Borneo | Searching for Orang-utans
Searching for orang-utans in the wild is an immensely thrilling experience for people from all walks of life. While every effort is made to organise your tour with nominal impacts on the orang-utans and their habitat, we realise that there is dire need to consider the surge of deforestation and growing concerns on the shrinking population of orang-utans. Guests are encouraged to adopt an orang-utan at Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre. Funds raised from the adoption will be used for various orang-utan conservation projects.
| Duration: | 10 Days |
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| Tour Code: | ITW609 |
| Trip Style: | Superior - 4 star |
| Departure Dates: | Departs Daily |
| Price: | Please Contact Us |
| Places you'll visit: |
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| Highlights: |
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Trip Details
Day 1
You will be met at Sandakan airport on your arrival. Transfer to Sepilok Nature Resort for the night. (includes Dinner)
Day 2
Tour of Sepilok Research and Development Centre.
Overnight at Sepilok Nature Resort. (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 3
Morning visit to Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre. Located a short distance from Sandakan, it is the largest orang-utan sanctuary in the world. It is also the scene of an exciting conservation program. The orang-utans are not kept in captivity, but rather come and go as they please while becoming used to living in the wild again after being held in captivity by various people.
The orang-utan is man's closest relative, and has been shown to be highly intelligent. The orang-utans come into the sanctuary to be fed twice a day. Although visitors to the reserve may be disappointed that the orang-utans are free to come and go as they please, the park wardens are thrilled when an orang-utan does not come back for food, as it generally means that the animal has started to fend for itself. However, you are certain to be able to see orang-utans in close proximity, and will be provided with many opportunities to take some good photographs. (Be sure to bring along at least 200 ASA film as it can be a little dim at times due to the surrounding jungle.)
Travel by boat along the Kinabatangan River to Sukau Rainforest Lodge in the afternoon. Join the afternoon cruise to observe elusive wildlife and its unique habitat. Birdlife is especially rich here, and includes eight species of hornbills, kingfishers, egrets, darters, owls, kites, eagles, broadbills, doves, storm storks, herons, hawks, ospreys, falcon, pheasants, parakeets, bee eaters, woodpeckers, pittas, bulbuls, forktails, babblers, warblers, flycatchers, orioles, flowerpeckers and spiderhunters.
Overnight at Sukau Rainforest Lodge. (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 4
Join the morning cruise to an oxbow lake. Visit an orang-utan conservation site for a briefing and orientation. After lunch, embark on the adventurous search for orang-utans via river cruise. (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 5
Proceed to Lahad Datu by land with a stopover at Gomantong Cave for a short visit. The caves, located in a limestone outcrop near the Kinabatangan River have been harvested for their edible birds' nests for centuries. There are two cave "systems" in the area - one producing the black nests, the other producing the much more valuable white nests. As in Niah Caves in Sarawak, swiftlets and bats co-habitate in the caves.
The black nest cave - known as Simud Hitam Cave - is the most accessible cave. Here the roof is 90 metres above the floor of the cave, which is covered in guano which must be metres deep and is home to thousands of the the largest cockroaches you are ever likely to see. There are some 27 species of bats in the caves, the majority of them being wrinkled-lipped bats. The white nest cave - known as Simud Puteh Cave - is less easily accessible.
The bird life around the caves is particularly rich. Birds which are commonly sighted include Kingfishers, Crested Serpent Eagles and Asian Fairy Bluebirds.
Lunch in Lahad Datu before continuing your journey to Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Tabin is a very large dipterocarp rainforest landscape in the eastern part of Sabah with a most diverse range of flora and fauna. Tabin was declared a wildlife reserve because of the large numbers of animal species inhabiting its forest, including several which are highly endangered. The three largest mammals of Sabah, the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhino and Tembadau are found within Tabin.
With a protected forest area of 120,500 hectares, Tabin plays an important role as a dedicated ground for the breeding of endangered wildlife and protected mammals in Sabah. Orangutans, honey bears, the rare clouded leopard, sambar deer, wild boar, red leaf monkeys and macaques also call Tabin their home. There are also some 220 species of birds at Tabin, including at least seven of Sabah's eight Hornbill species, blue-headed pittas, wren-babblers, Borneon Blue Flycatchers, Scarlet Sunbirds, and Everett's White-eyes.
Tabin is also unique for its mud volcanoes. The seven mud volcanoes found in Tabin (some as large as a football field) are important watering holes for the wildlife in the area due to its high mineral content. Wild animals often visit the mud volcanoes in the early mornings, leaving evidence of their stopovers in the form of paw prints on the soft grey mud.
Overnight at Tabin Wildlife Reserve. (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 6
Full day search for orang-utan and other wildlife in Tabin with meals. (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 7
Overland transfer to Borneo Rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley. Danum Valley is the largest protected lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, with an area of 438 square kilometres. At the Lodge you can do guided walks through lowland rainforest trails and bird watching. Other activities include night walks and drives. The lowland rainforest is home to many birds and mammals. Orang-utans, gibbons, and other primates, including the tarsier, as well as deer, wild cats and the rare Bornean Pygmy Elephant may be seen. As well, 275 species of birds have been recorded in the forest reserve.
Join the search for orang-utan and other wildlife in the late afternoon. Overnight at Borneo Rainforest Lodge - Standard Chalet (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 8
Full day search for orang-utan and other wildlife in Danum Valley. (includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 9
Orang-utan search in the morning. After lunch, fly from Lahad Datu to Kota Kinabalu for overnight stay at Hotel Shangri-la. (includes Breakfast and Lunch)
Day 10
Departure transfer to airport. (includes Breakfast)
ACCOMMODATION
Sepilok Nature Resort
Adjacent to the world renowned Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, nestled among swaying palms and right by towering giant trees of the lowland tropical forest is the new Sepilok Nature Resort. The resort is a gateway to nature among the denizens of the virgin tropical lowland forest of the Kalabi-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the home of some of the last Orang-utans of Northern Borneo. Here, you are able to enter the jungle on a guided basis to observe the feeding of orang-utans which are under rehabilitation. Naturalists are also able to observe the structure of the lowland forests and the large number of different bird species found on and beneath the different canopies of numerous species of trees.
The Sepilok Nature Resort is set among tropical palms and landscaped naturally with wild grasses and tropical shrubs. The resort offers fully air conditioned timber chalets and a large well presented centre offering a restaurant, lounge, covered terraces and sundeck situated beside a natural lake. The ambience is totally natural and relaxing, something to be savoured after a hot day in the jungle. If you feel like a walk, have a look at the orchid garden where over 150 species of South-East Asian orchids are to be found, including the giant of the orchid world, the grammatophyllum speciosum, more commonly known as the "giant" or "tiger" orchid.
Sukau Rainforest Lodge
This multi award winning lodge was built in 1995 in traditional Malaysian architecture using several Borneo hardwood species. It is built on stilts with a lounge, gift shop, education centre, Hornbill Boardwalk with two elephant passes, three open decks for wildlife viewing, an enclosed garden, a riverside Melapi restaurant, open sun-deck and river jetty. Electricity is supplied by acoustic generator, and hot water by solar heaters. All 20 rooms are twin bedded, with ceiling fan, mosquito netting, attached bathroom, hot shower and toilets.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge
The Lodge has been designed by naturalists, built with local materials and located in a magnificent setting beside the Danum River in Sabah's largest protected lowland forest. It is a wildlife experience in a remote primary rainforest, combining comfort, privacy and good food with high quality natural history interpretation.
The accommodation has been designed along the lines of traditional Dusun dwellings linked with the lodge by an attractive walkway. All buildings have been constructed from local products, and power is generated on site. The chalets feature a natural ventilation system, solar heated hot water for showers and hot tubs.
Standard Chalets with Jungle View have an outdoor deck, where you may contemplate the breathtaking panoramic view of the rainforest. The chalets accommodate two to three people. Each suite has an en-suite bathroom and hot shower. Fans keep you cool, while verandahs overlook the rainforest (with so much to do outside, the only reason to venture indoors is to sleep).
Deluxe Chalets with River or Jungle View (upgrade available) feature a private outdoor tub and deck chairs right at your own private balcony where you can have a relaxing soak after a day of trekking. Spectacularly set amongst the rainforest, the River View chalets feature a magnificent view of nature's abundance. Four of these chalets feature a beautiful day bed set just outside the balcony, offering a majestic view of the river and the rainforest.
A bare minimum of trees have have been cut so that nature is never more than a few metres away. More than 275 species of birds and 110 species of mammals, including Asian elephant, orang-utan, Sumatran rhinoceros, deer Bornean gibbons, bearded pigs, flying squirrel, Rhinoceros hornbill and Bulwar's pheasant, have been found in the area. The staff of Borneo Rainforest Lodge are able to show the visitor an incredible diversity of flora and fauna. Tree species in the vicinity of Borneo Rainforest Lodge exceed over 200 per hectare.
Inclusions
- Accommodation
- Meals specified
- Tours
- Transfers
- Entrance fees
- English speaking guide
What's Not Included
- Camera fee
Terms & Conditions
Click here for our Terms & Conditions
For more information, availability and pricing and options, please contact our expert travel specialists at Inspired Travel Worldwide on (02) 9449 8598 or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.
