Sabah Adventure

Explore a mystical land of natural beauty and rare wildlife on this 11-day Sabah Adventure. With its collection of unique animals, ancient traditions, hot springs, tribal villages, loveable orangutans and incredible views, Sabah has something for everyone. Experience the very best of this part of Borneo – climbing Mt Kinabalu, watching sea turtles lay their eggs with an expert local ranger by your side and sharing laughs with your local village hosts. Each moment of this incredible small group adventure will give you a fascinating insight into the wildlife of Borneo.

Itinerary

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Day 1: Kota Kinabalu

Selamat datang! Welcome to Borneo, Malaysia. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. If you arrive early, why not immerse yourself in history of this intriguing city between the Borneo jungle and the South China Sea at the Sabah State Museum. You can also visit the Mari Mari Cultural Village, or perhaps explore the islands off Kota Kinabalu, excellent for swimming and snorkelling.

Day 2: Dusun Village

Today, travel by minivan to a Dusun village, nestled amid picturesque hills in the shadow of imposing Mt Kinabalu – the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea (approximately 2 hours). The Dusun people, the ethnic group of our guides on Mt Kinabalu, are wonderfully warm and friendly people, and while here you’ll have the opportunity to learn about their way of life and spend a night in a village. Depending on the weather, you will take a hike through the surrounding fruit and rubber plantations. Your leader can point you in the direction of the river for a great way to cool off afterwards! To ensure your share the business around the community, you will split up to stay in a couple of different family homes. All the homes are in waking distance from each other and you will usually have other group members with you at each home. Enjoy a cultural performance in the village tonight after dinner.

Day 3: Mt Kinabalu National Park

This morning say goodbye to your new friends from the village and travel into the unspoiled wilderness of the World Heritage-Listed Kinabalu National Park (approximately 1 hour). Take some time to enjoy the surroundings and prepare for the climb. There are nature trails through the lowland tropical forest and a Botanic Garden to explore. Otherwise, just relax this afternoon and take in the cooler climate. Your leader will provide a safety briefing about the climb and assist with any last minute questions. Stay overnight at Kinabalu Park in a lodge with shared bathrooms. Nestled among the lowland forests, this is the perfect place to chill-out before the climb

Day 4: Mt Kinabalu National Park

Rise early and take a quick drive to Timpohon Gate to begin the climb up Mt Kinabalu. It’s not an easy trek as it is uphill all the way, and you’ll need to be prepared to tackle a trail made up of steep steps that vary considerably in size. You may get quite hot but remember that the top of the mountain can be deceptively cold. There’s no rush, so take your time and enjoy the pristine environment – this is an area that boasts a remarkable variety of plant life, including some 1000 species of orchid and the extraordinary carnivorous pitcher plant. You will cover 6 kilometres on the first day (approximately 4–6 hours) and stop at a resthouse near Laban Rata (3272 metres) for the night. Tonight will be an early night, so you’re ready for the final ascent early in the morning.

Day 5: Mt Kinabalu – Poring Hot Springs

Rise around 2 am in order to catch the sunrise at the summit of Mt Kinabalu (4095 metres). It’s difficult walking, but you’ll feel a huge sense of achievement once you make it. The view from the summit is incredible – the jungles of Borneo in one direction, the South China Sea in the other, making every inch of the climb worthwhile. Be warned though, the temperature can change very quickly up on the mountain, so bring clothes for all weather conditions. The climb from Laban Rata to the summit takes 2-4 hours and, due to the altitude, can be hard going even for the very fit. The first section from Laban Rata is along man made steps passing through vegetation. Once clear of the tree line, you will be walking up a series of wooden steps all the way to the final check point at Sayat Sayat. After witnessing the morning sunrise, return to Laban Rata for a well-earned breakfast, and then descend the mountain (approximately 3-6 hours) to enjoy a rewarding lunch at the bottom. Once everyone is down from the mountain you will continue on to Poring Hot Springs by bus (approximately 1 hour). Tonight you will stay at a hostel located right inside the springs complex itself, with a light and airy lounge room for you to relax in. The hostel is multishare and mixed gender with shared facilities.Some rooms have bunk beds.

Day 6: Poring Hot Springs

Poring Hot Springs is an ideal place to kick back for a day to recuperate after the mountain climb. These pools were developed by the Japanese during World War II, where warm sulphur water – believed to have healing properties for the skin – is piped into several man made open-air hot tubs. During school and public holidays it gets very busy here with local visitors. Depending on the time of year it might be possible to see the Rafflesia flower nearby. Rafflesia’s are the world’s largest flower and can grow up to a metre in size! Today, there are also a number of optional activities to choose from. There are graded paths leading through rich lowland forest to mountain rivers, waterfalls and bat caves, with birds and other wildlife often seen along the trail. A walkway in the tree canopy provides magnificent views or there’s also a visit the enchanting butterfly farm. 

Day 7: Kinabatangan River

Today, journey by private bus into the steamy rainforest to Bilit – a small village on the banks of the Kinabatangan River (approximately 5 hours). Take a short boat ride to the comfortable jungle lodge where you’ll spend the night. The lodge is located right on the riverbanks and is a good place to spot wildlife. In the early evening as the sun sets, head out by motorised boat in search of wildlife such as macaques, orangutan, proboscis monkeys and, if you’re lucky, even pygmy elephants! In the evening, take a night walk in search of nocturnal wildlife. Rubber boots and leech socks are available to hire. The lodge tonight is comfortable with private bathrooms.

Day 8: Sandakan

This morning, take another early boat safari in search of wildlife – different species come out at different times of the day, so keep your eyes peeled. After breakfast, say goodbye to your jungle lodge and hit the road in a private minivan to the coastal city of Sandakan (approximately 3 hours). Visit Sandakan War Memorial and gain an insight into the Sandakan’s past at its War Memorial, built on the site of a Japanese Prisoners Of War camp. This site also marks the starting point of the tragic Sandakan Death Marches, on which 2400 POWs were forced to walk through the jungles of Borneo. By the end of the march, only six Australians survived, and only because they had escaped.

Day 9: Turtle Island

This morning, leave your large bags at the hotel and walk 15 minutes to a nearby jetty. Travel by speedboat, past small fishing villages and bamboo fish traps, to Turtle Island Marine Park (approximately 1 hour), where green turtles come ashore to lay their eggs every night of the year. In the afternoon, there’s time for swimming, snorkelling or some quality time lazing about on the beach of this tropical island. Snorkelling gear is available for hire. In the evening, join a select group of visitors and an expert local ranger and be touched by the sight of giant green turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs under the moonlight. Watch the Rangers as they release protected hatchlings and guide them in their frantic dash to the ocean. It’s a moving experience that could inspire you to join the turtle nest adoption program, with a certificate of adoption and updates on the development of your nest. Beware that this is a very delicate environment and you must follow instructions from your leader and the local rangers to ensure minimal impact on the turtles. You will spend the night on the island tonight.

Day 10: Sepilok

After breakfast, return to the mainland (approximately 1 hour), collect your bags, and continue by minibus to a guesthouse located near the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (approximately 45 minutes). The centre was set up to help reintroduce these wonderful creatures back into the wild after a life of domestication or having been orphaned. From the viewing platform, you can watch and photograph these charming creatures as they swing into view and eat the supplementary diet of fruit that is laid out for them twice a day. Human contact must be kept to a minimum and it’s essential that you follow the instructions of the park, as directed by your leader. Also included is a new nursery where you can view young orangutans as they learn how to climb on a specially constructed jungle gym. The viewing area is behind one-way glass so as to not disturb the animals. To see more of Borneo’s creatures, there’s the option to visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center. Here, rescued Sun Bears that have spent many years mistreated and locked away in cages are cared for, with hopes of rehabilitation and reintroduction into the wild. There’s also the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary where you can watch up close the amazing proboscis lazing and feeding – an experience that can only be found in Borneo. A 30-minute walk from your guesthouse is the Rainforest Discovery Centre, which also has a 620-metre long, 28-metre high canopy walkway with spectacular views of rainforest giants. Your accommodation is located about 10 minutes’ walk from the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Day 11: Sepilok

Your Sabah Adventure comes to an end today. There are no activities planned and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time. If you’d like to stay in Sepilok longer, just get in touch ahead of time and we’d be happy to arrange additional accommodation (subject to availability). Flights depart most days from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur.