Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek

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Booking Type Instant booking
duration 8 days
tour type Small group Request as private
age requirement 15-99 yrs
max group size 12
guiding method Fully guided
Tour Code BM-28303
Footprint Carbonneutral CO₂ emissions resulting from all trips on Bookmundi will be offset via investments in carbon reduction projects.
Operated in English

Starts Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Ends Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

HIGHLIGHTS Download trip notes

Spend three-and-a-half days trekking in one of the most pristine self-contained environments on earth, parts of which are still yet to be explored.
Begin your adventure with a homestay with a Dusun family in Tambunan, including a local village tour to a house filled with headhunter skulls.
The myriad waterways that flow into the basin’s Maliau River have created dozens of known waterfalls. Take in their hidden beauty during your trek, including the seven gorgeous tiers of Maliau Waterfall.
Wonder at the bizarre flora that has adapted to this environment, like ‘ant plants’ that survive and grow by feeding on the waste of the ants that live on them.
Tourism to the basin is restricted, which means after this trip you’ll be part of a very exclusive group of people to have experienced the majesty of this wilderness.

Start and end in Kota Kinabalu, the trip "Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek" is a guided adventure trip that takes 8 days. You will travel through Tambunan, Kota Kinabalu and Maliau Basin Conservation Area in Malaysia. "Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek" is a small group trip which includes accommodation, transport, meals and others.

Deep in the heart of Borneo’s Sabah lies a land so wild, rugged and isolated that its beauty has been seen by few people. Welcome to the glorious Maliau Basin, a circle of lush forest and waterways rimmed on all sides by steep cliffs and embankments. Our 8-day trekking expedition takes you into this protected, restricted-access area to discover wild orchids and cascading waterfalls set in forest so green it seems to glow. With a homestay in a historic village and a well-earned night in a hotel bookending a three-and-a-half-day trek, this trip is for people seeking active adventure, natural splendour and a personal challenge.

ITINERARY Expand All

Day 1: Kota Kinabalu
Day 2: Tambunan
Day 3: Tambunan - Maliau Basin Conservation Area
Day 4: Sabah's Lost World trek
Day 5: Sabah's Lost World trek
Day 6: Sabah's Lost World trek
Day 7: Sabah's Lost World trek - Kota KInabalu
Day 8: Kota KInabalu

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nights), Homestay (1 night), Dormitory (1 night), Camping under basic shelters (3 nights)

Meals

7 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners

Transport

Private mini van , on foot

Guide

An expert tour leader

Included Activities

Tambunan - Tambunan Rafflesia Center
Tambunan - Kampung Sunsuron village tour
Maliau Basin - Maliau Rim Observation Tower
Maliau Basin - Stargazing activity
Maliau Basin - Takob Akob Falls, Fowzi Falls & Giluk Falls trek
Maliau Basin - Trek to Maliau Falls & Ginseng Camp
Maliau Basin - Stargazing activity
Maliau Basin - Trek from Ginseng Station to Agathis Camp

WHAT'S EXCLUDED

Any international flights to/from Kota Kinabalu are not included in this price. We always recommend that you arrive 1 day prior to your tour starting date.
Travel insurance is not included in this Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek tour. Travel insurance is mandatory to buy. World Nomads' travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a Premier This travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.5 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 189 reviews for other tours with an average 4.6 rating.

REQUEST A PRIVATE, CUSTOMIZABLE DEPARTURE By design, this is a group tour. You can however request a private, customized version of this tour for yourself or your private group of people. Private departures are usually more expensive, but come with these benefits:

Personal Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
Protected Travel within your own bubble.
Professional Access our Travel Specialists' insider knowledge.
Privacy Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.

Request a private and/or personalized departure To design a private tour, we'll ask you some more information in the following steps.

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GOOD TO KNOW Download trip notes

CANCELLATION

No additional cancellation fees apply for this Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek tour. You can cancel the tour up to 58 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 57 days of departure.

Payment

For any tour departures within 16 June 2024, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 16 June 2024, a deposit is required to confirm this tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 57 days before trip departure.

Travel Insurance

Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. World Nomads offers travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families.

Visa

For this Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are traveling to, as part of this itinerary.

Is this trip right for you

The three-and-a-half-day trek in the Maliau Basin will be very challenging, even for experienced trekkers. Sections involve scaling vertical ladders and scrambling for hours at a time. You will need a high level of fitness and mental fortitude in order to participate in this adventure. The reward for those who are up to the task? Exploring where few people (and even fewer foreigners) have ever set foot.
All travellers who enter the Maliau Basin Conservation Area with the intention of hiking must have travel insurance that includes emergency helicopter evacuation.
Porters are available at extra cost during the trek, but this trip does not include porters in the price.
During the trekking portion of this trip, you will sleep in basic camping huts on stretchers or bunk beds. Toilets will be squat style during this time. There are multiple nights without showers while on the trek.
You will need to bring quality shoes made for hiking in wet and slippery conditions. Our local experts recommend a local shoe colloquially known as the ‘kampung Adidas. These are similar to rubber soccer boots with spikes, and your leader can help you purchase these. You must also bring a hat, a reusable water bottle, a water purifying method, leech socks (or two pairs of football socks which can also be bought locally) and sunscreen.
Did you catch that comment above about leech socks? Yep, leeches thrive in damp environments, so the many waterways of the basin are a haven for the critters. You’ll need to dress to minimise skin exposure, keep strong insect repellent handy and have a tolerant attitude to creepy crawlies. Doubling up long football socks is a great way to protect yourself from leeches.

COVID VACCINATION POLICY

Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is no longer mandatory on departures after 1st January 2023. Nonetheless, all travellers are strongly advised to be vaccinated as a safety measure to protect themselves and others on the tour. This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination are required.

Also, proof of vaccination may still be required at specific entry points or by the airlines. Therefore, please make sure to check all the travel requirements carefully before travelling.

COVID-19 Safety Measures

This trip incorporates the following COVID-19 measures:

This tour has received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travellers with assurance that COVID-19 health and hygiene global standardised protocols have been adopted.
Hygiene and safety guidelines will be followed to ensure your well being is looked after during travels.

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