Sabah Wildlife
WHATS INCLUDED: Meals & activities as shown, land transport throughout the tour, entrance fees, English speaking guide
WHATS EXCLUDED: Flights, meals not stated, beverages, local camera fees, personal items
GROUP SIZE: Minimum 2 passengers
COMMENCING: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
CONCLUDING: Sandakan, Sabah
ACCOMMODATION: Hotels & lodges
DEPARTURE DATE: Daily, subject to availability
MEAL KEY: B - Breakfast L - Lunch D - Dinner
ITINERARY:
DAY 1: KOTA KINABALU
On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check in. At sunset you will be driven up to Signal Hill for a bird’s eye view of the city. Visit the colourful local night market before going for dinner. D
DAY 2: GAYA ISLAND - MANUKAN ISLAND
After breakfast you will be transferred to the jetty for a half hour boat ride to Gaya Island. Put on your walking shoes and explore one of the jungle trails among lowland rainforest, mangrove swamp and identify some unique floras and faunas. A five minute transfer will see you arriving at Manukan Island for your picnic lunch. The rest of the afternoon will be spent at leisure allowing you time to swim, snorkel or scuba dive before being transferred back to the mainland and your hotel. BL
DAY 3: KINABALU PARK WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Today you will drive 2 hours overland (88 km) through paddy-fields and Dusun villages over the ridges of the Crocker Range to the foothills of Mt.Kinabalu at 5,000ft, to arrive at the park headquarters at Kundasang. Make a short stop at a roadside stall to savour the taste of local fruits. Visit the Visitor Centre and Mountain Garden; home to some of the various species of flowering rhododendrons, carnivorous pitcher plants, orchids, ferns, oak trees and birds. The temperature at the park is around 14 - 25° C. From here you will continue on to Poring Hot Springs where you can explore the tropical rainforest among the jungle trail leading to the treetop canopy walkways suspended 41 metres above the forest floor. Take a daring stroll over the walkways before returning to sea-level and your hotel. BLD
DAY 4: SELINGAN ISLAND
Today you will be transferred back to Kota Kinabalu airport ready for your short flight across to Sandakan. On arrival you will be collected from the airport and taken to the jetty where you will board an awaiting speedboat to SelinganIsland. On arrival you will check into your chalet before spending the rest of the afternoon at leisure to explore the island, swim and snorkel. After dinner, wait for the signal from the Park Ranger before proceeding in small groups to watch a Green Turtle lay her eggs on the beach, you will then see the transplanting of the eggs to the hatchery, before you have the chance to release a baby turtle back to the sea. This island is a park conservation area and has been since 1977, turtles have been nesting here every night throughout the year since then. Overnight in twin share room with shared bathroom facilities. BLD
DAY 5: SEPILOK ORANGUTAN REHABILITATION CENTRE - SUKAU
This morning you will be taken back to the mainland by speedboat where an awaiting vehicle will transfer you to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. On arrival you will be shown a short video before trekking ten minutes through the rainforest on wooden plank walks to witness the feeding of the Orang Utans. Continue to Sandakan jetty for another boat ride to Sukau along Sabah's longest river, Kinabatangan. En route you will have an opportunity to view birds and wildlife in virgin mangrove, wetland and rainforest habitats. Late in the afternoon you will take a river cruise using electric motor in search of some of the 10 primate species including Proboscis monkeys as they settle down on treetops along the KinabatanganRiver. Return to your accommodation for a solar heated hot shower, candle light dinner and slide show conducted by naturalist guide. Overnight at Sukau Rainforest Lodge. BLD
DAY 6: SUKAU
This morning, wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills. An early morning river cruise up the Kinabatangan River will provide you with the chance to view more birds and wildlife, before proceeding to the Kelenanap ox-bow lake for a short jungle walk (if weather permits). You have the option to participate in our Kinabatangan Wildlife Corridor Regeneration Programme (KWICORP) by planting trees at 64 acres of adopted land. In the afternoon, take another river cruise for more fantastic wildlife viewing. After dinner there is an optional night safari cruise spotting nocturnal animals, crocodiles and birds, a supplement can be paid locally if you decide to join this excursion. Overnight at Sukau Rainforest Lodge. BLD
DAY 7: SANDAKAN
After breakfast you will be returned to Sandakan by boat. On arrival enjoy your lunch before you take a short tour of Sandakan town including the Australian War Memorial. After the city tour you will be transferred back to Sandakan airport for a late afternoon flight to Kota Kinabalu. BL
Sukau Rainforest Lodge
This is a multi international award winning property with just 20 rooms. It was built in 1995 in traditional Malaysian architecture using several of Borneo’s hardwood species. It is built on stilts with a lounge, gift shop, education centre, Hornbill Boardwalk with two elephant passes, three open decks for wildlife viewing, an enclosed garden, a riverside Melapi restaurant, open sun-deck, river jetty. Electricity is supplied by an acoustic generator and hot water by solar heaters. All rooms are twin bedded, with ceiling fan, mosquito netting, attached bathroom, hot shower and toilets. River tours are conducted by boats powered by electric motors and four stoke outboard engines.
Birdlife is especially rich near the lodge including eight species of hornbills, kingfishers, egrets, darters, owls, kites, eagles, broadbills, doves, storm storks, herons, hawks, ospreys, falcon, pheasants, parakeets, bee eaters, woodpeckers, pittas, bulbuls, forktails, babblers, warblers, flycatchers, orioles, flowerpeckers and spiderhunters, among others.
