Borneo’s Sabah region is a natural paradise of steamy rainforests, towering mountains and beautiful beaches.
This trip will get you active as you cycle through small villages, ascend to the summit of Mt Kinabalu, search the jungle for wildlife and swim through a colourful underwater world. Feast on delicious cuisine, hang out with local villagers and soak up the culture of this wild and ancient island. Borneo is the place for those with adventure in mind.
Day 1 Kota Kinabalu
Begin this Borneo adventure in the capital of Sabah – vibrant Kota Kinabalu – nestled between jungle and the South China Sea. Join your group for a welcome meeting in the evening, perhaps arriving early to check out the island’s history at Sabah State Museum or visit the Monsopiad Cultural Village, once home to a notorious headhunter.
Day 2 Kiulu Homestay
Get out of the city and then hop on your bike to begin a day of cycling. Take a leisurely cycle towards Tuaran Town; continue through the picturesque countryside and thick forest heartland of the Dusun tribe. Pass small villages and cross over the hanging bridges that connect them to arrive in Kiulu in the afternoon. Spend the night in a homestay in this hillside area, in a village of terraced padi fields overlooking the Kiulu River.
Day 3 Tanak Nabalu
Bike through villages, jungle, rubber plantations and fruit orchards as you work your legs on the hills and valleys of the backroads. Satisfy the appetite you’ve worked up with lunch at Kg Togop and try the local specialty of smoked wild boar. Drive to a homestay at Tanak Nabalu, sat at the base of Mt Kinabalu, and enjoy a cooling dip in the river. In the evening perhaps enjoy a traditional cultural performance in the local village.
Day 4 Mt Kinabalu
Enter the World Heritage-listed national park and, fuelled by fresh air and stunning views, set off on an energetic hike up Mt Kinabalu. Admire the changing landscape as you overcome what can be a sometimes-challenging ascent, even on one of the most accessible mountains in the world. Stop around half way at Laban Rata to settle in and relax before the following day’s early rise.
Day 5 Mt Kinabalu/Poring Hot Springs
Wake early to trek to Summit Low’s Peak and watch the stunning sunrise over the jungles below. Descend from the peak by way of the thrilling via ferrata – a series of rock face rungs, rails, cables and bridges that allow access to scenic sections of the mountains normally only available to skilled climbers and mountaineers. Soothe mountain-weary limbs in the nearby Japanese-style Poring Hot Springs - believed to have healing properties for the skin.
Day 6 Lupa Masa
Enjoy the area surrounding Poring Hot Springs with optional walks around the lowland forest, mountain rivers, waterfalls and bat caves, or get a different perspective with a treetop canopy walk. Trek the short distance to Lupa Masa Rainforest Camp and a unique stop for the night. Hidden away in the rainforest, this is a place that really lives up to its name – ‘Forget Time’. Swim in rivers and waterfalls surrounded by the sights and sounds of the wild, and take a night hike though the forest to see nature at its most active.
Day 7 Kota Kinabalu
Spend the morning taking in the beautiful primary rainforest before a walk back to Poring and return to Kota Kinabalu.
Day 8 Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Swap the city for Tanjung Aru Beach and kayaking on the perfect waters of Tunku Abdul Marine Park. Spend the day cruising between the islands of Mamutik and Manukan, full of long beaches and coral-filled clear waters for snorkelling. Return to Kota Kinabalu and perhaps share a final seafood meal with your group.
Day 9 Kota Kinabalu
This Borneo adventure ends after breakfast.
What is Included
From £1,255
