This trip is easily combinable with neighbouring Sabah, or with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur.
Day 1 – Arrival in Kuching
Your Borneo adventure begins in Kuching (a.k.a Cat City). This compact, welcoming city is a mix of old and new, a melting pot of cultures and cuisines. It’s a great place to spend a few days. Your driver will be waiting for you at the airport for your short drive to your centrally located hotel. From here, it’s an easy walk to explore the city’s highlights. Why not walk along the lively riverfront, relax in one of the many cafes or try a famous Sarawak Laksa for an authentic experience.
Day 2 – Explore Kuching by bike & boat
This morning you’ll head out on a cycling tour of Kuching. You’ll cycle past temples and monuments, and even get to stop in the heritage area, where you’ll fill your stomach with some tasty authentic street food. Swap bike for boat and take a relaxing cruise along the Sarawak River on a traditional Sampan boat, watching local life along the riverbanks. Disembark and continue exploring with your guide, passing through small villages and local open air markets selling tropical fresh fruits and vegetables and local handicrafts. Return to the city centre around midday
Day 3 – Visit Semenggoh Orangutan Centre
Today you’ll visit Semenggoh Rehabilitation Centre, which is a short drive from Kuching. The centre is a temporary home for various endangered wildlife of Sarawak, especially orangutans that have either been orphaned or rescued from captivity. Here, they’re trained in all the survival skills – such as climbing, nest-building and foraging – for them to venture out into the wild and fend for themselves. We’ll time your visit to coincide with the feeding time of the orangutans, when you’ll be able to see the iconic great apes come out of the jungle to eat as much fresh fruit and nuts as they want.
Days 4 & 5 – Overnight in Bako National Park
Time to depart the city. This morning you’ll be transferred to the nearby village of Kampung Bako. Here you’ll board a boat for the 30 minute journey to Bako National Park. One of the first things you’ll notice are the imposing rock formations jutting up from the water. After you’ve checked into your basic national park accommodation you’ll explore your surroundings with your guide and hopefully spot some of the jungle’s wildlife. Long tail macaques, silver leaf monkeys, bears and deer all call this place home along with the famous Proboscis monkey, which can only be found on Borneo.
The following morning you’ll have time to explore independently. After lunch at the park HQ you’ll return to Kuching for the night.
Day 6 – At home with the Iban headhunters
This morning you’ll leave the city behind and journey into one of Sarawak’s most remote corners – Batang Ai National Park. The region is home to some of the oldest Iban communities in Borneo. Once known as fierce headhunters, today the Iban tribe are peaceful people who live off the land, and proudly uphold their customs and traditions. Their homes are striking longhouses, raised on stilts high above the riverbanks.
After a scenic four-hour drive, you’ll hop on a motorised wooden boat and travel deep into the jungle. You’ll be staying with the local Iban tribe in a traditional longhouse, Your bed for the night is simple – a mattress on the floor under a mosquito net. We do have a less ‘rustic’ version of this trip if you’d prefer! In the evening you’ll be invited to take part in a traditional ‘Miring Ceremony,’ where the village priest blesses your visit, often with a glass of local rice wine in hand.
Day 7 – Explore the jungle
On your second day you’ll explore the area surrounding the longhouse where wild orangutans are occasionally spotted. Depending on the water levels, some of your day may be spent travelling by longtail boat. After a couple of hours of moderate trekking, your guide will cook you a tasty lunch at a small jungle camp using bamboo leaves.
Days 8 & 9 – Trekking and departure
On your final day with your host family you will wake up to another home cooked breakfast, before going on a short walk around the longhouse to learn about their crops and way of life. Then you’ll say goodbye to your hosts as you head back to Kuching, arriving late in the evening.
After a final night in Kuching, you’ll be transferred to Kuching airport in time for your onward flight. If you have more time and would like to include some R&R time, you could head to the Damai Peninsula for some time relaxing on the beach. Check out our Damai Beach bite-sized trip. Or extend your holiday with a city stopover in Kuala Lumpur. Check out our Twin Towers & Chopsticks bite-sized trip for more information.
Accommodation
