Mangroves, Monkeys and Fireflies

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Kuching - Semenggoh Orangutan Centre - Santubong - Kuching
Duration:
3 days / 2 nights (flexible)
Price:
from £ 299.- per person (excluding flights)

Meet Borneo's iconic great apes, sleep in a treehouse and cruise along the river spotting wildlife. Your trip starts with a visit to see the country's most famous resident at the Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, before checking into a treehouse lodge on the Damai peninsula. Next up, you'll take a wildlife cruise on the Santubong River where you'll try and spot Proboscis monkeys, beady crocodile eyes and glowing fireflies. If you're lucky you might also see an Irrawaddy dolphin!

Day 1 – Semenggoh Orangutan Centre

After breakfast this morning you’ll be picked up for a visit Semenggoh Rehabilitation Centre, a short drive away. Semenggoh 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 for them to venture out into the wild and fend for themselves. You’ll be there for feeding time, ready for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing these iconic great apes close up.

Arrival at the Damai Peninsula

Next, you’ll be transferred to the Damai Peninsula. Here you’ll be staying in a unique, eco-friendly property set in the rainforest, just next to the beach. You’ll experience the sounds of the jungle, and also of the lapping waves from the sea. Best thing of all is that you’ll be staying in a tree-house! It’s a great place to laze around, with a good restaurant on-site, but you can also organise kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and nature tours if you’re feeling a little more active.

*If the tree-houses aren’t available, there are also cabins as an alternative.

Day 2 – Santubong wildlife cruise

Your morning is free to relax. In the afternoon you’ll travel to the Santubong River where you’ll board a boat for a wildlife spotting cruise. As you float along the mangrove-lined river and its estuaries you can keep an eye out for the area’s abundant wildlife, including the unusual looking Proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, and even the occasional Irrawaddy Dolphin. As the light fades, you’ll also get to admire the sight of the fireflies lighting up the sky, before being transferred back to your eco-resort for the evening.

Day 3 – Departure from Damai Peninsula

This morning, after some breakfast, it’ll be time to check out and head onto your next destination. If you like, you can take a last minute walk down to the beach and take in the views of the majestic Mount Santubong.