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I would recommend this trip, in fact I would say it’s a must, especially if your interested in wildlife and get a better understanding of the socio-economic reasons why rainforests are being replaced by agriculture. From countless up-close wildlife experiences (I would say guaranteed) deep inside the rain forests to amazing natural geological wonders of the world, this trip just keeps on giving. As always our Exodus leader or guide was just excellent on every level. Jay helped up to understand the natural world and its unique symbiotic relationships and the recent balance and regulation to help protect the remaining rain forests. We always felt safe and often important as Jay was well known as a long standing guide in the area. I’ve come away feeling lucky to experience such a country and keep replying my memories so they become indelible ones.
Jay was always thinking of the group. I would go as far to say the reason why the group got on so well was due to Jay and his constant consideration for other, which rubbed off on us all. Jay is a major asset to Exodus and if I could book him again on another trip, I would.
We can thoroughly recommend this tour. The itinerary meant a fair amount of travelling but it was well planned and well supervised by Nostalia our guide. In two weeks we ticked off all the creatures on our pre-tour wish list apart from pigmy elephants, more than compensated by brilliant encounters with bats, orangutans, monkeys, hornbills, and flying squirrels. In between we had time to explore the cities of Kuching and Kota Kinabalu and sample great local food from restaurants and hawker stalls.
The first came in Mulu National Park where we witnessed literally millions of bats leave Deer Cave at dusk to begin their evening search for dinner on the wing, twisting and swirling like endless murmurations of starlings. The second came from repeated sightings of orangutans and proboscis monkeys in trees along the Kinabatangan River and in Danum Valley, showing that they can thrive in the wild in areas where their natural habitat is being conserved. A pre-breakfast walk in the Danum Valley lasted less than 100 metres before we encountered orangutans that we joyfully watched for the next 90 minutes as they played and fed in the fruit trees near our lodge.
Nostalia was an excellent leader throughout our tour. She provided clear briefings with everything we needed to know about timings, where we were going, what we could expect to see, and what to wear on different occasions. As expected from an Exodus leader, she proved very knowledgeable on all wildlife matters . She was also a great source of information in the towns and cities we visited, advising us where the locals go to eat excellent food at very reasonable prices.
From the trip notes, we surmised that we would be clad in long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and boots most of the time. In practice, this proved necessary for only four days (Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley) near the end of the trip. For the rest of the time, shorts, t-shirts and trainers/sandals worked very well as long as our exposed limbs were well treated with insect repellent. On the bird-watching front, we had delightful sightings of hornbills, eagles and kingfishers but the vast majority of Borneo's 300+ species proved elusive. If bird watching is a priority, you probably need to seek a specialist birding tour rather than a general wildlife tour like this one.
Really enjoyed the trip. It was very expensive but was worth it for all the wildlife seen. Saw Orangutans, proboscis monkeys, other monkeys and bats and lots of birds and insects. Really enjoyed Bako National Park, Mulu, the snorkelling, Sepilok and Danum Valley. The accommodation overall was good but the food was amazing at Danum Valley (Borneo Rainforest Lodge) which made up for the food at Kinabatangan which a bit plain. The trip was the correct length as well, wouldn’t want it any shorter.
Really enjoyed Danum Valley after a difficult walk with the humidity seeing orangutans close up. Also really enjoyed the snorkelling and got my confidence back after a bad experience on another holiday.
Roni was a good leader, very organised and he coped very well when one of our group had a fall. Everything was organised properly and I felt he really enjoyed his job.
It is a busy trip and you don't get much free time but really thought I got my monies worth. Leeches weren't as bad as I thought, luckily only got 1 bite that I know of and I didn't buy the leech socks.
Great opportunity to sees lots of wildlife in the wild Reasonable pace allowing 2 nights at each location Great end to holiday in the Danum Valley Jungle Resort
Watching the male Orangutan making a nest in the rain and then seeing him make an umbrella out of leaves
Excellent, very helpful with plenty of local insight
Embrace the jungle as much as possible and don't be worried / afraid of insects / malaria etc
This trip exceeded expectations in terms of the variety of wildlife spotted and the competences of the group leader.
Getting up close with Orangutans and Proboscis monkeys.
Jeffry Ismail was superb. Extremely knowledgeable about wildlife and never stuck for an answer about any aspects of the trip. He was sensitive to individuals' needs, very competent in organisational skills, always smiling and relaxed and with a great sense of humour. He was as excited at wildlife spotting as any member of the group.
Be prepared for leeches - they are almost bound to get past any defences.
A superb trip visiting some of Borneo’s national Parks and remaining rainforests. Every day a different highlight. We saw some amazing flora and fauna from the big (elephants) to the small (lots of frogs). In between we saw wild orangutans, at least 70 different species of birds topped by 7 different hornbills, reptiles (yes crocodiles), lizards and beautiful butterflies. And, of course, stunning rainforest.
early morning on canopy walkway above the rainforest. Seeing the dawn light on all the different shapes and forms of trees was a magical moment
Manual was superb. he has a deep knowledge of all the flora and fauna as well as being an excellent spotter of hidden wildlife. His skills greatly enhanced he trip. He went to considerable lengths to ensure we saw as much as possible - and to sort out all the inevitable minor hitches
Do as much of the activities as you can - don't expect a lot of sleep or free time! an umbrella came in handy -especially in the evenings walking to/from supper.
This is a great overview of Malaysian Borneo with stays at many varied national parks. Its great to see the wildlife, birds, plants, insects and forests and also stays in the towns. The food was generally very good. It was interesting to hear some of the history and to learn about the tribes of Borneo.
I am really pleased that I chose this trip.
I enjoyed all of the holiday and stays at all of the national parks, seeing all the wild life eg the orangutans, monkeys, birds and plants. I enjoyed the contrast between the different national parks where we stayed and also making the most of short stays in the towns.
Manuiel was a great group leader he worked extremely hard to identify and to show us wildlife, insects, birds and plants. He worked very hard to ensure that the trip went smoothly and was very organised and we always knew in advance plans for the trip. He is sociable and has a good sense of humour which benefited us all . He was approachable so you could ask questions. He helped us on our free day in Koto Kinabalu to organise the boat to the island.
Do take a head torch and wet weather poncho for rain and leech socks for Danum
Fabulous trip , so much wildlife : insects , frogs , snakes, wonderful birds , mammals and beautiful plants and wonderful rain forests
Monkeys everywhere so lucky to see Orang Utangs in the wild and a Gibbon doing Acrobats.
We saw the bats coming out of Mulu cave while we were still in it – amazing
Our guide found the tiny dear-mouse crouching in the forest on our night safari.
Fabulous river trips at Kinabatangan
Manuel our guide was brilliant too.
so lucky to see Orang Utangs in the wild and a Gibbon doing Acrobats. We saw the bats coming out of Mulu cave while we were still in it - amazing Our guide found the tiny dear-mouse crouching in the forest on our night safari.
Manuel was brilliant wildlife guide and spotter
Bring plenty of insect repellents! Long trousers an umbrella and rain coat
I have mixed feelings about this trip. On the positive side, my husband and I joined a very lovely and friendly group and a delightful guide (Sheila). The accommodation, although more basic than on some trips we’ve done, was mainly fine and some of the restaurants Sheila took us to were in lovely positions and had good food – although rice did tend to dominate the menu! We also saw some lovely things, such as Lang’s cave, with its stalactites and stalagmites, and Bako national park, where we saw silver leaf monkeys, proboscis monkeys, macaques and bearded pigs. I also particularly enjoyed the river trips and going to the ‘sun bear sanctuary’ as well as watching flying squirrels ‘fly’! However, overall, there was a lot less wildlife around than I have seen on previous holidays (especially our visits to Africa and the Galapagos). On some walks we saw virtually nothing, certainly in the way of larger mammals or birds. I think the trip notes – and even the very name of the trip! – implies that you’ll see a lot more. Like most groups apparently, we did not see elephants at all (‘A rare thing to see around here’ according to the guide). We also did not see rhinos (I’ve never seen one in 22 years…’), or, of course, more elusive animals such as leopards or wild sun bears.. We fortunately did see wild orangutans but only briefly on two occasions and at a distance. A necessary evil in such trips is the travelling. However, in Africa, we would often see interesting animals ‘en route’. In Borneo, for a large majority of the time, we were travelling through endless miles of palm oil plantations, which have been planted where rain forest used to be, and virtually no animal life – or wildlife of ANY type except for the trees themselves – exists in these massively impoverished environments. It was very sad to see, as well as being, frankly, tedious. If you, like us, would like a trip based on special scenery and fairly frequent sightings of larger/interesting mammals or birds, then I personally feel this trip is probably not one to choose.
There were a few. I particularly enjoyed watching the flying squirrels 'fly' and the proboscis monkeys were lovely to watch. The sun bear sanctuary was interesting and watching thousands of bats emerge from a cave in the late afternoon and fly off 'in formation' was also fascinating.
Our leader, Sheila, was very sweet and kind. She worked hard, was anxious to please and was very concerned about our safety and wellbeing. Her only slight fault was to under-estimate how long each activity would take, so we invariably were running late and time to shower, or relax, was often considerably reduced.
The animals and birds we did see could often be a long way away, so take a good pair of binoculars and a camera with a lot of zoom. We did not have a lot of rainy days, but when it rains, it POURS, so also take a good waterproof and NEVER go out without it! (We did on a visit to a restaurant and would have been soaked through, if Sheila hadn't been able to beg a lift back for us.) You will also need a lot of insect repellent, as there are many mosquitos and sand flies. In some jungle areas, there are also a lot of leeches, so leech socks (or a good pair of long socks such as football socks) are also a 'must'.
Borneo, beautiful scenery, abundance of wildlife, interesting food & a wonderful people.
First sighting of orangutans in their natural habitat. Surviving the bamboo longhouse. Conquering, albeit temporarily, my fear of heights on the non too safe looking canopy walkway in Mulu. Surviving the bamboo longhouse. Climbing up to, & then looking down from, the viewpoint over Danum Valley. Surviving the bamboo longhouse.
Manuel had to leave after a couple of days due to family illness & was replaced by Talia. Both were knowledgeable, patient & extremely professional.
If it isn't there already put Borneo on your bucket list.