Overview

This tour is designed to be high on the endemic flora and fauna of the region. Starting at the Permai Rainforest Resort, you may spot the 3 species of monkeys right at the resort itself. Take a sunset cruise along the mangrove forest of Kuching Wetlands National Park. This offers a chance to spot the Proboscis monkey and estuarine crocodiles. You will also be amazed by the fireflies as they gather in the mangroves. Explore more of the Damai Peninsula and cross Bako-Buntal Bay to visit the Bako National Park. The place is rich in flora and fauna. The waters around this park are home to the Irrawaddy Dolphins. You will cruise along the mangroves to see the ecosystem of the mangrove swamp. The Satang Island is a great place for snorkeling and relaxing in the sea and the sun. Nature walks are aplenty.

Trek through undisturbed rainforest environments on a real wilderness adventure which will take you to the oldest rainforests in the world. Its sheer magnificence will keep you in awe as you hike along its trails, swim in its rock pools and get a bird’s eye view of the forest from the canopied suspension bridge. The night walk and the guided bird walk in the morning are unique experiences in themselves.  The local beauty and its richness in terms of flora and fauna will stay with you for years to come.

6 Nights 7 Days Available on request Kuching, Sarawak
Inclusions/Exclusions
What we'll give. What we won't

What is included in the tour

  • The tour covers 3-nights AC accommodation in a shared twin room that has a private bathroom
  • Danum Valley stay is in a twin-bed STANDARD chalet (non-air-conditioned) with fan and private bathroom
  • Detailed literary talks of the meals covered in the tour
  • All your transfers and tours will be with a local English-speaking driver/guides
  • English Speaking guides will be available on-site as well
  • Transfers and tours will be in air-conditioned vehicles
  • Entrance fees and/or boat fees where ever applicable as per the program
  • Drinking water will be available on your vehicles
  • A night safari in a vehicle is included for animal spotting
  • Package includes GST 6% (Good and Service Tax)

What is NOT included in the tour

  • Air-travel, domestic or international to/from Malaysia, this can be quoted separately by us on request
  • Any optional tours you take
  • Charges for arranging guides for other languages if requested
  • Personal expenditure, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, camera fees, communications – including phone bills, postage, gratuities and the likes
  • Meals and services other than mentioned in the program
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Drinks with meals and bottled water
  • Porter charges, certificate, and the likes
  • Hotels may charge for early check-in and late check-out, this can be covered only if it is explicitly mentioned in the program
Highlights
What makes this tour special
  • Embark on a magical mangrove sunset cruise to spot the elusive Proboscis monkey & estuarine crocodile
  • Enjoy a boat cruise along the Damai Peninsula and trek in Bako National Park to explore its flora & fauna
  • On a boat curie of the Damai Peninsula, search for the rare Irrawaddy Dolphins
  • Experience one of the world's oldest and best-preserved rainforests with its diverse local flora and fauna
  • Head out for night walks to spot some of Borneo's big mammals
  • Go on some very scenic trails to waterfalls and ancient sites
Itinerary
Day 1: Kuching – Damai Beach
  • We will have a pick-up arranged from your hotel in Kuching. The trip to Permai Rainforest Resort start at 12:30 in the afternoon and is arranged in an air-conditioned vehicle. The Resort is located about 25 km from Kuching. The resort is a distinctive eco-resort build next to the shores of the south china sea in the middle of the pristine rainforest at the foot of the mystical Mount Santubong. The resort is designed with nature as the muse, everything here minimizes the human impact. It still gives you an experience you will remember for a lifetime. The resort has 10 treehouses, built on stilts 20 feet above the ground. These tree houses offer a unique experience of sleeping amongst the canopy of the trees.
  • Besides the treehouses, the resort also offers cabins designed to host as many as 6 persons each. Enjoy the rich forest views you may even get a glimpse of one of the three different species of monkeys that do occasionally roam in the resort's premises. Once we check-in at the resort the afternoon is free at leisure and we can spend time exploring the resort and its facilities.
  • The day's adventure starts in the late afternoon at 17:00 hours. Your guide takes you out on a mangrove cruise which will take you to the Santubong river delta. The route goes through the mangrove forests of Kuching National Park. Be amazed by the breath-taking views of the mangrove swamps and understand how nature has built complex symbiotic relationships between animal and plants of the wetlands. The best-described case if of the mangrove trees and the proboscis monkeys.  If the skies are open, you will witness a beautiful sunset over the mangrove forests of Borneo.
  • As dusk spreads we go deeper into the mangroves in search of the elusive estuarine crocodile. These are the local predators and hunt in the night. They have distinctive eyes which shine a bright shade of red when a torchlight is shown on them.  The other delight of the rainforest is a large number of fireflies which gather around the mangrove trees making them shine like Christmas trees. The evening adventure ends with a trip back to the resort. Relax at the treehouse or the cabin.
  • Meals included: Dinner
Day 2: Bako National Park
  • We have breakfast at the hotel before we start on a 30 min drive to the small village called Bako. From here we take a 20 min boat ride to reach the national park. The national park covers the northern tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula and is spread over an area of 27 sq km.  Bako contains a wide range of vegetation – swamp forest, scrub-like Padang vegetation, mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, delicate cliff vegetation and more. Bako also contains a rich variety of wildlife and a coastline covered with small bays, coves, and beaches. The park has a number of well-marked trails offering interesting walks ranging from short pleasant strolls to serious full-day hikes. Visitors to Bako are almost guaranteed to see wildlife.  Long-tailed macaque monkeys and silver leaf monkeys are ever present, wild boar is often found rummaging around the park HQ, squirrels and monitor lizards are also common. There is every chance of seeing the rare and unusual proboscis monkeys on trails such as Telok Paku and Telok Delima. A packed lunch will be served.
  • Once the tour is over we transfer back to Permai Rainforest Resort. The rest of the evening is free for some more of city exploration. Overnight stay at the Hotel.
  • Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 3: Satang Turtle Island Cruise
  • The day is going to be adventurous – After Breakfast at the resort w e take a boat from the Permai Rainforest beachfront this is if the sea conditions permit, else we take a 15 min drive to the boat landing Jetty to take a boat for a day of exciting excursion. This is where we look out for the elusive Irrawaddy dolphins. This dolphin is not seen jumping or leaping as the more famous ones, instead, it quietly roams its preferred habitat of inshore waters and estuaries. These dolphins travel in groups of 2 to 6 individuals, here in Sarawak larger groups of about 10 individuals are often sighted around the Santubong and Buntal coastal areas when the sea condition is favorable. We will now continue our cruise along the mangroves and onwards to Satang Turtle Island. This is part of three islands that are designated protected area, marked for turtle conservation. During the season, at night, turtles come here to the white sandy beach, which stretches across the entire south side of this island, to lay eggs. Although it is highly unlikely to see turtles during bright daylight, the soft corals surrounding the island give good opportunities for snorkeling (snorkeling gear provided).
  • A simple packed lunch is included. We return to the resort in the afternoon. Rest of the day is free at leisure. The night stay is at Permai Rainforest Resort, Treehouse.
  • Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4: Damai Beach – Kuching - Lahad Datu – Danum Valley
  • It’s now time to wind down our adventure, the check out early for transfer to Kuching airport for your flight to Lahad Datu. Your pick-up will be waiting at the Lahad Datu airport for a 2.5-hour drive to the Danum Valley, Borneo Rainforest Lodge. This will be our base for the 3 days we spend in Danum Valley. Danum Valley is one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It is unique as this was undisturbed by man before becoming a conservation area. Today it has evolved into one of the foremost rainforest research areas in South East Asia. The place now has a permanent research facility and an extensive trail system to explore. The valley is home to over 15,000 plant species, 94% of these belong to the dipterocarp genus. Other unique flora seen in the valley are pitcher plants.
  • We enjoy lunch and then go out trekking in the pristine rainforests of Borneo. The trails are designed to give splendid views of the forest along with options to swim in the rock ponds and there are some canopied suspension bridges to give you a bird’s eye view of the landscape. We return to the lodge for dinner and then go out exploring the forest to spot some of the larger mammals of Borneo.
  • Overnight stay is arranged at the Lodge’s twin bed chalet.
  • Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Day 5: Danum Valley
  • The ancient forest of Danum Valley is home to over 270 bird spices. We will go on a guided trail to spot some of the rare birds we can see in the valley. In the afternoon we will explore more trails which take us to some beautiful waterfalls and old burial sites. The dusk brings with it further exploration of the forests, this time for the predators that come out in the night.
  • Overnight stay at the chalet
  • Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Day 6: Danum Valley
  • The beauty of this place is almost endless, it is photography lover’s paradise. Take a trek to the beautiful Fairy Falls and Serpent Falls. The walks will take almost the entire morning and by the time you return to the lodge, it would be lunchtime. The rest of the afternoon can be spent on your own exploring the treks or just relaxing. You can also opt for a guided trek along the Segama River, a beautiful trail that takes you deep into the virgin forests.
  • We return to the chalet for the night.
  • Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 7: Danum Valley – Lahad Datu
  • This is a day where you explore the bird trails on your own. Experience the wilderness and listen to the bird calls to spot them high-up in the forest canopy.  We return to the lodge for lunch and transfer to the Lahad Datu airport.
  • Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
  • Please note - All guests visiting Danum Valley are required to sign a letter of indemnity

Notes

  • Monsoon time can impact sea conditions in this part of the world. This is why this tour package is only available from 01. April until 30. September. The monsoons set in from then and continue till March.
  • Sea conditions sometimes deteriorate even between 01. April until 30. September. This has a direct impact on boat services ex/to Bako & Satang Island. The tour guide will make informed decisions about any change that may be required in the plans keeping your safety paramount. The changes are only made where necessary.
  • Sightings of wildlife depend on several natural factors (e.g. weather) and therefore cannot be guaranteed.
  • All accommodation at Borneo Rainforest Lodge is managed by Borneo Nature Tours
  • Professional photography or filming requires prior permissions and is separately chargeable.
  • The local weather is quite unpredictable and heavy rains can sometimes make it difficult to cover all the activities, we may re-organize to best meet operational situations.
  • We reserve the right to change or cancel any or all part of the tour if conditions beyond our control demand such an action. Your safety will always be our priority number one.
  • All guests visiting Danum Valley are required to sign a letter of indemnity.
Pickup point
Directions.
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia View on Map