Day 01: Arrive Kuching

Meet and transfer upon arrival at Kuching Airport.  Check in the hotel - early check in is subject to availability.  Afternoon tour of Kuching, which commences at the Kuching waterfront, with a visit to the “Tua Pek Kong” Chinese temple and Chinese Historical Museum where the historical Fort Margherita can be viewed on the other side of the Sarawak River.   From the temple you will walk through Carpenter Street, consisting of old shop houses on both sides of the narrow street passage. At the end of the street junction you pass by the General Post Office. Also situated around this area are historical buildings and monuments built during the era of the Brooke dynasty which consists of the Round Tower, the Pavilion, the Brooke Memorial Monument, the Square Tower and the Old Court House. Proceed to India Street, a pedestrians’ shopping mall specializing in local and imported textiles. From India Street, walk through a narrow covered passageway where you will find a Masjid India on your left with very low walls built sometime in the mid-19th century. Just as you reach the end of the passageway, your senses will detect the slight aroma of Indian spices which navigates you to Gambier Street. Proceed to Brooke Dockyard and Dockyard lane passing by the Old Fire Brigade Station (now known as the open air market). Our last stop is a direct walk pass the Merdeka Square to the St. Thomas’s Cathedral for a short visit. The tour would then conclude at the Sarawak Museum which could take your time in browsing before transfer back to hotel.
Overnight: Hilton Hotel, Kuching (1 night) (D)

Day 02: Kuching/Lemanak (Drive)

The best place in Sarawak to view semi-wild orang utans, who have been rescued from captivity and trained to survive in the surrounding forest reserved. The rehabilitated animals roam freely in the rain forest, and often return to the centre at feeding time. Thanks to the successful breeding program at Semonggok there is a good possibility of experiencing one of the most heart-warming sights in Borneo – an orang utan mother with a young baby. The centre is 30 mins drive from Kuching and another 20 mins on foot. Along the way, visitors pass by the ethno-botanical gardens, with their unique collection of rainforest plants. Semengok also has a number of short collections of rain-forest plants.
Thereafter, continue journey through lush green countryside dotted with padi fields, pepper gardens and rubber plantations, and flanked by rugged jungle-clad mountains. Along the way, stop off at the Serian farmer’s market, visit a pepper garden and view carnivorous pitcher plants. Stop for lunch at a roadside bazaar deep in Iban country. Arrive at Lemanak jetty mid-afternoon for a longboat ride up the Lemanak River, passing through typical Borneo countryside with an ancient longhouse tucked behind almost every bend in the river. Arrive at the Longhouse and visit the “entire village under one roof.” Dinner, featuring delicious fresh jungle produce, is served in the Longhouse. After dinner, return to the longhouse for an evening’s entertainment, including traditional dancing, music, games and a glass or two of tuak (rice wine) with the longhouse chief. The Iban are a fun-loving people, and visitors are expected to join in
Overnight: Longhouse, Lemanak (2 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 03: Lemanak

After breakfast, the Iban people will give us a presentation of their traditional weapon, the blowpipe. Then along with our guide, we head out to explore the surrounding forest, where he will be showing us which of the jungle plants and trees that are being used by the natives as medicine. Board a boat for a native picnic lunch at one of the lemanak river triburies prepare by the Ibans in their traditional way by cooking in the bamboos on an open fire. After lunch return to the Longhouse. (B, L, D)

Day 04: Lemanak/Kuching (Drive)

After breakfast, travel down river by longboat and car/van to Kuching. Stop at Ranchang Pool for lunch before continue o Kuching.
Overnight: Hilton Hotel, Kuching (1 night) (B, L)

Day 05: Kuching/Mulu (Flight)

Transfer to airport for our flight to Mulu National Park.  Meet and greet upon arrival at Mulu Airport and transfer to the hotel.  Afternoon we will proceed to the Mulu National Park Headquarters for registration before proceeding on 3 km plank walk to explore Langs Cave and the Deer Cave.  If time and weather permits, stay back to witness the exits of millions of bats flying out of the Deer Cave on their nightly feeding forays. Proceed back to your hotel.
Overnight: Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa, Mulu (1 night) (B, D)

Day 06: Mulu/Penan Settlement (Boat)

This morning you will be taken on a river boat ride to visit a Penan Settlement where you can observe the present lifestyle of this nomadic tribe of Borneo. You can buy some of their handmade handicraft items as souvenir. Proceed by boat to explore the Wind cave and Clearwater Cave where we will have lunch. Continue by boat to Long Litut where we will start our 8.8 km nature trek through lowland forest to our camp.
Overnight: Camp 5, Penan Settlement (2 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 07: The Pinnacles

Today we ascend Mt. Api to an elevation of 1200m to view the pinnacles (4-6 hrs depends on your fitness level). Packed lunch at the viewpoint before we descend to camp. (B, L, D)

Day 08: Penan Settlement/Mulu/Kota Kinabalu/Sandakan (Flights)

This morning we trek back to Long Litut and take a boat to Clearwater Cave where we will have lunch.  Transfer to Mulu airport for our flight to Kota Kinabalu and connecting to another flight to Sandakan.  Meet & greet upon arrival at Sandakan airport and transfer to hotel.
Overnight: MY Nature Resort, Sandakan (2 nights) (B, L)

Day 09: Sandakan

Today’s tour will bring you to explore the various landmarks of Sandakan like Central Market, the most amazing variety of fresh seafood and agricultural products, Sim-Sim Water Village where houses are all built close to the water surface while observing the fascinating view of the sea, visit Puh Jih Sth Buddhist Temple which offers a panoramic view of Sandakan Bay situated on the hilltop of Tanah Merah & continue to Agnes Keith House where the books Land Below the Wind and White Man Returns were written and today the house turned into a heritage house providing interesting insight to life during British North Borneo -  outside viewing only. (B, D)

Day 10: Sandakan/Sukau (Boat)

0900 hrs depart for Sepilok for approximately 30 minutes to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center. At this Centre, observe man’s closest relative “the Orang Utan” being rehabilitated to become wild in their natural habitat and experience a walk in the Tropical Lowland Dipterocarp Forest of Borneo. Witness the feeding of Orang Utan at 1000 hrs at the feeding platform and proceed to the Orang Utan Nursery. Later, continue to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, the centre that managed to improve the living condition of the rescued sun bear and released their natural behaviors in the 2.5ha enclosed forest. 1115hrs, depart Sepilok Centre transfer to jetty in Sandakan for schedule boat depart at 1200 hrs, take an hour of boat cruise up to the Lower Kinabatangan River Sanctuary where you will take your lunch at Abai Jungle Restaurant. This is a wonderful journey of discovery which starts from the waters of Sulu Sea of Sandakan Town through a magnificent scenery of the Mangrove Forest. Then cruise up river to Sukau village in search of primates especially the Endemic Proboscis Monkeys, birds and other wildlife. Arrive Sukau, check in at the lodge. In the late afternoon, enjoy a river cruise to Menanggul River, a small tributary of the Kinabatangan to see more wildlife.
Overnight: Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge, Sukau (2 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 11: Sukau

Wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills. Early morning, take a river cruise trip to the Ox Bow Lake to observe wildlife and experience the early morning river ambience. Return to the lodge for breakfast then free at own leisure. After lunch, proceed afternoon river cruise with electric motor to search for more wildlife. (B, L, D)

Day 12: Sukau/Sandakan (Drive) /Home

After breakfast check-out. Return to Sandakan (approx 3 hrs drive) through rustic countryside studded with villages en-route to Gomantong Caves located in the heartland of the Gomantong Forest Reserve, a home of millions bats and swiftlets. Explore the biggest bird’s nest cave in Sabah and the best-managed edible birds’ nest. After lunch transfer to Sandakan Airport for your flight out. (B, L)

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Departure Dates & Prices

We accept payments in US$, CA$ as well as in other convertible currencies like EUR, AUD and GBP. Tour prices have been costed in US$. CA$ price shown below is an indicative amount reached at by using the conversion rate at the time of web posting and will be applicable if there is no change in the conversion rate. Should the currency conversion rate change, the US$ pricing will prevail. Bestway Tours & Safaris offers a conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please click here

Notes

Inclusions

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 08 participants

Customised Itinerary

If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you.

Contact Info
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call 1-604-264-7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1-800-663-0844.

Inquire About this Trip

Tour Application Form