Holiday in Borneo, encompassed
| country: | Malaysia, Borneo |
| location: | Sabah & Sarawak |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 5 Jul, 16 Aug, 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 20 Dec 2009: 17 Jan, 21 Feb, 14 Mar, 19 Apr, 24 May, 14 Jun |
| price: | From £1410 (18 days) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Our most popular trip explores the wilds of Borneo. You stay in Iban longhouses in the heart of the equatorial jungle and trek on the Headhunters' Trail in the tracks of Kayan warriors.
You go in search of Borneo's endangered wildlife, including the orang-utan, proboscis monkey and green turtle, as well as climb Mount Kinabalu (4,101 metres).
Kuching is a charming colonial city, with an excellent museum. The riverside promenade is often the scene of music, festivities and markets in the evening. In Mulu National Park, you explore one of the world's largest and most impressive network of caves.
The limestone has been slowly hollowed out into enormous caverns containing delicate natural sculptures. The highlight is the evening emergence of millions of bats to forage in the surrounding jungle. On the Headhunters' Trail, you trek deep into the jungle and stay in simple rainforest accommodation. On a challenging ascent up Mount Api, you view the fantastically eroded limestone outcrops of the Pinnacles, whilst a night in a longhouse, as a guest of the Iban tribespeople, enables you to experience their unique lifestyle.
Kota Kinabalu has a fascinating mix of Chinese, Filipino and Malay cultures. A challenging climb of Mount Kinabalu rewards you with an amazing sunrise view over the South China Sea and jungles of Borneo. The wilderness of Borneo is best experienced on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, where wild orang-utan and proboscis monkeys are often sighted. Staying by the river in a peaceful lodge, you often awake to the morning call of gibbons. A major highlight is observing Borneo's orang-utans at close proximity at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre – a memorable experience.
You go in search of Borneo's endangered wildlife, including the orang-utan, proboscis monkey and green turtle, as well as climb Mount Kinabalu (4,101 metres).
Kuching is a charming colonial city, with an excellent museum. The riverside promenade is often the scene of music, festivities and markets in the evening. In Mulu National Park, you explore one of the world's largest and most impressive network of caves.
The limestone has been slowly hollowed out into enormous caverns containing delicate natural sculptures. The highlight is the evening emergence of millions of bats to forage in the surrounding jungle. On the Headhunters' Trail, you trek deep into the jungle and stay in simple rainforest accommodation. On a challenging ascent up Mount Api, you view the fantastically eroded limestone outcrops of the Pinnacles, whilst a night in a longhouse, as a guest of the Iban tribespeople, enables you to experience their unique lifestyle.
Kota Kinabalu has a fascinating mix of Chinese, Filipino and Malay cultures. A challenging climb of Mount Kinabalu rewards you with an amazing sunrise view over the South China Sea and jungles of Borneo. The wilderness of Borneo is best experienced on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, where wild orang-utan and proboscis monkeys are often sighted. Staying by the river in a peaceful lodge, you often awake to the morning call of gibbons. A major highlight is observing Borneo's orang-utans at close proximity at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre – a memorable experience.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Kuching and transfer to hotel |
| Day 2-3: | Visit Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. Boat ride up Lemanak River. Stay in Iban longhouses. |
| Day 4: | Return to Kuching. |
| Day 5-6: | Fly to Mulu National Park. Jungle riverboats and visit Wind and Clearwater Caves. Trek on Headhunters Trail. |
| Day 7-9: | Jungle boat ride; stay in Iban longhouse. Travel by boat and bus to Kota Kinabalu. |
| Day 10: | Day trip to tropical island in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Beach and snorkelling. |
| Day 11: | Drive to Mesilau Nature Resort. |
| Day 12-13: | Mount Kinabalu climb. Trek to Laban Rata (3300m), early morning trek to summit (4095m). |
| Day 14: | Sepilok orang-utan sanctuary. |
| Day 15-16: | Boat to Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Wildlife boat trips on Kinabatangan and Menanggul Rivers. |
| Day 17: | Fly to Kota Kinabalu; free time. |
| Day 18: | Trip ends in Kota Kinabalu this morning |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Search for endangered wildlife in Borneo with the help of local eyes, as your tour leader gives you a first-hand insight into the rich tapestry that can be found in the wilderness. Visiting special reserves set aside in rainforest terrain leads to an awareness of Borneo’s rich natural heritage and ultimately garners further support that they be earmarked for protection so that they can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations. Tourism also helps Borneo preserve vestiges of its rich cultural heritage.
By visiting various villages and remote communities inhabited by various indigenous tribes and staying in Iban longhouses in the heart of the equatorial jungle, you get to appreciate the intricate diversity of this country as exemplified by the many and varied cultural experiences on offer. Equally important your local tour leader will help you to understand the traditions of these proud people, ensuring you don’t commit any cultural ‘faux pas’. From searching for proboscis monkeys and hornbills on the Kinabatangan River to close encounters with orang-utan at a rehabilitation centre, travellers become acutely aware of the importance of conservation and become ambassadors for the continual protection of wildlife and wilderness the world over. Many of the tour leaders are local Dayak (Iban) people. In a continuous support of tourism in Borneo this operator works with a local Malaysian operation in training tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. By only employing tour leaders born and bred in the regions they visit, they are supporting local economies. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |