Sabah Naturewatch Tour Itinerary

Prices

Day 1(departs Wednesdays)

Fly from London to Koto Kinabalu

Day 2

Arrive in Koto Kinabalu after overnight flight and check into Hotel.  There is a rich mix of cultures and architecture in Koto Kinabalu and is worth spending a few hours exploring and taking in this city.  Overnight in Hotel (Breakfast)

Day 3

We leave Koto Kinabalu and drive to Kinabalu National Park.  We check into our hotel just outside the National Park and then visit the Poring Hot Springs amongst tropical lowland forest and dense bamboo and vegetation.  You can cross a 60 metre high tree top walkway to see the forest from it's canopy or just take a relaxing soak in a hot spring bath.  Keep a look out for monkeys, mynah birds and hornbills.  One of the flowers in this forest is the Rafflesia - the largest flower in the world with a bloom one metre wide.  You can also visit the nearby butterfly and orchid farm.

Day 4

We make an early start, driving to the park entrance which is the starting point of the trail at 1900m.  From here we trek for 5-6 hours to reach a mountain hostel at 3272 metres high which offers spectacular views.  The lower part of the trek is through dense tropical vegetation and mist with giant ferns and luxuriant mosses, rare orchids and pitcher plants - a paradise for any botanist.  We overnight in the hostel where there is a canteen to obtain a simple meal.  The hostel's facilities are basic but has common facilities. (Breakfast)

Day 5

Today we trek to the sumit - this is a hard trek and should only be attempted by those people who are confident about their level of fitness. We rise at 3am and trek for 2 - 3 hours to reach the summit for sunrise.  The effort is more than rewarded by the spectacular views that we get from the summit as the sun rises over the misty jungle below.  The views from around the base camp for those that do not take to the summit will keep you occupied as you wait for the rest of the party to descend.  We then all trek back to the park entrance and then drive to the Park headquarters to pick up our luggage and then on to Sepilok.  We overnight in a lodge (Breakfast)

Day 6

We spend this morning in Sepilok, the largest of the three Orang Utan rehabilitation centres in the world.  The centre was established in 1964 to rehabilitate captured, injured or abandoned apes.  The centre has had a remarkable success rate at re-introducing the Orang Utans back into the wild with around 75% being returned to the jungle.  We plan to visit the centre in time for feeding and there will be free time for taking walks into the jungle.  After lunch we head by road to Sukau.  The freshwater swamp around Sukau is home to myriad wildlife such as tree snakes and birds such as the frogmouth, bulbul and hornbill.  We stay for 2 nights in a chalet (Dinner)

Day 7

Unlike elsewhere along the river Kinabatangan, the area around Sukau has remained relatively unaffected by the rapacious logging that has torn through alot of the rainforest  along its banks.  The land here is permanently waterlogged so is logistically difficult for the logging trade.  This flood plane and the river's ox-bow lakes has created a fabulous haven for wildlife and we take a cruise to explore it.  There may be crocodiles, egret, storm's stork, oriental darter and oriole.  In the afternoon we take a walk into the jungle then later, as the sun goes down, we hope to spot the long nosed proboscis monkeys. Over night in Chalet (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8

We drive to the port of Sandakan and then fly back to Kota Kinabalu.  A short transfer takes us to Kuala Penyu where we catch a boat to the small island of Palau Tiga.  The island was formed by a volcanic eruptions just over one hundred years ago and has magnificent coral reefs and a wide variety of terrestrial flora and fauna. Overnight in Chalet (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 9

Today you are free to just relax or you can go snorkelling or diving, sea kayaking or fishing or take a walk into the interior of thee island to explore the wildlife such as monitor lizards, macaques, megapodes, hornbills and sea eagles.  One of the walking trails takes you to the mud volcanoes which are famed for their healing properties. Overnight in Chalet (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10

We return to Kota Kinabalu with time for some last minute shopping or further exploration. Overnight in hotel (Breakfast)

Day 11

Return flight home to Heathrow (arrive the same day)

Prices

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