Tour Detail

Grand Tour of Borneo on a Shoestring PVT 9D/8N

Day 1- KUCHING

Day 2- KUCHING

Day 3- KUCHING

Day 4- KUCHING / KOTA KINABALU

Day 5- KOTA KINABALU / MOUNT KINABALU

Day 6- MOUNT KINABALU / SANDAKAN

Day 7- SANDAKAN / SUKAU

Day 8- SUKAU

Day 9- SUKAU / SANDAKAN

Day 1

Day 1- KUCHING: At 09.00am/02.00pm, depart for Kuching City Tour. The tour includes the visit to the Tua Pek Kong temple, the oldest Chinese temple in Sarawak, built in 1876. From there, view the imposing Fort Margarita. Drive by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Syariah (Muslim) Court, traditional Malay houses built on stilts and the mosque built along the bank of the river. Look out for the majestic Astana, the former palace of the White Rajahs, now the official residence of the Governor of Sarawak. Stop for a few minutes 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. At the end of the tour, return transfer to the hotel. Overnight. 

Day 2

Day 2- KUCHING (B/L): At 08.00am, depart for Bako National Park, located at the northern tip of the Muara Tebas Peninsula, which covers an area of 2,728 hectares of primary forest. Bako is home to several botanical species; the difference in vegetation is due to the different levels of altitude of the park. One of the most prominent inhabitants of the area is the proboscis monkey, a species endemic to Borneo that with some luck can be spotted in the wild within the park. The excursion starts from Kuching with a transfer to a Malay fishing village, from where guests are transferred by boat to Bako National Park. Once at the park, start exploring the area in search of wildlife and botanical species through rain and mangrove forests. A packed lunch is included. At the end of the tour, return transfer to the hotel by 3.30pm. NB: the timings for the visit to the park depend on the sea condition and they will be confirmed by the guide. Overnight. 

The boats and islands excursions are on shared basis to minimise the environmental impact of boats in the fragile mangrove areas of Bako.

Day 3

Day 3- KUCHING (B/L): At 08.00am, depart for Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. Upon arrival, a 20-minute walk may be required from the main road to the rehabilitation centre entrance, as vehicles are at times not allowed to get all the way to the entry point. Set up in 1975 Semenggoh Rehabilitation Centre is home to Orang Utans. Most of these animals have been rescued from captivity and are being rehabilitated and trained to fend for themselves before being released into the wild. This tour is an excellent opportunity to witness how these special training programs are carried out. Feeding session of the orang utan is at 09-10am. At 01.30pm, depart for Annah Rais Longhouse, ruled by the Bidayuhs tribe, formerly known as the Land Dayaks during the era of the Brookes'. It is one of the many longhouses that dot the landscapes of Sarawak and is located 100 km from Kuching and quite close to the Indonesian border. At the end of the tour, return transfer to the hotel by 6pm. Overnight. 

Orang Utan presence is not guaranteed.

Day 4

Day 4- KUCHING / KOTA KINABALU (B/D): Transfer to Kuching International Airport for your departure by flight. Transfer is scheduled 2 hours prior to flight departure. Flight to Kota Kinabalu is not included. Upon your arrival at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, we will meet the guide and we will  find our transfer to the hotel for the check-in. At 06.00pm, depart for Kota Kinabalu by Night Tour. First, visit the colourful night market, where trinkets and souvenirs galore await. Then watch the city nightlife unfold before you from a vantage view point at Signal Hill's observation deck. Next, enjoy a sumptuous Malaysian dinner enhanced by a lively cultural performance of Sabah dances. After dinner, we will  have some free time to venture the city streets. At the end of the tour, return transfer to the hotel by 10pm. Overnight.

Day 5

Day 5- KOTA KINABALU / MOUNT KINABALU (B/L/D): At 07.30am, depart for Kinabalu Park (approx. 2½ hours' drive). Designated a World Heritage Site in the year 2000, Kinabalu National Park covers an area of 754 square kilometres and is home to the tallest mountain in South East Asia.  It is acclaimed to have two thirds of the world’s floras, some of which are endemic to Sabah. On the way, pass by small towns and villages and stop at Nabalu Fruit Market for a break. First, visit the Poring Hot Spring. Whilst there, a must-visit is the canopy walkway (41m) span for 157m from tree to tree, a rare opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of the rainforest. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. Continue to the park and visit the Botanical Garden (one of the most popular attractions at the Park). At the end of the tour, transfer to the hotel in Kundasang. Dinner and Overnight. 

Day 6

Day 6- MOUNT KINABALU / SANDAKAN (B): At 11.00am, we will depart for Sandakan across the ridges of the Crocker Range, passing native villages and oil palm estates. The journey will take approximately 5 hours. Upon arrival in Sandakan, transfer to Sandakan Airport or to the hotel.

Day 7

Day 7- SANDAKAN / SUKAU (B/L/D): At 8.00am, depart for Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre opened in 1964 as the first official orangutan rehabilitation project for rescued orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, illegal hunting or kept as pets. Feeding session of the orang utan is at 10am. Afterwards, we will visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, a conservation and research centre for improving animal welfare and rehabilitation of the Malayan sun bear. After the visit of the centre, we will take a 2-hour journey to the jetty. Upon arrival at the jetty, we will  get on a boat and cruise to jungle lodge. A welcome drink will be served upon arrival at the jungle lodge as we will  check-in. Lunch will be served  at the lodge. We will then hop onto a river cruise along the Kinabatangan River in the evening to discover wildlife along the river where we will have the chance to see the Proboscis Monkey, rare bird species of Borneo, and maybe even Pygmy Elephants. Dinner will be served at the lodge after the river cruise. After dinner, free time at leisure. Overnight. 

Day 8

Day 8- SUKAU (B/L/D): Before sunrise, 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 the tour, return to the lodge for breakfast. Rest of the morning at free. Lunch will be served at the lodge. In the afternoon, take another river cruise along Kinabatangan River in search of a variety of wildlife. After the river cruise, return to the lodge, and dinner will be served in the dining hall. Overnight. 

Day 9

Day 9- SUKAU / SANDAKAN (B): After breakfast, proceed for a visit of Rainforest Discovery Center. Drive for about 2 hours to Sandakan and visit the Rainforest Discovery Center, the most educational nature park in Malaysia. After the visit transfer to Sandakan Airport or hotel in Sandakan. 

Suggested items to bring along: comfortable walking shoes, raincoat, insect repellent, swim wear, sandals or slippers, sun screen lotion, hat, torchlight, small hand luggage or backpack

Please note that passengers' passport details are required 18 working days prior to arrival to obtain access permits.