Borneo Wildlife Discoverer

The capital of Sarawak, Kuching, is a vibrant riverside city full of

different ethnic groups who have migrated from the surrounding forests. With

a great museum and a well preserved colonial centre there is much to do in

this fascinating cultural hot spot.

Those arriving using their own arrangements can arrive at any time. There

will be a group briefing this evening at 6pm with your tour leader after

which we can have dinner at the hawkers stalls on the waterfront.

Our first foray into Borneo’s amazing nature as we head to nearby Bako

National Park famous for its Proboscis monkeys. This is where the rainforest

meets the sea and the only way to get to the park is by boat (after a 1hr

drive out of the city). It has abundant wildlife, jungle streams, waterfalls,

interesting plant life, secluded beaches and trekking trails. Despite being

the smallest National Park in Sarawak, Bako contains almost every type of

vegetation found in Borneo.

Please note that as Bako NP is only accessible by boat, our time there is

often dictated by tides and weather conditions. Our leader will inform us of

the details the previous day.

We return to Kuching for the night.

We leave the city behind and fly to Mulu National park (schedules for this

flight often vary). After checking-in at the Park HQ, we will be introduced

to the park guides and head through the forest to Deer Cave. Some of the

caves have been mapped by occasional expeditions; they have their own

ecosystems with plants and animals living in the cave chambers.



Deer Cave, the largest cave passage in the world, is home to millions of bats

and swifts that live side by side on the roof of the cave. The cave floor has

a raised platform, though that is no escape from the smell of the 'guano' –

the excrement from millions of birds and bats. Close-by is Lang's Cave, which

though much smaller, has some excellent stalactites and stalagmites and other

cave formations. The forest around the caves is spectacular and there is

plenty of time to examine it closely.

The walk to Deer Cave is 3kms (each way) along boardwalks and there are

wooden steps leading to different viewing platforms inside the show caves.

We will arrive at Deer Cave in time for dusk which is when the bats leave the

comfort of the cave to feed on insects (as long as it is not raining). This

is a sight to behold with the bats leaving the cave in a long line snaking

across the sky for quite some time. Dependent on the timings of the day we

may visit the caves tomorrow instead.

Please note that due to flight schedules there isn’t much time for lunch

between the time we arrive at Mulu NP and the time we depart for the caves.

You should buy something at the airport to have later.

Today is a day for exploring this stunning park with a local guide. In the

morning we visit two of the 'show caves' including Clearwater where a picnic

(not included) lunch can be had in the gorgeous riverside location. The park

has some incredible statistics; It has over 3,500 plant species, 8,000

different types of fungi and 170 species of orchid. Over 100 new plant

species were discovered between 1960 and 1973, and many are still being

added. There are 262 species of bird, almost 300 species of butterflies and

many reptiles and mammals.



Members of the Penan tribe live within the park. They are a small population

of nomadic forest dwellers who live as hunter-gatherers. There has been

fierce international opposition to the Malaysian government who tried to

settle them in permanent longhouses and indeed the Penan themselves have also

resisted. In 1994 they were granted an area of the forest where they could

continue their traditional lifestyle. Although you are unlikely to meet these

elusive people, you occasionally see their fishing shelters or areas in the

forest where they have recently visited.



This afternoon simply relax in the park and listen to the weird and wonderful

creatures that call it home or explore self-guided trails within the park.



Those with a head for heights can try the optional canopy walkway. This

480-metre skywalk takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Along the way,

visitors may be able to see macaque monkeys, hornbills, flying lizards,

squirrels and a variety of rainforest birds. However, time slots to do the

canopy walk can be limited and may subject to availability during busy

periods.



In the evening there is an optional night walk or we can try the local Mulu

'firewater', Tuak.

We aim to catch the morning flight out of Mulu and on to Kota Kinabalu via

Miri though delays are not uncommon. Depending on what time we fly out of

Mulu there may be some time to walk along self-guided trails or at the

visitor’s centre.

Known as KK to the locals, the capital of Sabah is a now a modern

multi-cultural city. The evening is free to relax, explore the bustling

Filipino markets or enjoy a sundowner on the waterfront.

Today you are free to enjoy some of the many activities Kota Kinabalu has to

offer. A popular option is to visit one of the tropical islands in the marine

park, a 15 minute boat journey from the city and offering excellent

snorkelling and diving opportunities. Here you can never be bored whether you

are relaxing on the white sand, snorkelling or just swimming in the warm

South China Sea.

There is some good birdwatching opportunities in the wetlands not far from KK

as well as a cultural village in Mari Mari for an insight into the different

cultures of Sabah. Your tour leader can help organise any of these options.

Transfer about 2 hours and explore World Heritage Site; Mount Kinabalu

National Park, home to the highest mountain in South East Asia, Mount

Kinabalu at 4,095m. This impressive peak of huge granite walls can be viewed

from the Crocker mountain range which we pass over, with panoramic views of

the countryside and soaring hills. The lower mountain slopes are covered in

thick vegetation and it is well known for its diverse botanical and

biological species. En route, we stop at Nabalu market where villagers come

to sell their produce and handicraft. It’s possible to walk through the

plantation on your own if you want this afternoon. Tea, medicinal herbs,

fruit and vegetables are just some of the things produced locally. From the

plantation, the sunrise with a view of Mount Kinabalu is often spectacular.

If we are lucky it may be possible to view the spectacular rafflesia in

flower nearby or en route to the plantation.

We visit the tea factory before we leave the plantation behind and continue

our journey to Eastern Sabah. Our destination is Sepilok, a well-known

destination for its Orang-utan Sanctuary. The journey time is about 5 hours

and we will make a stop at the Labuk Bay Proboscis monkey sanctuary. Here you

can get an up close look at this extraordinary animal which is only found in

Borneo. We continue on to our lodge in Sepilok. This evening, as dusk

approaches we will head to the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre. The centre

can have fantastic bird watching opportunities (though luck does play a role)

as hornbills and the Borneo bristlehead are often seen and there is an array

of displays which highlights the island’s diverse flora. Orang-utans can

also be spotted during the fruiting season and there is an impressive canopy

walkway as well as some easy walking trails.

Up early we return to the Rainforest Discovery Centre for some more bird and

wildlife viewing before returning to our lodge for breakfast. We then visit

Sepilok Orang-utan Centre, the largest orang-utan sanctuary in the world.

Here rehabilitated orphans and captured orang-utans are cared for until they

are ready to be released into the wild. We get the opportunity to see these

incredible relations of ours close-up and learn about the very real threats

to their continued existence. You will have the chance to visit both morning

and afternoon feedings. There is also an orang-utan nursery where youngsters

are trained in climbing skills with the aim of reintroduction to the wild. We

will have the chance to view the youngsters from a special viewing platform

that sits behind one-way glass so as not to disturb or influence them.

There is the option of visiting the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

which works with rescuing and rehabilitating captured bears as well as

research and providing education to the community.

This morning we journey (2-3 hours) to the Kinabatangan River, stopping at

the bizarre Gomantong caves along the way.



The caves are a major source of the swiftlet bird nests that are a Chinese

delicacy. Every day, when in season, workers climb large ladders up to 400

feet up to the roof of the caves to collect the valuable nests. It is also a

good place for bird watching and spotting wild Orang-utans.



Our river lodge is located on the mighty Kinabatangan River, the 3rd longest

river in Borneo. The area is home to an astonishing array of wildlife

including ten species of primates, four of which are endemic to Borneo. It

has one of the highest concentrations of proboscis monkeys and orang-utans in

Malaysian Borneo. Other wildlife includes Bornean gibbon, long tailed

macaques, sun bears, and barking deer. The Asian pygmy elephant and clouded

leopard also inhabit this area, but sightings can be rare.* *There are also

over 200 species of birds including hornbills, eagles, herons, kingfishers,

oriental darters, night jars, flowerpeckers and spider hunters. Later this

afternoon we take our first river cruise.

We are up with the animals for a dawn wildlife cruise followed by a trek. In

the afternoon, we will once again take a river cruise to spot wildlife and if

we are lucky a crocodile or two.

We drive to Lahad Datu approximately 2-3 hours where we change vehicles and

drive off road into Danum Valley conservation area (approx. 3 hours), the

largest protected lowland dipterocarp forest in Borneo. It is one of the last

remaining pockets of primary lowland rainforest in Asia. Danum Valley is at

the forefront of tropical rainforest research, and home to many rare and

endangered species of mammals and birds – it is a real privilege to spend 2

nights here in the comforts of the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.



Danum Valley is probably the very best place in Malaysia to see wild

orang-utans in their pristine habitat. Apart from orang-utans, it has just

about the complete range of Bornean wildlife and great trails. After settling

in, there is an afternoon jungle nature trek to try and spot the elusive

orang-utan, and after dinner a night drive is possible to spot many of the

shy and retiring creatures of the forest. We will spend our time here with

very experienced guides who accompany us on all our walks. One night drive

and one night walk is included during our stay.

We will spend a full day with our very experienced guides. We will have an

opportunity to explore the trails, the canopy walkway and waterfalls whilst

searching for wildlife in this remarkable place. The trek to a look out point

over the Danum Valley takes approximately 1.5 hours each way. Danum is home

to over 275 bird species, 110 species of mammals including orang-utans, five

species of deer, giant flying squirrels, gibbons, bearded wild boars, flying

frogs and the Asian elephant.

Today we will journey to Sandakan (approx. 5-6 hours). En-route we stop at

Sandakan War Memorial. Sandakan was once a huge logging centre (it first

exported wood in the late 1880s to supply the building of the Temple of

Heaven in Beijing) and is home to many Chinese and Filipinos. The waterfront

is a good place to take an evening walk and the roof top restaurant at the

Nak hotel is a great place to sip a cocktail or two.

There may be some free time to enjoy the hotel’s pool or explore Sandakan

some more before those on the group flights are transferred to the airport

for their flight home. For land only clients, the trip ends this morning

after breakfast.