Borneo Tabin Wildlife Malaysia 6 Days

Duration: 6 Days | 5 Nights
Destination: Sandakan - Sepilok - Abai - Kinabatangan - Tabin Wildlife Reserve
Departure & Return Locations: Sandakan Airport / Lahad Datu Airport

Six days through the wild heart of Sabah. Meet orangutans and sun bears at Sepilok, cruise the Lower Kinabatangan for pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys and hornbills, then finish deep inside Tabin Wildlife Reserve - 120,000 hectares of protected lowland rainforest where mud volcanoes draw wildlife into the open and almost 300 bird species share the canopy. Comfortable lodges, expert nature guides and a different habitat every day.

Day 1: Arrival Sandakan - MYNature Resort (D)
Arrive at Sandakan airport and transfer to MYNature Resort in Sepilok for check-in. Be ready by 18:00 at The Flying Squirrel platform to watch these remarkable gliders take to the air. Your in-house guide then leads a night walk along the resort boardwalk - roughly 1,500 feet of raised, undulating walkway that brings you eye to eye with the forest after dark. Depending on conditions the walk runs either before or after dinner.
Overnight: MYNature Resort, Sepilok

Day 2: Sepilok Orangutan & Sun Bear Centres - Abai Jungle Lodge (B/L/D)
After breakfast, a short drive brings you to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for the 10:00 feeding at the free-roaming platform, where orphaned and rescued orangutans are prepared for life back in the wild. Walk on through tropical lowland dipterocarp forest to the neighbouring Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where rescued sun bears rediscover natural behaviours across a 2.5-hectare forest enclosure.

Depart Sepilok at 11:15 for the Sandakan jetty and board the 12:00 boat. The hour-long cruise runs from the waters of the Sulu Sea through magnificent mangrove forest and up into the Lower Kinabatangan River Sanctuary, with lunch at Abai Jungle Restaurant on arrival. Check in at Abai Jungle Lodge. Late afternoon, head out on a wildlife cruise with coffee in hand as the sun drops, then continue after dark to watch the riverbank fireflies light up like Christmas trees. Return for dinner, followed by a guided night walk on the boardwalk in search of birds, snakes, frogs and insects.
Overnight: Abai Jungle Lodge

Day 3: Pitas Oxbow Lake - Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge (B/L/D)
Wake to the sound of the forest. Take an early river trip to Pitas oxbow lake for first-light wildlife, then return for breakfast and a visit to the fishing village of Abai. After lunch, transfer by boat upriver to Sukau and check in at Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge. Late afternoon, cruise the Menanggul, a narrow tributary that is one of the best places on the river to find proboscis monkeys and hornbills settling for the night.
Overnight: Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge, Sukau

Day 4: Kinabatangan - Tabin Wildlife Reserve (B/L/D)
After breakfast, travel overland to Lahad Datu (approx. 2.5 hours), then continue an hour on gravel road into Tabin Wildlife Reserve. On arrival you are briefed by your guide over a short film on Tabin natural history, then check in to a timber lodge at Tabin Wildlife Resort - private balcony, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and hot water shower, a welcome luxury in the forest. The lodges sit beside the Lipad river, and birds, insects and small mammals are active right around the buildings. Visit the Tabin Visitor Centre and learn about the jungle herbs, some found nowhere else, used locally for generations.

In the afternoon, walk the Elephant Trail to the active Lipad mud volcano, stopping at the resort compost project on the way. The bare, elevated mud flat is a natural mineral lick and a magnet for wildlife - see how many animal footprints you can identify. The adventurous can try the volcanic mud, long said to be good for the complexion. After dinner, a night safari goes looking for nocturnal wildlife and roosting birds; Tabin skies are dark enough that the constellations are worth a wish or two.
Overnight: Tabin Wildlife Resort

Day 5: Tabin Wildlife Reserve (B/L/D)
Join the early morning bird walk - Tabin is home to almost 300 species. After breakfast, drive to the core area, climb the birdwatching tower, then trek through lush rainforest to Lipad Waterfall. Swim in the natural pool, stand under the falls, or simply explore the surrounding vegetation. On the way back, stop at the Tabin Giant Tree for photos. In the afternoon, unwind with the Tabin Rainforest Foot Soak, a natural herbal blend that does good things for legs tired from jungle trails.

At dusk, a drive goes out for more nocturnal wildlife and birds emerging to feed. After dinner, a night walk on the trails near the resort looks for sleeping birds, frogs and other night life.
Overnight: Tabin Wildlife Resort

Day 6: Tabin Wildlife Reserve - Lahad Datu (B/L)
Breakfast at the lodge, and your mud volcano certificate on completion of the tour. Free time until check-out and your transfer to Lahad Datu airport for your onward flight.

Tour Price
• Price shown is per person, twin share, on a seat-in-coach basis with an English-speaking guide, for the travel period indicated.
• This itinerary is also available on a fully private basis with your own English-speaking guide - select Private Basis above, or contact us for pricing on other group sizes and departure dates.
• Single supplement: A$1,140 per person.
• Rates are valid for travel to 31 March 2027.
• All prices displayed are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice.
• Prices are guaranteed once booking is confirmed by us and paid in full by the due date.
• Depending on your needs and group size (individual, couple, family, group, etc.) we will provide the final pricing for your tour.
• Itineraries are subject to change without prior notice due to weather conditions or any unforeseen situation.

Inclusions:
• 1 night MYNature Resort, Sepilok (chalet)
• 1 night Abai Jungle Lodge (room with air-conditioning)
• 1 night Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge (room with air-conditioning)
• 2 nights Tabin Wildlife Resort (River Lodge)
• Meals as stated in the itinerary
• English-speaking guide
• Tours and transfers as stated in the itinerary
• Entrance and conservation fees

Exclusions:
• International and domestic flights and taxes
• Malaysian Tourism Tax (RM10 nett per room per night, payable locally)
• Meals and beverages not mentioned
• Travel insurance
• Tips (at clients discretion)
• Personal expenses
• Anything not specifically mentioned in the inclusions above

Please note:
• Even when booked on a private basis, the following services operate on a seat-in-coach basis: the Day 1 night walk, the boat transfer Sandakan to Abai Jungle Lodge (Day 2), the boat transfer Abai Jungle Lodge to Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge (Day 3), and night walks and drives at Tabin.
• Tabin scheduled transfers: pick-up from Lahad Datu at 08:00 and 12:00; drop-off from Tabin Wildlife Resort at 13:30.
• Cancellation charges - MYNature Resort, Abai Jungle Lodge and Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge: 25% within 60 days, 50% within 30 days and 100% within 14 days of arrival. Tabin Wildlife: 25% within 15-21 days, 50% within 8-14 days and 100% within 7 days of arrival.
• All programs must be reserved well in advance and are subject to availability.
• Travel insurance is not included but is strongly recommended.

Please refer to our Standard Booking Conditions for booking terms and conditions.