The wild world of Borneo: Sarawak and Sabah

BAKO NATIONAL PARK
Located an hour’s drive from Kuching, the park is then only accessible by boat (30 min). It is the oldest park in Sarawak: 27km2, with a jagged coastline lined with beaches, rocky headlands and mangroves. It brings together 7 of the state’s principal vegetation types, and is the best place to observe the famous proboscis monkeys, with their long red noses.
You will take several hikes through the heart of the park, accompanied by your guide.
Indeed, 17 marked trails criss-cross the park, extending as far as the tip of the peninsula.
Let yourself be impressed by the fauna and flora: the park is estimated to be home to 37 species of mammals, 24 of reptiles and 184 of birds. In the peat swamps, deep within the meanders of the rainforest, you will spot long-tailed macaques, silvered langurs, mangrove monitor lizards, palm squirrels, proboscis monkeys and snakes.
Bako’s beaches are also highly appealing, such as Telok Pandan Kecil with its superb rock formations, near which the Bako Sea Stack emerges, or Telok Pandan Besar and Telok Sibur. You will most likely have the opportunity to swim.
The park contains a large expanse of mangrove, offering striking landscapes.
Trees emerge from the water, vast stretches of green reaching skyward. Boardwalks allow you to get closer to this impressive ecosystem, and a few hiking trails run along these distinctive shores.

KUCHING AND SEMENGGOH
On two consecutive mornings, visit the Semenggoh rehabilitation centre, unique of its kind, to try to catch sight of the orangutans during their feeding time.
These magnificent apes, whose arm span can reach 2.25 metres, are unfortunately victims of poaching and deforestation.
This is why the centre takes in orphaned baby orangutans and attempts to readapt them to life in the forest. The term “orangutan” means “person of the forest”.
Indeed, these apes are very close to humans in their behaviour, but also genetically, their genome differing from ours by only 3%. Indigenous peoples hold them in great respect. Physical contact is not permitted, but you will be able to take photos at close range.
A genuinely moving encounter, at the heart of the humid jungle, that will not leave you unmoved.

On the first day, after lunch, return to Kuching for a city tour of its main points of interest:
– the Cat Monument: cats are everywhere! The animal that gives the city its name is depicted, in rather kitsch fashion, in statue form throughout the city. For enthusiasts, the Cat Museum brings together all manner of objects related to this animal.
– the Civic Centre Tower, with its 360° panorama over the city
– the oldest Chinese temple, Tua Pek Kong, built in 1876
– the “main bazaar”, a shopping haven for crafts: the city centre’s main street is lined with numerous shops where you are sure to find something to your liking! This is truly the place to buy your souvenirs.
– the Sarawak Museum
– a stroll along the waterfront esplanade

KINABATANGAN RIVER
Embark on a boat trip along Sabah’s longest river, the Kinabatangan. This cruise holds many surprises in store, thanks to the wetlands bordering the river, which teem with an ever-increasing abundance of wildlife.
Binoculars in hand, you may spot orangutans, proboscis monkeys, oriental pied hornbills, crocodiles or pygmy elephants… A superb safari outing during which you will be dazzled by the boundless fauna and flora before your eyes!
Enjoy a refreshing sun shower before a candlelit dinner overlooking the river, accompanied by a naturalist guide who will give a short slide presentation on the region.
After dinner, set off on a night safari into the mangrove to be dazzled by the thousands of fireflies lighting up the trees and the jungle.
The next day, wake to the calls of gibbons and hornbills.
Departure around 6:00 am for a morning cruise along the Kinabatangan River to Kelenanap Ox Bow Lake, offering a further opportunity to spot a great many animals.
An extraordinary experience, at the heart of wild, unspoiled nature! A Noah’s Ark, a lung for a planet so much in need of oxygen. A fragile and moving heritage that is a source of life.
After breakfast, you will take part, behind the lodge, in a wildlife presentation given by a naturalist guide from the lodge.
In the afternoon, you will set off on another cruise, with ever more wildlife to discover.

DANUM VALLEY
This valley is an absolute must, thanks to the many hiking trails that cross this primary rainforest, with its astonishing fauna and flora. Renowned above all for its birdlife: as you hike through the canopy, you may admire the great argus pheasant, Bornean crested fireback, blue-headed pitta, bald hornbill and several species of hornbill.
In the evening, a slide presentation will be given, and, weather permitting, you may also take part in a night safari!
Before breakfast, a walk in the jungle lets you enjoy the dawn chorus of birdsong.
The adventure continues in the valley with treks, dips in natural pools, jungle exploration… Danum Valley is truly a must-visit of the Sabah region for anyone wishing to discover the untamed nature of Borneo!