Borneo

Bristleheads and Orangutans

A 15-day, small group birdwatching tour to Borneo

Limosa’s birdwatching tour to Borneo focuses on the magnificent rainforests of Sabah, in northern Borneo which are among the oldest and richest on earth and home to a fabulous array of birds.

Up to 40 weird and wonderful endemics are possible on our tour including the likes of Bornean Bristlehead, Fruithunter and Whitehead's Trogon, plus we should see a fantastic range of hornbills, broadbills, pittas and other exotic Southeast Asian species.

Our Borneo birding tour ranges from the tropical montane forests of Mt. Kinabalu to the pristine lowland rainforests of Danum Valley. As well as great birding, we hope to also encounter some of Borneo's equally extraordinary mammals including Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey and Pygmy Elephant!

Tour Dates & Prices

Mon 1st July 2024

Mon 15th July 2024

  • Available

Tour Cost: 15 Days from £6295 excluding flights

Deposit: £1575Single Supp: £1295Group Size: 10Leaders:  Colin Bushell & Lee Kok Chung
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What's Included?

  • Expert, English-speaking Malaysian bird guide
  • Limosa Tour Leader (subject to minimum numbers)
  • 12 nights accommodation in Borneo
  • All main meals (with drinking water provided)
  • All surface transport in Borneo (inc boat rides)
  • All excursions, entry fees, permits, tour based tips (including drivers, boatmen, local guides) and taxes
  • Limosa checklist of birds and mammals

Cost Excludes

Flights, insurance, drinks, airport meals/snacks and other items of a personal nature. Camera fees in the national parks (though these are minimal)

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Notes

The Land Only Tour Cost is the amount you will pay Limosa.

Despite the end of pandemic restrictions, we have taken the decision to continue to price our holidays as excluding international flights.

To keep the process as simple as possible, we are working very closely with a dedicated agent at Travel Counsellors, Sacha Barbato, who is essentially now our “in house” flight consultant.

Sacha is a highly experienced independent ATOL bonded travel agent, and his contact details are as follows: sacha.barbato@travelcounsellors.com and 01603 360099

He will be able to advise you which flights we are recommending for each holiday and will be able to book these for you.

This will also sometimes give you the option to travel from a regional airport if you prefer.

Tour Highlights

  • Borneo's ancient rainforests, the richest in all Asia
  • An astonishing diversity of birdlife including up to 40 spectacular Bornean endemics
  • Bornean Bristlehead, Whitehead’s Broadbill, Everett’s Thrush, Whitehead's Spiderhunter
  • A plethora of hornbills, pittas, bee-eaters, barbets, kingfishers, babblers, bulbuls and flowerpeckers...
  • Visiting Kinabalu National Park, Sepilok, Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley
  • Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey and Bornean Gibbon are among possible mammals
  • The Sepilok Canopy Walkway for unique treetop encounters
  • Boat trips on the Kinabatangan River seeking Storm’s Stork and Bornean Pygmy Elephant
  • Small group tour led by our ace Malaysian specialist Lee Kok Chung and (subject to minimum numbers) Colin Bushell

Outline Itinerary

  • Fly to Kuala Lumpur and then onwards to Kota Kinabalu, arriving there on Day 2. Night Kota Kinabalu

  • We travel through the Crocker Mountains to superb Kinabalu National Park for a four-night stay including a day trip to Poring Hot Springs. Kinabalu National Park (4 nights)

  • East to Sepilok Reserve with its Canopy Walkway. Night Sepilok

  • Leave Sepilok and transfer to Kinabatangan River. Kinabatangan (2 nights)

  • Morning cruise at Kinabatangan and transfer to Danum Valley. Borneo Rainforest Lodge (3 nights)

  • Danum Valley Conservation Area

  • Depart from Danum Valley after lunch. Fly to Kota Kinabalu and overnight (1 night)

  • Local birding around Kota Kinabalu in the morning then fly to Kuala Lumpur with overnight connection to the UK.

  • Arrival back in the UK.

Overview
Itinerary
Trip Info
Trip Reports
Blue-banded Pitta-Borneo.jpg
Blue-banded Pitta, Borneo © Lee Kok Chung

Borneo is the world’s third largest island, with an avifauna that is among the richest on earth. Its amazing birdlife parallels that of the bountiful Malay Peninsula but also includes numerous species that simply do not occur there including more than 40 spectacular Bornean endemics. For sheer diversity, the ancient rainforests of Southeast Asia are unsurpassed, containing more tree species than Amazonia along with a fantastic range of birds: from hornbills, barbets and minivets to kingfishers, broadbills and trogons.

This remarkable tour will carry you from the tropical montane forests of Mount Kinabalu (Southeast Asia's highest peak) via the world famous Sepilok Reserve, Gomantong Caves and the Kinabatangan River, to the pristine lowland rainforests of the Danum Valley. Along the way we should encounter the majority of Borneo's weird and wonderful endemic birds and some of its extraordinary endemic mammals including Bornean Orangutan, Bornean Gibbon and the peculiar Proboscis Monkey.

Our tour begins in Borneo's Crocker Range at the Rafflesia Forest Reserve. Named after the world's largest flower, for which the reserve is rightly famous, a visit here gives access to a range of mid-elevation specialities such as Bornean and Mountain Barbets, Bornean Bulbul and Bornean Leafbird, which can be difficult to find elsewhere.

We travel on for a four-night stay at Kinabalu National Park, a World Heritage Site protecting Asia’s highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu (4095m, 13,435 feet). Elusive and sought-after endemic birds here include Fruithunter, Crimson-headed Partridge and the fabulous trio of Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Broadbill and Whitehead's Spiderhunter. The Park is also home to more than 700 species of orchid and 600 different ferns, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.

Perhaps most intriguing amongst the plants are the park's eight species of Nepenthes pitcher plants, with their intricate traps for insects.

During our stay in the National Park, we will enjoy a day trip to the lower slopes of Kinabalu and Poring Hot Springs, an area with a strikingly different avifauna. Possibilities include a bewilderment of barbets and bulbuls, as well as Fulvous-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Red-bearded Bee-eater and Grey-headed Babbler.

Leaving Kinabalu, we head east to the Sepilok Reserve and the Kinabatangan River. The bizarre-looking Proboscis Monkey, rare Storm’s Stork, up to eight species of hornbill, Hooded Pitta, the tiny endemic White-fronted Falconet and the seldom seen Bornean Ground-Cuckoo are among a long list of possible highlights. Bornean Pygmy Elephants and wild Orangutans can also be found amongst the trees fringing the river.

To complete a fabulous adventure, we travel south for a three-night stay at the excellent Borneo Rainforest Lodge, set deep within primary rainforest above a bend on the Danum River. The Danum Valley Conservation Area safeguards one of the world’s oldest and richest lowland rainforests and boasts a huge list of species. Gigantic trees, some of which tower more than 80 metres above our heads, create the tallest canopy of any rainforest on earth, and the prospect of looking for five-star residents such as Great Argus (largest of all the pheasants), the spectacular Rhinoceros Hornbill, four species of endemic pittas and the furtive Bornean Wren-babbler can’t fail to excite!

Danum is probably the best place in the world to encounter a wild Orangutan and whilst there are no guarantees, our last three tours have all been lucky! Other mammals we could see include Bornean Gibbon and the shy Bornean Pygmy Elephant, while a spot of night birding might reward us with Buffy Fish Owl or Brown Wood Owl and nocturnal mammals to watch for include Bornean Loris, several flying squirrels and perhaps that tiny primate, the Western Tarsier.

Our tour will be led by our highly rated English-speaking Malaysian bird expert, Lee Kok Chung, a highly talented and very experienced tour leader. Lee led this tour for us in July 2017, 2018 and 2019 as well as guiding our 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023 tours to the Malay Peninsula. Subject to minimum numbers, Limosa's own expert guide Colin Bushell will also accompany the tour.

Whitehead's Broadbill © Gary Elton
Whitehead's Broadbill © Gary Elton

Days 1 - 2
FLY UK TO KOTA KINABALU
Our birdwatching tour to Borneo begins with a flight to Kuala Lumpur, where we arrive the following day. An onward connection takes us to Kota Kinabalu in the state of Sabah (northern Borneo) where we will be welcomed by our Malaysian bird guide, 'Mr Lee', and transfer to our hotel. Night Kota Kinabalu

Days 3 - 6
CROCKER MOUNTAINS, KINABALU NATIONAL PARK & PORING HOT SPRINGS

Leaving Kota Kinabalu early with a packed breakfast, we drive to the Rafflesia Forest Reserve in the Crocker Mountains. Named after the dramatic Rafflesia keithi, a parasitic plant that produces the world’s largest flower (up to 1 metre across) the reserve is situated at a lower elevation than the nearby Mount Kinabalu massif and is home to a number of birds we may not encounter elsewhere. Specialities include Crimson-headed Partridge, Bornean and Mountain Barbets, Bornean Bulbul and Bornean Leafbird. With Blyth's Hawk Eagle, the brilliantly green Whitehead’s Broadbill, Pygmy White-eye and both Bornean and Whitehead’s Spiderhunters also possible, the early start is definitely worth the effort!

From here, we swing northeast to magnificent Kinabalu National Park, where we stay for four nights. At 4,095m (13,435ft), Mount Kinabalu is Southeast Asia’s highest peak. This spectacular park is also a World Heritage Site, the first in Malaysia, and boasts a huge range of endemic plant and animal species. With increasing altitude, lush lowland rainforests give way to forests of montane oaks, rhododendrons and conifers, culminating in the alpine meadow plants and stunted bushes of the summit zone.

Kinabalu's splendid isolation has led to the evolution of a fabulous array of endemic species which, together with the variety of habitats, has blessed Kinabalu with perhaps the richest floral diversity of any area of its size in the world.

Throughout our stay at Kinabalu, we are based in an excellent location to sample something of Borneo’s endemic birdlife. Mountain Serpent Eagles soar overhead and mixed feeding flocks rove the forest edge, bringing Hair-crested and Ashy Drongos, Bornean Treepie, Chestnut-hooded and Sunda Laughingthrushes, the flirtatious White-throated Fantail and throngs of Chestnut-crested Yuhinas and Black-capped White-eyes.

Despite its bright red belly and crown, the endemic Whitehead’s Trogon can easily pass unnoticed as it sits quietly beneath the woodland canopy, which also harbours Golden-naped and Mountain Barbets, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Fruithunter, Bornean Stubtail, Mountain Leaf and Yellow-breasted Warblers, Black-and-crimson Oriole, Mountain Blackeye and the emerald green Bornean Green Magpie. Among more than ten species of squirrel in the park, we may see Cream-coloured Giant Squirrel and the endemic Kinabalu Squirrel.

On one day, we plan to drive to Poring Hot Springs, which lies at a lower altitude near the foot of the mountain and enjoys a markedly different avifauna. As elsewhere on this remarkable island, the range of possible birds is amazing! Maroon and Rufous Woodpeckers, Moustached and White-necked Babblers, Everett’s White-eye, Bornean Spiderhunter and Orange-bellied Flowerpecker are among a host of lowland rainforest treats in store. Four nights Kinabalu National Park

Day 7
SEPILOK: ORANGUTAN SANCTUARY

We leave Kinabalu today and travel to Sepilok, on Borneo's northeast coast. It is a four-hour drive but the rewards are great as Sepilok is rightly famous for a hugely successful Orangutan rehabilitation project and protects a sizeable chunk of tall secondary forest.

The area is also superb for birds and exploring the trails here we might well encounter shy forest jewels such as the endemic Black-crowned Pitta, Rufous-collared and Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers and the gorgeous Diard’s Trogon.

Sepilok's Canopy Walkway is a great spot to look for the peculiar Bornean Bristlehead and treetop views of hornbills, while mammalian highlights could well include Orangutans and flying squirrels. Night Sepilok

Days 8 - 9
SEPILOK AND KINABATANGAN RIVER

We will enjoy some further morning birding at Sepilok and the chance to pick up new species before continuing to our next lodge, on the banks of the serene Kinabatangan River, where we stay for two nights. The Kinabatangan is the longest river in Sabah and is said to boast the greatest concentration of wildlife in the whole of Borneo. The main channel is lined with forest on fertile alluvial terraces and behind these are extensive, low-lying forested swamps, which are usually waterlogged and flooded. Within these swamps, scattered hills and lakes dot the otherworldly landscape.

We spend the whole of the next day in this superb area, exploring the river and creeks by boat. We shall be making a special effort to find the elusive Bornean Ground-Cuckoo, one of the island's most mysterious and seldom-seen endemic birds. Cruising along the river and its tributaries, we may observe canopy dwelling species such as the incomparable Rhinoceros Hornbill; indeed, all eight of Borneo's hornbill species are possible here.

From the boat, we also have good chances to spot the rare Storm’s Stork along with a variety of forest raptors, Hooded Pitta, the remarkable Black-and-Red Broadbill (which builds its nests like a hanging basket above the water) and a host of other fantastic species.

Riverside mammals to watch for include the bizarre Proboscis Monkey, yet another species unique to Borneo, which can sometimes be seen feeding in the mangrove forests adjacent to the river. These placid vegetarians live in groups of up to twenty or more and always sleep next to water amongst the mangroves.

The elusive Bornean Pygmy Elephant and Orangutan are present too, and we should see the aptly named Mugger Crocodile lurking on the banks.

The lower reaches of the Kinabatangan are outstanding for birds, with Oriental Darter and a host of herons, egrets, kingfishers and vividly coloured bee-eaters to enjoy.

Overhead, we will scan the skies for soaring Grey-headed and Lesser Fish Eagles, and in the evenings will keep an eye open for Buffy Fish Owl and Large Frogmouth. Two nights at a lodge in an idyllic setting on the banks of the Kinabatangan River

Day 10
KINABATANGAN RIVER AND TRANSFER TO DANUM VALLEY

After a morning cruise along the Kinabatangan River and lunch, we head south towards Lahad Datu. From there we swing west, travelling inland to reach the heart of the fabulous Danum Valley Conservation Area. Our base for three nights is the splendid Borneo Rainforest Lodge, established to show that tourism can help to protect this truly magnificent area, with its excellent forest trails and great wealth of birds and wildlife. Night Borneo Rainforest Lodge

Days 11 - 12
DANUM VALLEY CONSERVATION AREA

The pristine rainforests of the Danum Valley are exceedingly rich in birds, home to everything from pittas, barbets and minivets to kingfishers, broadbills and trogons. Our luxurious lodge is located in superb primary rainforest and excellent birding begins right outside the door! An extensive trail system gives access to some of the region's more elusive forest dwellers, while the incredible canopy walkway offers a unique insight into the lives of creatures that would otherwise remain hidden in the treetops.

Danum is probably the best area to look for some of Borneo’s trickier species with no fewer than six species of pitta occurring here. We will also hope to encounter the shy Great Argus, the world's largest pheasant, with its distinctive 'kwa-wau' call that can be heard over a kilometre away!

Among a raft of sought-after Bornean endemics, we will have further chances to look for the elusive Bornean Bristlehead, White-crowned Shama, Bornean Wren-babbler, Bornean Blue Flycatcher and Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker.

More widespread SE Asian species to watch for include Oriental Honey Buzzard, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Raffles’s and Red-billed Malkohas, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Scarlet-rumped and Red-naped Trogons, Banded, Green and Black-and-yellow Broadbills, Fiery Minivet, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Black-throated and Striped Wren Babblers, Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler, Spectacled Spiderhunter and both Yellow-breasted and Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers. The list of possible species here is long and our days at Danum are sure to be filled with great birding!

Danum is also outstanding for mammals and possible highlights could include Orangutan, Bornean Gibbon and, with luck, Bornean Pygmy Elephant as well as Red Giant Flying Squirrel and the Bornean Bearded Pig... Who could resist looking for those!

Nocturnal forays may be rewarded with sightings of Barred Eagle Owl, Buffy Fish Owl or Brown Wood Owl, as well as a multitude of mammals. These could include up to five species of civet, several species of flying squirrel, Bornean Loris and Leopard Cat. If we are really lucky, we might even encounter the tiny Western Tarsier.

Set deep within primary rainforest above a bend on the Danum River, we will spend three nights at the Rainforest Lodge. Birds are abundant in the lodge’s garden alongside a host of exciting butterflies including several species of magnificent birdwing. Nights at Borneo Rainforest Lodge

Day 13
DANUM VALLEY CONSERVATION AREA, FLY LAHAD DATU-KOTA KINABALU

We will have a final morning to look for any species we may have missed and after lunch will bid a reluctant farewell to the amazing Danum Valley and drive to the coast at Lahad Datu. Here, we catch a domestic flight back to Kota Kinabalu where we will transfer to our comfortable hotel and spend the night. Night Kota Kinabalu

Day 14
KOTA KINABALU-KUALA LUMPUR-UK

We will enjoy some final local birding around Kota Kinabalu. After lunch, we will head to the nearby airport for an afternoon check-in for our flight to Kuala Lumpur and then an onward overnight connection to the UK.

Day 15
ARRIVAL LONDON

Arrival back in the UK, where our birdwatching tour to Borneo concludes.

Pygmy Elephants (cows and calf) © Gary Elton
Pygmy Elephants (cows and calf) © Gary Elton

WHAT TO EXPECT
A 15-day birding tour to Borneo, visiting the bird-rich rainforest state of Sabah, in the north of this immense island which is the third largest in the world.

As with all wildlife tours to the tropics, you should be prepared for early starts most days, getting out in the field at daybreak, typically followed (on non-travel days) by a siesta during the hottest and least ‘birdy’ part of the day, before venturing out again from mid-late afternoon.

This is primarily a birding tour but also one with excellent all-round wildlife interest, including some fine endemic mammals and an array of exotic butterflies.

Borneo has a tropical climate. It is likely to be mostly hot, dry and sunny (typically 24-31C) but overcast conditions and/or rainfall are likely at any time of the year, although it tends to rain most afternoons.

As one would expect in the tropics, it is often humid, especially in the lowlands and around the coast. Generally cooler and more pleasant early and late in the day, also at elevation on Mt. Kinabalu.

BIRDS
250-290 species

MAMMALS
20-30 species, including a good chance of wild Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Gibbon and Bornean Pygmy Elephant.

ACCOMMODATION
12 nights accommodation in Borneo, staying in good tourist hotels and lodges throughout.

Our final lodge, set in the remote Danum Valley, is excellent, offering superb food and lovely rooms amidst the forest. All rooms with private facilities and all except those at Danum have air conditioning.

Wi-fi is available at most lodges (not at Kinabatangan), but mostly only in and around the lobby areas, although reception can be poor and unreliable.

MEALS
All main meals (and with drinking water provided during the day) are included in the tour price, usually commencing with breakfast in Borneo on Day 3 (occasionally dinner on Day 2, according to flight schedules this year), and concluding with lunch in Kota Kinabalu on Day 14.

The occasional breakfast on this tour will be a packed breakfast.

WALKING
Easy to moderate walks at a gentle pace along quiet roads and forest trails (some hill and forest trails can be steep and/or muddy underfoot at times, but our progress along them is always unhurried). Some mornings we may be on our feet for up to five hours, so you might find a walking stick seat handy.

Comfortable, robust and waterproof walking shoes or lightweight boots with sturdy corrugated soles for grip are recommended for this tour.

TRAVEL

Despite the end of many pandemic restrictions, it is still proving extremely difficult to predict future flight prices and schedules. As a result, we have taken the decision to continue to price our holidays as excluding international flights.

To keep the process as simple as possible, we are working very closely with a dedicated agent at Travel Counsellors, Sacha Barbato, who is essentially now our “in house” flight consultant.

Sacha will be able to advise you which flights we are recommending for each holiday, and he will be able to book these for you.

This will also sometimes give you the option to travel from a regional airport if you prefer.

GROUND TRANSPORT

Air-conditioned minibus.

BOAT TRIPS
Our tour price includes boat trips on the Kinabatangan River during our stay there.

Tour Gallery

View a gallery of images for this tour below, click on an image to view as full size with caption

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