Borneo: Wildlife, Culture and Island retreat

Arrive in Kuching, the State capital of Sarawak. Meet and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure to discover historic Kuching. Overnight at the Waterfront Hotel (or equivalent).

At 08.30 a.m., assemble at Indah Café, 38 Upper China Street (off Carpenter Street), then depart for the market to purchase ingredients for your own cooking later in the day. After returning from the market to your cooking class venue, you will join your cooking instructor for a genuine Sarawak-style cooking course. Here you will get the opportunity to experience authentic Borneo cooking culture and learn hands-on how to cook local Sarawakian dishes with your experienced cooking instructor, who will share the secrets of local cooking with you in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. You will have available a wide variety of fresh and locally produced raw food items (including meat, vegetables, rice, fruit and loads of spices, etc.) that you will be taught to turn into a delicious meal that you will eventually consume yourself. There will for sure be something to look forward to at the end of the process. The session will culminate with lunch, where, after you will have the rest of the afternoon at your own disposal to venture around downtown Kuching on your own to maybe look for spices to take home, have a cup of coffee at one of the small cafés, or just go back to your hotel for a rest. Overnight at the Waterfront Hotel (or equivalent).

We’ll pick you up from the hotel in Kuching around 7:50 to 8:10 am. Bako National Park is situated on a peninsula on the coast, and the departure point for trips to the park is Bako village, 35 35-minute drive from Kuching. From the village, proceed by boat for approximately 25 minutes to the park headquarters. En route, there is a chance to see crocodiles, sea eagles and other shore birds. Arrive at the park HQ and begin exploring the trails and searching for wildlife. Return to Kuching mid-afternoon. Please note that the schedule may depend on the tide. Overnight at the Waterfront Hotel (or equivalent).

8 am pick up from the hotel in Kuching and drive to the Batang Ai reservoir. Along the way, stop at Lachau Bazaar. Stroll around the shops and the small native market and have an early lunch in a local coffee shop. Then continue your journey, arriving at Batang Ai Lake between 1:30 /2 pm. Board a longboat and travel upriver to Nanga Sumpa, arriving at approx. 3:30pm, although the exact time will depend on river conditions. Settle in at our lodge and have dinner. After dinner, visit Nanga Sumpa longhouse. Relax on the ruai (common verandah) and spend time with the Iban people. Interact with the community, learn about their culture, and enjoy some local rice wine. Overnight at Nanga Sumpa lodge.

Following breakfast, we'll hike the jungle trails along the river and continue upriver by longboat. Our destination is the scenic Enseluai waterfall. Arrive at the waterfall and have time to relax, swim and enjoy the rainforest surroundings. Enjoy a riverside BBQ lunch prepared by your Iban hosts. Return to the lodge. After dinner visit Nanga Sumpa longhouse. Overnight at Nanga Sumpa lodge.

Breakfast in the lodge. At 9 am, we'll travel downriver to the Batang Ai Lake jetty, arriving around 10:30/11 am. Then we'll travel overland back to Kuching with lunch enroute. Arrive in Kuching at c.4:30pm. We'll drop you off at your hotel. Overnight at the Waterfront Hotel (or equivalent).

Transfer to Kuching airport to fly to Sandakan in Sabah via Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival in Sandakan, meet and transfer to MY Nature Resort at Sepilok for check-in. The remainder of the day is free at leisure. MY Nature Resort is set within 25 acres of rainforest bordering the Sepilok Forest Reserve, a protected area rich in wildlife. Relax, swim in the pool or go for a walk on the resort’s own 1,050 metre long boardwalk. Dinner will be served at MY Nature Resort. Overnight at MY Nature Resort.

Pick up from MY Nature Resort and visit the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, where captive orangutans are reintroduced into the wild. You will be able to observe them at their feeding stations in the rainforest and at the nursery (if open). Watch the feeding session at 10 am, then proceed to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. This centre rescues captured sun bears and is involved in sun bear conservation, welfare rehabilitation and education. Over 30 sun bears live at the centre in the bear house and outdoor enclosures. At 11:15 am, depart Sepilok and proceed to a boat jetty in Sandakan. We’ll take a one-hour boat cruise up the Lower Kinabatangan River, passing pristine mangrove forests and searching for wildlife. Arrive at Abai Jungle Restaurant and have lunch. Free to relax or explore the surrounding area on the nature boardwalk. At 4:30 pm, we’ll go on a cruise in search of proboscis monkeys, birds, reptiles and other wildlife. As night falls, witness the glittering of fireflies on the mangrove trees. Return to the lodge for dinner. After dinner, go on a guided night walk around the Lodge’s nature boardwalk and search for insects, birds and other wildlife. Overnight at the Abai Jungle Lodge (non-air-conditioned).

At 6:30 am, take another boat trip for birdwatching and wildlife viewing at nearby Pitas Lake. Then return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, cruise upriver to Sukau, searching for wildlife along the way. Arrive at Sukau, check in to Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge, and have lunch. At 4:30 pm, go on a river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to the Menanggul River in search of proboscis monkeys, birds and other wildlife. Return to the lodge for dinner. Overnight at the Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge (non-air conditioned).

At 6:30 am take a boat trip for bird watching and wildlife viewing at the nearby Ox Bow Lake. Then return to the lodge for breakfast. Free at leisure to relax. At 4:30 am, venture on another river cruise down the Menanggul River in search of wildlife. Return to the lodge at dusk. Evening at leisure. Overnight at the Kinabatangan Riverside lodge (non-air conditioned).

After an early breakfast, leave the lodge around 6:30 am and drive two hours overland to Lahad Datu. Upon arrival, change vehicles and transfer to Tabin Wildlife Reserve on a gravel road for about an hour and a half. Check into the charming timber bungalow of Tabin Wildlife Resort, which comes complete with a private balcony and hot water shower, a real luxury in the forest. A variety of birds, insects and even small mammals can be sighted quite easily within the resort, which is set amongst the rainforest alongside the Lipad River. Discover the wide variety of jungle herbs, some endemic, used for generations by local folks for the treatment of various ailments. In the afternoon, visit the Lipad mud volcano, which serves as a mineral salt lick for wildlife. After trekking through the jungle for twenty minutes, arrive at the elevated bare area of the mud volcano. Identify the numerous animal footprints here. Walk up the observation tower and admire the contrasting landscape of the bare area and its surrounding thick forest, where birds are commonly sighted. After dinner, enjoy a slide presentation on Tabin’s uniqueness, followed by a Night Safari to look out for nocturnal wildlife and birds.

You may opt to join the early morning bird walk to discover some of Tabin’s rich collection of almost 300 bird species. After breakfast, trek through the lush green rainforest known for its rich diversity of plants and animal species to visit Lipad Waterfall. Take a dip in the natural pool and enjoy a natural and refreshing shower under the waterfall. Alternatively, explore the surrounding vegetation or simply relax. In the afternoon, you may wish to try out the Tabin Rainforest Foot Soak made with a natural blend of herbs to relax tired muscles after long jungle treks.

After breakfast, stroll to the nearby rock pool or riverside, where groups of macaques and other small mammals can sometimes be seen. Choose to take a dip in the river or simply listen to the sound of nature before saying goodbye to Tabin. Depart on the scheduled transfer at 1:30 pm to Lahad Datu airport, and fly to Kota Kinabalu. On arrival, transfer to the hotel for check-in. Overnight at Grandis hotel or equivalent

Pick up from the hotel in the city at 7 am and depart on a 3-hour drive to Poring Hot Spring. En route, stop at Nabalu village to savour local fruits and shop for local handicrafts. Upon arrival, observe wildlife on the canopy walkway 30m above the forest floor and take a dip in one of the soothing, hot mineral springs set in beautifully landscaped gardens. Proceed to the World Heritage site of Kinabalu Park. Explore the mountain gardens – home to many species of orchids, pitcher plants, birds, insects and butterflies – with your guide before returning to Kota Kinabalu in the late afternoon. Overnight at Grandis hotel or equivalent

After breakfast, enjoy some free time before your transfer to Gaya Island. Overnight stay at Gaya Island Resort

Today is free for you to relax — enjoy snorkelling, unwind on the beach, or simply take in the island’s beautiful surroundings. Overnight stay at Gaya Island Resort.

Have breakfast at your resort. Check out before noon. All things come to an end - we'll transfer you to Kota Kinabalu airport for your departure flight.