Day 1 – Arrival in Deramakot
This morning, you will be collected from your hotel in Sandakan and driven to Telupid, where you’ll stop for lunch before continuing by 4×4 into the Deramakot Forest Reserve. Once you arrive in the tropical forest, you’ll check into your chalet-style accommodation, which is basic but does have some comforts, including air conditioning and an en suite bathroom. Spend some time settling into your home for the next few nights and head out for a walk through the forest. Enjoy a delicious dinner before hopping in a 4×4 for a night safari through the park, where you’ll search for the nocturnal wildlife that live here.
Day 2 – Safari in the forest
It’s an early start today, as you’ll be going on a pre-dawn safari to catch sightings of animals when they are at their most active, just before sunrise. Around 75% of Sabah’s mammal species live in Deramakot, including orangutans, pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys and even the elusive clouded leopard. While sightings of these iconic animals are possible, you’re more likely to encounter leopard cats, civets, flying squirrels, sambar deer and wild boar – more common wildlife, but every bit as captivating to watch. After an exciting morning, you’ll head back to the lodge in time for breakfast, and then you can spend the rest of the day as you wish, enjoying a delicious lunch and dinner later in the day. You will have one final night safari this evening, hoping to spot more incredible wildlife.
Day 3 – Departure from Deramakot
After another delicious breakfast, you will be collected from your accommodation and driven back to Sandakan, arriving there in the early afternoon. From here, visit the world-famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and meet the lovable primates being cared for, or hop over to Lankayan Island for some days relaxing by the sea, and if you’re lucky, you can witness baby turtles being released into the sea.
Accommodation
