Borneo's Orangutans and Rainforest Adventure
13days from
£2,665*per person
Overview
Newmarket Holidays is offering 10% off tours until Sunday, 9 November.
Itinerary
- Overnight flight to Borneo - Fly overnight to Sandakan in Borneo, via Kuala Lumpur.
- Arrival - You’ll arrive in Sandakan, where you’ll meet your local guide and transfer to the Sabah Hotel for a two-night stay. A welcome dinner is included at the hotel this evening.
- Included visits to the Rainforest Discovery Centre and Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary and optional night walk at the Rainforest Discovery Centre - Join your tour manager this morning for an included visit to the Rainforest Discovery Centre, where you’ll be met by a sea of scents and colours. Enjoy a guided walk along raised platforms on the rainforest floor, past fragrant orchids and colourful tropical flora, then head up slowly into the canopy where you'll have a bird’s eye view of this wonderful environment. With luck, you may catch a glimpse of the rhinoceros hornbill or perhaps even a swinging orangutan looking for some wild fruit! The tour will then continue to the remote Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, where you’ll have the chance to observe the unique proboscis monkey. While walking across the hanging platforms, you'll get to to view the monkeys up close as they feed and play. Look out for the distinctive males, who have pot bellies and large dangling noses, as well as silver leaf monkeys and macaques. Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant afterwards. This evening, you may wish to join the once-in-a-lifetime optional night walk back at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in search of nocturnal wildlife. With an experienced park ranger and a 'spotter' at the helm, you'll be led through the darkness, seeking out rare species that you wouldn't normally get a chance to see during the day. Keep an eye out for flying squirrels, sleeping kingfishers and slow loris monkeys.
- Included Borneo's orangutans, sun bears and a river cruise - Today an undoubted highlight awaits as you visit the world-renowned Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, dedicated to the protection of the species that is closest to our own. Watch the feeding of the primates and stroll through the forest on the marked trails, before visiting the equally fascinating Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where the smallest of the world’s ursine species live in protected open-air enclosures. You can observe these creatures from one of the viewing platforms before having lunch at a local restaurant. You’ll then head further into the jungle for a two-night stay on the bank of the languid Kinabatangan River, at the Borneo Natural Bilit Resort, with its hardwood walkways and its riverside cabins. After arriving, you'll set off on on a two-hour boat river cruise with a guide, spotting wildlife like oranguatans, monkeys and birds as you go.
- Included jungle cruise from the lodge - Awaken early to the sounds of the jungle, and spend another day discovering its wonders. Cruise to Pitas Oxbow Lake to watch monkeys and pygmy elephants at play, and enjoy a second exciting afternoon cruise followed by a guided tour around the nearby village. The best chances to spot the Pygmy elephants are from March to October in the dry season.
- Transfer to Sabah Tea Resort - Transfer to the Sabah Tea Resort, in Ranau, for a two-night stay amongst pristine nature, surrounded by unspoiled forest and a working tea plantation.
- Included visit to Kinabalu National Park and Poring Hot Springs - You’ll have the morning to explore the tea plantation and learn about the product of rainforest tea before journeying to the famous Poring Hot Springs. Enjoy an included lunch at a local restaurant, before spending an afternoon at the springs, where in addition to the chance to take a dip in the therapeutic waters you can explore the jungle trail of walkways through the rainforest canopy. Please note: the walk up to the rainforest canopy at Poring Springs will cover uneven terrain and is unlikely to be suitable for those with limited mobility. It is optional and there are plenty of other activities here to enjoy should you find this too much.
- Transfer to Kota Kinabalu - Journey deep into the UNESCO-listed Kinabalu National Park this morning, a forested paradise home to several unique species of orchid, 5,000 species of plants, over 300 types of resident and migratory birds, as well as 100 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Here you’ll enjoy a scenic hike through moderate elevation, of about 3kms, before pausing at the park’s headquarters, with its beautiful Mountain Garden Collection, then continue to the Shangri La Rasa Ria Resort. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure at the resort, perhaps spent lazing by the pools or on the beach, indulging in a spa treatment or two, enjoying the selection of water sports or perhaps a round on the championship golf-course (activities payable locally). Please note: Throughout your time in Kota Kinabalu, you’ll have a representative only during transfers and excursions, not on leisure days. A 24/7 contact number will be provided for emergency use during your time here.
- Day at leisure or optional Mari Mari Cultural Village excursion - Enjoy a sumptuous day at leisure at the resort, or join the optional Mari Mari Cultural Village excursion. Those who join the optional excursion will get a fascinating glimpse and gain insights into the history, lifestyle and culture of the indigenous Borneo tribes with the help of a local guide. During the excursion, you'll sample traditional food and drink before watching a performance and enjoying an included lunch. Five ethnic tribes call this village home, and live, for the most part, as they did hundreds of years ago.
- Day at leisure - Spend another relaxing day at leisure, with a selection of dining options and the attractions of Kota Kinabalu.
- Day at leisure - Enjoy a final day at leisure, no doubt reflecting on a wonderful adventure.
- Return flight - Transfer to Kota Kinabalu airport for your flight to Kuala Lumpur, where you’ll catch your connecting overnight flight to the UK.
- Arrival - Early morning arrival in the UK.
What's Included
Holiday Highlights
- Visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Spend an unforgettable day at the Rainforest Discovery Centre
- Embark on wildlife-spotting cruises on the Kinabatangan River and its surrounding oxbow lakes, and a stay in a jungle lodge
- End your trip with four days in a luxurious beach resort
- Get to know the unusual-looking proboscis monkey at a local sanctuary
- Take in the Sabah Tea Plantation
- Discover beautiful Kinabalu Park and the therapeutic Poring Hot Springs
- Journey to former British colonial capital Sandakan
- Re-visit the Rainforest Discovery Centre for an optional night walk in search of nocturnal wildlife
- Join an optional excursion to the Mari Mari Cultural Village and gain insight into the local culture
Our Price Includes
- 10 nights’ bed-and-breakfast accommodation in Sandakan (2 nights), Bilit (2), Ranau (2), Kota Kinabalu (4), plus two nights aboard the aircraft
- 20 meals, including ten breakfasts five lunches and five dinners
- Visit to the Rainforest Discovery centre and Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
- Tours to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Sun bear Conservation Centre
- Cruise on the Kinabatangan River
- Excursion to Pitas Oxbow Lake
- Visit to the Sabah Tea Plantation
- Tour of Kinabalu National Park and the Poring hot springs
- Return flights to Sandakan and from Kota Kinabalu
- Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager (with the exception of the duration of your stay at the Shangri La Rasa Ria Resort)
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Dates and Prices
Other Information
Hotel Transfer Times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately 45 minutes.
Foreign office travel advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Luggage allowance
You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 20kg.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. The terrain can be steep and uneven in places and it is recommended that you have a reasonable level of fitness.
If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Changes to your hotel
Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.
Kota Kinabalu
Throughout your time in Kota Kinabalu, you’ll have a representative only during transfers and excursions, not on leisure days. A 24/7 contact number will be provided for emergency use during your time here.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Terms and conditions
Maximum 10% discount applies to a selection of tours. All other holidays and tours will have up to 10% applied. This offer applies to new bookings only booked between 1st October, 2025 and 9th November, 2025 and cannot be applied retrospectively to bookings already confirmed. This offer does not apply to child pricing. The offer does not apply to holidays with late availability pricing and excludes Festive, River Cruise, Edinburgh Tattoo, André Rieu events, Lapland and Wimbledon. This offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other discount, promotion or concession. When booking a holiday as described above, prices shown will automatically have the discount applied. The discount applies to the original tour price (excluding any discounts already applied, extras and holiday insurance) at the time of booking. This offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Newmarket Holidays reserves the right to cancel, change or amend any tour. Holidays booked with Newmarket Holidays, are financially protected in accordance with ABTA, ATOL & ABTOT regulations. Newmarket Holidays Limited is a company registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 02238316.
Holiday code
N2277Holiday provided by Newmarket Holidays
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE: This holiday is sold and operated by Newmarket Holidays (ABTOT 5509, ATOL 2325, ABTA V7812), you can be 100% sure that your money is safe.