Real Borneo
Experience Overview
Travel across the biodiverse Sabah region, immersing yourself in nature and learning about the island’s indigenous cultures on a 10-day journey through Borneo. From orangutan encounters and bamboo hut homestays to village trekking and sea snorkelling, you’ll find a nature lover’s paradise! Where else can you spot pygmy elephants on a riverbank one day and see proboscis monkeys the next (not to mention slow lorises, flying foxes and rescued sun bears). Explore Borneo on this incredible trip with new friends through rainforest-clad mountains, on warm island sands and in the middle of the jungle.
Highlights
- Get the opportunity to meet our closest redheaded relatives at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and watch these gentle giants as they go about their day.
- Hike to and from the rural village of Ratau, where you’ll mingle with the locals, take part in a cooking class, learn how to play the Gong and sleep in a traditional bamboo hut.
- Take not one, not two, but three river cruises on the Kinabatangan River to spot local wildlife – look out for pygmy elephants, crocodiles, flying squirrels and proboscis monkeys among the teeming birdlife.
- Dive into the clear waters at Dinawan Island and snorkel among colorful fish. If you're lucky, you might even spot a turtle swimming by.
- Meet the rescued sun bears at the Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sepilok and learn about how this organisation works to rescue, protect, rehabilitate and hopefully reintroduce the sun bears back into the wild after they were mistreated.
Trip Details
Product Code: 2754
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Basic
Transport: Private vehicle,Boat
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Intrepid Travel
Supplier Code: TMYM
Starts: Sandakan, Malaysia
Finishes: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Average
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (8), Lunch (5), Dinner (3)Accommodation: Hotel (6 nights),Bamboo Hut (1 night),Jungle Lodge (dormitory room) (2 nights)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $1,148 ($115 /day)
Itinerary
Selamat! Welcome to Borneo. You’ll kick things off in the coastal city of Sandakan with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive with time to spare, spend the day exploring this city’s culture on the Heritage Trail or visit the Sandakan War Memorial or Agnes Keith House. Sandakan has a great food scene, too, so tonight, maybe grab your new travel companions and eat dinner together at a local restaurant to get better acquainted – your leader will have the best recommendations.
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, you'll visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and meet the world’s cutest redheads. These beautiful creatures will tug on your heartstrings as you watch them going about their daily business (eating bananas and hanging upside down). Swing by the nursery where young orangutans learn to climb on a specially constructed jungle gym and grab a selfie with them in the background if you can! Later, spend some time at the Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where staff rescue and take care of the once-mistreated sun bears with the hopes of rehabilitating and reintroducing them into the wild. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Sepilok and Sandakan further. Maybe head to Sepilok’s Rainforest Discovery Centre, Malaysia’s most educational nature park, which features a 620 m long, 28 m high canopy walkway with spectacular views of the giant rainforest trees. At night, you can look out for slow lorises, tarsiers and flying squirrels!
Included Activities:
- Sepilok - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Sepilok - Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
Optional Activities:
- Sepilok - Rainforest Discovery Centre (30 MYR)
- Sepilok - Night Walk at Rainforest Discovery Centre (50 MYR)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Enjoy a free morning in Sandakan before you make the journey after lunch to tonight’s jungle lodge near the banks of the Kinabatangan River. When you’ve settled into your lodge, you’ll hit the water for a river cruise. Keep an eye out for wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys and maybe even a few pygmy elephants.
Included Activities:
- Kinabatangan River - Afternoon Wildlife Cruise
Accommodation:
- Jungle Lodge (dormitory room) (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, wake up to the sounds of the jungle and have some breakfast before setting out for your first of two included river cruises today. Keep your eyes peeled, and you might be lucky enough to spot short and long-tail macaques, a variety of birds, including hornbills and kingfishers, crocodiles or reptiles like snakes and frogs. After a spot of lunch, you’ll hit the water again and continue your search along the river’s waters for wildlife and jungle scenery. Tonight take a night walk with your leader, looking for nocturnal birds, insects and other wildlife that come alive after sunset. You’ll have dinner together at your lodge.
Included Activities:
- Kinabatangan River - Night Jungle Walk
- Kinabatangan River - Morning Wildlife Cruise
- Kinabatangan River - Afternoon Wildlife Cruise
Optional Activities:
- Kinabatangan River - Ox-Bow Lake Trekking (25 MYR)
- Kinabatangan River - Rubber Boot Rental (12 MYR)
- Kinabatangan River - Tree Planting (250 MYR)
- Kinabatangan River - Batik Painting (65 MYR)
- Kinabatangan River - Cooking Class (min. 2 participants) (150 MYR)
- Kinabatangan River - Grass Planting (200 MYR)
Accommodation:
- Jungle Lodge (dormitory room) (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast, leave your jungle oasis and embark on the overland journey to Kundasang – a little town that sits in the shadow of Mount Kinabalu. This is a long drive, so have your favourite book or travel games ready. When you arrive in Kundasang and if the weather is right, have your camera ready, capturing the views of Mt Kinabalu. From here, maybe visit the Kundasang War Memorial to learn about the Sandakan Death Marches. Sit in reflection in the solemn memorial gardens or simply take in the serene view of the fields below.
Optional Activities:
- Kundasang - Kundasang War Memorial (15 MYR)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning you’ll drive to Pukak in Kiulu Valley – a small area in Kiulu named after the bamboo that grows on the riverbanks. This will be the starting point of your trek to Kampung Ratau (Ratau Village), where you’ll spend the night among the locals. After your hike this afternoon, participate in cultural activities – learn how to work with beads, join the group for some traditional fishing, take a cooking class to learn how to prepare the local food (which you’ll enjoy later for dinner) and take a Gong class. In your traditional bamboo hut, you’ll fall asleep to the peaceful sounds of the village and its natural surroundings.
Included Activities:
- Kiulu - Village Trek (2 days / 1 night)
- Kiulu - Cultural Activities
- Kiulu - Cooking Class
Accommodation:
- Bamboo Hut (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, you’ll have breakfast in the village before continuing your trek through rural Kiulu, winding your way towards Lokub. When you arrive, you’ll be treated to a traditional cultural dance and Dusun martial art show over lunch. After, continue by private vehicle to Kinarut, where you'll have some free time to relax when you arrive.
Included Activities:
- Kiulu - Dusun Martial Art Show
- Kiulu - Village Trek (2 days / 1 night)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Fuel up on breakfast and embark on a daytrip to Dinawan Island for a day of snorkelling. When you arrive, be welcomed by a refreshing homemade drink before getting ready to head out on your first snorkelling adventure to spot colourful fish and corals. Enjoy a delicious lunch, then continue snorkelling or choose to pick up a paddle and explore the island from a kayak. Relax and enjoy afternoon tea after a day in the sun before travelling back to your accommodation later today. Tonight, why not head out for a group dinner? Your leader can point you in the right direction if you’re looking for restaurant recommendations in Kinarut.
Included Activities:
- Dinawan Island - Snorkelling Excursion
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Leave Kinarut this morning and make the drive to Kota Kinabalu. The afternoon's free for you to check out some optional activities – maybe take an interactive and educational visit to Koisaan Cultural Village to see how indigenous ethnic groups of Borneo used to live. Tonight, maybe head out with your new mates and mark the end of your adventure with a group dinner. Your leader will have some great recommendations for where to go on the waterfront. The nightlife here is also worth exploring, so maybe after dinner go bar hopping and soak up the city after dusk.
Optional Activities:
- Kota Kinabalu - Koisaan Cultural Village (Entrance) (65 MYR)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
There are no activities today and your Borneo adventure will come to an end. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.
Optional Activities:
- Kota Kinabalu - Tunku Abdul National Marine Park Snorkelling Trip (Minimum 2 people) (345 MYR)
- Kota Kinabalu - PADI Discover Scuba Diving (Minimum 2 people) (485 MYR)
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Claudia - Traveled, April 2024
If you’re hesitating about this trip, don’t! Every aspect was fantastic and had a bit of everything; plenty of wildlife, some culture, forest and beach.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/16/2024
Laura - Traveled, April 2024
Great trip to see the highlights of Malaysian Borneo and experience the diverse culture
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/16/2024
Caroline - Traveled, April 2024
Outstanding! The name Real Borneo is the perfect description of this trip. Going into the remote nooks of Sabah felt like a real adventure!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/18/2024
Gemma - Traveled, March 2024
This was a wonderful trip with a well planned itinerary. Accomodation is basic but nice for what we needed, although dry season brought limited water to some places. Our guide Felix is proof why I love traveling with Intrepid - knowledgeable, organised, caring and fun!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Javier - Traveled, March 2024
Our days in Borneo were fantastic, especially for the people we surround ourselves with and, of course, thanks to Felix, our tour leader, who made us have an incredible experience! Of course we will recommend this trip to our friends and family.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Gaby - Traveled, March 2024
This was an incredible experience. A very authentic adventure across Borneo. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. The value was amazing, all the activities were so great, especially seeing the orangutans! ?? Shout out to Felix for being the best tour guide we could ask for. Note: this trip has very limited signal / wifi and some of the bathroom facilities are very basic, but everything else is amazing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Lisa - Traveled, May 2024
I would highly recommend this trip if you are looking for a budget friendly and packed itinerary to explore Borneo’s Sabah region. I had so much fun and got to see so much wildlife -including Pygmy elephants and wild Orangutans. It was a very well organised trip ans also catered for me as a vegetarian.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/01/2024
Alis - Traveled, July 2024
Great experience and guide... We really saw the real Borneo!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/23/2024
Eleanor - Traveled, July 2024
Really enjoyed this trip. Accommodation is basic as described but worth it for all the wildlife you get to see, saw Pygmy elephants which was a highlight of the trip and the night in the village bamboo hut was a great experience
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/23/2024
Daniel - Traveled, July 2024
A fantastic trip for those wanting to see wildlife - orangutans, Pygmy elephants, monkeys and more. The accommodation is very basic but worth it for what you see and do. Snorkelling was the only disappointment as there was no fish! Would recommend to nature lovers!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/27/2024
Emily - Traveled, July 2024
We had the best time on this trip. It was the perfect combination of trekking, culture, and wildlife. The orangutans and Pygmy elephants were amazing!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/24/2024
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