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Borneo Birding & EcoTours

Borneo Birding & Wildlife Tour: Hornbills, Trogons & Orangutans

2025 Open

Day by Day Itinerary

Contact Us For Full itinerary
Borneo Wildlife Tour Video Trip Report

*All footage & images were captured during our research trip in 2023.

Itinerary Outline
NT Bird Specialists’ Deluxe Borneo Birding & Wildlife Ecotour Itinerary 2024

Pre-tour. Arrive in Malaysian Borneo (*Kuching or Miri in Sarawak or Kota Kinabalu in Sabah)

SARAWAK

Day 1. Tues 15 OCT 2024. Fly to (Mount) Gunung Mulu UNESCO World Heritage National Park, Sara-wak. Start of Tour. Airport Transfers. Guided Walk & Nocturnal Walk. Overnight Mulu NP.

Day 2. Wed 16 OCT 2024. Gunung Mulu National Park. Guided Walks, Tree Top Tower, Show Caves, Bat Exodus. Overnight Mulu NP.

Day 3. Thur 17 OCT 2024. Gunung Mulu National Park. Long Boats, Village Market, Show Caves, Guided Walks, Bat Exodus. Overnight Mulu NP.

SARAWAK-SABAH

Day 4. Fri 18 OCT 2024. Gunung Mulu National Park. Morning Birding Walk. Fly Mulu to Kota Kinaba-lu (Sabah). Travel to UNESCO World Heritage Gunung Kinabalu National Park. Overnight Kundasang.

Day 5. Sat 19 OCT 2024. Full Day Birding Gunung Kinabalu NP Foothills. Overnight Kundasang.

Day 6. Sun 20 OCT 2024. Kundasang to Sepilok, Sandakan (overland). Overnight Sepilok.

Day 7. Mon 21 OCT 2024. Rainforest Discovery Centre, Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve *Optional Sun Bear & Orangutan Conservation Centres. Overnight Sepilok.

Day 8. Tue 22 OCT 2024. Rainforest Discovery Center to (River) Sungai Kinabatangan, Sukau. After-noon & Nocturnal Kinabatangan River Cruise. Overnight Kinabatangan.

Day 9. Wed 23 OCT 2024. Morning & Afternoon Kinabatangan River Cruise. Guided boardwalks. Overnight Kinabatangan.

Day 10. Thur 24 OCT 2024. Kinabatangan (overland) to Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Lahad Datu. After-noon & Nocturnal Safaris/Guided Walks. Overnight Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

Day 11 & 12. Fri 25 & Sat 26 OCT 2024. Morning, Afternoon & Nocturnal Safari Drives/Guided Walks. Mud Volcano, Jungle Trekking. Overnight Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

Day 13-15 Sun 27 – Tue 29 OCT 2024. Tabin (overland) to Danum Valley Conservation Area, Lahad Datu. Afternoon & Nocturnal Guided Walks. Overnight Danum Valley.

Day 16 Wed 30 OCT 2024. Morning Birding. Danum Valley to Lahad Datu Airport. End of Tour.

Tour Notes

Tour at a Glance:

• Group size: 7 – 10 guests

• Tour Leader/Guides: 1 NT Bird Specialists Tour Leader (Luke Paterson) and experienced Bornean guides bird & naturalist guides

• Tour starts: Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia

• Tour concludes: Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia

• Season: End of Dry Season (Group tour), year-round (private tours)

• Species diversity: 650+ Birds (64 endemics, 200+ subspecies), 280 terrestrial mammals (44 endemics), 440 freshwater fish, 300 reptile (100 endemics), 3,000 trees, 15,000 flowering plants (6,000 endemic, 3,000 orchids), thousands of invertebrates

• Birding: High

• Wildlife: High:

• Photography: Moderate-High

• Culture: Low-Moderate

• Interests & experience level: Beginner to advanced birders, bird photographers, mammal watchers, naturalists (Non-birding/photographic partners & like-minded guests welcome).

 

Tour Style, Pace & Physical Rating on NT Bird Specialists’ Borneo Tour

• Style: Deluxe, Luxury Options, Escorted, Full Board (all meals, accommodation, tips & most inclusions). Quality & luxury eco-accommodation (with optional upgrades subject to availability).

• Pace: Early starts. Later finishes with nocturnal activities. Steady & thorough. Some rest periods provided.

• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Short to moderate walks (up to 4 km over flat uneven terrain & some rocky stairs to lookouts, or sloped sealed roads). *Some optional levels provided. Cool to warm humid conditions.
Moderate general fitness levels are required on our group tours. *Enquire for private tours.

• Accessibility: Many accessible tourist needs are catered for. *Enquire for specific accessibility requests, requirements or private tours.

 

*Comprehensive travel insurance is compulsory.

**Solo guests may choose to pair up to remove single supplement charges. Single supplement has 2 prices according to number of nights in a private room.

***Accommodation standards and rooms may vary in some areas beyond our control.

Read our 5 Star Guest Reviews here

2024 Guest Review

<strong>This was a WOW trip. Thanks Luke and Sarah, you know how to plan and run a GREAT trip.</strong><em>

This was an amazing trip and wonderful experience. Luke’s knowledge and experience amazed me an although we also had local guides, I think Luke was equal to every one of them.
It was well planned and I can safely say there were no hick-ups. Not only did we see many birds we also saw most of the primates in the wild. The tour also included several tourist spots such as the large caves of the Gunung Mulu NP. a bit of botany was also included when we viewed the large Rafflesia Flower.
The best thing about the trip was that from the moment we started the trip until the moment we loaded on to the aircraft to come home all expenses were paid (We had to buy out drinks).
Accommodation was up there with the best and meals were excellent.
<strong>This was a WOW trip. Thanks Luke and Sarah, you know how to plan and run a GREAT trip.</strong>

M<span style=”color: #000000;”>any thanks, <span class=”il”>Alwyn</span></span>

Inclusive, Accessible, Responsible Travel
Inclusive and Accessible Travel on NT Bird Specialists Tours

All experience levels are welcome.

Non-birding/photographing partners welcome.

Accessibility: Many accessible tourism needs are catered for. Walk types vary with boardwalks, viewing platforms, solid platforms, wide trails, canopy walks, team work, buggy hire. Spotting scopes make viewing easier. *Enquire for specific accessibility requests, requirements or private tours. Moderate general fitness levels are required on our group tours.

 

Responsible Travel on NT Bird Specialists Tours

As a sustainable tourism company:

We use and support local and/or Indigenous-owned guides, rangers, businesses and communities wherever possible

We research and ground truth before hand-picking lodges, suppliers and activities for their ecotourism policies and practises to enhance our supply chain sustainability wherever possible.

We practise ethical wildlife viewing and photography guidelines on all our tours

We support conservation and local community empowerment

We provide education and additional opportunities to support conservation initiatives

We minimise waste and carbon wherever possible.

Our Team flies Carbon Neutral.

* Please be respectful and always ask before photographing people.

Tour Inclusions & Exclusions

Exceptional Value Includes:

  • Birds! Birds! Birds! Birds!
  • 15 nights en suite accommodation (deluxe rooms, *optional luxury upgrades at some award-winning ecolodges subject to availability)
  • 16 full days of guided birding/wildlife watching and photographic support with multi-award-winning tour operator and specialist guide Luke Paterson, owner of NT Bird Specialists
  • 16 days Licenced Bornean Bird Guides (5) and Naturalist guides (1) and rangers or trackers
  • Private air-conditioned tourist vehicles and experienced drivers
  • 8 off-road safaris, 5 private cruises, 7 nocturnal tours and excursions
  • 4 guides show caves
  • 1 Rafflesia entry ticket (subject to blooming)
  • All transport, tours and private cruises as stated in the itinerary (and for optional activities listed)
  • All meals on tour from lunch Day 1 until lunch Day 16 (please notify us of allergies at the time of booking). A mix of Malay, Chinese and Western cuisine.
  • Cold water refills, tea/coffee in rooms *Please bring a refillable water bottle or bladder
  • Scheduled hotel transfers
  • Service tax on hotels and meals
  • Field guide, bird list, spotting scope to share
  • Airport transfers on arrival at Mulu (MZV) and departure at Lahad Datu (LDU)
  • All national park and reserve commercial touring permits and entry fees
  • Assurance of touring with an award-winning Australian Accredited Tourism Business and Licensed Commercial Tour Operator
  • Genuine ecotourism, low-impact tours that support conservation & local communities
  • Excellent customer service
  • Exclusive itineraries built by local specialists
  • And more…Read our 5 star reviews

The per person rate excludes:

  • Flights and excess baggage
  • Visas
  • Camera fees
  • Entry for optional activities
  • Comprehensive travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Room upgrades
  • Buggy hire
  • Unscheduled transfers
  • Pre and post-tour meals, accommodation, and transport not stated in the itinerary
  • Snacks, alcoholic & restaurant beverages
  • Service tax on beverages and other personal expenses
  • Laundry, shopping, phone calls, room service, and other items of personal nature
  • Local guide and driver tips *guest to provide tips to tour leader at the start of tour for facilitation on behalf of the group (approximatley $250AUD to be updated in pre-departure notes)
  • Other tips (taxis, porters, baggage handler, room keeping, group leader) tips and other items not stated in inclusions or itinerary are excluded
    *Tipping is not mandatory in Malaysia but at your discretion and satisfaction level.
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NT Bird Specialists’ Scheduled Departures 2018
Tour DateDurationTour InterestTour NameGroup SizeAvailabilityPrice From (AUD)