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Best of Borneo

16 days Fully Inclusive Go Beyond Group Tour

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Best of Borneo

An island of uncharted jungles and tribal culture. Borneo is a destination that exudes adventure! Discover 'headhunter' heritage, see a wealth of wildlife, delve deep into nature and meet the beautiful orangutans.
  • Fully Inclusive
    Touring with Guides and entrance fees
  • Included Meals
    Breakfasts: 13 , Lunches: 12 , Dinners: 13
  • Flights
    International flights and current taxes
  • Group Tour
    Max Group Size: 18
  • Physical Rating 2
    A reasonable level of fitness is required, as you'll be spending time on your feet and doing a bit of walking to cover short distances during your daily sightseeing. There will also be some climbing of steps and climbing on and off of coaches and boats.
    Learn More
    Walking, some steps and extended time on your feet.
OFFERS
  • Partner Flies Free or Half Price Solo Flight
    Your Partner will FLY FREE, or solo travellers save 50% on airfare. Selected departures. - View Offer
OFFER
Go Beyond Group Tour
16 DAYS
From $7,480PP
Kuching Orangutans Kota Kinabalu Kinabatangan Cruise Gomantong Caves
13 Reviews
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Tour Highlights

Our Best of Borneo tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.

Day by Day Itinerary

Kuching (3N+1N) - Sri Aman (2N) - Kota Kinabalu (3N+1N) - Sepilok (1N) - Kinabatangan River (2N)
  • Days 1-2
    Fly to Kuching
    Dinner
    DAYS 1-2: Fly to Kuching

    Fly to the relaxed and charismatic city of Kuching.

    Dinner
  • Day 3
    Explore Kuching
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 3: Explore Kuching

    Spend the day enjoying the diverse culture of Sarawak with a walking tour, starting at the Chinese History Museum on Kuching's waterfront. Stroll past the traditional Chinese shop houses of Ewe Hai Street and pay a visit to a 'sinseh', a Chinese medicine man. Next you'll be introduced to Sarawa's delicious food, with a tasting at a local coffee shop. Continue to the Sarawak Museum, before a sampan ride across Kuching's river to visit a Malay village.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 4
    Bako National Park
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 4: Bako National Park

    Travel out to Bako before boarding a boat to reach the national park. Explore the park on foot with a guide – one of Borneo's most bio-diverse areas, the diversity of flora and fauna here is incredible and easily accessible. Following trails along streams, past caves and across plateaus, keeping an eye out for wild boar, macaques, monitor lizards and, if you're lucky, a proboscis monkey. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 5
    Semenggoh Nature Reserve
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 5: Semenggoh Nature Reserve

    This morning you have the opportunity to meet Borneo's most famous native; the orangutan! Semenggoh is a centre dedicated to the rehabilitation of rescued or orphaned young orangutans – here, they are taught how to survive in the wild. Visit the orangutan release area, where they live freely, in search of these beautiful but elusive creatures. After lunch, drive for approximately 4 hours to Sri Aman, where you will be checked into your hotel on arrival.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 6
    Iban Longhouse
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 6: Iban Longhouse

    Today you will discover more about Borneo's native Iban people, renowned for their former practice of headhunting. After breakfast, drive approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to the jetty, where you will board a traditional Iban longboat for a 45-minute river journey to a tribal longhouse. On arrival, enjoy a tour of the longhouse, meeting the tribe's families. Witness a performance of a traditional dance, in full regalia, and lunch on Iban cuisine.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 7
    Return to Kuching
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 7: Return to Kuching

    Journey back to Kuching, stopping en route for lunch at a local café.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 8
    Fly to Koa Kinabalu
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 8: Fly to Koa Kinabalu

    Transfer to the airport and fly over to Malaysian Borneo's other state, Sabah, and the vibrant city of Kota Kinabalu. On arrival, the rest of the day is at leisure.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 9
    Explore Kota Kinabalu
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 9: Explore Kota Kinabalu

    Begin your explorations at the Sabah State Museum where you can learn about the state's diverse cultural and natural heritage, before exploring some of the city's beautiful architecture, including the Blue Mosque and Chinese Temple. Browse the piles of wares at the handicraft market and spice bazaar, before strolling through the oldest part of the city. Lunch will be at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Tonight, dine on traditional Malay cuisine.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 10
    Kinabalu Park
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 10: Kinabalu Park

    Head out of the city to the foot of Mt Kinabalu, Borneo's highest mountain, where you will spend the day exploring Kinabalu Park, Malaysia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Embark on a guided walk along one of the many forest trails to discover some of the unique flora and fauna that calls the area home.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 11
    Sandakan & Sepilok
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 11: Sandakan & Sepilok

    Transfer to the airport for your flight to Sandakan. Visit the Sandakan Memorial Park, which commemorates the suffering of British and Australian POWs held here during the WWII Japanese occupation. Continue into Sandakan itself, passing the William Pryer and Sandakan Liberation Monuments before a relaxing lunch at English Tea House. Later stop by the Agnes Keith Museum to learn about colonial life here during the pre-WWII British Administration. Head inland and check in to your hotel in Sepilok - an eco resort at the edge of the rainforest.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 12
    Sepilok Orangutan Centre
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 12: Sepilok Orangutan Centre

    Sepilok offers another chance to see orangutans in their natural habitat – like Semenggoh, this is a centre for the rehabilitation of former captive and orphaned orangutans. Around 60 to 80 orangutans live free within the centre's forest and there may be young orangutans to visit in the nursery. Head across the road to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre to visit the world's smallest bear and learn about the conservation efforts to protect them. Journey to Bilit and enjoy lunch at your lodge. Later, board a cruise along the Kinabatangan River to spot some of the abundant wildlife.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 13
    Kinabatangan river
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 13: Kinabatangan river

    Embark on an early morning cruise to the Oxbow Lake, where you can spot wildlife and soak up the peaceful ambience. Returning to the lodge, the rest of the day is at leisure until the late afternoon, when you'll head out for another cruise, searching for wildlife once more. You could spot anything from horn-bills to pygmy elephants!

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 14
    Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    DAY 14: Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu

    Return to Sandakan for lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to the airport to fly back to Kota Kinabalu. This evening, dine on local flavours and enjoy a cultural dance performance.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Days 15-16
    Fly Kota Kinabalu to New Zealand
    Breakfast
    DAYS 15-16: Fly Kota Kinabalu to New Zealand

    Fly to New Zealand, arriving home the following day.

    Breakfast
Best of Borneo map

Download Tour Dossier & Trip Notes

Accommodation

We draw from a wide range of hotels on our holidays, each one is chosen to suit the tour you are travelling on meaning your accommodation can range from a smart business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. Here are some examples of the type of hotel you can expect to find on this tour.

Book With Confidence

When to go

City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 23
    30
    27
  • 105
  • Kuching
  • 23
    30
    26
  • 684
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 73
  • Kuching
  • 23
    30
    27
  • 473
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 50
  • Kuching
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 339
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 114
  • Kuching
  • 23
    32
    28
  • 273
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 216
  • Kuching
  • 24
    33
    28
  • 242
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 279
  • Kuching
  • 23
    33
    28
  • 220
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 263
  • Kuching
  • 23
    32
    28
  • 186
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 270
  • Kuching
  • 23
    32
    28
  • 230
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    31
    28
  • 285
  • Kuching
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 262
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    31
    27
  • 346
  • Kuching
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 339
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 24
    31
    27
  • 302
  • Kuching
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 372
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 242
  • Kuching
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 498

Pricing & Availability

All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected

2024
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Departure: All
  • Departure: All
1 Room, 2 Guests
  • 1 Room, 2 Guests
  • 1 Room, 1 Guest
    Depart NZStart Date
    Return DateEnd Date
    Price
    Availability

    Additional Price Information

    • Prices include airline fuel surcharge and taxes. Correct as of 1 August 2023, subject to change.
    • Depending on airline schedules, you may depart and/or arrive on Day 2. Extra nights' accommodation (pre or post tour) or stopovers may be required at an additional cost.
    • Customary tipping amount of approximately MYR$560 pp is paid locally in Borneo.
    • Based on departures from Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch
    • Departures from other cities and flight upgrades available upon request
    • Land only (Kuching - Kota Kinabalu) 14 days from $6,680 per person, twin share
    • Single supplement from $1,450
    • Price listed is based on new bookings only

    Group Tour includes

    • 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 13 dinners
    • International flights and current taxes
    • Domestic transportation
    • 3-4 star accommodation and eco-lodge
    • Touring with guides and entrance fees

    Important Information For Your Tour

    Before Booking
    Travel Protection, Booking Conditions
    and more
    Before you go
    Passports & Visas, Travel Guides & Packing Lists, Holiday FAQ’s and more

    Extensions and Stopovers

    Extend your holiday or break up your journey with one of our extensions and stopovers. Choose from city breaks or some beach time, or spend more time in your chosen destination.

    What our Customers Say

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