Off The Beaten Track in Borneo Bespoke Holiday Itinerary / Experience Tour

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This is an immersive holiday, ideal for families who want to get away from the everyday without missing any of Borneo’s more well-known highlights.

Explore the tribal traditions of the Murat people, get off-the-beaten-track to discover incredible wildlife and relax on unspoiled beaches.

Highlights include:

Discovering exceptional wildlife and incredible scenery whilst staying at a rainforest research station deep in Danum Valley
Getting away from modern life as you travel to the most remote part of Sabah, homeland to the indigenous Murat people and the remarkable Batu Punggul
Sailing along the Kinabatangan keeping watch for pygmy elephants, rare bird species and primates
Relaxing away from the crowds (and the wifi) on the unspoilt sandy beaches of the Kudat peninsula

As with all of our suggested itineraries, we can tailor-make your holiday to suit your budget, style and expectations. Find out about our exclusive ‘Journey Planner’ here.

DAY 1 DEPART THE UK

Depart the UK on a flight via Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu.

Day 2 Kota Kinabalu

On arrival your guide will meet you for the transfer to your hotel. There will be time to relax and recover from your flight and perhaps explore the local markets.

DAY 3-5 Murat Tribe and Jungle Experience

Journey from Kota Kinabalu, by 4-wheel drive and boat, deep into one of the most remote parts of Sabah state. You’ll travel through the homeland of the Murat people towards Batu Punggul, an 800 ft forest-clad limestone pinnacle that is home to a labyrinth of caves. On the first day you’ll explore caves via underground streams and sleep overnight under the stars in a comfortable hammock camp.

Day 2 will take you to explore Batu Punggul itself, spend the night in a longhouse and enjoy an evening of Murut hospitality. On Day 3 you’ll enjoy a morning of light trekking and swimming in multi-levelled waterfalls, before journeying back to your Kota Kinabalu hotel for the evening.

Whilst accommodation is basic for a couple of nights, the experience and hospitality on offer during these three days is fantastic.

DAY 6 & 7 sepilok and KINABATANGAN

Depart Kota Kinabalu on a short flight to Sandakan. On arrival you’ll transfer to Kabili-Sepilok Forest, renowned for its orchids, ancient trees, and of course, its orangutan community. Visit the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary where a highlight is the daily feeding of the orangutans. In the afternoon you’ll begin the river journey along the Lower Kinabatangan River Sanctuary towards your accommodation. En route you’ll pass mangroves, wetlands and lush rainforests with plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting. The Lodge has boardwalks extending into the jungle interior, offering a great way to explore this fantastic part of the world with ease.

During your stay you can enjoy guided night walks and boating to Pita's oxbow lake, looking out for pygmy elephants on the journey upstream.

DAYS 8 & 9 into the FOREST DANUM VALLEY

Travel onward to Danum Valley Conservation Area, one of the world’s most complex ecosystems covering more than 400 square kilometres. Here you’ll stay in fairly simple accommodation at the field centre.This is an active research centre and a stay here is quite different to a typical hotel experience but you’ll enjoy a great program of trekking, night drives and night walks and one of the best wildlife viewing experiences in Borneo. With your own dedicated guide on hand, keep watch for wild orangutan, slow loris, gibbons, red leaf langurs, western tarsiers, Bornean bearded pigs, deers, civet cats, hornbills, flying squirrels and - if you are super lucky - maybe even the elusive clouded leopard.

DAYS 10-12 RELAXING BEACH KUDAT

After an early morning transfer and quick flight back to Kota Kinabalu you’ll head towards the sleepy beaches of Kudat. Relax and rejuvenate here for the next two days, and explore this beautiful part of the region dotted with stilted building and fishing boats.

DAYS 13 RETURN HOME

After breakfast at the resort, transfer to Kota Kinabalu Airport for your flight back to the UK.

As every holiday is unique to you, prices vary. To give you an indication, two-week holidays range from roughly £2,500 to £8,000 per adult, with an average price of £3,300. We also offer substantial child and seasonal discounts.

Fill in our Quote Request form to get your quick, no-obligations proposal.

As every holiday is unique - Call our experts on 1-888-577-8452 for an inclusive, personalised quotation for your preferred dates or use the quote request form below...

Inclusions

Your personalised quotation with Experience Travel Group will include.

International Flights (which can be omitted from your quotation if you prefer)
Accommodation as described
Privately guided tours and transfers
Original Experience Travel Group "Signature" experiences
Full financial protection (full ABTA and ATOL bonding).
Meals as described,
24 hour in-country backup whilst away
Your own dedicated travel expert in the UK

For more on our pricing policy read here.

You can book this holiday tour on its own, with flights or it can be tailored for you.

Here are the hotels and villas within this holiday as standard...

Basic Accommodation, Various Locations in Sapulot

Simple accommodation during a 5 star experience.

Field Centre, Danum Valley Conservation Area

Whilst not a hotel in the conventional sense, this field centre provides an excellent base for exploring this magnificent rainforest.

Hibiscus, Kudat

Private beach villa and chalets close to the northern tip of Borneo.

Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort, Kinabatangan River

Tranquil off-the-beaten track resort is wonderful for wildlife spotting and relaxing.

Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu

With a great location in downtown Kota Kinabalu, Le Meridien offers modern and sleek style whilst upholding a friendly atmosphere.

You can book this holiday tour on its own, with flights or it can be tailored for you.

Here are the experiences & activities within this holiday as standard...

Danum Valley Trekking, Danum Valley Conservation Area

Explore the 130 million year old virgin rainforest of Danum Valley, spot an array of wildlife and absorb the natural surroundings.

Kinabatangan Wildlife Safari, Kinabatangan River

One of South East Asia's best wildlife viewing locations, a great place to see Orangutans in the wild.

Orang Utan and Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Sepilok

See Orang Utans and Sun Bears close up at Sepilok's rehabilitation and conservation centre.

Pitas Oxbow Lake, Kinabatangan River

Journey through the Pitas Oxbow Lake and absorb Borneo's natural wealth by boat.

Customer Feedback

From the very first contact last autumn when my wife and I started to plan, we received prompt advice and answers to our many questions from Harriet. Our final itinerary was quite complex, but went without a hitch and we had a most enjoyable and interesting experience.

- Tony Mackersie

Customer Protection

The air holiday packages shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 9324. Please see our booking conditions for more information.

Borneo Holiday Ideas