Loading search...
The small group gelled well together. I enjoyed the variety and position of the three different hotels. I loved the Orangutan and Sun Bear centres and the bat cave was fascinating.
S.B. London
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Can I help you?
Borneo's Rainforest Mammals
Tour Code: MYS05An 11-day holiday in search of a variety of Sabah's special mammal species including Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey and Pygmy Elephant.
We hope to run this tour in the future, but have not yet finalised dates and prices. To be added to a waiting list and be informed when details are confirmed, please click on the register interest button, or phone 01962 733051.
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Can I help you?
Summary
This tour will be based along the Kinabatangan River and in the nearby Tabin Wildlife Reserve, where all 10 of Sabah’s primate species can be found. We begin our tour in Sepilok with a visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Sun Bear Conservation Centre to learn about ongoing efforts to protect these iconic species. We then journey upriver to spend three days among the varied fauna that lives along the Kinabatangan River, including truly wild Orangutans, as well as nocturnal mammals such as civets and Slow Loris. We then travel deeper into the rainforest to the 112,000-hectare Tabin Wildlife Reserve, where we will explore the reserve’s tracks and trails by day in search of Orangutans, Pygmy Elephants and Bornean Gibbons, spotlighting at night to look for Colugo, Leopard Cat, Pangolin and other nocturnal specialities.
- Includes a visit to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Visit the Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Stay at the award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge
- Look for wild Orangutans along the Kinabatangan River
- Evening spotlighting to look for Flat-headed Cat & civets
- Pygmy Elephant, Bornean Gibbon & Mouse-deer, Tabin Wildlife Reserve
- Spotlighting at night, Tabin Reserve, to look for Leopard Cat
- Possibility of Sunda Clouded Leopard
- Led by expert local naturalist guides
Grading
A range of gentle wildlife walks, vehicular and boat safaris.Borneo’s rainforests are extremely rich in wildlife, and this new tour focuses on the diverse and interesting range of mammals found in the state of Sabah. Borneo is home to approximately 200 species of mammal, 44 of which are endemic to the island and found only in its rainforests. On this 11-day tour, we will be based along the Kinabatangan River and in the nearby Tabin Wildlife Reserve, where all 10 of Sabah’s primate species can be found. These include Orangutan, Bornean Gibbon, Pig-tailed and Long-tailed Macaques, the peculiar Proboscis Monkey, and Maroon, Silvered and Hose’s Langurs.
We begin our tour in Sepilok, where we will visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, and the Sun Bear Conservation Centre to learn about the ongoing efforts to protect these iconic species. We will then journey upriver to the award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge, which will be our base while we explore the nearby tributaries and oxbow lakes on daily boat trips, in search of our first truly wild Orangutans. In the evenings, we can enjoy spotlighting sessions to seek out such elusive nocturnal specialities as Slow Loris, and both Flat-headed and Leopard Cats, as well as one or more of the many civet species found in the region.
After three days spent among the varied fauna that lives along the Kinabatangan River, we will travel deeper into the rainforest to the 112,000- hectare Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Tabin protects a mix of mature primary and secondary lowland rainforest — dotted with active volcanic mudflats — home to a wide variety of Borneo’s remarkable mammal species. By day, we will explore the reserve’s tracks and trails in search of Orangutan, Pygmy Elephant, Bornean Gibbon and Lesser and Greater Mouse-deer. As night falls, we will again take to the forest, this time looking for such nocturnal specialities as Colugo, Western Tarsier, Pangolin and, if we are extremely fortunate, the rare Sunda Clouded Leopard!
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London
Day 2
Arrive Kuala Lumpur; fly Sandakan, overnight Sepilok
Day 3
Orangutan and Sun Bear Centres
Day 4/6
Kinabatangan River
Day 7/9
Tabin Wildlife Reserve
Day 10
Depart Sandakan
Day 11
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation: Comfortable eco-lodges, all rooms with private facilities.
- Food:
Included in the price, except for dinner on day 10. You should allow about £20 for this.
Reviews
-
-
Hazwan was excellent with a terrific knowledge of wildlife. People skills with the group were first rate as well. Everything went according to plan. Birdlife and wildlife we saw was what we had hoped for and anticipated.
Mr & Mrs S. Somerset -
There was plenty of time to reflect on our trips and all the guides knew their area very well. Overall a brilliant trip and I will be looking at the Naturetrek brochure for future wildlife trips!
R.B. Berkshire -
The leaders/guides were knowledgeable and looked after the party well. I feel we were lucky to see the Pygmy Elephants and the Wild Orang-utan.
E.S. Lancashire -
First time travelled with Naturetrek. Loved the fact the focus was on wildlife and seeing as much as possible and taking every opportunity. Enjoyed being with like-minded people doing the checklists every evening to confirm what we had spotted and pouring over and discussing the ID books! The balance of free time was just right – I enjoyed exploring the boardwalks at different times of the day whilst others had a snooze I think! Enjoyed 3 different venues – they just got better and better – wish I could’ve stayed at Tabin for much longer. Amazing - we saw several wild Orang-utan, Proboscis Monkeys, Bornean Gibbon, Pygmy Elephant, Rhino-horned Hornbill…the list is endless (well apart from that damned elusive Clouded Leopard!!). All trek leaders really knew their wildlife and took great efforts to ensure that we got the most out of each trip, whilst ensuring our safety at all times. Loved every minute, but one of the highlights, that will stay with me forever is swimming in the paradise-like lagoon by the waterfall in the Bornean rainforest!
C.S. Staffordshire -
Our leader was absolutely outstanding, he was endlessly patient in helping us to see things and incredibly knowledgeable. The combination of places we visited was perfect and enabled us to see a wide range of animals and birds. My highlights were being able to spend prolonged periods watching the Orang-utans at Sepilok, especially the youngsters, the Proboscis Monkeys at Kinabatangan and tracking and eventually being rewarded with lovely sightings of the Gibbons in Tabin.
J.B. London -
All travel arrangements went well. We enjoyed seeing all the wildlife, the night walks and the beautiful butterflies. It is so nice to travel with like minded people in a small group. Good sightings were enjoyed by all.
T.P. West Sussex -
The three centres were sufficiently varied in their locations that each one offered a different environment making the whole trip appealing and interesting. Despite their isolated locations, food and accommodation was better than anticipated. Our tour guide Hazwan was very good with 40:40 vision! And the local guide at Tabin, Mohammad, was excellent and very helpful.
A.H. Somerset -
An excellent mixture of walks and boat and road trips - both at day and night. Hazwan the guide took great pains to ensure that everyone saw as much as possible.
D.G. Cambridgeshire -
Group was the right size. Travel arrangements good. Going to Sepilok first worked well. Guide was excellent and his wildlife knowledge extensive. Being able to get close to animals in all three location was as a real bonus.
S.R. Northamptonshire -
It was wonderful to see the Orang-utans in the wild where they should be, so majestic. The beautiful colours of the Proboscis monkeys, in fact all the monkeys were brilliant.
J.M. Nottinghamshire -
I particularly enjoyed the variety of mammals we saw on the trip - insects, reptiles and amphibians as well as the expected birds and mammals. We also had a good group who got along very well which always helps. On a personal level, I was very lucky to have a one on one, close encounter with a wild Orang and her baby which is something I will never forget.
S.W. Gwent
Tour Reports
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
Related articles
In October 2018, Operations Manager, Tom Mabbett, led our ‘Borneo's Mammals – Deramakot Forest Reserve’ tour to Sabah, and then extended his stay to explore Tabin Wildlife Reserve and to visit Borneo Rainforest Lodge in the Danum Valley Conservation Area. Here he describes the highlights of his trip and answers some commonly-asked questions about the island and its wildlife
