Sandakan Wildlife safaris and game drives Trips

Borneo with Contiki was honestly one of the best trips I’ve ever been on. Our trip leader was amazing and made everything feel so easy and fun. I met such a great group of people, and seeing orangutans in the wild was something I’ll never forget. Every excursion was packed with adventure I had the best time!

The trip was full of adventure, animals, nature, good food and good vibes! Absolutely loved the included experiences and the optional extras. Our trip leader was amazing and well versed in Borneo, and made the trip beyond expectations.

What can I say - what an amazing trip. From start to finish we were incredibly lucky with what we saw and the encounters we had. Starting in Bako NP, we saw wild proboscis monkey and were treated to a rare sighting of a Colugo (flying lemur) taking flight over our heads during the day. On the way back on the boat, we were even treated to a viewing of pink dolphins. In Mulu, the caves were beautiful and great fun to walk through. Although we were supposedly there during the 'dry' season, climate change has made the weather much more unpredictable. We had lovely weather both mornings, but torrential rain in the afternoons and overnight, so much so that the bats stayed inside the cave on the first night. Patience and a willingness to walk in the rain with crossed fingers paid off on the second night, and we were treated to a spectacular bat exodus during sunset. The weather is very changeable in Mulu (and Borneo in general) so even if it looks as though it may be too wet for the bats, I would recommend heading to the viewing area anyway as you never know! Even in the rain, the air temperature is warm and you dry off quickly. Moving to Sabah, the highlights have to be the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. Both were so rich in wildlife and we had such amazing viewings in both locations. The Orangutan and Proboscis monkey sanctuaries are great and do fabulous work, but nothing compares to seeing these animals truly out in the wild. We were incredibly lucky with our sightings and saw not only the Borneo Big 5 (orangutan, proboscis monkey, crocodile, rhinoceros hornbill and pygmy elephant) but a huge array of other primates and birds (long and short tail macaques, gibbons, silver and red leaf monkeys, flying squirrels, owls, civets, slow loris, eagles, deer and many more) . Particularly in Danum Valley, take the opportunity to do as much as possible. There are a couple of places on the track and boardwalk that you can go independently providing the sun is up. A few of us in the group met up at 6am on both mornings in Danum and we were rewarded with a group of gibbons eating and playing in the trees on both mornings - a sight not repeated during the day. Seize every opportunity and just explore and enjoy.

An excellent introduction into Borneo wildlife. We were a group of 8 and spent a fascinating two weeks discovering the birds and animals of Borneo. Great accommodation and and excellent guide.

We saw a lot of wildlife due to the skill of our guides. By the end of the holiday we were able to spot the birds and animals ourselves. Kept busy with many activities and group meals. We felt privileged to see such rare animals in their own habitat in disappearing rainforest.

I would recommend this trip, in fact I would say it's a must, especially if your interested in wildlife and get a better understanding of the socio-economic reasons why rainforests are being replaced by agriculture. From countless up-close wildlife experiences (I would say guaranteed) deep inside the rain forests to amazing natural geological wonders of the world, this trip just keeps on giving. As always our Exodus leader or guide was just excellent on every level. Jay helped up to understand the natural world and its unique symbiotic relationships and the recent balance and regulation to help protect the remaining rain forests. We always felt safe and often important as Jay was well known as a long standing guide in the area. I've come away feeling lucky to experience such a country and keep replying my memories so they become indelible ones.