Borneo

12 nights and 13 days
GBP 3,675
twin share

GBP 3,999
single room

2026 Dates:
12 - 24 April
17 - 29 May
29 June - 11 July
4 - 16 September
29 Oct - 10 Nov

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What’s included

Financial contributions to projects we visit
All accommodation and meals provided throughout the itinerary (3 meals included each day)
Airport pick up & drop off
All transportation outlined in the itinerary
English speaking guide
All trips, excursions & visits as outlined in the itinerary.
All park entrance fees
Vamoos app with all the information you need for your tour

What’s not included

International or domestic flights
Any personal trips or activities
Additional meals or snacks
Alcoholic drinks & extra beverages
Tips & Personal expenses
Travel insurance - Compulsory for this trip.
Visa - Any personal visa which may be required for this trip.

Discover Borneo: A Wild & Meaningful Journey (13 Days)

Join us for an unforgettable journey through the heart of Malaysian Borneo—a land of lush rainforests, rich Indigenous culture, and extraordinary wildlife. This 13-day give-back tour blends immersive adventure with social impact, offering travellers the chance to explore some of the world’s most biodiverse regions while contributing meaningfully to local communities and conservation efforts.

Highlights

Support social outreach by spending time with children at Bukit Harapan care project.
Step back in time at the Mari Mari Cultural Village and connect with Sabah’s living traditions
Volunteer at Sepilok Orangutan Centre with food prep and observation duties, and visit the neighbouring Sun Bear Sanctuary
Volunteer at the pygmy elephant enclosure, helping the rangers with their duties in caring and food preparation
Journey deep into the jungle of Deramakot Forest Reserve for unforgettable wildlife encounters by day and night
Cruise the Kinabatangan River in search of wild pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, and wild orangutans
Enjoy authentic Bornean cuisine at local eateries and support family-run eco-lodges
Snorkel, paddleboard, and island-hop off the coast of Sabah on a tropical day out from Kota Kinabalu

Why join this trip?

Why Join This Trip?

Make a Difference: Your participation supports ethical wildlife conservation, social care projects, and Indigenous-owned tourism initiatives
Travel with Purpose: Experience Borneo’s people, animals, and ecosystems in a way that uplifts and protects what makes them unique
Unforgettable Memories: From dawn jungle drives to riverside wildlife sightings, this journey is packed with powerful, perspective-shifting moments

Giving Back

This trip embodies community-focused tourism, putting locals at the heart of the experience. It’s about working with the community, not just visiting. By listening to local needs and collaborating on sustainable projects like building clay stoves and helping with wildlife care, the trip ensures tourism benefits the people rather than exploiting them. Through immersive cultural exchange and impactful development work, this journey uses tourism as a force for good—empowering communities and fostering deep, meaningful connections that leave a lasting legacy for both travelers and locals.

Day 1 - Arrival in Kota Kinabalu

For those who are arriving today, we will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to Grandis Hotel in Kota Kinabalu (KK), the coastal capital city of Sabah. KK serves as a gateway to Kinabalu National Park and offers a range of attractions, including islands, beaches, markets, and cultural sites. So the excitement starts on Day 1 but if you want to arrive a day or two early, let us know and we can make arrangements for you at the hotel.

In the late afternoon, we'll meet at the Piano Lounge on Level 1 of Grandis Hotel for some refreshments and a chance to get to know each other a little at the start of the tour. We'll be joined by our guides Albert and John who will give us a crash course on Bornean culture and give us an idea of what to expect over the next 2 weeks.

After our briefing and refreshments, lets head to Kampung Nelayan Seafood Village for our welcome dinner. If you're not a fan of fish don't worry, there are vegetarian and meat options available on the menu too, plenty to give all of us a welcome taste to Borneo.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Grandis Hotel

Day 2 - Gaya Island

We start today with a breakfast in the hotel and make our way to the STAR Marina jetty to get our boat. We then head off to

the Floating Club House at Gaya Island for a day of fun activities. Bring your bathing suit because today you'll get wet- we're starting this trip with a splash!

You can choose from kayaking, paddle boarding, using the water slide or just lay back and soak in the rays. It's great way to spend your first day in Borneo to get acclimatised and geared up for the exciting adventure ahead.

After lunch on the yacht we'll cruise around the islands. Gaya and the surrounding areas are known for abundant birdlife, proboscis monkeys and red giant flying squirrels. Nothing is ever guaranteed on a wildlife tour but that makes it all the more special when we spot something- although our expert guides usually spot things first.

Back to the hotel in the late afternoon with time to get ready for dinner. Tonight we'll eat out at a Chinese restaurant. Chinese food in Borneo is influenced by local tastes, so this is a great chance to try some of their specialty noodle dishes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Grandis Hotel

Day 3 - Mari Mari Cultural Village

Today we'll travel to Mari Mari Cultural Village and enjoy a guided tour to visit some traditional houses and learn about the history, local culinary traditions and learn about the ways of the Tribes. There are 5 main tribes in North East Borneo and today we start to uncover the rich cultural tapestry and get to see 'how it was and how it is' for these tribes and how they are coping with change while trying to preserve the old ways of their culture.

Prepare to get involved in the activities and get ready to do some dancing! We'll have lunch in the village with our hosts and say farewell.

But that's never enough on an EVA tour, so on the way back to the hotel we'll stop at Bukit Harapan to meet the special children at this extraordinary NGO. Founded by Mama Anne in 1989, her mission started with 5 special needs children and 2 helpers. Today the centre is a regional leader in rehabilitation but also serves as a refuge for female victims of violence and rape. It's a happy, bustling home to many women and children and they love to welcome visitors. Especially those bearing gifts and we can decide what to bring after we discuss the current needs with the Centre.

We'll walk over to the Italian Restaurant for dinner this evening and we can see if its fusion, Italian or Bornese. But we know it's going to be delicious in any case.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Grandis Hotel

Day 4 - Aura Kindergarten, Kiulu and City Tour

Today It will take us about an hour to get to Kiulu where we will visit the Aura Kindergarten and spend time engaging with the staff and children. They love to get toys, colouring books, crayons and outdoor toys so get ready for some fun time in play.

We will spend about 2 hours in the nursery then head to see some local attractions in the area as well as the traditional market in Kundasang, the Chinese Temple, Likas Floating Mosque and the Wetland centre. We may not have time for all of them but we'll do our best.

We'll fit lunch in along the way, most likely at Kinabalu Park

Dinner will be at an Indian Restaurant tonight, but you are free to find alternative options or just stroll through the streets one last time as we head off in the morning to really get into the heart of our adventure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Grandis Hotel

Day 5 -Kota Kinabalu- Kinabalu National Park

Today we head to Kota Kinabalu National Park, about 2.5 hours drive. The Park is a Unesco World Heritage Site, famous for its rich and unique biodiversity. We'll make a stop at Nabalu on the way there. The town is correctly named Pekan Nabalu and it translates literally as 'toilet stop' so we need to test that. There are spectacular views of Kinabalu from the town and we will no doubt take a photo or two as well.

We'll have lunch at the Liwagu restaurant and follow that with a visit to the Desa cattle and traditional market at Kundasang. Dinner at the hotel this evening and a chance to enjoy some local specialities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Deramakot Lodge

Day 6 - Kinabalu National Park- Deramakot Forest Reserve

Today we start our explorations at Poring Hot Springs. Poring is named after a species of giant bamboo that grows abundantly in the area. Poring is about 400m above sea level and is dominated by the lowland forest with huge dipterocarp trees easily seen on the trails.

Poring is known for its hot sulphur spring bath which was first developed by the Japanese during world war II. The hot waters of the spring are piped into open-air baths. Here you could also experience the breathtaking treetop walk on the 43m tall canopy walkway. Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world is one of the main attractions here.

After our stop at Poring, we head to Sabah Tea Plantation for lunch before driving to Telupid, the capital of Telupid District.

En route to our Lodge for the night, we'll drive slowly and observe the wildlife at dusk. After dinner, we'll head out for a night Wildlife Drive to catch the sounds, songs and sights in the Forest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Deramakot Lodge

Day 7 - Deramakot Forest Reserve

This is the day for the early birds with a wake up call (and hopefully a coffee) at 4.00am to get out there for a dawn game drive. No-one wants to get up that early to see wildlife. but there's nothing quite like watching morning breaking over the Park and seeing the animals start their day. It's optional but no-one ever regrets having gotten up at the crack of dawn to witness this spectacle.

When we return, we'll have a full breakfast and after that you'll have time to nap. But really who wants to nap in Borneo!

After lunch let's go trekking on the Domingo Trail

We'll have dinner at the Lodge and round the day off with a night-time Wildlife Drive to see the wildlife tucking in for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort

Day 8 - Sepilok

For many people, the highlight of a tour to Borneo is the opportunity to see the Orangutans. They are listed as a critically endangered species and their disappearance is due to a number of factors including habitat destruction, kidnapping babies for pets and the bushmeat trade. Volunteering with orangutans is very tightly controlled as they can be quite aggressive and they can catch illnesses from humans very easily which endanger their lives.

Further and exact details of the volunteering opportunities open to us will be confirmed closer to our departure date but it is hoped we will be able to help with food preparation and then watch from the observation deck as they tuck into the food we prepared over both days.

So today we will head to Sepilok to start the extraordinary part of our journey. On the way there we will stop at the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary and get there in time for their lunch.

We'll check in at our accommodation and after settling in we can tour the Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort

Day 9 & 10- Volunteering in Sepilok

We'll spend most of the day today in and around the Orangutan Sanctuary preparing food and watching these amazing guys.

All of the gear that you need to work in the sanctuary will be provided so wellington boots, gloves and masks will all be there.

We'll take a break from the orangutans to visit the Sun Bear Sanctuary to see the world's smallest bear and learn about the conservation efforts being made to protect them and return to the Resort for lunch before returning to the Oranguatan Centre for more food preparation and observation.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort

Day 11 - Sepilok - Kinabatangan

If you weren't in love with orangutans and sun bears before this tour, odds are you are now! But sadly we have to leave them today and after breakfast we'll head to Bukit Garam and travel by boat to Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp.

Check in and have lunch while attending a briefing about the Rainforest Replanting Program and we'll participate in a tree planting activity to commemorate our visit.

After that, we head out on a river cruise to look for wildlife. We'll be on the lookout for the "Borneo Big Five'- wild orangutans, pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, crocodiles and hornbills. Don't forget to pack your binoculars and mosquito spray. Kinabatangan is considered a real hotspot for wildlife, so let's see what we can see.

We'll have lunch and dinner either in the Resort or out on the boat, and after dinner, we'll take a guided walk along the boardwalk in search for nocturnal wildlife as the sun sets in spectacular fashion.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp

Day 12 - Kinabatangan

This is our last full day and we continue to pack it in- you'll want to squeeze every last moment out of your incredible Borneo adventure. We leave Sepilok and head for the Sumilua Homestay where we'll spend our last night.

During lunch, we'll head to the Borneo elephant sanctuary and we hope to get a chance to help the rangers with cleaning the pygmy elephant enclosure or feeding area. You can head back to the accommodation after lunch but feel free to return to the centre and soak up those last feelings and emotions as your tour comes to a close.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Sumilau Homestay

Day 13 - Kinabatangan - Kuala Lumpur

Can you believe, it's over? Nearly 2 weeks spent exploring Borneo, early morning and late night game drives, having the privilege to work with some of the most endangered species of wildlife on the planet. More than anything, you've made new friendships and have a deeper understanding of the people and way of life in Borneo.

It's been our privilege to host you and we hope that you will come back for another EVA tour one day.

We'll check out by 9am and return to Sandakan by boat where you can catch your flight to Kuala Lumpur and from there to home or other adventures.

We recommend the following flights: Malaysia Airlines MH2711 (ETD1410 and ETA1710)

Batik Airlines OD1733 (ETD1720 and ETA 2010)

Air Asia AK5195 (ETD1730 and ETA2015)

Meals: Breakfast

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