Sandakan: 3D2N Wildlife Cruise and Live Like a Local

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Booking Overview Highlights Includes/Excludes Cancellation Faqs Services Reviews

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Overview

Duration:3 days 2 nights
Travelers:1 - 12 guests
Tour Type:Group tour, Package tour
Language:English, Malay
Start:Sandakan, Airport, Sepilok Area
End at:Sandakan, Airport, Sepilok Area
Payments:Pay Advance
Cancellation:Non-refundable

Discover the wonders of Kinabatangan River on guided jungle hikes and boat trips that showcase the rainforest's marvels at dawn and dusk. Glide through lush jungles in quest of opportunities to spot proboscis monkeys, orangutans, and who knows, maybe even the Borneo Big 5! Stay in a local homestay, savour home-cooked meals, and gain insight into village life through perhaps a warm interactions with your hosts. Your visit directly benefits local residents, preserves village customs for your hosts and makes protecting wildlife worth more than cutting down trees. This journey is about discover the wild side of Borneo, chasing the real, and having an authentic, raw, and wild experience.

Highlights

A three-day, two-night stay at a unique homestay with a local family
Opportunity to witness all of the iconic big five along the river, along with the wild species
Experience guided jungle walks and wildlife river cruises with a local family host
Engage in experiences that nurture cultural heritage and bolster the local economy
Immerse yourself in a riverside retreat along one of Borneo's longest rivers

Includes/Excludes

Pickup and drop off from sandakan city, airport or sepilok
2 night stay in local homestay
4 sessions of river cruise at sunrise and sunset
1 night jungle walk
2 breakfast, 1 lunch, and 2 dinner
Free-flowing drinking water, tea and coffee (none alcohol or juice)
Local guide
Sukau and kinabatangan national park fees
Boat, life jackets, and transfer fees
All permit fees and local tax

Optional extra activities

Tour maps

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Itinerary

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Day 1 : The Journey Unfolds

Get in the vehicle and leave Sandakan as the road twists through oil palm fields, wooden kampungs, and verdant scenery. Drive 2.5 hours to the riverbank where the Kinabatangan shimmers like a brown serpent. Warm Bornean hosts welcome you into their house, where you'll find comfort in simple but private rooms. Prepare for first 2-hour sunset wildlife river cruise where guide will lead along the meandering canals in search of wild animals, proboscis monkeys, stunning hornbills, and, if lucky, the Borneo Big 5. Near twilight, stop the boat in a tranquil river bend. Gibbons tell a gripping tale when the air cools. Return to delightfully dancing lights and a dinner of family recipes proven to last. Then drift off to the enchanting sounds of a rainforest orchestra in private room.

Day 2 : Into the Wild

Awaken with the dawn for a breathtaking river journey, where the soft glow of dawn sets the perfect stage for observing wildlife and capturing stunning photos. Your chances of seeing all kinds of birds, including the legendary rhinoceros Hornbill, will increase with a guide definitely boost chances of seeing these wildlife than wandering around aimlessly will lead to a bush rather than a bird. After breakfast at the homestay, embark on a short jungle trek over natural boardwalks over the river. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch and relax by the riverfront, embrace the chance to unwind by the riverside at your own time. Another third river safari lets you dive into the lively world of wildlife as animals congregate along the riverbanks to sip and search for food before the day fades away. Dinner is served at the homestay, or you may take a guided boardwalk through the jungle at night for an extra charge. Then drift off to the enchanting sounds of a rainforest orchestra in private room.

Day 3 : The River's Last Gift

The fog rolling over the river at dawn sets a magical scene in the morning, enjoy a breakfast then pack up and hit the road back to Sandakan carrying those unforgettable stories with you! Be whisked away to your Sandakan hotel or the airport for your next adventure!

from~~270 $~~ 235 $ /person

-13%

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Guest

You can select between 1 to 12 travelers in total.

AdultAge 13+Min. 1, Max. 12

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Frequently asked questions

Does the tour include pickup and drop-off?

There is no pick-up for this tour; instead, travellers must go to the designated meeting place as per given. If travellers need or expect a ride, this can be arranged, but there is an additional cost—roughly 450 ringgit for a car and 600 ringgit for a van—and it is a one-way trip.

Can I get a refund if I missed some tour or only participated partial?

Unfortunately, the tour is none refundable so it's not really possible to refund or change that. It might be best to just join in. All itinerary could change due to some rough weather or animal safety concerns.

Would you arrange for a vegan or vegetarian option?

Yep, it's totally free and there are no extra charges. Just give us quickly reminder up when you make your reservation or the day before you check in, so our staff can get everything ready for you.

Are all wildlife guaranteed to be seen?

In a wildlife area, animals can wander freely, so you can't always count on seeing them and hence it is not guaranteed but our guide will do their best to locate them.