Borneo activity holiday, trek, cycle & raft
Description of Borneo activity holiday, trek, cycle & raft
There is so much to love about this activity holiday in Borneo, not least the fact that it is tailormade, so that the itinerary can be shaped to your own dates and interests.
The adventure begins in Kota Kinabalu, where after a delicious Malaysian dinner, you’ll head out to the beautiful Kiulu Valley. Here you’ll get wet and wild with some white water rafting over Grade II rapids, followed by a meandering cycle ride to the campsite where you’ll spend the night.
Over the next few days you’ll trek through forests, over hilly terrain, between villages where people speak little English but a friendly smile goes a long way. You’ll sleep in hammocks, tents and mountain huts, and feast on traditional cuisine. The destination is Mt. Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in the Malaysian archipelago, which you’ll climb in time to catch daybreak on the summit, and stunning views all the way down to the South China Sea. Heading back down afterwards, perhaps try the Via Ferrata on the mountain, and certainly don’t miss the soothing hot springs back at your accommodation.
Many tours might end on this accomplishment, but this trip goes far beyond. Explore a renowned wildlife reserve, where orang-utans, crocodiles and elephants are regularly seen, take a dawn river cruise as the proboscis monkeys come to life, and visit an orang-utan sanctuary in time for lunch.
Arriving back in Kota Kinabalu, you’ll have a day to recharge your batteries, doing as little or as much as you feel like. Some last-minute shopping and sightseeing perhaps, mountain biking, or just chilling by the hotel pool.
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1 Reviews of Borneo activity holiday, trek, cycle & raft
Reviewed on 20 Apr 2025 by Lesley Williamson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being in the rainforest and seeing the wildlife.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Realise your physical limitations. The heat and humidity make it tough at times - you need to talk to your guides before setting off to find out exactly how far
you will be walking and what the conditions will be.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes to all three
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The organisation was brilliant - the guides were always there to pick us up and we had some lovely knowledgeable guides who made it very easy for us to ask
any questions that we had. We found the conditions at the home stay testing - a mattress on the floor and sparse washing facilities - but couldn't fault the
welcome everyone gave us and we learnt a lot from talking to both the family and other people from the village. All the guides were excellent, we saw so many animals in the forests and the rest of the accommodation was first class.
Responsible Travel
Planet
All our expeditions are organised and led with a commitment to maximising the benefits of our trips to the local community and minimising the negative impact associated with tourism. We employ local agents and staff, not just to benefit the local economy, but also to give you a real sense of the local culture.Wildlife: We have been active in installing Orangutan Bridges in the Kinabatangan in support of HUTAN and Chester Zoo, thus far we have set up about 20 as part of our commitment to directly assisting conservation programmes.
We have installed a wildlife watching platform for Cardiff University at the Danau Girang Field centre in support of the study of tropical biology.
Water: We have initiated a series of projects for youth teams to install water tanks for rainwater collection and storage in remote villages. Working with village heads and always employing local people we fund and install the water facilities to ensure that clean water is available to the families.
People
Campaigning for change: Lobbying local politicians to fix bridges in rural communities where people need to access farms or use them to get to school.Promoting local tourism initiatives such as the Linunkit cultural village and the Batu Putih community ecotourism project.
A fair deal: Our guides are sourced from the communities of the places that we visit, we provide training and support ongoing professional development, all our staff are encouraged to take a course per year which we fund.
Local crafts and culture: To support the local communities, we sleep and eat in locally-run establishments where possible, and interact sensibly with locals as we believe in positive cultural exchanges so as not to change their lives – this means trade not aid.
We will ensure that:
- We pay a fair income for all locally employed staff
- Use local equipment and vehicles when we can
- We purchase food from locally sourced providers
- Use locally owned and run accommodation where possible
- Discourage local begging and giving of cash gifts
- Employ local agents therefore ensuring income is kept in country whenever possible
- Encourage maximum communications between locals and participants to encourage mutual understanding and respect between cultures
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