Borneo Adventure

On arrival in Kuching you will be transferred from the airport to your centrally located hotel. If you arrive early (check in is from 15:00pm), you are free to discover the charms of the Kuching, a city established by Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak. The White Rajahs refers to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. In Kuching you can see buildings dating back to the days of the White Rajahs, ancient Chinese temples and colourful markets displaying the produce that first brought traders to Borneo. A visit to Kuching will not be complete without making a stop at the Sarawak Museum. Completed in 1891, the museum has an excellent collection of ethnological and archaeological artifacts and is reputed to be the best in South East Asia. There are plenty of eateries to choose from this evening and you will have an opportunity to wander around the city and explore. Local food here is quite economical and you will spend around MYR 10.00 for a good meal.

* This evening you will need to pack the clothing and personal items you need for the next 4 nights in a separate backpack. Please make sure you keep these items to the bare minimum, as you will be expected to carry your own pack. You may leave the rest of your luggage at the hotel luggage storage room. Please approach or liaise with the hotel Front Office or Concierge to make these arrangements.

Overnight: The Lime Tree Hotel or similar

This morning, you’ll be picked up from your hotel in Kuching and travel through the countryside to Batang Ai reservoir, a drive of around 4 to 5 hours. A short briefing about the activities will be done by the guide along the way. Along the way, you’ll pass pepper gardens, cocoa farms, and rubber plantations. A stop will be made at Lachau Bazaar, where you can wander through the small market and browse the jungle produce on offer, from bamboo shoots to edible ferns and curious tropical fruit, followed by an early lunch.

Continue your journey to Batang Ai Lake, where you’ll board a traditional longboat and head upriver to Nanga Sumpa. The journey time can vary depending on river conditions.

On arrival, settle in at the jungle lodge. After dinner, visit the nearby Nanga Sumpa longhouse. Spend time with the Iban community on the ruai (communal verandah), learn about their traditions, and enjoy a relaxed evening in their company.

Overnight: Nanga Sumpa Lodge, shared bathroom facilities

* Note: Leeches are found in the forest along the Red Ape Trail. Insect repellent is effective against leeches. Weather conditions and the water level of local rivers may force our guides to modify the trip in the interests of safety. For example, some trekking activities are not possible during heavy rain or a thunderstorm. No refunds can be offered if a trek is cancelled or boat transfer delayed due to bad weather or river conditions.

After breakfast, set off from Nanga Sumpa between 7.30 and 8.00am for a guided trek through the rainforest around Sepulau. Keep an eye out for orangutans, pig-tailed macaques, hornbills, and other birdlife. Orangutans nests are often spotted along the trail.

Return to Nanga Sumpa around midday for lunch at the lodge. The afternoon is free to relax, swim in the river, or visit the nearby longhouse.

Later in the day, around 3.30 to 4.00pm, head out on another guided walk near Nanga Sumpa, again looking for signs of orangutans. The trail will be chosen based on recent sightings and in consultation with your guide.

Overnight: Nanga Sumpa Lodge, shared bathroom facilities

Start the day early with a coffee before heading out from Nanga Sumpa around 6.30am. You’ll follow one of the forest trails behind the lodge, chosen based on recent orangutan or nest sightings and your guide’s recommendations. Spend around two hours trekking through orangutan habitat before returning to the lodge for breakfast.

At around 9.30am, depart on another walk along one of the riverbank trails. By late morning (around 11.30am), you’ll be picked up by longboat and travel upriver to the beautiful Enseluai Waterfall. Here you’ll have time to swim, relax, and soak up the rainforest surrounds. Your Iban hosts will prepare a riverside BBQ lunch.

Early afternoon, continue by boat (about 15 minutes) to the junction of the Delok and Lalang Rivers. From here, begin a 1 to 2 hour trek through more orangutan habitat before arriving at Lubok Kasai jungle camp, set on the banks of the Lalang River.

Settle into camp and spend the afternoon at leisure. Take a swim, read by the river, or simply enjoy the peaceful forest setting. Orangutans are sometimes seen here, especially around dusk or dawn. After dinner, relax at the camp or, weather permitting, join your guide for a short night walk to explore the area after dark.

Overnight: Lubok Kasai jungle camp, shared bathroom facilities

* Please note there is no electricity at Lubok Kasai. Charging of devices such as cameras and phones can be done at Nanga Sumpa Lodge before continuing on to Lubok Kasai.

After breakfast, head out on foot once more, continuing your search for orangutans. The exact route and activity for the day will be discussed with your guide, with trails chosen based on any sightings or signs from the previous day.

Return to Lubok Kasai for lunch. The afternoon is free to relax by the river, enjoy the jungle setting, or simply take it easy at camp.

Later in the day, around 4.00pm, set off on a final forest walk from Lubok Kasai, again keeping an eye out for orangutans and their nests. Return to the lodge before nightfall.

Overnight: Lubok Kasai jungle camp, shared bathroom facilities

Enjoy breakfast at camp before departing around 8.30am by longboat, travelling downriver to the Batang Ai Lake jetty. You’ll arrive mid to late morning, between 10.30 and 11.00am.

From the jetty, continue the journey overland back to Kuching, stopping for lunch along the way. You’ll arrive in Kuching in the late afternoon, around 4.30pm, and be dropped off at your hotel.

Overnight: The Lime Tree Hotel or similar

After breakfast we transfer to the airport for your flight to Mulu (MH3752 1055h/1235h – schedule subject to change). On arrival at the airport, you’ll be met and transferred to Gunung Mulu National Park. Check in to your accommodation, then enjoy some free time to explore the park’s interpretation centre or simply settle in. Mulu National Park is home to the largest cave passage in the world, known to have 1500 species of flowering plants, 170 species of wild orchids and 67 species of animals (sighting of animals is not guaranteed).

After lunch in the afternoon, depart from the park HQ and begin a scenic 6 km return walk along a raised plankwalk through lush primary rainforest to the entrance of Deer Cave, the world’s largest cave passage. The scale of the cave is remarkable, with an entrance measuring 150 metres wide and 120 metres high. Inside, the cave features a moon-like landscape and, from one spot, you can see a natural rock formation resembling the profile of Abraham Lincoln.

Next, visit nearby Langs Cave, known for its striking limestone formations. The stalactites and stalagmites here are some of the best in the park.

As the day ends, head to the Bat Observatory near Deer Cave. On most evenings at dusk, you can witness the incredible sight of around two million bats streaming out of the cave in long, swirling formations as they head off to hunt.

Afterwards, walk back to the park HQ by torchlight and return to your accommodation for the evening. Please remember to pack a torch.

Overnight: Mulu National Park Lodge, private room

* This evening you will need to pack the clothing and personal items you need for the next 2 nights in a separate backpack. Please make sure you keep these items to the bare minimum, as you will be expected to carry your own pack. Please approach or liaise with the hotel Front Office or Concierge to make these arrangements.

* Mosquito nets are available for hire. Payment can be made at the park office upon check-in, and the net can then be collected at Camp 5,night of day 8.

After breakfast, we embark on a boat ride up the Melinau River to the Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave. Along the way you will stop at a Penan village. Formerly nomadic people, some Penans have settled here, looking for a less strenuous way of living and trying to adapt to the changing world of modern days. Visit the handicraft market, to see the products of the skilled craftsmanship of the Penan. Further upriver you will reach the Wind Cave. Explore the beautiful cave chambers with its spectacular rock formations and try to find out how this cave got its name. Wind Cave, with its impressive ‘King’s Chamber’ is where, stalactites and stalagmites with delicate lace-like patterns are found. A 10 minutes’ walk along a wooden walkway will lead you to a nice natural pool. From here you need to climb 200 steps to reach the entrance of the Clearwater Cave, which is Asia’s longest cave with a subterranean river system. And as the name suggests, the water is crystal-clear. A wooden walkway leads you deeper inside the cave. The size of this cave will make you feel like a dwarf, although you actually just get to see a tiny part of the real dimension of this breath-taking cave system. Like most caves in Mulu, Clearwater Cave is the habitat of unique species of plants. One of them, the one-leafed plant, can only be found at Mulu; rare species of orchids and pitcher plants can be seen in many locations and photo-sensitive algae grow on certain rocks and have produced needle-like formations that point towards the source of light. Back at the natural pool outside the cave you will have a simple picnic lunch and enjoy the rainforest around you. If you wish you may take a cooling dip in the fresh water before you continue the boat ride to Long Litut (1-2 hours depending on water level). Here is the starting point of the 8 km trek through the rain forest to Camp 5, our camp for the night. After a simple dinner, retire for the night in the dormitory-like accommodation of the camp. Camp 5 is simple yet beautifully situated forest camp next to the river. You will sleep in a basic shared open air dormitory with communal bathrooms.

Overnight: Shared Dormitory at Camp 5 with shared bathroom (basic dormitory accommodation, in open space, with basic common toilet facilities. Bedding - foam mattresses and blankets and mosquito nets are provided. Lights are powered by solar energy. Although not required, for more comfort please bring your own sleeping bags.)

Start early this morning for the challenging climb up Gunung Api to view Mulu’s iconic limestone pinnacles. Along the way, keep an eye out for orchids, pitcher plants, and tiny tree shrews foraging in the undergrowth.

The trail is only 2.4 km long but climbs 1,200 metres, making for a steep and strenuous ascent that takes around 4 to 5 hours. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the jagged stone pinnacles and the surrounding rainforest, with neighbouring Gunung Mulu rising in the distance.

After enjoying the viewpoint and a packed lunch, begin your descent back to Camp 5 to rest your legs.

The Pinnacles are a dramatic sight, with some spires reaching up to 40 to 50 metres. Formed over centuries by water erosion, they cut sharply into the skyline beside the impressive peak of Gunung Mulu, Sarawak’s second highest mountain at 2,376 metres.

Overnight: Shared Dormitory at Camp 5 with shared bathroom

After a simple breakfast, return to the Mulu National Park headquarters and transfer to the airport for your flight to Kota Kinabalu. Please remind your guide that you will need to collect your luggage from the hotel (Mulu Park Lodge) before departing for Mulu Airport.

On arrival, you’ll be met and driven to Kinabalu National Park, located about 1,500 metres above sea level on the slopes of the majestic Mount Kinabalu. The park is home to an extraordinary mix of lowland and alpine vegetation, with plant life found here that’s rarely seen anywhere else. Look out for rare butterflies, unusual plants, and if you’re lucky, the enormous Rafflesia flower.

Kinabalu Park is Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important biological sites in the world.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore the park’s surroundings at your own pace.

Overnight: Kinabalu National Park Lodge or similar

* This evening, pack the clothing and personal items you’ll need for the overnight climb in a separate backpack. Please keep your pack under 10kg, as this is the maximum weight allowed per porter. Any additional weight will incur a surcharge, payable in cash only. Your backpack will be weighed before the climb. Note that porters do not trek alongside climbers, so be sure to carry any items you’ll need during the ascent and descent with you. Extra luggage can be stored at Kinabalu Park HQ for a nominal fee of MYR 10 per piece.

Start the day with an early breakfast and check out. Proceed to Kinabalu Park Headquarters. On arrival, collect your packed lunch and head to the registration area to meet your mountain guide and receive your ID tag, which you'll need to wear throughout the climb.

From the HQ, you'll be transferred to the starting point at Timpohon Gate. This is where your climb begins as you set off on the trail towards the summit of Borneo’s highest peak. The trek takes around 4 to 5 hours and passes through changing vegetation zones, from oak and chestnut forest to mossy woodland, eventually reaching the alpine zone.

By late afternoon, arrive at Laban Rata (3272m) and check in to your mountain hut accommodation. Rooms are basic dormitory-style and non-heated. Enjoy a buffet dinner at the Laban Rata restaurant before settling in for the night.

Overnight: Laban Rata Hut – Dormitory Bunk Bed (non heated) with communal bathroom (accommodation is very limited and will be in multishare rooms with dormitory bunk beds)

You'll make an early start this morning to reach the summit by sunrise. A light supper or early breakfast will be provided before you set off.

At 2.00am, begin the final climb to Low’s Peak Summit (4,095m) with your mountain guide. This part of the trek is challenging and will test both your fitness and determination. Using a head torch, you’ll climb in the dark, with the trail becoming steeper and the vegetation giving way to exposed granite. The final stretch takes you across smooth rock slabs and up a steep incline to the very top of Mount Kinabalu.

If conditions are clear, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking sunrise over Sabah. The view from the summit reveals a dramatic contrast between the pink-tinted granite and the lush forest below, stretching all the way to the South China Sea.

After soaking in the views, begin your descent back to Laban Rata for a well-earned breakfast. Then continue the descent to Timpohon Gate, where a transfer will take you back to Kinabalu Park HQ to collect your Certificate of Achievement.

Enjoy a buffet lunch at the Balsam restaurant before continuing the journey back to Kota Kinabalu. The drive takes around two hours. On arrival, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight: Dreamtel Hotel or similar

Take an early morning flight to Sandakan, the second largest town in Sabah, located on the northeast coast of Borneo. (AK6492 0620h/0710h – schedule subject to change

On arrival, visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where orphaned and rescued orangutans are taught essential survival skills so they can be released back into the wild. It’s a unique opportunity to observe these incredible animals up close while learning about the important conservation work being done.

From Sepilok, continue by road for around 2.5 hours through the countryside, passing small villages and patches of forest. On arrival at the jetty, take a short boat ride to Borneo Nature Lodge.

After a welcome briefing, enjoy lunch and check in to your room. Later in the afternoon, around 4.00pm, set off on a river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, Sabah’s longest. As you glide through this rich rainforest habitat, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife including hornbills, crocodiles, and various primates. With a bit of luck, you might spot the distinctive Proboscis Monkeys as they settle in for the evening among the treetops.

Overnight: Borneo Nature Lodge or similar

**Note: Optional tours e.g. Night Cruise, Night Walk can be arranged at the lodge with rates paid locally, depending on the weather condition. Optional night activities start at 8:00pm.

Wake to the sounds of the rainforest, with birds, insects, and animals stirring around you. In the early morning, head out on a river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, a great time to spot more wildlife as the forest comes to life.

Return to the lodge for breakfast, with time to freshen up and relax. After lunch, check out and transfer to Sandakan Airport for your onward flight.

(Recommended flights: MH2669 1830h/2120h | AK5195 1825h/2115h | AK6499 1800h/1850h – schedule subject to change)