Borneo's Orangutans and Rainforest Adventure with Kota Kinabalu extension

Fly overnight to Sandakan in Borneo, via Kuala Lumpur.

You’ll arrive in Sandakan, where you’ll meet your local guide and transfer to the Sabah Hotel for a two-night stay. A welcome dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

Join your tour manager this morning for a visit to the Rainforest Discovery Centre, where you’ll be met by a breathtaking variety of scents, sounds and colours. Enjoy a guided walk along a series of raised platforms on the rainforest floor, and take in the orchids and colourful tropical flora before heading up into the canopy. Here, you'll have a birds-eye view of the rainforest, and if you're lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of a rhinoceros hornbill or perhaps some orangutans.

The tour will then continue to the remote Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, where you’ll have the chance to observe its unique resident monkeys up close as they feed and play. Look out for the distinctive males, with their large dangling noses, as well as silver leaf monkeys and macaques. After the tour, lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant.

This evening will be at leisure and you can spend it as you see fit. If you'd like, you can see a different side to the Bornean bush after dark with an optional night walk at the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Guided by an experienced park ranger, you'll move quietly through the darkness in search of the rare nocturnal wildlife that emerges once the day visitors have gone. Watch for flying squirrels gliding overhead, kingfishers at rest, and the wide-eyed gaze of the slow loris peering back through the trees.

Today, an undoubted highlight awaits as you visit the world-renowned Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, dedicated to the protection of the species that is closest to our own. Watch the feeding of the primates before visiting the equally fascinating Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where the smallest of the world’s ursine species live in protected open-air enclosures. You can observe these creatures from one of the viewing platforms before having lunch at a local restaurant.

You’ll then head further into the jungle for a two-night stay on the bank of the languid Kinabatangan River, at the Borneo Natural Bilit Resort, with its hardwood walkways and its riverside cabins. After arriving, you'll set off on a two-hour boat river cruise with a guide, spotting wildlife like orangutans, monkeys and birds as you go.

Rise early this morning to the sounds of the rainforest and get ready for one of your tour's unforgettable highlights. Board a river cruise and drift along the Kinabatangan as the mist lifts from the water, keeping your eyes trained on the riverbanks for proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and with a little luck, a herd of pygmy elephants making their way through the trees. The best chance to see pygmy elephants is between March and October during the drier months, making this the prime time to spot these gentle giants in the wild.

Back at the lodge, enjoy a leisurely breakfast before joining your guide for a gentle walk to a nearby village. This lighter-paced excursion is the perfect opportunity to meet the local people and get a feel for everyday life on the banks of one of Borneo's most iconic rivers.

Lunch and the rest of the afternoon are yours to enjoy at leisure, and you can relax in your room, take in the sights from the lodge, or simply sit and listen to the sounds of the surrounding jungle. In cooler afternoon temperatures, head back out on another included river cruise, as the softer light showcases the local wildlife in a different way and fresh animal sightings await around every bend.

This evening, return to the hotel for dinner.

Transfer to your hotel in the Ranau district for a two night stay amongst pristine nature, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes of Kundasang and Mt. Kinabalu.

Start the day with a visit to a local tea plantation, where you'll have the opportunity to explore the estate and learn about the cultivation and production of rainforest tea. Wander through the neatly planted rows and discover how this unique crop goes from leaf to cup.

After your tour, enjoy an included lunch at a local restaurant and continue your journey to the renowned Poring Hot Springs, a much-loved retreat nestled within the foothills of Mount Kinabalu. The springs themselves are natural, fed by geothermally heated water, though the bathing facilities have been thoughtfully developed to make the most of this wonderful natural resource. If you'd like, you can experience the warm mineral-rich waters (on your account). You can also explore the surrounding attractions at your own pace, including the charming Butterfly Farm, where vibrant tropical species flutter freely around you, and the picturesque Kipungit Waterfall, a peaceful spot to cool off and take in the natural beauty of the area.

Please note: the canopy walkway is currently closed for maintenance work and will reopen once work has been completed.

Journey deep into the UNESCO-listed Kinabalu National Park this morning, a forested paradise home to several unique species of orchid, 5,000 species of plants, over 300 types of resident and migratory birds, as well as 100 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Here you’ll enjoy a scenic hike through moderate elevation, of about 3kms, before pausing at the park’s headquarters, with its beautiful Mountain Garden Collection, then continue to the Shangri La Rasa Ria Resort.

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure at the resort, perhaps spent lazing by the pools or on the beach, indulging in a spa treatment or two, enjoying the selection of water sports or perhaps a round on the championship golf-course (activities payable locally).

Please note: Throughout your time in Kota Kinabalu, you’ll have a representative only during transfers and excursions, not on leisure days. A 24/7 contact number will be provided for emergency use during your time here.

Enjoy a sumptuous day at leisure at the resort, or join the optional Mari Mari Cultural Village excursion. Those who join the optional excursion will get a fascinating glimpse and gain insights into the history, lifestyle and culture of the indigenous Borneo tribes with the help of a local guide. During the excursion, you'll sample traditional food and drink before watching a performance and enjoying an included lunch. Five ethnic tribes call this village home, and live, for the most part, as they did hundreds of years ago.

Spend another relaxing day at leisure, with a selection of dining options and the attractions of Kota Kinabalu.

Enjoy another day at leisure. If you’re keen for more wildlife-spotting adventure, venture into the hotel’s onsite Rasa Ria Nature Reserve, a 64-acre site which is home to more than 90 bird species, reptiles and colourful plant life. Alternatively, you can venture into Kota Kinabalu for some self-guided exploration. 

Another free day awaits, and you’ll have more time to finish your holiday the way to you want to. If you haven’t already, why not stop at the hotel’s expansive putting green for a round or two of golf or take a stroll around the area’s verdant nearby lakes?  

It’s your last full day in Borneo, and you’ll have one last chance to cross any remaining activities off your wish-list, as well as reflect on a wonderful adventure

This afternoon, after breakfast and a leisurely morning at the hotel, check out and head to the airport for your overnight return flight to the UK. 

Arrive back home early this morning at the end of an unforgettable wildlife-spotting holiday.