Grand Tour of Borneo on a Shoestring

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

Description

Program

Day 1:
KUCHING:
Upon arrival at the Kuching International Airport, we will meet with the guide and transfer to the hotel for check-in. At 2.00 pm, we will start our Kuching city tour of Kuching. This tour includes a visit to the Tua Pek Kong temple, the oldest Chinese temple in Sarawak, built-in 1876. From this point, there is a nice view of Fort Margarita. We will then drive by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Syariah (Muslim) Court and the traditional Malay houses built on stilts and the mosque built along the bank of the river. We'll see the majestic Astana, the former palace of the White Rajahs, now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak. We'll take a few minutes to break in front of the old colonial Court House, complete with a clock tower and a granite obelisk built-in memory of the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke. The highlight of the tour is a visit to the Sarawak Museum, one of the finest in South-East Asia. After the tour, we'll return to the hotel. Overnight.
Note: Kuching’s Sarawak Museum is currently closed and will be reopened in early 2020. The visit to Sarawak Museum will be replaced by Natural History & Culture Center.

Day 2:
KUCHING (B/L):
At 08.30 am, depart for Bako National Park. A scenic drive brings us to Bako Fishing Village. Continue by motorized boat for a 30 minutes cruise along the coast facing the South China Sea to reach Bako National Park. In the morning, walk along the planned walk through the mangrove forest and proceed along the Paku trail to look out for wildlife. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. After lunch, trek along the trails to spot wildlife in its natural surroundings including the probosci's monkeys, the monitor lizards, bearded pigs, silver leaf monkeys and more than one hundred species of birds. The forest hosts enormous rainforest trees and several species of carnivorous pitcher plants. After the tour, return to the jetty then by boat to Bako Village and transfer to the hotel around 3.30 pm.

Day 3:
KUCHING (B/L):
At 08.00 am, depart for Semenggoh Wildlife Centre (about 30 minutes from Kuching). This is the perfect spot to view semi-wild orangutans in a natural setting. Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is a rehabilitation center, which helps the orangutan to reintegrate into nature. Visitors are allowed to study and observe the orangutans at a distance and then proceed to a local cafeteria for lunch. At 01:30 pm, depart Kuching for a 1-hour drive to reach Annah Rais, a Bidayuh Longhouse with about 120 families, located about 75km from the city. The journey passes through the scenic countryside of rice fields, rubber, cocoa and pepper plantations which intermingles with luxuriant tropical forests, rivers and mountain ranges. Tour the longhouse with your guide and observe the leisure-paced lifestyle of the natives. Among the interesting relics here are the “Cannon of Peace” and several human skulls which are about 100 years old and are kept at the headhouse “Baruk”. Proceed to a nearby stream to cool off and return by van to the hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight.
NOTE: Orang Utan's presence is not guaranteed.
NOTE: The boats and island excursions are on a shared basis to minimize the environmental impact of boats in the fragile mangrove areas of Bako.

Day 4:
KUCHING - KOTA KINABALU (D):
In the morning, we'll be transferred to the airport according to the flight details (2 hours before the estimated time of departure). The flight is not included. Upon arrival at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, we will meet our guide and we'll find our transfer to the hotel for check-in. At 6.00 pm, we'll start an evening tour of the city that will last around 4 hours. The tour begins with a bargain hunt at the colorful night market, where trinkets and souvenirs galore await. Then, we'll watch the city nightlife from a vantage viewpoint at Signal Hill's observation deck. Next, we will enjoy a dinner with a cultural show. After dinner, we will have free time to venture the streets of the city, before we return to the hotel. Overnight.

Day 5:
KOTA KINABALU/MOUNT KINABALU (B/L/D):
At 08.00 am, after our breakfast, we will depart for Kinabalu National Park, which we will reach in a 2 and a half hours drive. On the way to the park, we will pass by small towns and villages. We will stop at Nabalu Fruit Market for a break. Then, we'll visit the Poring Hot Springs. Whilst there, a must-visit is the canopy walkway (41m) spans 157m from tree to tree. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, we will continue to Kinabalu National Park. Experience one of the park’s trails and enjoy the view of Mount Kinabalu. We will also visit the Exhibition Hall and the Mountain Garden (one of the most popular attractions in the Park). Afterward, we will proceed to the nearby resort to check in. Overnight.

Day 6:
MOUNT KINABALU/SANDAKAN (B):
At around 09.00 am, we will depart for Sandakan across the ridges of the Crocker Range, passing native villages and oil palm estates among others. The journey will take approximately five hours. Upon arrival in Sandakan, check in at the hotel. The rest of the day will be free to explore the area. Overnight.

Day 7:
SANDAKAN/SUKAU(B/L/D):
At 8.00 am, we will be picked up from the hotel in Sandakan and we'll head to Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre where we will participate in the feeding session, which happens at 10.00 am. Afterward, we'll visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. Then, we'll take a 2-hour journey to the Bilit Jetty. Upon arrival at the jetty, we'll get on a boat and ride to Bilit Rainforest Lodge located at the Bilit Village. A welcome drink will be served upon arrival at the Bilit Rainforest Lodge as we'll check in. Lunch will be served to refuel and recharge! We'll then hop onto a river cruise along the Kinabatangan River in the evening to discover wildlife along the river where we'll have the chance to see the proboscis monkey, rare bird species of Borneo, and maybe even pygmy elephants! Dinner will be ready in the evening after your river cruise. After dinner, we can go for a complimentary night safari cruise, where we can spot nocturnal animals, crocodiles and birds, or have some leisure time to ourselves before spending the night at the Bilit Rainforest Lodge.

Day 8:
SUKAU (B/L/D):
An early morning river cruise along the Kinabatangan River in search of more Bornean-endemic wildlife or jungle trek at the Oxbow Lake to see an array of bird species. After a morning spent spotting wildlife, it will be time to refuel and recharge with a rich breakfast. Free and easy leisure time to yourself until lunchtime. It’s time to head out on another river cruise along the Kinabatangan River in search of a variety of wildlife. After the river cruise, dinner will be served in the dining hall. After a full day out, it will be time for you to chill out, before a good sleep at the Bilit Rainforest Lodge.

Day 9:
SUKAU/SANDAKAN (B):
After breakfast, we will go for some cave exploring. We will be taken on a 30-minute drive to the famous Gomantong Caves, home to millions of bats and swiftlets. We may get to witness the birds’ nest harvesting in action. After the cave exploration, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant, before we are transferred to our respective hotels or Sandakan airport.

Price includes

- Accommodations as mentioned
- Meals as the program (B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / D: Dinner)
- SIC Tour with a guide service - English, Italian or Spanish (Select language preference)
- All Transfers & tours on SIC basis
- Entrance fees

Price does not include

- Airfares, meals not stated, beverages during meals, personal expenses, Driver/Guide tipping
- Everything not indicated in “Price includes"

Itinerary

Accommodations provided in each place