13D Sarawak and Sabah Jungle Trekking and Wildlife Exploration

Malaysia (Kuching - Kampung Sadir - Damai - Kota Kinabalu - Sandakan - Sepilok - Kinabatangan)

Duration

13 Days

Tour Type

Spesicif Tour

Group Size

6 People

Languange

English

Overview

TOUR CATEGORIES: Nature, City Tour, Heritage, Beach

This 13-days itinerary brings you through the twin cities of Borneo – Sarawak and Sabah

In Sarawak experience trekking to Bako National Park, visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre Rehabilitation Centre, get involve with activities from Jungle trek to handicraft, Bidayuh longhouse visit, swimming in spectacular waterfalls in Saloma Villagestay before going to Sabah.

In Sabah enjoy a day trip covering both the Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site and the Poring Hotsprings. Overland to Sandakan and experience searching wildlife along the river as well as observing the endangered Bornean Orang Utans at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.

Maps

Hotels

Kuching

The LimeTree Hotel

The LimeTree Hotel offers boutique accommodation in Kuching’s Padungan Area (Chinatown), a 10-minute walk from The Riverside Waterfront. It features free Wi-Fi, a rooftop lounge and free parking.

The LimeTree Hotel is within a 5-minute stroll from Tun Jungah Mall, Sarawak Plaza and Riverside Plaza. Kuching Airport is about 8 km from the hotel.

Fitted with stylish wooden floors, rooms at the LimeTree Hotel come with flat-screen satellite TVs and tea/coffee making facilities. The en suite bathroom features a rainshower and lime-scented toiletries. All rooms are non-smoking.

Aside from fresh juice and fragrant coffee, Cafe Sublime also serves delicious lime-inspired local dishes. The LimeLight Rooftop Lounge features lime cocktails and views of the Sarawak River.

Kampung Sadir

Saloma’s Villagestay at Kampung Sadir

A Bidayuh village in upper Padawan, Kampung Sadir is set to become a tourist icon for jungle trekking and other adventurous activities.

Just over an hour’s driver from Kuching discover the hidden paradise of Saloma’s Village Homestay, where nature and culture are still preserved.

Damai

Damai Beach Resort

Damai Beach Resort offers pampering stay in Santubong. Guests enjoy jungle or sea view from the room. For guests who drive, free parking is provided.

Fitted with natural light, every room is fitted with a flat-screen satellite TV and a minibar. The en suite bathroom comes with a shower and a hairdryer. Some rooms have a balcony with a seating area.

The resort offers a variety of local and international dishes. Buffet breakfast is served at Cafe Satang, which also opens for lunch and dinner. Drinks and refreshments are offered at Santubong Bar. For your comfort, room service is available all day.

Many outdoor activities offered at the resort, which include jungle trekking and visiting Sarawak traditional village. For those who prefer to stay in the resort, there are a spa and a fitness centre. Adults can relax by the pool while the kids play in the children’s pool. Babysitting service is available upon request.

Puteri Beach is 6 km from Damai Beach Resort, while Kuching is 24 km from the resort. The nearest airport is Kuching International Airport, 43 km away.

Kota Kinabalu

Hotel Sangri-La

Hotel Shangri-la Kota Kinabalu offers accommodations with views of Kota Kinabalu and the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Guests can enjoy meals at the in-house restaurant or have a drink at the bar. Free WiFi is available in all rooms.

It is 750 m to Atkinson Clock Tower, while Gaya Street Sunday Market is 950 m away. Kota Kinabalu Waterfront and Oceanus Waterfront Mall are 1 km from Hotel Shangri-la Kota Kinabalu. Sabah Museum is 2.9 km from the property. Kota Kinabalu International Airport is 7.5 km away.

Offering a seating area, the modern rooms come with a flat-screen TV and 24-hour room service. They are equipped with a private bathroom and bathtub. Coffee/tea making facilities and a mini fridge are included.

Tivoli Café & Bar serves Asian and Western fusion dishes. Open daily until late, Bar Lounge offers refreshing drinks.

Sepilok

Sepilok Nature Resort

Situated amidst abundant greenery, Sepilok Nature Resort is a haven for nature lovers. It has a restaurant, and offers complimentary WiFi access in its public areas. A 24-hour front desk is available.

Fitted with wooden furnishings, each room is equipped with air conditioning, a TV and a balcony with views of the natural surroundings. The en suite bathroom offers shower facilities.

An airport shuttle service can be requested for at an additional charge, while those who drive can park onsite for free.

This resort is 17 km from Sandakan Airport.

Kinabatangan

Bilit Rainforest Lodge

Bilit Rainforest Lodge offers the best rainforest experience by being a world-leading eco-lodge in the tropical region. Built largely from local-hardwood material, the lodge is designed to allow visitors experience the best of the unique local nature. Amidst the enfolding wildlife of flora and fauna, the lodge most importantly provides visitors a clean, safe and lovely environment to make your stay here a remarkable one.

This price is indicative, please contact us for more details

Higlights

Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrival Kuching

Arrive at Kuching Airport, meet with our representative and transfer to Kuching Hotel.
Kuching is located in the island of Borneo and is known as being one of the most charming cities in ‘Malaysia’ with traditions and cultures that have remained fairly unchanged for the last 160 years.
Visitors to Kuching will be welcomed with open arms and are encourage to be a part the charm that this city is exudes effortlessly. With a compact city centre where one can find stores selling a multitude of unique goods to restaurants and cafes all serving a wide variety of local delicacies with some featuring wild deer, jungle ferns and Buah Mata Kuching (Cat eye fruit, similar to a lycee) which some believe is the reason behind the name of this City.
For those seeking for nature, there are many National Parks that surround Kuching and ready to be explored. The most famous one being Bako where the impressive proboscis monkey (large nosed monkey), and a wide array of other unique flora and fauna can be found. Come to Kuching for a quaint and exhilarating adventure full of unique sights and experiences.

Accommodation : The LimeTree Hotel
Meals included : -

Day 2 : Kuching

 

Experience the jungle trekking through the tropical forest at Bako National Park.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and driven to Bako village. At Bako Village, board one of the local motor-boat, for a twenty minutes ride to Bako National Park.
Bako National Park is situated on a peninsular, and despite being the smallest National Park in Malaysia, offer a large variety of different vegetation.
Bako is also the best place in Sarawak to spot wildlife, however as wildlife is free to roam around freely, sight is not guaranteed. Look out for Proboscis Monkeys, a specie of Monkey endemic to Borneo, long-tailed Macaques, Silver-leaf Monkeys, Monitor Lizards, Bearded Pigs, and many bird species.
Rainforests and mangroves give way to Kerangas (heath forest), swamp, cliff, and beach vegetation. Follow one of the nature trails, depending on your fitness and interest. You will see species of carnivorous pitcher plants.
Take a swim in the South China Sea at one of the secluded beaches. The coastline of the park is indented by sandy bays providing excellent swimming ground. Return to Kuching in late afternoon. We advise that you dress casually in loose and light clothing and proper trekking boots. You might also want to bring along a swimsuit with a towel and flip-flops, a pair of binoculars, insect repellent, torchlight, and raincoat.

Accommodation : The LimeTree Hotel
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch

Day 3 : Kuching – Kampung Sadir

Around 08.30am, you will be picked up from your accommodation in Kuching, and you will start the drive towards Kampung Sadir, where Saloma’s Villagestay is located. Before reaching the village, just at the outskirt of Kuching, stop at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, for a quick visit.
Weather permitting, have a sight of the Orang Utan, that will be roaming around the platform of the centre. Continue the journey to the village, for an authentic lunch experience. After lunch, settled in the room, and after a short briefing, your host will take you for a walk around the village, where you will visit the original Bidayuh Longhouse and the boarding school.
In the evening, dinner at the homestay followed. After dinner, go for a short night walk, to look for the creature of the night crawling in the nearby jungle. Return to the village, and you can either opt to mingle with the locals or relax by the balcony of the homestay. Overnight at Saloma’s Villagestay.

Accommodation : Villagestay
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4 : Kampung Sadir

After breakfast your host will take you for walk through the forest & jungle to the family farm (1hr walk).
Along the way you will be introduced to the local flora & wild herbs/veggie and their use. Here you will have the chance to carry out jungle shopping, (i.e collecting & gathering edible fruits, soots & leaves to be cooked and consumed at the farmhouse).
You will also see all the local varieties of crops planted for local consumption as well as commercial cash crop sold for daily sustenance by the locals.
At the farmhouse you will witness & participate in bamboo cooking. All the dishes are prepared and cooked in the specially prepared bamboo utensils. Even the herbal tea is sourced locally from the jungle, cooked in bamboo & served in bamboo cups. Those delicacies cannot be found in any restaurant!
You can either take a refreshing dip in the cool mountain stream and see the local fish species or you can participate in the farm work or you can just relax in the farmhouse. Trek back to Saloma’s Villagestay and after dinner you will go for a short night walk to see small creatures of the night, fire flies with their blinking lights are always the favourite even among locals.
After that you can lazy around with the local to listen to their stories. For those who want to stay up longer, there are rice wine & beer on sale at the village shop.

Accommodation : Villagestay
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5 : Kampung Sadir - Damai

After breakfast, you will trek to the waterfall (35 min) walk for a refreshing swim or just to marvel with awe at mother nature’s creation.
You will get the chance to listen to the beautiful symphony of the forest & rivers which are just like music to the ears. Here, you will also be introduced to the local flora & wild herbs and their use. If you are lucky and you come at the right time you will get to see the beautiful colour of the jungle and blooming wild flowers.

Trek back to Saloma’s Villagestay for lunch and then drive Damai Beach.

Accommodation : Damai Beach Resort
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch

Day 6 : Damai

Experience a cruise along the wetland and mangrove swamps set around the Santubong Peninsula.
Your Nature guide will pick you up in the morning from your hotel, take you to Santubong Village, where you will board a boat and begin the cruise.
The cruise will pass along the mangrove forest, with its rich flora & fauna and depending on the timing & tide, normally mud skippers, crabs, reptiles, monkeys and other wildlife’s can be seen quite easily.
Near the mouth of Santubong and Salak River, the Irrawaddy Dolphins can be spotted, always depending on the tides and weather.
Cruise along Kuching Wetland National Park, to look for Proboscis Monkey and other wildlife. Return to the jetty, transfer back to Damai.

Accommodation : Damai Beach Resort
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7  :  Damai – Kota Kinabalu

 

After breakfast, check-out from Damai Beach Resort.
Meet with our driver at the hotel lobby for the transfer to Kuching airport for your scheduled flight to Kota Kinabalu.
Arrive at Kota Kinabalu Airport. Meet our driver/guide at the arrival hall, and transfer to hotel.
Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah state in the northern region of the island of Borneo. Often referred to as KK, it’s a coastal city partly surrounded by rainforest. It's known for its bustling markets, beaches and waterfront. It is also a gateway to Kinabalu National Park, home of the 4,095m-highest peak in Malaysia Mount Kinabalu and the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park.

Accommodation : Hotel Shangri-La
Meals included : Breakfast

Day 8 : Kota Kinabalu

Enjoy a day trip to UNESCO World Heritage site Kinabalu Park, with a visit to Educational Centre and Montane Garden, and the sight of the spectacular Borneo’s ancient rainforest, from the canopy walk.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning, and drive from Kota Kinabalu to 5,000 feet above sea level, at the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu. A short stop at the roadside stalls at Nabalu market to savour some exotic fruits before continuing on to Poring Hotspring for a nature walk up to Canopy Walk.
After a light lunch, depart towards Kinabalu Park Headquarters, the continue the adventure, exploring the Education Centre and Mountain Garden, a botanical paradise filled with some of the mountain’s unique flora! If weather permits, you can even take a guided walk on one of the trails – a refreshing trek in the pleasantly cool climate of the montane forest (temperatures at the park are usually around a refreshing 14°C - 25°C).
Afterwards, you’ll depart from Kinabalu Park at 3.30pm for the journey back to your hotel.

Accommodation : Hotel Shangri-La
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 : Kota Kinabalu

Enjoy a day of sun, sea, and sand on an offshore coral island.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and transfer to jetty for a short-ride boat to one of the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Park islands for a day of relaxation and explore jungle trails on your own.
You will snorkel in crystal clear water among coral reefs, and rainbow-colored fishes. A Packed of lunch will be provided.
In the afternoon, boat back to Jesselton Jetty, and continue with a transfer back to the hotel.

Accommodation : Hotel Shangri-La
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 : Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan - Sepilok

After breakfast, meet our driver at the lobby, for transfer to Kota Kinabalu Airport for the scheduled flight to Sandakan.
At Sandakan Airport, meet our driver at the arrival hall, and continue your journey to Sepilok.
Arrive at the jungle, check-in and the rest of the day is free at leisure.
Famous for the Orang Utan Rehabilitation centre, established in 1964, Sepilok is located in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, a mixed dipterocarp forest, natural home to the Orang Utan. Sepilok, is one of the locations where the sight of the ape can be guaranteed daily, especially if assisting at one of the two feeding session (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). A wide range of jungle lodges are available in the area, from lodges suitable for family with large rooms, to hostel beds for people travelling on budget.

Accommodation : Sepilok Jungle Resort
Meals included : Breakfast

Day 11 : Sepilok - Kinabatangan

Meet our representative at the jungle lodge in the morning and proceed to the world-famous Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre situated in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. Upon arrival, a short briefing by your guide. Then watch a video documentary on the rehabilitation of orphaned Orang Utan before taking a boardwalk through the lowland rainforest to view the feeding platform.
After the visit at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, depart on a two hours journey overland to Bilit Village, located along the Kinabatangan River. Upon arrival Bilit Village, cross the river by boat and check-in at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.
After the briefing, join a river cruise in search of endemic Proboscis Monkeys, different birds, and other wildlife along the river bank. Return to the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.

Accommodation : Bilit Rainforest Lodge
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12 : Kinabatangan

Today, you have a choice to start your day with an early morning cruise or jungle hike at the Ox-Bow Lake for bird watching. After your morning exploration, enjoy your breakfast at Bilit Restaurant. Lunch at Bilit Rainforest Lodge Restaurant.
At 16:00, join the river cruise in search of more species of primates and wildlife along the Kinabatangan Riverbank. Overnight at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.

Accommodation : Bilit Rainforest Lodge
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13 : Kinabatangan – Sandakan Departure

After breakfast, check-out and depart from Bilit Rainforest Lodge. Journey overland back to Sandakan where you will be dropped off at Sandakan Airport or the Hotel.

Accommodation : -
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch

Included/Excluded