WILDLIFE OF SABAH AND MOUNT KINABULU CLIMB

Day 1 - Departure

Depart London Heathrow with Singapore Airlines.

Days 2-3 - Kota Kinabalu

On arrival transfer to the Shangri-La's 5 star Tanjung Aru for 2 nights stay. Spend time relaxing.

Day 4 - Sepilok Orang Utan Centre

Arrive at Sandakan Airport, proceed to Sepilok Orang Utan Centre.

Founded in 1964 the Centre helps once captive Orang Utans learn to climb and fend for themselves in the wild with the hope that one day they may return to the forest. The semi-wild Orang Utans may return to the platform provided by the centre for milk and bananas twice a day during the process of returning to the forest. Visitors will get a close up view of these orang utans and have the chance to photograph them at close range.

Then transfer to the jetty for boat ride to Libaran Island. Enjoy the tropical shoreline vegetation with numerous species of wildlife. A boat trip to the mangrove in the afternoon will be rewarded with sighting of squirrels, monkeys, bearded pigs, pangolins, sea eagles, hornbills, green herons, sandpipers, pigeons, bulbuls, babblers, flycatchers, swiftlets and sunbirds. Megapode, a chicken-like bird which lays its eggs in a mound of sand at the edge of the beach may be sighted on a small island just off Libaran Island. Stay overnight at the sea-facing Libaran Island Lodge.

Day 5 - Selingan Island

Take a boat ride to the nearby Selingan Island where the most important turtle breeding Marine Park in all of South East Asia is found. It is a rare experience to watch the huge green turtles lumber ashore every night, dig a hole with their flippers and lay around 100 eggs. The rangers will transfer these eggs to a hatchery for incubation for 50-60 days before hatchlings breakout of their shells and scramble up through the sand and make their way to the sea. Only 3% are likely to survive due to disease and depredation. If females do survive, they will return in 20 years or so to the very beach where they themselves were hatched to repeat the cycle. Stay overnight at Selingan Island Chalet.

Day 6 - Sukau

Visit the Gomantong Caves where the bizarre edible bird's nest are harvested as they been for hundreds of years. The caves are also home to more than a million bats. The birdlife around the cave is particularly rich, with crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, asian fairy bluebirds and leaf birds often sighted. Continue the journey to the village of Sukau at the Kinabatangan River where the greatest concentration of wildlife in Malaysia can be found. Stay overnight at the riverside traditional style Sukau River Lodge.

Day 7 - Sukau

Today enjoy a boat trip to view numerous species of wildlife such as orang utans, macaques, red and silver leaf monkeys, elephants, hornbills, crocodiles, civet cats, otters and the world famous proboscis monkey, found only in Borneo. The male of this species has a large pendulous nose, fat belly, thick white tail and webbed feet. The bird life includes egret, kingfisher, oriental darter, bee-eater, hornbill and many more. Trek in the riverine rainforest and return to the lodge. After lunch enjoy another river cruise to search for more wildlife. Stay overnight at Sukau River Lodge.

Day 8 - Canopy Walkway

In the morning drive overland to Hot Poring Springs. The drive will take about 4 hours passing through scenic countryside. Lowland dipterocarp forest makes up most of the vegetation at Poring and it is an excellent place to view lowland birds and some mammals. Take a short trek into the forest to the Canopy Walkway for a bird's eye view of the tropical rainforest. The Canopy Walkway is suspended between trees at the height of 40 meters and offers an excellent opportunity to observe wildlife in the canopy. Continue to the Wildlife Mountain Lodge.

Day 9 - Mount Kinabalu

After breakfast check-in at Park Headquarters for the transport that will take you to the Power Station for the start of your trek to Laban Rata (10,700 ft). A box lunch will be provided. The trek takes about 5 hours and en-route you can witness four different types of vegetation lowland forest, montane, moss and sub-alpine. Overnight at Laban Rata resthouse (basic dormitory-accommodation).

Days 10-12 - Kota Kinabalu

Commence the climb to the summit (approximately 3 hours) at 03:00 hours. Arrive just in time to catch the sunrise. Return to the resthouse for breakfast and then return to the Park Headquarters. This afternoon return to Kota Kinabalu.

On arrival you will transfer to Shangri-La's 4 star Rasa Ria Resort for the next 3 nights.

Day 13 - Return

Private transfer for your flight from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur with Singapore Airlines.