Borneo Family Rainforest Adventure

Meet & Greet at Kuching International Airport and transfer to your hotel.

In the afternoon, depart for Kuching city tour. Visit the old White Rajah buildings, open markets, temples and mosques. Finally visit the Sarawak Musuem, with its ethnologic and fauna exhibits. After tour transfer back to your hotel.

Overnight.

A driver and guide collect from the hotel lobby at 08:00 for the 45-minute drive to Bako Fishing Village, where a motorised boat continues along the rugged coastline to Bako National Park — the oldest national park in Sarawak, and one of the most rewarding day trips for families in the region.

Despite its relatively compact size, Bako holds a remarkable range of ecosystems: mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, coastal heath, and cliff vegetation give way to stretches of sandy beach. The park is home to around 275 proboscis monkeys — found nowhere outside Borneo — alongside silvered langurs, bearded pigs, and monitor lizards. Walking trails are well-maintained and accessible for younger visitors, and wildlife tends to be reliably visible without venturing far from the main paths. At low tide, the beaches reveal mudskippers and blue-fiddler crabs foraging along the shoreline — a particular draw for curious younger eyes. Birdlife is equally rich, with rufous-backed kingfishers, red-crowned barbets, and white-bellied woodpeckers among the more sought-after species.Lunch is taken at the park café before the boat returns to Bako Village and the transfer back to Kuching.

Note:
– Departures to Bako National Park are recommended between March and October.
– Boat arrival and departure at the park is tide-dependent.

Overnight in Kuching

Distances and journey time:
Kuching – Bako National Park (27 km): 45 mins

A guide and driver collect from the hotel lobby at 08:00 for the drive to Kampung Bengoh. The kayaking route is family-friendly — the paddle meanders down a shallow, calm stream before opening onto the wider Sg. Sarawak Kiri, with no significant rapids until the final stretch. A stop at Kampung Danu offers the memorable experience of hand-feeding wild river fish directly from the bank. The journey ends at Kampung Semadang, where lunch is served at Sedaman Adventure Camp.

The afternoon heads to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, set within 740 hectares of protected virgin forest. The late afternoon feeding session at 15:00–16:00 is one of the most accessible orangutan encounters in Sarawak — the platforms are close enough for younger visitors to observe the animals clearly without long forest walks.

Note:

• Feeding sessions run at 09:00–10:00 and 14:00–16:00. Orangutans at Semenggoh are free-ranging — sightings are never guaranteed. During fruiting season (approximately December–April), abundant natural food in the forest means orangutans may not appear at the feeding platforms. Any encounter should be considered a privilege rather than a certainty.
• Recommended items to bring: Change of clothes and towel, spectacle straps, hat, sunblock, waterproof casing for smartphones, and suitable closed-toe shoes or sandals that can get wet. Flip flops are not advisable.

Overnight in Kuching

Distances and journey time:

Kuching – Kampung Bengoh (48km) 1 hour

Semadang – Semenggoh  (18km) 30 mins

Semenggoh – Kuching (20 km) 40mins

Recommended flight: MY3752 KCH–MZV, departs 11:05 (AirBorneo)

On arrival at Mulu, the early afternoon is at leisure. The Tree Top Tower, the boardwalk to Pukau Waterfall, and the 1.5 km Nature Heritage Trail are all gentle, well-paved options well-suited to families with younger children.

At 14:00, a 3.5 km elevated plank walk leads to Lang Cave and Deer Cave. The scale of both caves tends to make a strong impression on visitors of all ages — Lang Cave’s stalactites and stalagmites are intricately formed, while Deer Cave’s vast chamber and enormous bat colony are genuinely spectacular. At dusk, the bats emerge in sweeping formations to forage for insects — a natural spectacle that rarely fails to captivate.

The evening continues with a night trek back through the jungle to park headquarters, where luminescent fungi and fireflies make the forest floor come alive.

Return to the lodge for dinner.

Note:

• If staying at Mulu Marriott, check-in time is 15:00. Guests arriving before this should proceed directly to Mulu National Park and keep a day bag with appropriate walking attire to hand.

Overnight in Mulu

Distances and journey time:

Kuching – Mulu (570 km): 1 hr 40 mins (flight)

Mulu Airport to Hotel (Join in transfer) (5 km): 10 mins

HQ to Lang & Cave (by foot, boardwalk – 3 km) – Easy

After breakfast, a 15-minute longboat ride up the Melinau River leads to Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave. The boat journey itself is a highlight for younger travellers — the river winds through dense forest with the limestone karst rising dramatically above the treeline. Inside, the caves are well-lit and accessible along established walkways, making them manageable for children with a reasonable level of fitness.

The return to Mulu HQ is by boat, and the afternoon is at leisure for self-guided trails or the canopy walkway.

Return to the lodge for dinner.

Note:

• The canopy walkway is open to children aged 6 and above.
• Timings: 07:00, 08:30, 10:00, 10:30, and 12:30.
• The 07:00 and 08:30 slots are not available on Fridays.

Overnight in Mulu

Recommended flight: MY3252 MZV–BKI, departs 13:10 (AirBorneo)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Kota Kinabalu. On arrival, a driver meets at the airport for the transfer to the hotel in the city centre. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Overnight in Kota Kinabalu

 Distances and journey time:

Mulu – Kota Kinabalu (250 km): 55 mins (flight)

A guide and driver collect from the hotel lobby at 08:00 for the transfer to Kiulu — a Dusun community settlement in the foothills of the Crocker Range, where the next two days are spent in cultural immersion.

On arrival at Kampung Pukak, an introduction and safety briefing precedes a 6 km guided jungle trek, taking approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, with the naturalist sharing traditional plant knowledge gathered across generations.

The trail arrives at Kampung Lingga, where a welcome drink and traditional lunch mark the midday break.

The cultural programme at Kampung Lingga is structured around hands-on activities that engage visitors across age groups — bead-making, traditional fish netting, rice wine making, and traditional games all run as rotating sessions in the afternoon. The jungle trek from Kampung Pukak (6 km, approximately 2.5 to 3 hours) covers moderate terrain and is suitable for children with a reasonable level of fitness. The evening cultural dinner and dance performance offer a natural and unhurried end to the day.

Accommodation for the night is in tent lodging within the settlement.

Overnight in Kiulu

The morning begins at 06:00 with the natural sounds of the village at dawn, followed by a sunrise walk through the surrounding countryside. A local farmer demonstrates the techniques of rubber tapping, and a hands-on rice pounding session gives further insight into the rhythms of daily Dusun life. A Silat martial arts performance and farewell ceremony close the cultural programme before lunch and departure at 13:00.

The afternoon drive continues to the highland region of Kundasang and Ranau, climbing steadily through the hillside landscape of the Sabah interior. Check in to the hotel, set at the foot of Mount Kinabalu with unobstructed views of Southeast Asia’s highest peak. The evening is at leisure.

Overnight in Ranau

Distances and journey time:

Kiulu – Ranau (47 km): 1 hr 33 mins

Departing at 07:30, the morning begins with a guided walk at Kinabalu National Park, where a local naturalist leads through the rich montane forest at the base of Mount Kinabalu. The immense diversity of plant species — pitcher plants, orchids, ferns, and towering dipterocarps — makes this one of the most botanically significant parks in Southeast Asia.

The drive then winds south through paddy fields and kampung villages to Sabah Tea Plantation, one of the last certified organic estates in Malaysia. A guided tour covers the cultivation and harvesting process, with sweeping views across the valley from the estate restaurant over a lunch stop.

The afternoon continues eastward to Sandakan, arriving at the lodge set within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve as the light begins to soften through the rainforest canopy.

Overnight in Sandakan

Distances and journey time:

Kinabalu Park – Sabah Tea (45 km): 1 hr 20 mins

Sabah Tea – Sandakan (186 km): 3 hrs 35 mins

A guide and driver will collect at 08:45 (City hotel: 08:15 pick-up) for the short transfer to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. A short introductory film sets the scene for the conservation work underway before a ten-minute walk along raised wooden boardwalks leads to the feeding platform at 10:00, where rehabilitated orangutans descend from the canopy with ease. The nursery area, where young orangutans develop climbing and socialising skills on specially constructed structures, provides a quieter and equally compelling view of the programme.

From Sepilok, a visit to the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre introduces the world’s smallest bear species, with 36 rescued individuals currently housed across large sections of natural forest enclosed for rehabilitation. The opportunity to adopt a bear to support the programme is available at guests’ own expense.

At 11:00, a private air-conditioned minivan transfers to Sandakan Jetty for a two-hour boat journey up the Kinabatangan River — one of the most biodiverse waterways in Borneo. Local villages and stretches of lush riverine forest line the banks, with wildlife sightings possible en route.

Lunch and check-in at the lodge are followed by an afternoon briefing from the local guide. At 16:30, a riverboat cruise sets out along the Lower Kinabatangan in search of proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, hornbills, gibbons, and a wide variety of bird species. Return to the lodge for dinner, with a night boardwalk stroll available afterwards for those keen to look for nocturnal insects and animals.

Overnight in Kinabatangan

Distances and journey time:

Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve –  Borneon Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (16 km): 18 mins

Sandakan Jetty to Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort by boat (Join in Basis): 2hrs

Cruise times: PM – 16:00

Cruise duration will depend on wildlife spotting: approx. 2 hours

A 06:30 morning cruise heads to Kelenanap Oxbow Lake — a crescent-shaped lake formed where a river meander cut itself off from the main channel over time. The stillness and relative seclusion of the lake support a distinct ecosystem of its own, with bird species and plant life that differ markedly from those of the main river.

The afternoon returns to the river at 16:30 for a second cruise along the mangrove-lined banks, with the late afternoon light well-suited to wildlife photography. Proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys, hornbills, and a variety of water birds are typically active at this hour. On clear evenings, firefly colonies illuminate certain stretches of the riverbank. Return to the lodge for dinner.

After dinner, a night river safari at 20:30 ventures out in search of target nocturnal species before returning to the lodge.

Overnight in Kinabatangan

 Distances and journey time:

Cruise times: AM – 06:30, PM – 16:00, EVE – 20:00 (Join-in Basis)

Cruise duration will depend on wildlife spotting: approx. 2 hours

Recommended flight: AK6491 SDK–BKI, departs 13:35 (AirBorneo)

Following breakfast, a final morning walk along the lodge’s nature boardwalk offers a concluding glimpse of the riverine forest before checking out at 08:00. At 09:00, a riverboat transfer departs the lodge for Sandakan Jetty, where the journey continues by road to the airport for the onward flight to Kota Kinabalu.

Upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu, a driver is on hand for the transfer to the jetty, where a short boat crossing leads to an island beach resort—an easy, unhurried change of pace after the previous days spent in the Borneo interior.

Overnight in Kota Kinabalu

Distances and journey time:

Sandakan – Kota Kinabalu (222 km): 45 mins (Flight)

Kota Kinabalu International Airport – Jetty (10 km): 15 mins

Kota Kinabalu – Tuaran (40 km): 1 hour

A full day at leisure at the island resort — an easy, unhurried close to a packed itinerary. Additional water and beach activities are available to book locally at a supplement.

 Overnight in Kota Kinabalu

Following breakfast, check out at 10:00 before the scheduled boat transfer at 11:00.

Upon arrival at the jetty, a private transfer returns to Kota Kinabalu International Airport for onward departure flights.

Distances and journey time:

Tuaran – Kota Kinabalu (40 km): 1 hour