- The jungles of Taman Nagara
- Sepilok's Orang-utans
- Summit of Mt. Kinabalu
- Food tour of Kuala Lumpur
- Walks through the jungle

Trekking Borneo & Beyond
- Home
- Asia
- Malaysia
- Walking & Trekking
- Trekking Borneo & Beyond
Reviews
Add your own reviewGreat trip
The group my son and I were in was with a great other couple, Wan in Malaysia was a great tour leader. The trip I found tough at times , but well worth it. The trecks we went on really let us explore things and there was lots to see and do. There was so much done in such a short time. The second leg in Borneo included a hike up Kinabalu, which was tough but well worth the effort and the optional last day trip to an island well worth it
Most Inspirational Moment
Getting to the summit of Mt Kinabalu, wild swimming in a river with local wildlife ( soon got out ) Night walks with great leaders, Orangutan sanctuary.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Wan in particular was a great leader in Malaysia as was Talia in Borneo
Advice for Potential Travellers
Some of the trecks were tougher than I expected, but worth it. accommodation was good, sometimes great, but the Kinabalu lodge was basic, that is not a complaint as we were half way up a mountain
Suggestions
I will remember this trip forever, it was great
Borneo and Beyond Sept 22
Some great moments but also didn’t think at times Exodus lived up to their past high standards. Too much travelling by road which was bone crunching at times, partly due to road conditions and partly due to the vehicles used. I felt that the Cameron Highlands could have been avoided and more time spent in Borneo (Trip was BORNEO and beyond).
Most Inspirational Moment
Summitting Mt Kinabalu, a very tough climb, even in the good conditions we had.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two leaders, Wye who was fantastic and really gelled with the team. She was very knowledgeable and really helped make the Malaysian part of the holiday great fun. Jeffery seemed very nervous and unsure at times but was helpful.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This should be a "Challenging" holiday rather than moderate / challenging. The heat and humidity really makes it tough at times and having an unfit member in the team slowed it down a lot for everyone else. Attendees should definitely be fit and do a lot of waking in UK beforehand, something our slow member said she hadn't done. Sepilok Jungle resort is basic, even though we were upgraded to superior rooms.
Suggestions
The layout of the holiday needs to be looked at. The trip to and from Cameron highlands didn't really add anything to the holiday but took many (back jarring) hours. This extra day could be used in Borneo where there are other places it could be used eg overnight stay at Mt Kinabalu. Beach resort could be nearer Kota Kinabalu as there is a lot to see and do there, the current resort is very isolated.
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, Steve, and particularly for sharing such positive feedback about our local team. On the other hand, we were sorry that you felt the trip was more challenging than you had expected. As I am sure you appreciate, activity levels are inherently subjective, but we do endeavour to describe each trip as accurately as possible, and we are always open to suggestions to amend our guidance should we be made aware of clients feeling a particular trip’s activity level should be changed; we will, therefore, bare your comments in mind ahead of next season’s departures. We are further apologetic that you felt this trip featured too much overland travel, on poor roads, in an unsuitable vehicle, as I can appreciate this would have been uncomfortable. This is the first time we have received feedback of this nature since we restarted trips to this part of South-East Asia, but we are aware that roads may have deteriorated during the pandemic when they were not being used as much. We will continue to closely monitor the feedback we receive on this topic going forward and, should this become a common theme, we will consider an alternative vehicle or different routes. We hope this shows that we are willing to make changes where we feel they can improve a trip, although we remain regretful that your experience was not so positive.
Kelly Reid, Product Manager
Borneo and Beyond Sept 22
Some great moments but also didn’t think at times Exodus lived up to their past high standards. Too much travelling by road which was bone crunching at times, partly due to road conditions and partly due to the vehicles used. I felt that the Cameron Highlands could have been avoided and more time spent in Borneo (Trip was BORNEO and beyond).
Most Inspirational Moment
Summitting Mt Kinabalu, a very tough climb, even in the good conditions we had.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two leaders, Wye who was fantastic and really gelled with the team. She was very knowledgeable and really helped make the Malaysian part of the holiday great fun. Jeffery seemed very nervous and unsure at times but was helpful.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This should be a "Challenging" holiday rather than moderate / challenging. The heat and humidity really makes it tough at times and having an unfit member in the team slowed it down a lot for everyone else. Attendees should definitely be fit and do a lot of waking in UK beforehand, something our slow member said she hadn't done. Sepilok Jungle resort is basic, even though we were upgraded to superior rooms.
Suggestions
The layout of the holiday needs to be looked at. The trip to and from Cameron highlands didn't really add anything to the holiday but took many (back jarring) hours. This extra day could be used in Borneo where there are other places it could be used eg overnight stay at Mt Kinabalu. Beach resort could be nearer Kota Kinabalu as there is a lot to see and do there, the current resort is very isolated.
A brilliant experience
An amazing trip which I’ll always remember. My personal highlights were seeing the orangutans and other wildlife in the rainforest. I highly recommend the ‘optional’ boat trip at the end – we saw proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and then sparkly trees full of fireflys under the twinkling stars.
I also really enjoyed having a day in Kuala-Lumpur and having a nice glass of prosecco on the roof of the heli-bar to celebrate the start of the holiday.
Most Inspirational Moment
Falling in love with the hilarious orangutans but on the way to seeing them seeing the EXTENSIVE palm plantations and our destruction of their habitat. Never have I been so motivated to only use products with sustainable palm oil and donate to rainforest conservation charities.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Wan in Malaysia was fantastic.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Yes - the hikes are much more technically challenging than suggested on the trip notes. Quite a bit of clambering, scrambling (especially on day 1 hike) and hauling yourself up with ropes. You definitely need gloves for hand protection. And a head for heights for the final summit day.
Epic views, rainforest wildlife and tropical paradise adventure
A truly memorable adventure, filled with activities, sights, tastes and sounds of the jungle. Starting in KL city, the food tour was a fascinating way to see the city and sample the local delicacies. Our guide Wan took us to the best haunts, showed us hidden sights and shared his knowledge of the city and culture. The section in Cameron Highlands was a bit more laid back, with one hike and plenty spare time, which we spent perusing the shops, enjoying a refreshment at the bar, or using the hotel’s excellent facilities. Then on to Taman Negara, which was my favourite part of the mainland peninsula, deep in tropical equatorial rainforest, staying in wooden cabins and getting up close to the monkeys, wild pigs, lizards and insects. The hikes here were great and the river cruise absolute bliss. Then onto Borneo itself, where we found my favourite restaurant of the trip (The White House with 10 ringgit wine!) and our accommodation at Sepilok, a short walk from the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. There were plenty opportunities to see the Orangutans (and Sun Bears) and it was so beautiful to see them playing and feeding, and see the intelligence at work behind their soulful eyes. Although sad to leave Sepilok behind, the escape from the heat and humidity was a welcome relief as we arrived at Kinabalu park and prepared for the climb. Here the accommodation is more basic but still perfectly comfortable – the hike was hard and technical (particularly the second day) and it feels like much more of an achievement than any previous mountain I’ve hiked. The mountain’s prominence over the valley and surrounding peaks below lends to some incredible views from above the clouds. The final days at the beach resort were the perfect way to recover, and we treated ourselves to a river cruise to see Proboscis monkeys and fireflies – bring the insect repellent to this one though!
Most Inspirational Moment
In a sad way, seeing the sheer volume of Oil Palm plantations and how these are encroaching on the last vestiges of remaining rainforest in Malaysia and Borneo. It made it all the more precious to see the Orangutans while we still can, and really brought home to me the importance of sourcing sustainable palm oil goods and cutting back on consumption in general where we can in order to do our part to save the rainforests, and the last habitats of the orangutan before it is too late.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Wan on the Malayan Peninsula, and Manuel in Borneo were both fantastic guides, happy to help and share knowledge of their country. They both went the extra mile to ensure that everyone on the trip had a great time.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be ready for the heat and humidity - regular water consumption is essential. It's not a boozy holiday by any means, and while food is extremely cheap, alcohol is not. Be ready for some technical sections on some of the walks (which means scrambling, steep inclines and limited handholds in places), and the final walk was a test of fitness for most of the group. The food available is great, but choices are limited, particularly for vegetarians. If you have any snacks you can't live without, bring them with you
Mountain s and jungles of Malaysia
A very we balanced trip
Most Inspirational Moment
At the top of my Kinabalu
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both good
Absolutely fantastic and unforgettable experience
Every time we go on a trip with Exodus we don’t think the next can compete but this was unique and wonderful in its own way and another trip we shan’t every forget. Mount Kinabalu summit was tough but well worth it and we were lucky to be rewarded with wonderful views. I never expected that we would get to see as much wildlife as we did and the orang-utans and optional visits to sun bears and probiscus monkeys were just amazing.
Most Inspirational Moment
The orang-utan sanctuary was really quite emotional, and I felt inspired almost immediately to adopt an orang-utan, Bidu-Bidu to support the sanctuary. Submitting Mount Kinabalu was also incredible and showed me what the mind can help the body achieve when you are determined.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both our group leaders in both Peninsula Malaysia and Borneo were brilliant. They clearly knew a lot about the country they live in and the wildlife and worked above and beyond throughout.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I would take some thermals for the summit climb as these are thinner and easier to pack than a big coat. Also, definitely avail yourself of massage services in Cameron Highlands and at the Kinabalu resort as they were great value for money and so worth it. We used laundry services of several of the places we stayed in as well and these were really handy and would allow you to pack light.
Amazing Trip
This trip has a good mixture of sightseeing and hiking. The street food tour of Kuala Lumpur was a great start to the trip. I enjoyed the food and I learned about the cultural and religious diversity of the country. The good food and drinks continued throughout the trip. There were a good variety of hikes ending with Mount Kinabalu. Watching the orangutans and probiscus monkeys eating and playing was great fun. The accommodations were very good.
Most Inspirational Moment
I have to pick two. One has to be Mount Kinabalu, reaching the summit and completing the descent. It was a tough two day trek. The weather cooperated for us to see a sunset at the mountain and a sunrise at the summit. The second is watching the orangutans. It was fun watching them eating and playing. In particular it was great to see the senior male orangutan take his time peeling and eating a bunch of bananas.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our two leaders, Wye and Rony, were great. It seemed effortless for them to keep everything well organized. They shared lots of local knowledge. We ate at a good variety of restaurants. They made sure we had opportunities to eat local seasonal fruits. They made it possible for us to take in the optional excursions of visiting the probiscus monkeys and having cocktails over looking the Petronas Towers.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for Mount Kinabalu. It is not an easy trek. Be prepared for hot, humid and wet weather. Do not be scared off by the chance of being leeched.
Suggestions
No, just go and enjoy it!
Trekking Borneo and Beyond
Although aged 80 I was probably at least 15 years older than anyone else, however this in no way spoiled my experience of this holiday. The group was fantastic, the best I have experienced over the last 20 years of trekking. It was certainly added to by the local ‘guides’ who were excellent and very friendly to all the group. I and 2 others were not able to get to the summit of Mount Kinabalu as we ran out of time although we had passed the last checkpoint. We should have left the Laban Resthouse earlier. We did not sleep anyway!
The whole holiday experience was far better than I expected although I did need to buy a new camera in Kuala Lumpur (a waterproof one). The humidity and going through the ‘rapids’ on the river was too much for my old camera!
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole trip was full of new experiences and I suppose the lasting highlight was the time at the end spent at the complex by the sea. I have never experienced such warm seawater!
Thoughts on Group Leader
As I have said above the 2 we had, the first at KL and the second on Borneo could not have been more encouraging and friendly to all the group.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Humidity and shooting the rapids is not good for cameras unless waterproof. I was not alone with the problem! Insects were not a problem even in the evening, in fact I don't think I got bitten at all - not like in the garden at home in the UK!
Suggestions
Lastly I did feel that the climb was more difficult than what I experienced 18 months earlier in Ethiopia although not so high. In Ethiopia there was plenty of time to get aclimatised whereas in Borneo there was none at all. Yet this was graded 4 and the climb of Ras Dashen in Ethiopia as Grade 5. The altitude there did not seem a problem as we reached the height of 4543m over a period not 2 consecutive days as in Borneo.
Malaysia Adventure!
I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go away this year, but the itinerary of this trip just jumped out at me and certainly didn’t disappoint! You get to experience two distinct parts of Malaysia – the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo – and this allows you to see its diversity firsthand. KL is a city that never sleeps and is a treasure trove of culinary delights; the Cameron Highlands, with its rolling hills and tea plantations is a real highlight, particularly the trek with Jason. Our next stop in the Taman Negara National Park, where we were surrounded by ancient rainforest, allowed us to live with monkeys all around us and to experience some real jungle trekking and river rapids too! Borneo, is simply teeming with wildlife. You will not get tired of watching the orang-utans eating, playing, squabbling and doing ridiculous acrobatics. This goes for the sunbears and striking proboscis monkeys too. The Mount Kinabalu trek to follow is tough but totally worth it, especially when you get up to the clouds…and setting off for the summit to catch the sunrise is a surreal and exciting experience. The hotel right by the South China Sea is the perfect R&R finish to a perfect holiday!
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many....the Cameron Highlands trek really let us experience nature by day, the night jungle walk showed us how the place was teeming and humming with life after dark, the orang-utans, the proboscis monkeys, the clouds at Laban Rata, summiting Mount Kinabalu, relaxing by the South China Sea with new friends...so virtually everything then!
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two group leaders....Jeremy on the Peninsula and Rony in Borneo. Both were fantastic. Jeremy recommended so much great food and was so enthusiastic, especially about creepy crawlies! Rony's love for his mountain and nature was inspiring!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't worry about the leeches...I didn't 'get leeched' but I'm told it didn't hurt, plus they are weirdly fascinating. Definitely bring toilet paper. Mount Kinabalu is challenging, but go at your own pace and you will be fine, and you can get a massage afterwards!
Suggestions
I'm still thinking about the trip and wishing I was there...if you're deliberating about booking this adventure, just do it :)
Start
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Sunday Saturday
09 Jul 2023 08 Jul 2023
Sunday Monday
23 Jul 2023 24 Jul 2023
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View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
06 Aug 2023 05 Aug 2023
Sunday Monday
20 Aug 2023 21 Aug 2023
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View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
10 Sep 2023 09 Sep 2023
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24 Sep 2023 25 Sep 2023
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View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
15 Oct 2023 14 Oct 2023
Sunday Monday
29 Oct 2023 30 Oct 2023
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View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
17 Mar 2024 16 Mar 2024
Sunday Monday
31 Mar 2024 01 Apr 2024
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24 Mar 2024 23 Mar 2024
Sunday Monday
07 Apr 2024 08 Apr 2024
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View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
07 Jul 2024 06 Jul 2024
Sunday Monday
21 Jul 2024 22 Jul 2024
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Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,351
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View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
04 Aug 2024 03 Aug 2024
Sunday Monday
18 Aug 2024 19 Aug 2024
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Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,351
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This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
08 Sep 2024 07 Sep 2024
Sunday Monday
22 Sep 2024 23 Sep 2024
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Adult Price From USD 4,199
Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,085
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This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
13 Oct 2024 12 Oct 2024
Sunday Monday
27 Oct 2024 28 Oct 2024
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This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
24 Nov 2024 23 Nov 2024
Sunday Monday
08 Dec 2024 09 Dec 2024
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Adult Price From USD 4,199
Optional Single Supplement +USD 1,085
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This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesWould you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
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