the cool breeze that flows through it) along the Melinau River. Your leader will share some details on the formation of the cave as you explore the stalagmites and columns. Later, discover the caverns and crags of Clearwater Cave – one of the longest caves in Asia! The rest of the day is free for you to relax and take in the scenery.
Day 7 Day 7: Kota Kinabalu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Kota Kinabalu

Today, you’ll fly to Kota Kinabalu – the bustling capital of the Sabah state. In the late afternoon after you have arrived, head to one of the city’s rooftop bars for a cocktail while watching the sunset over the skyline. The rest of the evening is free for you to explore. The city’s food scene is best experienced like a local, so for dinner tonight, be sure to ask your leader for advice on hidden treasures away from the main tourist trail.
Day 8 Day 8: Kota Kinabalu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Kota Kinabalu

You have a free morning in Kota Kinabalu – maybe go snorkelling in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park and search for marine life, or take a tour to the cultural village. If you’d prefer to stay in the city, you can visit the handicraft market on the waterfront or explore Chinatown. Your leader will be on hand to help you plan activities for the day. Later in the afternoon, head to a local vegetable and fish market, learning about and sampling regional snacks along the way. End the tour with dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 9 Day 9: Kinabatangan River
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Kinabatangan River

Take a flight to Sandakan this morning, then visit the Sandakan War Memorial. Here, you’ll learn about the city’s past as you stand on the same ground of the former Japanese POW camp. This site also marks the starting point of the tragic Sandakan Death Marches. Next, head to the jetty for a boat ride to the Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort – your Feature Stay accommodation. Sitting on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, the resort offers access to local wildlife. Wooden boardwalks cut through the jungle and connect spacious and bright chalets which serve up great views of the surrounding mangrove forests. This afternoon, take a river cruise, where your leader will help you spot some of the local creatures. Wild elephants seldom reveal themselves, but crocodiles, macaques, wild orangutan, proboscis monkeys, hornbills and kingfishers can sometimes be seen. Enjoy dinner at the resort before heading back out for a night-time wildlife walk. Geared up with a headlamp, you’ll set out in search of interesting insects or other animals that pop up after dark.
Day 10 Day 10: Kinabatangan River
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Kinabatangan River

Take an early morning cruise through the fog as the sun rises, enjoying light refreshments on board while you search for birds and wildlife. Keep an eye out for long tail macaques and pig tail macaques, then return to the resort for breakfast and search the property with your leader for some insects, plants and birds. This afternoon, set off for another river adventure, exploring small tributaries by boat. Later, head out for a night-time cruise and look out for nocturnal animals – you might even see a wide-eyed slow loris hanging from a tree! Have dinner back at the resort, then relax in your comfortable rooms.
Day 11 Day 11: Sandakan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Sandakan

Return to Sandakan by boat and visit the orangutans at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Watch them as they swing into view on ropes and vines, then check in at the outdoor nursery where young orangutans, born in captivity or orphaned, are cared for. You’ll also visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre – seeing the world’s smallest bears in large forest enclosures as they are rehabilitated after being rescued. This evening, tuck into some of Sandakan’s famously delicious seafood during a final dinner with your group and leader.
Day 12 Day 12: Sandakan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Sandakan

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. If you’d like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent to arrange additional accommodation. Flights depart most days from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur.

12 days tour

Premium Borneo In Depth

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Premium Borneo In Depth

Day 1: Kuching

Day 2: Batang Ai National Park

Day 3: Batang Ai National Park

Day 4: Kuching

Day 5: Mulu National Park

Day 6: Mulu National Park

Day 7: Kota Kinabalu

Day 8: Kota Kinabalu

Day 9: Kinabatangan River

Day 10: Kinabatangan River

Day 11: Sandakan

Day 12: Sandakan

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