Discover Borneo in 10 Days

Your adventure in Sabah Borneo begins with your own arrival at Dreamtel Hotel! Once you’ve checked-in and made yourself comfortable, you’ll have a welcoming session and briefing with our guide at 6pm.

The rest of the evening is at your own leisure, so feel free to get some rest or explore the cityscape of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s capital and urban melting pot of food, culture, and art!

Rise and shine for your second day! We’ll pick you up at Dreamtel Hotel in the morning, before proceeding to the jetty. At the jetty, you’ll embark on a scenic 20-minute boat ride to one of the beautiful Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands for an amazing day of sun, sea, and sand in your very own tiny slice of tropical paradise! Swim or snorkel in the island’s crystal-clear waters, dancing among rainbow-coloured fishes and incredible coral reefs. You’ll be returning to Kota Kinabalu at 1500 hours (plenty of time to get a nice tan before you leave!)

The sun may be setting, but that doesn’t mean the fun’s over for the day! You’ll proceed with a brief sunset tour of Kota Kinabalu, going up Signal Hill, where you’ll get a gorgeous view overlooking the city centre, Atkinson Clock Tower and Gaya Island in the distance. Then, we’ll teach you all about our local lifestyle at the night market, where you’ll get to put your bargaining skills to the test and buy from a wide array of local spices, souvenirs, fruits, vegetables, and delicious street food. Don’t eat too much, though – you’ll be ending this eventful day with dinner at the open market before returning to your hotel.

Get some early hearty breakfast, before departing on a 2-hour drive to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu (about 1500m above sea level!). You’ll make a short stop at Pekan Nabalu market, a small town featuring many mouth-watering local fruits such as the sweet mangosteen, hairy rambutan, and smelly yet delicious durian (depending on whether or not they are in season).

Once you’ve had your fill of these local delicacies, head on over to the Kinabalu Natural History Gallery, featuring exhibitions of traditional handicrafts, animal specimens, geological samples, and historical information relating to Sabah. Next, you’ll make way to the Mountain Garden at Kinabalu Park Headquarters, 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 14°C - 25°C).

Spend the rest of the day at your own leisure acclimatising to the mountain’s climate, before staying overnight at one of the park’s comfy houses or dormitories.

The time to conquer Mt. Kinabalu has come! After breakfast, transfer to Timpohon Gate (roughly at 6,000 ft or 1,828m above sea level) to start the long and challenging 4-6 hours trek up the mountain, with an experienced mountain guide leading the way. You’ll make the journey to Laban Rata at 10,700 ft or 3,261m above sea level – this is also where your overnight accommodation will be (in the form of a dormitory, with common bathrooms and restaurant)!

Don’t forget to look around for some of the mountain’s unique and exotic flora, including flowers and pitcher plants, along the trail! Also, temperatures at this altitude range between 5°C - 10°C, so it can get freezing cold out here. Be sure to stay properly insulated as you tuck in for the night, so you can rest well for the mighty challenge tomorrow!

Wake up and start your ascent at 3am, reaching the summit (a whopping 13,435 ft or 4.095m from sea level!) just in time to catch the early rays of the sunrise at 6am! After taking your commemorative selfies and group photos, revelling in the glory of having conquered Mt. Kinabalu, and resting, make the long trek back and reach Park HQ to enjoy some late high tea.

At around 1430hrs, you and your travelling buddies will now make your way to Sabah Tea Resort for an overnight stay. You’ll no doubt still be buzzing from the excitement of climbing one of Southeast Asia’s greatest peaks, but try to get some sleep, as there’s lots more to come!

After breakfast, make a stop to treat your feet to ticklish yet delightful fish massage at the Moroli River in Luanti which will almost certainly leave you in giggles! Then, you’ll proceed for an overland journey to Sandakan, stopping at Labuk Bay Proboscis Sanctuary, a conservation centre for many of Borneo’s endangered primates, including the peculiar-looking Proboscis Monkeys and the elusive Silver Leaf Langurs, both of which you’ll get to see here!

End the day by spending overnight at Sabah Hotel.

You’ve met some of Borneo’s unique primates, now it’s time to catch a glimpse of the rare and endangered Green Turtles! After breakfast, transfer to jetty for an hour-long boat ride to Selingan Island, famous for its sea turtle conservation programme as well as its number of nightly visits by the beautiful marine creatures. Upon arrival, you’re free to explore the island – you can even swim and snorkel in its beautiful waters!

The real event starts at night right after dinner. Wait for the signal from the Park Rangers, who will guide you to where the Green Turtles are going up the shore to lay their eggs. Witness this intimate moment first-hand, and learn how the eggs are then transplanted to the hatchery (to protect them from predators). You’ll even get the chance to take part in the release of hatched baby turtles to the sea!

End the day at the island’s lodgings, which are simple but clean and comfortable accommodations.

Return to Sandakan by boat and proceed to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, where you’ll be shown an educational video about the plight of the Orangutan and the ongoing conservation efforts to protect their future. Then, you’ll have a guided boardwalk tour through the rainforest, where you’ll also get to see the Orangutans and other primates converging for their daily feeding at 1000hrs. It’s a typically peaceful and eye-opening session as you get to watch these majestic creatures up-close (though sometimes the wildlife may get a little rowdy in their cheeky attempts to horde all the food!). You’ll also get to watch their antics at the enclosed nursery area for young Orangutans.

Next, you’ll proceed to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre to learn about the conservation project to protect the world’s smallest bear. You’ll also get to see many of them up-close – and they’ll no doubt win your heart with their charm and playfulness!

After lunch, you’ll then transfer to Sandakan jetty for a 2½-hour boat ride along Sabah’s longest river, the Kinabatangan River – to reach Sukau Rainforest Lodge, a multi-award-winning ecolodge in the middle of the Bornean rainforest! After receiving a warm welcoming and briefing session, you’ll take a splendid river cruise in search of Borneo’s most unique wildlife and birds. Then, make it back to the lodge just in time for a candle-lit dinner overlooking the riverbank, with the gorgeous sunset as your backdrop.

There will be a slide presentation and interpretation by the in-house naturalist guide, before you finally tuck yourself in your beautiful and comfortable accommodation at the lodge.

Wake up to the sounds of the jungle - singing gibbons, chattering birds and cicadas, and gentle waves overlapping each other! Early morning is the best time to take a river cruise, which is exactly what you’ll be doing. The cruise will take you Kelenanap oxbow lake among other locations, giving you the chance to spot various species such as Orangutans, Proboscis Monkeys, Hornbills, Crocodiles, and even the incredibly rare Bornean Pygmy Elephants!

Return to the lodge for breakfast, before joining an educational tour along the lodge’s Hornbill Boardwalk with our lodge’s in-house naturalist guide. Get some scrumptious lunch before joining our in-house Orangutan Talk, detailing the life of the Orangutan and how we can protect the species. Proceed for another afternoon river cruise before enjoying your dinner at the pier and spending the night at the lodge.

NOTE: There are tons of optional activities for you to do at the lodge, including traditional massage, dip pools, and drinking at our in-house bars! If you’re feeling a little adventurous, you can also opt for a tour at the Gomantong Caves, or even a night-time river cruise to spot some of Borneo’s nocturnal wildlife!

After breakfast, transfer out from Sukau Rainforest Lodge and back to Sandakan. After lunch in Sandakan we will proceed to airport for the 1430hrs flight to Kota Kinabalu. Your exciting 10-day journey comes to an end here, but you’ll no doubt be filled with incredible memories of Borneo for many decades to come!