Complete Borneo

On arrival in Borneo, you'll be met by your private guide, who will accompany you to your hotel.

Explore Kuching by bike, starting with a short trip by sampan across the Sarawak River. Hop in the saddle for a leisurely cycle ride through the rural side of Kuching, past coconut groves and kampongs (Malay villages) where you'll see traditional wood & thatch stilt homes, and stop off to meet a local family. Cycle on to Kubah Ria market, a sprawling maze of stalls where locals can buy everything from seafood to orchids. Sample a few local snacks before heading back over the river to be driven back to your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Start the day with a visit to Semenggok Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, considered to be the best place in Sarawak to view semi-wild orang-utans. Semenggok’s orangs have all been rescued from captivity and are undergoing rehabilitation to survive in the surrounding forest reserve. Orangs who’ve already been rehabilitated roam free in the forest throughout the day, but many still return to the centre at feeding time. The centre also has a successful breeding program, and it is often possible to see mothers with young babies.

After your orang-utan visit, head to an Iban tribal longhouse in Batang Ai National Park, travelling through picturesque rural Sarawak, pepper orchards, primary rainforest and the inevitable plantations. The final leg of your journey will be by longtail boat along the river into the rainforest, to find the longhouse.

Longhouse life starts early, so prepare for members of the community wandering past you as they get ready for the day. Share a traditional Iban breakfast, before a morning spent learning about the tribe's unique lifestyle, and observing the longhouse residents as they go about their daily routines. You'll watch a blowpipe demonstration, and have a go at shooting one yourself (just avoid shooting it at yourself), then learn how the Iban traditionally use rainforest plants, before taking a short boat trip upriver to visit a waterfall. After a traditional lunch, the remainder of your day will be at leisure.

Journey from Batang Ai to Kuching by longtail boat and then car, arriving into the city in the late afternoon.

Plunge straight into Mulu with a scenic boardwalk stomp through the rainforest to Deer Cave, which boasts both the world's largest cave entrance, and its largest single cave passage, big enough to fit St Paul’s Cathedral under its enormous archway. The cave's landscape is moon-like, and on most evenings a spectacular exodus of five million bats can be seen flowing from the cave at sunset. As they head off in search of food, the bats form a column over six miles long, and their departure takes up to an hour. You'll arrive with plenty of time to explore the well-marked paths of Deer Cave and its neighbour, Lang Cave (which has outstanding stalactites and stalagmites) before the bats appear. You'll return to your hotel or lodge by torchlight.

Travel upriver by longboat to Wind Cave to admire the impressive King’s Chamber, where stalactites and stalagmites form delicate lace-like patterns. Complete your spelunking adventure with a short walk to Clearwater Cave, which contains rare species of plants. One can only be found in Mulu, and many unusual orchids and pitcher plants can also be seen. Photo-sensitive algae grows on certain rocks, producing needle-like formations which point towards the source of light. The jewel in Clearwater's crown, however, is the wonderful swimming area by its entrance. Shaded by giant rainforest trees, it's one of our favourite spots to enjoy a refreshing dip and a simple picnic.

Take a flight to Sandakan, where, on arrival you will be driven to Sepilok. Time to meet the local celebrities!

Rise in time to see the orang-utans of Sepilok Sanctuary enjoy their breakfast feeding time. Sepilok is an area of protected primary rainforest and mangrove on mainland Borneo, and its orang-utan rehabilitation centre is known across the world for exceptional conservation work. The reserve protects 19 square miles of dense rainforest, and exists for the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured orang-utans. Apart from feeding times, when you are almost guaranteed a sighting, you can enjoy looking out for flashes of orange fur amongst the multitude of flora and fauna in the surrounding forests.

Continue your wildlife encounter at the nearby Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, built both to improve the welfare and rehabilitation of the Malayan Sun Bear, and raise awareness of the plight of this now protected species.

From Sepilok, you'll head to Sandakan Yacht Club Jetty for the cruise to Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort, passing Berhala Island with its prominent sandstone cliffs. Your afternoon is at leisure until 4pm, when tea, coffee and local snacks will be served to set you up for a late afternoon river expedition in an open-topped boat. Look for wildlife with the help of your guide, and with any luck witness the impressive gathering of fireflies that frequently lights up the dusk. Return to the resort for dinner before venturing out on a guided night walk on the boardwalk around the lodge, spotting for nocturnal wildlife.

Prepare to be woken early by the hooting calls of gibbons and hornbills! At least you'll be up in time for an early boat trip to spot the river’s colourful (and noisy) birds, and wildlife foraging on the riverbanks. Enjoy your own pre-breakfast snack in the pristine natural setting of an ox-bow lake, before stopping off at a small fishing village to meet the Orang Sungai (‘people of the river’), an indigenous group which lives along several of Sabah’s riverways. Head back to Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort for breakfast, after which the remainder of your day is at leisure. If you wish, take further wildlife-spotting trips in the late afternoon and after dark.

Head deep into Danum Valley to find the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, which provides surprisingly luxurious accommodation for such an isolated location. The lodge is dedicated to wildlife spotting, with a long canopy walkway through the surrounding jungle, and seated viewing platforms where you can get comfortable and observe the wildlife in peace. There are also opportunities for excellent jungle trekking, specialised bird watching, outstanding photography, and messing about on the Danum River. Your visit will plunge you straight into the rainforest, with a guided walk along the lodge’s boardwalk nature trail and the superb canopy walkway. After dinner, join a night drive through a rainforest alive with sound, as you learn how to spot nocturnal animals such as civet cats, flying squirrels, tree frogs and Samba deer.

Early risers can take a pre-breakfast canopy walk for a fascinating bird’s eye view of the rainforest as its daytime residents noisily assert themselves while the sun rises. After breakfast on the veranda, hike the ‘Coffin Trail’, which leads to a 200 year old burial site created by an indigenous tribe. The route takes in a spectacular viewpoint which overlooks miles of horizon-spanning rainforest - a rare and precious sight, these days, even in the tropics. After lunch back at the lodge, explore one of the excellent forest nature trails for many wildlife-spotting opportunities, and the opportunity to take a dip in one of the forest’s natural pools or waterfalls. For a more boisterous alternative, spend the afternoon 'tubing' down the Danum River. In the evening, you can choose to join a night drive or walk through the forest.

Take a flight from Lahad Datu to Kota Kinabalu where, on arrival, you will travel by car and then shared speedboat to Gaya Island.

Your days will be at leisure to explore the underwater world, venture along the nature trails, and simply kick back and relax.

Depart by shared speedboat to the mainland where you will be met and driven to the airport.