Sabah Rainforest Safari

Arrive in Kota Kinabalu, where your driver picks you up at the airport and transfers you to your hotel. In the evening, head out with your guide to the city's night market to browse local spices, fruits, vegetables, and souvenirs. Your guide introduces you to the local way of life as you explore, and you enjoy dinner before returning to your hotel.

After breakfast, trade the city for a day of sun, sea, and sand on an offshore coral island in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Transfer to the jetty in the early morning and board a boat for the 30-minute ride out to Mamutik Island, where the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Snorkel in crystal clear water among coral reefs and rainbow-colored fish, then sit down to lunch before venturing back in for a swim or simply relaxing on the sand. In the mid-afternoon, board the boat back to Kota Kinabalu.

Note: The scheduled boat transfer to the island departs at 8:15 a.m. Please ensure you arrive at Marina Jetty no later than 8:00 a.m.

Set out on a two-hour drive overland to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu. Stop along the way at the local market in Pekan Nabalu to stretch your legs and sample whatever fruit is in season, and if the weather is clear, snap a photo of Mount Kinabalu rising in the distance. Continue to Kinabalu Park headquarters to visit the Kinabalu Geopark Gallery and Botanical Garden, and if conditions allow, join a guided walk on one of the trails through the cool montane forest. Drive back to Kota Kinabalu and rest up for the day ahead.

Wake up early to head to the airport for a flight to Sandakan. Upon arrival at the Sandakan Airport, transfer to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Watch a short video detailing the center's rehabilitation efforts. Proceed to the feeding platform to observe the feeding of orangutans and other local primates. Continue to the enclosed nursery area to view the young orangutans.

After lunch, take a 2-hour overland drive to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Following check-in, embark on a late afternoon river cruise to observe regional wildlife and bird species.

Return to the lodge for dinner at the Melapi restaurant, followed by a slide presentation and talk by a naturalist guide.

Rise early for a morning river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to Kelenanap Oxbow Lake to observe more birds and wildlife. Return to the lodge for breakfast, then proceed on a nature walk along the Hornbill and Attenborough Boardwalks with an in-house naturalist.
The rest of the day is free for you to explore on your own or relax by the lodge's dip pool after lunch. Later, visit the newly refurbished Ape Gallery for an Ape Talk with the in-house naturalist.

In the afternoon, visit the Gomantong Caves to explore the extensive cave system, known as the largest limestone outcrop in Lower Kinabatangan with diverse wildlife.

Return to Sukau Rainforest Lodge for a delicious dinner at Melapi Restaurant and enjoy a restful night.

Optional: Climb the stairs to the Simud Putih platform to observe the evening bat exodus.

Note that the Gomantong Caves are home to native insects and invertebrates, including cockroaches and centipedes. Wear closed-toe shoes and remain on the designated walkways during the visit.

Today you head deeper into Borneo, trading the riverside for the Virgin Jungle Reserve of Sungai Kapur, where a jungle hike, a sunset river cruise, and a night safari fill the day ahead.

After breakfast, drive about two hours overland, pausing for light refreshments and check-in formalities before continuing another two and a half hours by road to your rainforest lodge, set within the reserve. A warm welcome and facility briefing await on arrival, followed by lunch and time to settle in.

In the afternoon, hike the Kapur Trail for your first taste of the reserve's flora and fauna. Pause for a tea break before boarding a late afternoon river cruise to look for wildlife and watch the sun set over the estuary. Weather permitting, fireflies light the way as you cruise back to the lodge for dinner. Afterward, set out on a night safari drive for a chance to spot the nocturnal wildlife that stirs in the surrounding forest.

Wake to the calls of gibbons and hornbills echoing through the rainforest. Today is all about the reserve itself, from an early birding hike to a mangrove river cruise and a night walk after dark.

After a quick bite, head out on a short morning hike to the Cuckoo Hide, where you can photograph one of Borneo's endemic birds along with other birdlife found in the area. Return to the lodge to freshen up before a full breakfast at the restaurant.

If weather and sea conditions permit, board a river cruise along the coastline and into the Segama River and its mangrove forest. Keep your eyes peeled for flying foxes, eagles, and dolphins along the way.

Head back to the lodge to relax before lunch. The afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace: browse the information gallery, shop for souvenirs, enjoy a drink at the restaurant, or take a dip in the pool to beat the heat. When you're ready, pull on your leech socks and set out on a jungle trek along the lodge's network of trails.

Optional: Request an extended trek with your guide for a longer hike through the reserve.

As the sun sets, sit down to dinner before heading out on a night walk around the lodge. Keep an eye out for the nocturnal creatures that rule the dark, including civets, leopard cats, mouse deer, and moonrats, before returning to the lodge for a good night's rest.

Your time in the reserve winds down today with a relaxed morning before the journey back to Lahad Datu.

Rise to the sounds of the jungle one last time and sit down to a hearty breakfast. The morning is yours to enjoy at leisure before lunch and check-out. Then head overland to Lahad Datu in time for your late afternoon flight.