Itinerary
- Day 1
Kota Kinabalu
You'll touch down in Kota Kinabalu and have a welcome meeting scheduled for 6 pm. If your flight gets in early, there's time to walk around the city and check out its history, or head to Mari Mari Cultural Village and the nearby islands for swimming and snorkelling. Your leader will set up a welcome dinner and share local restaurant tips.
Optional Activities
- Visit Sabah State Museum
- Visit Mari Mari Cultural Village
- Explore islands off Kota Kinabalu for swimming and snorkelling
Landmarks Sabah State Museum Mari Mari Cultural Village - Day 2
Kota Kinabalu to Dusun Village
After a minivan ride to a Dusun village below Mt Kinabalu, you'll have welcome lunch at your homestay with local hosts. Then it's off to a vegetable farm where you'll learn about planting and harvesting, and you get to take fresh vegetables home for your evening meal. Later, there's a special village cultural performance to watch.
- Meals
- Lunch (Welcome lunch at homestay with hosts), Dinner (Dinner with fresh vegetables from farm-to-table experience)
Included Activities
- Guided village walk in Dusun Village
- Local Vegetable Farm Visit
- Cultural performance in Dusun Village
Landmarks Mt Kinabalu - Day 3
Kundasang
Start early at the local vegetable market in Kundasang with your leader to browse fresh produce, regional fruits like tarap and rambutan, local snacks, wild honey and traditional Borneo crafts. You'll chat with vendors about the local food and cooking. The afternoon is yours to relax, so consider visiting Poring Hot Springs before heading back to the homestay.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Kundasang Market Visit
Optional Activities
- Visit Poring Hot Springs open-air baths (MYR10)
- Poring Hot Springs Canopy Walk (MYR10)
- Poring Hot Springs entrance fee (MYR50)
Landmarks Poring Hot Springs - Day 4
Mt Kinabalu Climb (Part 1)
After breakfast, you'll drive to Timpohon Gate and begin trekking up Mt Kinabalu. The trail goes uphill steeply and takes you through remarkable plant life with around 1000 orchid species and carnivorous pitcher plants. Once you cover 6 km, which typically takes 4 to 6 hours, you'll reach a hostel near Laban Rata at 3,272m/10,732 ft. Get rest tonight for tomorrow's summit push.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Mt Kinabalu Climb
Landmarks Mt Kinabalu Timpohon Gate Laban Rata - Day 5
Mt Kinabalu Summit
You'll start hiking around 2 am to reach the summit for sunrise, which offers views of Borneo's jungles and the South China Sea beyond. After taking photos and resting at the top, head back to Laban Rata for breakfast, then begin the descent, which takes 3 to 6 hours. You'll sleep at a hostel within Kinabalu National Park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Mt Kinabalu Climb (summit ascent and descent)
Landmarks Mt Kinabalu Kinabalu National Park - Day 6
Kinabatangan River
A private bus takes you into the rainforest to Bilit, a small village on the Kinabatangan River, then a short boat ride gets you to your jungle lodge on the riverside. During a sunset boat ride, you'll look for macaques, orangutans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants. Later, a night walk lets you search for nocturnal wildlife.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Kinabatangan River - Afternoon Wildlife Cruise
- Kinabatangan River - Night jungle walk
Landmarks Kinabatangan River Bilit - Day 7
Kinabatangan River Wildlife & Culture
An early morning boat safari gets you out looking for wildlife, as different species show up at different times. After breakfast, a guide takes you through the historic Kinabatangan community to learn about traditional practices and craftsmanship. You'll get hands-on experience making traditional fish traps to understand the sustainable local way of life. There's another river excursion in the afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Kinabatangan River - Dawn Wildlife Cruise
- Kinabatangan River - Fish Trap Making & Story Telling
Landmarks Kinabatangan River - Day 8
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Following breakfast, you'll travel by minivan to a guesthouse near the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. From the viewing area, you'll watch orangutans swing onto the feeding platform and see young orangutans learning to climb in a specially built jungle gym. If you want to do more, the Sun Bear Conservation Center or Rainforest Discovery Centre with its treetop walkways are optional.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Sepilok - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Optional Activities
- Sepilok - Sun Bear Conservation Centre (MYR50)
- Sepilok - Rainforest Discovery Centre (MYR30)
Landmarks Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Rainforest Discovery Centre 
- Day 9
Turtle Island Marine Park
You'll transfer to Sandakan and leave your large bags at the hotel, then walk with your overnight bag to a nearby jetty for a speedboat ride past fishing villages and bamboo fish traps to Turtle Island Marine Park. Swim, snorkel or relax on the beach. By evening, an expert ranger takes you to watch giant green turtles coming ashore to lay eggs under moonlight and observe protected hatchlings being released to the ocean.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Turtle Island - Turtle Island Marine Park
- Turtle Island - Turtle Hatchery Visit
Landmarks Turtle Island Marine Park - Day 10
Sandakan
After breakfast, you'll return to the mainland and walk back to your hotel. The rest of the day is open for exploring Sandakan on your own. You can visit Agnes Keith House, the restored home of an American writer, or check out the Sandakan War Memorial at a former Japanese POW camp site, or see St Michaels & All Angels Church, a rare stone building that survived wartime damage.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Agnes Keith House (MYR15)
- Sandakan - War Memorial (free)
- Sandakan - St Michaels and All Angels Church (MYR10)
- Sandakan - Puu Jih Shih Chinese Temple (free)
Landmarks Agnes Keith House Sandakan War Memorial St Michaels & All Angels Church Puu Jih Shih Chinese Temple - Day 11
Departure
Your Borneo adventure ends this morning after breakfast. If you'd like to stay longer, additional accommodation can be booked before your trip, so contact your booking agent with requests ahead of time.
- Meals
- Breakfast
