Borneo Wildlife Discoverer Tour with 65 Reviews by Exodus Adventure Travels

15 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants

16 peopleMaximum group size

16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Ends

Kuching, Malaysia

Sandakan, Malaysia

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Highlights

Join a small group in the wilds of Borneo to experience the natural world in full bloom

Enjoy multiple chances to see wild orangutans and visit the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary

Visit Mulu National Park in time to see the incredible bat exodus from Deer Cave

Take a dawn cruise along Kinabatangan River – the perfect time to spot wildlife!

Stay at Tabin Wildlife Resort, an award-winning jungle resort in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Itinerary

Venture into the wild heart of Borneo on the "Borneo Wildlife Discoverer" tour, a 15-day exploration tailored for senior nature enthusiasts. Starting in Kuching and ending in Sandakan, this moderate-activity trip immerses you in some of Southeast Asia’s richest biodiversity.

Journey through iconic destinations like Mt Kinabalu National Park and the Danum Valley, renowned for its jungle treks and opportunities to spot the elusive orangutan. Visit Bako and Mulu national parks for more wildlife encounters, and enjoy authentic stays such as a bamboo longhouse in Sabah. A highlight is Sepilok, where you’ll meet orangutans up close, followed by a relaxing finale in the historic port of Sandakan.

What sets this tour apart is its expertly guided focus on rare wildlife and local culture, making it a paradise for those who seek both adventure and comfort in one unforgettable trip package.

day 1Adventure starts in Kuching

Kuching, capital of the Sarawak state, is a vibrant riverside city full of different ethnic groups. With a great museum and a well-preserved colonial centre there is much to do in this cultural hot spot.
Around 6pm, say selamat petang to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.
Your tour leader then ensures a big Malaysian welcome by arranging a group dinner at the waterfront hawkers’ stalls.
Want extra time in Kuching? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Meals

Dinner

day 2Day trip to Bako National Park to see proboscis monkeys

day 3Fly to Mulu National Park • Sunset walk to Deer Cave for bat exodus

day 4Full day exploring Mulu National Park

day 5Early rise for dawn chorus in Mulu • Fly to Kota Kinabalu

day 6Free day

day 7To Kinabalu National Park • Visit Sabah Tea Plantation

day 8Discover the Sabah Tea factory; to Sepilok

day 9Visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary • Optional visit to Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

day 10To Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary • Afternoon river cruise

day 11Wildlife cruises on Kinabatangan River and forest walks

day 12To Tabin Wildlife Reserve • Jungle walk and nocturnal safari

day 13Full day discovering the natural wonders of Tabin

day 14To Sandakan

day 15Adventure ends in Sandakan

What's Included

Accommodation

All accommodation: 13 Classic nights (5 hotel, 2 cottage, 2 resort, 4 lodge), 1 Simple night (Rungus longhouse)

Meals

14 breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners

Transport

Immersive itinerary with all transport (minibus, 4×4, boat and two internal flights) and listed activitiesGroup arrival and departure transfers available

Guide

Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

4.8

based on 65 reviews

Availability

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25,000+ trip reviews, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.

What are customers saying about Bookmundi

4.67/5

Excellent based on 846 customer reviews from

Anonymous

Guillia put a great self-drive tour together for us and Susana looked after us as we travelled. (Even when we got lost) The car and accommodation was good and the guides patient and informative. Only issue we had was parking in small villages, garages, and cities. Apart from the parking we had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday, thank you.

3 weeks ago

AnonymousVerified Traveler

5.0 | Excellent

May 9, 2026

very good

excellent apart from tabin wildlife park didnt see anything

May 9, 2026

AnonymousVerified Traveler

5.0 | Excellent

Mar 16, 2026

Many Wildlife Discoveries and an Unexpected Extended Trip!

As with all our previous Exodus trips we had a great time. We were with a friendly group of fellow travellers and the itinerary went pretty much like clockwork. Our flights back were cancelled owing to the Middle East Crisis but Exodus came to our rescue and rebooked flights via a different route and by necessity extended our stay by 2 nights. Massive thanks to Exodus for their help and making the whole thing stress free.

Mar 16, 2026

AnonymousVerified Traveler

5.0 | Excellent

Aug 20, 2025

An unforgettable adventure in Borneo

The highlights for me were seeing orangutans (including babies!) in the wild, plus the rare pygmy elephants, alongside so much other incredible wildlife. Our local leader and guides were outstanding – not only were they brilliant at spotting animals I never would have seen on my own, but they also shared fascinating insights into Borneo’s wildlife and culture, which really enriched the whole experience. I loved the variety of activities too – from hiking through the rainforest to snorkelling in crystal-clear waters, spotting wildlife on boat trips, exploring charming towns, and relaxing on pristine white beaches. It truly offered a little bit of everything. This trip was magical from start to finish, and the orangutans in particular were such a special sight. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for adventure, wildlife, and unforgettable memories.

Aug 20, 2025

AnonymousVerified Traveler

4.0 | Very Good

Sep 21, 2024

Good trip but some misgivings

This was a good trip but could have been even better. Highlights were seeing orangutans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants in their natural setting. On day 2 trip notes state a day trip to Bako NP and we left hotel at 7.45am. Unfortunately we were back at hotel by 1.30pm and this included an hour spent having lunch at Bako. Felt that if Exodus weren't giving us the day trip promised then they could have added in an optional afternoon trip perhaps to Semenggoh to see orangutans. On day 5 you fly from Mulu NP to Kota Kinabalu and meet new guide as Exodus have recently changed the trip so that you have different guides in Sarawak and Sabah. This is difficult for both group and guide as you no sooner meet new guide than you have a free day in KK (unless you choose the snorkelling day trip option). Unfortunately the hotel in KK has no outdoor space or swimming pool and Exodus need to upgrade this hotel to make free day more comfortable. Stay in longhouse on Day 7 is a one-off experience and some on group really didn't enjoy the basic facilities on offer. Unfortunately day 8 was a Sunday and the tea factory was closed so this spoiled the tea factory visit as there is no atmosphere being shown round an empty factory. When i booked trip we were meant to get an included lunch on day 8 because the Gomantong Caves were closed to the public. This was outwith Exodus control so this was an acceptable compromise however in July the caves were open to public. Exodus cancelled the "free" lunch on Day 8 but we then had to pay to enter Gomantong caves when we visited on Day 10. Seems a stupid example of penny pinching on a fairly expensive trip. On the nights of days 10 and 11 we stayed at Nature Lodge on Kinabatangan River. No mosquito nets were provided in the rooms and most of the group were bitten. Food at Lodge was included but was fairly basic and poor quality. Three river cruises were included whilst staying at Nature Lodge but entire group was charged 60MYR a head for the final cruise because they took us upstream in search of pygmy elephants. It seemed unnecessary to charge group this extra £100+ as we had an included cruise, were not out for any longer than we would have been and probably used the same amount of fuel. Also didn't like that it was compulsory- if entire group didn't agree then trip to find elephants wouldn't happen. Borneo rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley was lovely but unless you opted out of arranged activities it was full on for the entire visit and exhausting. My main concern on this trip was the amount charged for single supplement. This is not something that you give much thought to until you find yourself travelling solo. On this holiday paying the supplement only gets you your own room for 10 nights as you have to share for 2 nights at Mulu NP and Rainforest Lodge in Danum. The other 10 nights are spent in fairly average hotels and a quick check of prices showed that the entire cost of a room in these hotels was fractionally less than the single supplement. Given that the basic tour cost includes accommodation surely the single supplement should only charge the additional 50% cost of the room. I and other solo travellers on trip definitely felt ripped off by single supplement charged.

Sep 21, 2024

AnonymousVerified Traveler

5.0 | Excellent

May 24, 2024

Borneo Wildlife Discoverer

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.

May 24, 2024

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Highlights

Itinerary

day 1Adventure starts in Kuching

day 2Day trip to Bako National Park to see proboscis monkeys

day 3Fly to Mulu National Park • Sunset walk to Deer Cave for bat exodus

day 4Full day exploring Mulu National Park

day 5Early rise for dawn chorus in Mulu • Fly to Kota Kinabalu

day 6Free day

day 7To Kinabalu National Park • Visit Sabah Tea Plantation

day 8Discover the Sabah Tea factory; to Sepilok

day 9Visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary • Optional visit to Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

day 10To Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary • Afternoon river cruise

day 11Wildlife cruises on Kinabatangan River and forest walks

day 12To Tabin Wildlife Reserve • Jungle walk and nocturnal safari

day 13Full day discovering the natural wonders of Tabin

day 14To Sandakan

day 15Adventure ends in Sandakan

What's Included

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

4.8

Availability

Monthly Price Comparison

Do you need help from our trip consultants?

Why Book with Bookmundi

What are customers saying about Bookmundi

Anonymous

Keep Exploring Malaysia

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Customer Reviews

4.8

very good

Many Wildlife Discoveries and an Unexpected Extended Trip!

An unforgettable adventure in Borneo

Good trip but some misgivings

Borneo Wildlife Discoverer

Keep Exploring Malaysia

Traveler Types

Tour Types

Top activities in Malaysia

Malaysia tour packages departing in