Sabah & Sarawak vacation in Borneo

Planet

On this Borneo vacation, you will visit the famous Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah, founded in 1964, to rehabilitate orphan orang-utans. The site is 43 square kilometres of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Today around 60 to 80 Orangutans are living free in the reserve. The facility provides medical care for orphaned and confiscated orang-utans as well as dozens of other wildlife species.

During the tour you also have the opportunity to visit The Borneo Sun Bear Centre, a conservation center with the aim to raise awareness and encourage research on the world’s smallest bear. Found throughout mainland Asia, Sumatra in Indonesia and Borneo, the exact number of Sun Bears in the wild is unknown, making it even more pressing to reduce pressure on a species that is classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List and at risk of becoming endangered unless circumstances threatening their survival improve. The BSBCC, the first and only facility of its kind in the world, is a non-governmental organisation set up in 2008 through collaboration of the Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Wildlife Department and LEAP.

Some of the other animals which end up being treated at the center include:- Sun Bears, gibbons, Sumatran rhinos and the occasional injured elephants. A visit to the Sepilok Rehabilitation center benefits the Orangutans in a number of ways - as the entrance fees paid to the center goes directly to paying the staff, providing the food and the training of specialist guides to rehabilitate the orang-utans back into the wild. Donations are welcomed by the center although not a condition of entry and we would ask all our clients to donate a small amount for their visit.

Kinabatangan River Lodge uses solar panels and recycles as much of their waste as possible.

People

Our local ground operator/s own and operate a number of eco-lodges which are included in this itinerary. Accommodation has been locally built and is run and operated by local people. The main purpose of these trips is to interact and contribute to local communities and projects and understand the need to minimize any negative impact on the local environment. Our ground agents only employ local guides to accompany our clients. All food in the lodges is sourced locally, helping the local rural communities wherever possible.

The itinerary also includes a visit to the Iban tribe who still live in their traditional ways in Longhouse homes. You can either stay with the tribe or at a local lodge/hotel both of which directly contributes to the Iban people through medical attention and schooling. Touring by boat is provided by local people and all guides are local. All staff at the lodges are from the surrounding villages.