BORNEO
15 DAYS

With its mosaic of indigenous tribes and longhouses, the natural beauty of its rainforests, caves and wildlife, its intriguing history of White Rajahs and Sultans, Borneo has been a magnet for adventurers, travelers and naturalists for a long time.

Our journey begins in charming colonial city of Kuching. We carry on to Bako National Park for our chance to see the proboscis, the silver leaf monkeys, the monitor lizards and bearded pigs in the extraordinary variety of the park’s natural scenery. After enjoying the site of Orangutan swaying in the trees in the Semenggok rehabilitation center, we continue our journey up country to the Skrang River. In the next 2 days we are going to marvel at the spectacular rainforest during our delightful longboat rides, trek in the jungle, paddle down stream, have a picnic by the waterfall, visit two different longhouses, meet their inhabitants and get a glimpse of their communal lifestyle.

We will explore the prehistoric Niah Caves, Borneo’s most important archeological site hidden in the forests of Miri. We will spend 2 days in the majestic Gunung Mulu National Park.  We will admire the elaborate limestone labyrinth of the caves, walk on elevated plankwalk through the jungle and swim in the natural pools. In the evening we might witness the mass exodus of bats flying out of the caves in search of food.

In the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu, we will marvel at the countless varieties of rhododendrons, carnivorous pitcher plants, orchids and ferns. Our journey continues to Sandakan. We will trek through the rainforest in Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center to witness the morning feeding of the playful and inquisitive Orangutan. For the next 2 nights we will stay at the Sukau rainforest lodge. After experiencing the wilderness of Borneo by boat and on foot, we return to the lodge: to a solar heated hot shower and candle light dinner. The following morning we wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills…

We will spend the last days of the journey exploring the heritage of Brunei before leaving the world’s third largest island.

Day 1.    Arrive in Kuching. City tour and Sarawak Museum

Upon arrival in Kuching, you will be met at the airport and transferred to our comfortable hotel. This afternoon, we will take a sightseeing tour of Kuching city, which includes visits to the Cat Monuments, the oldest Chinese Temple, viewing Fort Margherita, the Istana (the former palace of Rajah Brooke), the colonial Court House and ascend the City Tower for the panoramic view of Kuching city. The highlights include a visit to the world-renowned Sarawak Museum and a delightful walk along the Kuching waterfront. 

Day 2.   Bako National Park. Wildlife safari 

This morning we drive to the Bako fishing village and continue by speedboat to Bako National Park. This offers the best opportunity to see wildlife in their natural surroundings, which includes the Proboscis monkeys, the monitor lizards, bearded pigs, silver leaf monkeys and more than one hundred species of birds. Tropical rainforest ranges from the mangrove swamp forest to kerangas (heath forest) to cliff and to beach vegetations. Exotic plants found along the trails include several species of pitcher plants and wild orchids. We will hike on a few selected trails, which end at beautiful secluded swimming beaches.

Day 3.    Semenggok Orangutan Center. Skrang river safari. Longhouse

This morning we drive to the Semenggok Orangutan Rehabilitation center. Walk through the scenic forest reserve to the feeding platform. Enjoy the sight of the Orangutan swaying in the trees as they come down for feeding. This is the rare opportunity to be at close range with the Orangutan.

We continue to drive up country passing through the greenery of rainforest, pepper, rubber and cocoa. After stopping at the rural town of Serian to visit an interesting farmers’ market, we continue to drive to the Skrang River. A delightful longboat ride brings us to the Nanga Murat longhouse. We will pay a courtesy call to the headman of the longhouse, visit the pepper garden and explore the farms and forest behind the longhouse. Dinner in style of traditional ceremony will be served at the headman’s home followed by colorful welcoming gestures of traditional warrior dance and music.

Day 4.    Longhouse adventure

After breakfast we participate in the blowpipe demonstration. We depart the longhouse by longboat journeying up river to marvel at the spectacular rainforest along the Skrang River. Here we hike over moderate hills and valleys to the waterfall. We will have a back wood style picnic lunch by the waterfall. Food cooked in bamboo is delicious! On your return journey we hike along the Ngelai River and paddle down stream towards the Skrang River. We take a boat ride to visit another longhouse. We will explore the longhouse, meet the longhouse inhabitants and observe their traditional communal lifestyle.  We proceed down river and return to Nanga Murat longhouse.

Day 5.    To Kuching and Miri  

After breakfast, we take a boat ride down river and then drive back to Kuching. Later we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Miri.

Day 6.     Niah National Park

In the morning we start off with a scenic countryside drive to Niah National Park through oil palm plantations and local pepper farms and villages. On arrival at the Niah National Park, we will take the longboat ride at Pangkalan Lobang to cross the river. We will start with a visit to the Niah Museum. The prehistoric Niah Caves are famous for their role as one of the birthplaces of civilization in Asia. The oldest human remains were found in Niah making the park one of the most important archaeological sites of the world. Tour of the cave will take us through the Great and Painted Caves. We will also see the age-old remnants of bird’s nest harvesting equipment. We will stay the night at the Niah National Park chalet.

Day 7.    Gunung Mulu National Park. Deer and Lang Caves

We wake up early today for a short morning hike on a nature trail at the park before breakfast. We pack up and leave the park to return to Miri town to board your flight to Mulu. (Big luggage is not needed. It will be stored and returned to us on our return). On arrival into Mulu National Park, we will take a 3-km elevated plankwalk through the jungle to arrive at the Deer & Lang Caves. After visiting the caves, we will await exit of the bats outside on the observation platform.

Day 8.    Gunung Mulu National Park. Wind and Clearwater Caves

This morning, we will visit the Wind and Clearwater Caves. Our upriver longboat journey will be around 35 minutes. On the way, we will stop over at a Penan settlement where there are some nice handicraft made by this semi-nomadic tribe. After visiting the King’s Chamber in the Wind Cave, we will go along the plankwalk flanking the limestone cliff to the Clearwater Cave. We will also have some time to relax and swim in the natural pool.

Day 9.    Sabah. Kota Kinabalu tour

We depart to Mulu for our flight to Kota Kinabalu, capital city of Sabah. On arrival in Kota Kinabalu, we will have the rest of the morning free. In the afternoon we take a tour of the city, which covers Signal Hill, offering a bird’s eye view of the city and the five offshore islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Among other places visited are Likas Wetland, Sabah Museum and Sembulan water village.

Day 10.    Kinabalu National Park. Mt. Kinabalu. Suspension bridges adventure

We drive through padi-fields and Dusun villages over the ridges of the Crocker Range to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu. We are going to visit the Mountain Garden - home to some of the 24 species of flowering rhododendrons, 10 species of carnivorous pitcher plants, estimated 1,400 species of orchids, over 600 species of ferns, more than 40 species of oak trees and over 300 species of birds.

We continue our journey to Poring. We will hike in the rainforest on a trail leading to the treetop canopy walkways suspended 41 meters above the forest floor. Get up among the treetops for an unforgettable canopy walk. We return to Kota Kinabalu for the night.

Day 11.    Sepilok Orangutan Center. Kinabatangan River safari

We take a morning flight to Sandakan and are transferred to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. We hike through the rainforest on wooden plankwalk to witness the feeding of the adorable orangutans. Leaving Sandakan by boat, we journey along Sabah's longest river, Kinabatangan, to the Sukau rainforest lodge. The boat ride gives us an opportunity to view birds and wildlife in virgin mangrove, wetland and rainforest habitats. In the afternoon we will go on the river safari in search of some of the ten primate species including Proboscis monkeys as they settle down on treetops along the Kinabatangan River. We return to our lodge for solar heated hot shower, candle light dinner and slide show conducted by naturalist guide.

Day 12.    Rainforest adventure

Today we wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills. We take an early morning river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to view more birds and wildlife. We proceed to the Kelenanap ox-bow lake for a short jungle walk and experience the wilderness of Borneo once again.  We will also have an opportunity to participate in a conservation project by planting trees at 64 acres of adopted land. In the afternoon, we proceed for another river cruise for more wildlife viewing. After dinner you might take a night safari cruise spotting nocturnal animals, crocodiles and birds (Optional).

Day 13.    Gomantong Caves. To Brunei. Water village tour

We travel by boat to Sukau Village for a short tour, and proceed overland to Gomantong Caves.  We hike 20 minutes through the rainforest to the cave entrance. Our guide will brief us on the cave fauna including bats, swiftlets and crabs among others and their contribution to maintaining a balanced ecology and significance to the local economy. When in season, we will see the locals collecting birds' nests using bamboo ladders and poles.

We are transferred to Sandakan for our flight to Kota Kinabalu and then to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei).

On arrival in Bandar Seri Begawan, we will go on a brief orientation around the city, followed by a water village tour. This water village is believed to be the largest water settlement in the world with approximately 30,000 inhabitants. Brunei was the water village hundreds of years ago.

Day 14.    Brunei Heritage tour 

We depart for a full day Heritage tour of Brunei, covering its major highlights. Open markets - a busy place where locals buy their daily products, some 'ready to eat' food, handicrafts, local herbs and medicinal plants. Malay technology museum, focusing on the lifestyle of the people in Brunei during the earlier period, craft making, house building of the Penans, Muruts, Kedayans and Dusuns. National Museum, 6 galleries of which feature: unique and Priceless collection of Islamic arts, Malay lifestyle and wedding ceremony, oil and gas, natural history museum, Royal lineage, and shipwreck treasure discovery. 

In the afternoon, we continue with our Heritage tour to the Jame Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque, one of the most magnificent mosque in Asia with 29 gold domes. You will be taken inside the mosque and then on to the Royal Regalia Building. We will also see Istana Nurul Iman, the largest residential palace in the world, which is located on the top of the hill overlooking the capital and the Brunei River. 

Day 15.    To Kota Kinabalu and departure

Morning is free till transfer to the airport for our departure flight out of Brunei to Kota Kinabalu to connect with your onward journey.

SUMMARY

Inclusions: 7 domestic flights, all boat rides, all meals, transportation, entrance fees, escorted throughout

Start: Kuching

Finish: Kota Kinabalu

Group Size: 2 to 16 travelers

Accommodation: Comfortable accommodation with private facilities. 2 nights in the longhouse

Trip Grade: Moderate

Dates:
Mar 30 - Apr 13, 2008
Oct 12-26, 2008
Apr 5-19, 2009 (price TBA)

Daily all year (for individual travelers, minimum 2 persons)

Land Cost: US$ 3,295

Note: Please note that all itineraries and prices are subject to change.

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