10 Days | See orangutans, sleep in the jungle and go snorkelling off an island’s coast





Travel across the biodiverse Sabah region, immersing yourself in nature and learning about the island’s Indigenous cultures on a 10-day journey through the seldom-travelled-to Borneo. From orangutan encounters and bamboo hut homestays to village trekking and sea snorkelling, you’ll find a nature lover’s paradise! Where else can you spot pygmy elephants on a riverbank one day and see proboscis monkeys the next (not to mention slow lorises, flying foxes and rescued sun bears). Treat yourself to this incredible trip in the shadow of rainforest-clad mountains, on the warm sands of islands and in the middle of the serene jungle.
Trip overview

- Start
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Finish
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Theme
- 18 to 29s
- Destinations
- Malaysia
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Basix
- Ages
- Min 18 - Max 29
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- TMYM
Tick off all the popular spots and enjoy unique local experiences
Affordable trips with the freedom to choose how you spend your time
You book, we donate to help support local communities
- Get the opportunity to meet our closest redheaded relatives at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and watch these gentle giants as they go about their day.
- Hike to and from the rural village of Ratau, where you’ll mingle with the locals, take part in a cooking class, learn how to play the Gong and sleep in a traditional bamboo hut.
- Take not one, not two but three river cruises on the Kinabatangan River to spot local wildlife – look out for pygmy elephants, slow lorises, flying foxes and proboscis monkeys among the teeming birdlife.
- Take a snorkelling excursion to Pandan Pandan Island, where you’ll have multiple opportunities to dive under the clear waters and look for sea turtles, fish life, colourful corals and rays. Then, kick back on the warm sands and lap up the sun!
- Meet the rescued sun bears at the Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sepilok and learn about how this organisation works to rescue, protect, rehabilitate and hopefully reintroduce the sun bears back into the wild after they were mistreated.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, RESPonsible Elephant Conservation Trust (RESPECT). Donations help them educate and engage local communities on the importance of conserving local habits for Borneo Pygmy Elephants.
- Accommodation on this trip is on a multi-share/twin basis. Solo travellers will share a room with other travellers of the same gender, a great opportunity to get to know other like-minded people. You’ll get the chance to stay in a variety of accommodation on this trip, from village huts and jungle lodges to hostels and hotels. It can be basic, but it’s always comfortable. A single supplement is only available on the hotel nights in Kota Kinabalu.
Itinerary
Inclusions
9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
Private vehicle, Boat
Hotel (2 nights), Hotel (Multi-share) (1 night), Bamboo Hut (1 night), Jungle Lodge (dormitory room) (3 nights), Guesthouse (Multi-share) (2 nights)
- Kiulu - Cooking Class
- Kiulu - Village Trek (2 days / 1 night)
- Kiulu - Cultural Activities
- Kiulu - Dusun Martial Art Show
- Sepilok - Night Walk at Rainforest Discovery Centre
- Sepilok - Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Sepilok - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Kinabatangan River - Afternoon Wildlife Cruise
- Kinabatangan River - Night Jungle Walk
- Kinabatangan River - Morning Wildlife Cruise
- Pandan Pandan Island - Snorkelling Excursion
- Kota Kinabalu - Sabah Museum entrance fee - MYR15
- Kota Kinabalu - Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (boat and conservation fee) - MYR60
- Kota Kinabalu – Koisaan Cultural Village (Entrance) - MYR45
- Kota Kinabalu - Tunku Abdul Marine Park Scuba diving 3 dives - MYR400
- Kota Kinabalu - Tunku Abdul National Marine Park - Snorkeling Trip - MYR260
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement is only available on Days 1 and 9 and is subject to availability. All other nights you’ll be in shared accommodation. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
GOVERNMENT TRAVEL WARNINGS FOR EASTERN SABAH
Please note for various nationalities in particular Australian, UK, Irish, New Zealand and United States, different increased Government travel warnings are currently in place for Eastern Sabah. We ask all of our travellers to familiarise themselves with their own Government Travel Advisories and to check that these Government warnings do not affect the level of coverage that is offered to them by their Travel Insurance provider. Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and your insurance must cover you for all activities and areas visited as part of this tour. Please contact your Travel Insurance provider to ensure you have adequate cover for travel to Eastern Sabah.
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