Overview

The coral island provides the best setting for a relaxed day of swimming and snorkeling. We take a boat to the coral islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Come back to Kinabalu park and learn about the endemic species of flora and fauna at the Mountain Garden’s Exhibit Centre. The caves at Miri are an archeological heritage site. Visit the Niah caves and Museum, the Traders’ Cave, Great Cave & the Painted Cave. Conservation efforts are visible everywhere in Borneo, explore Semenggoh Nature Reserve with its semi-wild orangutans. Explore local culture with a night stay at a longhouse, cross the river on a native longboat and meet the Ibans. Join daily activities at the longhouse and see a blowpipe demonstration. The true beauty of Sarawak is visible once you climb up the highest mountain. Learn survival tricks before starting your trek. The long trek up the mountain will take you to a Church Camp. We set base and continue up the northern flank of the mountain. The climb offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. We return to a local Lepo Bunga homestay by 4-wheel drive. The local hospitality is legendary, and many travelers forgo sightseeing to enjoy the hospitality of the families and households. This tour is a perfect blend of adventure, wildlife, local culture and hospitality.

 

10 Nights 11 Days Available on request
Inclusions/Exclusions
What we'll give. What we won't

What is included in the tour

  • The tour covers 5-nights AC accommodation in a shared twin room that has a private bathroom
  • The longhouse community room night is with basic amenities and shared sanitary facilities
  • We will stay one night in a homestay, twin sharing room with shared sanitary facilities
  • During our trek 2 nights will be in a hut at the Church Camp, the sanitary facilities are shared
  • Tour has one-night stay at a jungle shelter with shared sanitary facilities
  • 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, except in Miri
  • 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
  • Gifts for the visit to the longhouse, this is quite a tradition in this part of the world
Highlights
What makes this tour special
  • Explore a coral island, relax, swim, and snorkel in the Abdul Rahman Marine Park
  • See stunning endemic flora at the Mountain Garden in Kinabalu Park
  • Be mesmerized by the caves – visit Niah Cave, the Great Cave & the Painted Cave
  • Understand conservation efforts and admire orangutans, explore local life at the Iban tribe & cruise in a longboat
  • Visit the sacred site of Mount Murud.
  • Enjoy mountain climbing - scale Sarawak's highest mountain peak
Itinerary
Day 1: Kota Kinabalu Arrival
  • Arrive at Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah state in the northern part of the island of Borneo. This s a coastal city partly surrounded by rainforest. It's known for its bustling markets, modern boardwalk and beaches. It is also a gateway to Kinabalu National Park, the home of 4,095m-high Mount Kinabalu. You have the day to yourself, explore the city and its shopping options. Overnight stay is at a hotel of your choice.
  • Meals included: none
Day 2: Coral Island Tour
  • We take a boat ride to an island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. This has great views and options to relax under the trees on the beach or go snorkeling or swimming. Malaysian Borneo is surrounded by hundreds of spectacular and picture postcard tropical islands, all ringed with prolific coral reef and teeming with more underwater wildlife and fish species than anywhere else on planet earth. You get a glimpse of all this while on the island. A simple lunch is provided, we return to the city by late afternoon and the rest of the evening is at leisure. Night stay at the hotel.
  • Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 3: Kota Kinabalu – Kinabalu Park tour - Miri
  • We will start our 2-hour long drive from your hotel in Kota Kinabalu. The road that takes us to the Kinabalu Park is along the ridges of the Crocker Range. The park itself has the distinction of being the first UNESCO designated world heritage site in Malaysia. It is described as one of the most important biological sites in the world with more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 birds and around 100 mammal species, and over 110 land snail species. It is also home to the highest mountain in Borneo – Mount Kinabalu.
  • Your guide will take you on a trail to explore the uniqueness of the park and will then take you to the exquisite Mountain Garden. You will be able to see a large collection of rare orchids and plants endemic to Borneo in this garden. 
  • After a quick lunch, we start for the airport for an evening flight to Miri (Airfare not included). You will be received at the airport by a guide and transfer to your hotel arranged.
  • Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 4: Miri – Niah National Park - Kuching
  • We start for the Niah National Park, it is a 2hour drive taking us through oil palm plantations. We will spend the entire day at the Niah Caves. The Caves are a national heritage site and an archaeological site as well.  It was declared a National Historic Monument in 1958. Once we reach the park headquarters we have to register to enter and then cross the Niah river. We will visit the Niah Museum and explore some of the relics collected at the Niah Caves (please note that the Museum is closed on Mondays).
  • After this we will take a 3 km plank-walk leading through mixed dipterocarp forest to the cave's entrance. We will visit the Traders' Cave, Great Cave and finally the Painted Cave where cave paintings are found on the walls of the cave. We now return to Miri after the tour with a lunch stop en-route. We move to the airport and take an evening flight to Kuching (airfare not included). Upon arrival in Kuching, transfer to your hotel is arranged. Overnight stay at the hotel.
  • Meals included: breakfast and Lunch
Day 5: Kuching – Semenggoh Nature Reserve – Batang Ai
  • Our first stop is the Semenggoh Nature Reserve, originally built to protect the Orangutans and to rehabilitate captive and orphaned ones back to the wild.
  • The reserve has its own rare flora and fauna including the giant squirrel, pigmy squirrel and splendid variety of birds. Trekking trails make Semenggoh an ideal place for wildlife photographers and nature lovers.
  • The highlight of the visit is a chance to see an Orangutan, your guide will help spot one during the morning feeding time. This is when the Orangutans swing down from the trees for a free handout of fruit. This reserve is one of the few places in the world where humans can interact with their shy jungle cousins.
  • We now start our journey to meet with the natives of Borneo and spend an amazing night in a longhouse. This is a 290 Km drive through the countryside. The long road will take us to a beautiful lake called Batang Ai. We shift to a traditional long boat for a 60-90 min boat ride over the lake to reach our destination, a Longhouse. This longhouse belongs to the Ibans (a local tribe). Your guide will take you through the longhouse encouraging you to take part in daily activities. Traditional dinner is arranged in the longhouse, and do taste the local rice wine “Tuak” The night stay is at the longhouse (This is basic accommodation in the common room, everything you need is arranged for you)   
  • Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6: Batang Ai - Kuching
  • The morning at the longhouse is announced by the loud and clear morning songs of the cockerels, enjoy the natural surroundings. After a traditional breakfast get-together with the Ibans in a blowpipe demonstration, time for the hosts to show off some splendid skills. We now start our journey back to Kuching and our hotel. We have lunch en-route.
  • Meals Included: breakfast and lunch
Day 7: Kuching Departure - Ba’Kelalan Arrival – Lepo Bunga
  • The morning includes a relaxed breakfast and check-out from the hotel followed by a transfer to the airport for your flight to Ba’Kelalan. You will be received by an English-speaking guide on arrival at Ba’Kelalan. A transfer to your homestay is arranged.  This is where you will get time to set up your backpack with the necessities for the next 3 days of travel. The host family at the homestay will arrange for a traditional lunch.
  • We move out in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle after lunch. It will be an hour-long drive through a long and deserted road used by logging trucks to a forest shelter in Lepo Bunga. This is about 1300 meters above sea level and is a very basic shelter.
  • Your guide will now take time to explain some of the very basic survival tricks that you need to know before we venture into the jungle. Post the lessons it is now time to go out and help the guide in collecting some dry wood so that dinner can be cooked. Overnight stay is at the jungle shelter. Do note the place is basic and you have to carry your own sleeping bag as well.
  • Meals provided: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 8: Lepo Bunga – Church Camp
  • We do an early breakfast at the jungle camp. The day has 5 to 6 hours of trekking and we start towards our first destination – Batu Linanit. This is a mountain on the northern flank of Mount Murud and is 2250 meters above sea level. The panoramic views are breathtaking and the atmosphere pollution free. You also get the chance to see Mount Mulu and the sacred mountains Batu Lawi from this place.
  • We now proceed to our next destination – Church Camp. This is the largest evangelical mountain Church in Malaysia and is built at an altitude of 2135 meters above sea level. It is a pilgrimage site for Evangelical Christians and the camp here is built to house the pilgrims. It is a basic shelter that can house up to 1500 people. The shelter is basic, and one has to carry one’s own sleeping bag as no mattresses are provided.
  • Your guide will cook dinner and we will spend the night at the shelter
  • Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 9: Mount Murud Summit
  • We have breakfast at the church camp and start our ascend to Mount Murud. This is the highest mountain in Sarawak and stands 2423 meters above sea level. The climb will take up to 4 hours depending you how fit and energetic you are on the day. As you climb the mountain the vegetation will change with the height, just before the summit you will enter what is called the mossy forest. This is the place to explore the flora, you will see pitcher plants and orchids. One of the varieties of pitcher plants here is endemic to Mount Murud itself. 
  • Take a much-needed rest after reaching the summit. Enjoy the views and the mountain air. Ona clear day you will be able to see all the way to Brunei and Kalimantan / Indonesia. We recommend using your camera to the full. We now start our descend and reach the Church Camp just before dinner. Night stay will be at the church camp and your guide will arrange the dinner.
  • Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 10: Church Camp – Ba’Kelalan
  • We enjoy a breakfast at the Church camp and start our 4-hour long trek to Lepo Bunga. This is where a 4-wheel-drive vehicle is waiting for us, it will take us back to the homestay at Ba’Kelalan through the narrow logging roads. You will get some time to explore the beauty of Ba’kelalan but if you are tired it is ok to just enjoy the hospitality of the Lun Bawang Hosts at the homestay. The night stay will be at the homestay 
  • Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 11: Ba’Kelalan Departure
  • We enjoy a traditional breakfast at the homestay, thank our host family and depart for the airport. Your flight to the next destination awaits you.
  • Meals included: Breakfast