Overview

A truly definitive tour this is a collection of the best Kuching and Kota Kinabalu have to offer. Kota Kinabalu is popularly referred to the land below the wind as it is below the 4059 meters high Mt Kinabalu. We head into the mountains to enjoy incredible views of the wild jungles of Borneo. We visit local markets and look at local produce sold by the tribesmen of the area. The trek gives us the chance to see Nepenthes Rajah grow wild before exploring more flora in the Botanical Gardens. The coral island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is where we are now headed for some well-deserved relaxation, swimming or snorkeling. We take a boat cruise on the river from the town of Beaufort. This is the time to look out for endemic wildlife & marvel at the glittering array of fireflies as they congregate on the tree canopies. Our exploration of incredible nature continues at Bako National Park – a perfect introduction to the local flora & wildlife. We take a boat journey to see the primary forest full of botanical treasures and home to the probosci's monkey & other wildlife. Understand the conservation efforts at the Semenggoh Nature Reserve. We add a bit of luxury and local tribal culture on the visit to Batang Ai and the idyllic Aiman Batang Ai Resort & Retreat. A visit to a longhouse to interact with the former headhunters of Borneo is followed by a demonstration including sounding their gongs and performing a war dance in full ceremonial regalia.  This tour will be a experience to talk about for years to come.

7 Nights 8 Days Available on request Kota Kinabalu Airport
Inclusions/Exclusions
What we'll give. What we won't

What is included in the tour

  • You will enjoy 4-nights in an Air-conditioned hotel accommodation on twin sharing basis. The hotel rooms will have a private bathroom
  • The tour includes 3-nights hotel accommodation based on lead in Room
  • Meals are covered as stated in the detailed description
  • All tour and transfers are with local English-speaking driver or guides in as air-conditioned vehicles
  • All entrance fees and/or boat fees as stated in the program
  • Drinking water available on the vehicles
  • 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
  • Discover the various colors of Kota Kinabalu and its surrounding jungles
  • Get a bird’s eye view of the jungles of Borneo from atop Mt Kinabalu
  • Explore local markets and the produce of the tribesmen
  • Trek to find the Nepenthes Rajah growing in the wild and go on a river cruise from Beaufort
  • Marvel at the array of flora & fauna in Bako National Park
  • Go searching for the rare & elusive proboscis monkey
  • Meet the former headhunters of Borneo at Batang Ai during a day visit and watch a local war dance
Itinerary
Day 1: Kota Kinabalu Arrival
  • A courteous English-speaking guide will be at the Kota Kinabalu Airport for facilitating your arrival, transfer by AC vehicle to your hotel of choice and hotel check-in. The rest of the day is designed to give you some time to get used to the tropical climate and to relax away any jet lag that you may experience. Night stay at the hotel.
  • Meals included: None
Day 2: Kota Kinabalu - Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring
  • We enjoy breakfast at the hotel and take the road through the ridges of the Crocker Range to the Southern end of the Kinabalu Park. At Poring, we will join a jungle trail that will take us to the extremely pictures canopy walk made of a series of bridges built about 40meters above the ground. The Canopy bridge provides a bird’s eye view of the ancient rainforests. The hot springs are famous for the therapeutic value of the sulfur baths if time permits do take a rejuvenating dip in the hot waters.  We now break for lunch and proceed to the Kinabalu Park Headquarters. Your guide will take you to the exquisite Mountain Garden in the park. You will be able to see a large collection of rare orchids and plants endemic to Borneo in this garden. After completing the park visit we return to the city and relax at the Hotel.
  • Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 3: Island Free and Easy – Mangrove River Cruise
  • After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we reach the Jetty for a 20 min boat ride that takes us to one of the coral islands within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. The islands have shallow reefs and pristine beaches, spend the day swimming in blue waters or snorkeling amongst the corals or just relaxing on the beach. We have a simple box lunch for the day and after a quick shower return to the mainland in mid-afternoon.
  • We will start our journey for the river cruise at 14:30hrs – This starts with a 2-hour long drive to the town of Beaufort. The drive will take us through the beautiful countryside while we pass through small towns and native villages to reach the Klias Wetlands and Mangrove Forest Reserve.
  • We stop for some light refreshments and then start on our exciting river cruise where we go searching for wildlife. We can possibly spot the long nose Proboscis monkeys, long tail macaque, silver leaf monkeys, and birds. As the evening sets in and the sunsets, the spectacle of fireflies gathering at the tree canopies gives the appearance of glittering Christmas lights, the sight is spectacular, to say the least (may be difficult to see if full moon or raining).
  • Enjoy a local Malaysian dinner at the riverside restaurant before returning back to the luxury of your hotel. Night stay at the hotel in Kota Kinabalu.
  • Please note that all boat transfers and always on a shared basis.
  • Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4: Kota Kinabalu Departure - Kuching Arrival
  • Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and sometimes at leisure at the hotel before a transfer to the airport is arranged. Take your departure flight to Kuching. A courteous English-speaking guide will be at the Kuching International Airport for facilitating your arrival, transfer by AC vehicle to your hotel of choice and hotel check-in.
  • The rest of the morning is designed to give you some time to get used to the tropical climate and to relax away any jet lag that you may experience. If you arrive in the morning you may opt to book the quite talked about walking city tour. “Walk the White Rajah Trail” which covers the places of interest in the city including the
  • "White Rajah Palace", and other colonial buildings.
  • Return to your hotel for a well-deserved night’s rest.
  • Meals provided: Breakfast
Day 5: Bako National Park Tour
  • We have breakfast at the hotel 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, particularly if you go out late in the afternoon. A packed lunch will be served.
  • Once the tour is over we transfer back to the hotel in Kuching. The rest of the evening is free for some more of city exploration. Overnight stay at the hotel.
  • Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 6: Kuching – Semenggoh Nature Reserve – Batang Ai
  • A day of activity starts with a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel. We then travel to 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.
  • Our next destination is Batang Ai, where we spend time with the natives of Borneo. This is a 290 Km drive in an air-conditioned vehicle through the countryside. We will stop at local markets and enjoy the local flair throughout the drive. We will enjoy a few well-chosen stops along the way: the first one at Serian town, where we will visit a fascinating native fruit and vegetable market. The other stops include a visit to the pepper farm and a stop for lunch at "Lachau", a small upcountry Chinese village. At Lachau you may wish to make some last-minute shopping, for necessities such as insect repellent or for gifts for the Ibans.
  • The long road will take us to a beautiful lake called Batang Ai. The local lifestyle is what we are exploring on this trip, we shift to a traditional long boat for a 60-90 min boat ride over the lake to reach our resort.
  • After check-in, the rest of the day is free to explore the facilities at the resort and for some relaxation after a long drive. The night stay is arranged at the Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat. 
  • Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 7: Iban Longhouse Tour
  • We enjoy an early breakfast at the resort an d start our day with a visit to the former headhunters of Borneo. The journey to the Iban Longhouse involves a traditional longboat ride. On arrival, we interact with the resident families and relax over a cup of tea. Your guide will take you through the longhouse encouraging you to take part in daily activities. An elaborate local ritual is planned for your visit, The Ibans will sound their gongs and perform their traditional war dance in full ceremonial regalia. You will be invited to join in, this can be a lot of fun even if you do not understand the local language. A native lunch will be served in the longhouse and we recommend you try the traditional rice wine called “tuak”.
  • We now return to the resort. The afternoon provides you the chance to explore nature around the resort. Go on a short trek including a canopy bridge. Rest of the day is relaxed at the Aiman Batang Ai Resort. The night stay is arranged in the standard rooms of the resort.
  • Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 8: Batang Ai – Kuching
  • We enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the Aiman Batang Ai Resort before packing up for our return journey to Kuching. The long drive to Kuching will include a break for Lunch at our designated village.
  • A transfer by Airconditioned vehicle to the Kuching International Airport for your late evening onward flight is available, alternatively, you can move into a hotel of your choice for an extended stay in Kuching.
  • Meals included: Breakfast and lunch 

Notes

  • We try our best to get the mentioned hotels, but during heavy bookings period, we may have to substitute within the offered category.
  • The tour detailed itinerary may change due to unforeseen events - we will cover all that we have stated here only the program by day may change. For example, if our program states a city tour on Day 1, it may be postponed to Day 3 instead. This is mostly a last-minute adjustment and will be without any prior notice
  • Some package can be booked on a private basis, but certain services may be on a shared basis only. This is to minimize impacts on the natural environment or if other circumstances require so. These services include boat transfers and activities in the longhouse.
  • It is customary to bring some gifts for the Iban longhouse people, which can be divided by the number of families. Your guide can assist you during one of the stops en-route to buy some suitable presents. This custom is only applicable to Iban longhouse tours.
  • Sightings of wildlife depend on several natural factors (e.g. weather) and therefore cannot be guaranteed.
  • Flight departure from Kuching should not be earlier than 16:00 hrs on the last day.
  • All boat transfers and tour activities in the park are on Seat-in-coach basis
Pickup point
Directions.
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia View on Map