Trip Scholar
Dr James Brooke

After completing a seabird DPhil at Oxford while employed as warden of Skokholm Bird Observatory, Michael Brooke did post-docs at Oxford and then Cambridge.  From there, he was  absorbed onto the staff of the Cambridge University Zoology Department on a part-time basis. This trajectory allowed him scope to travel to some of the world’s most wonderful places, including a 15-month sojourn in the Pitcairn Islands, and to undertake consultancy projects.  While serving as Curator of Birds in the Cambridge University Museum Zoology, Michael has continued to travel the world, mostly working at the interface of island conservation and seabird research. The latter has been aired in his acclaimed book “Far from Land”, published by Princeton University Press in 2018.  Dr Brooke is distantly related to Sir James Brooke and the dynastic ‘White Rajahs’ of Kuching,  who founded and ruled the Raj of Sarawak, in Borneo, from 1841 to 1946. 

Lectures during our tours
All our tours are accompanied by an academic ‘trip scholar’ as well as local guides. The local guide or guides provide the day-to-day guiding on our tours, whilst the trip lecturer will give regular lectures on his/her specialist subject throughout to provide an academic overview. Lectures/talks usually last 30-40 minutes including questions and answers (if applicable). These are generally held in the evenings before dinner and attendance is optional. We don’t usually specify before travel which days the lectures will be given (for operational reasons) but guests can expect them roughly every other day as a minimum, with some lecturers giving some kind of talk or presentation more frequently.

Private extensions in Borneo

For those who have more time, we would be delighted to arrange additional private extensions before or after the main tour.  Our top recommendation is a 2-3 night stay in the untouched Danum Valley region, one of the few places in the world to see Orangutans in the wild.  Alternatively, we can arrange wonderfully relaxing beach stays on Gaya Island or a city stay in Kuala Lumpur either before or after the main tour (since the flights route via KL anyway).  Our tailor-made team can also arrange any further travel (hotels, transfers, guiding when/where needed) throughout Peninuslar Malaysia and the rest of S E Asia.  If you opt to add our group flights from London, these can also be amended to match your extension itinerary and dates. Below you’ll find just a few ideas and costs for your consideration, but the options are almost unlimited.

Danum Valley 2 nights/3 days or 3 nights/4 days

We highly recommend adding a 3 night private extension to Danum Valley after the tour, if you have time to extend your trip.  The Danum Valley is the best area of Malaysian Borneo (if not the world) to see Orangutans in the wild.  You will be staying at Borneo Rainforest Lodge, which is a little bubble of rustic luxury located deep within the untouched virgin rainforest of Danum Valley – reached via 2-3 hour 4×4 transfer from Lahad Datu, the nearest major town.

One of the most biodiverse areas in Asia,  the Danum Valley is home to the full range of Sabah’s lowland fauna, including the rare Sumatran Rhinoceros, Clouded Leopards, Pygmy Elephants, Orangutans and around 275 species of birds.  The supremely comfortable lodge focuses on sustainability and respecting the ecosystem. The small collection of chalets and villas are rustic but stylish, each with ensuite bathroom, ceiling fan and a built in natural cooling system. Each room is equipped with its own Nespresso coffee machine.  Deluxe chalets have a balcony with river or jungle views plus some have their own outdoor hot tub or even a private plunge pool. The excellent staff provide warm and personalized services as part of the experience, and some of the finest wildlife guides in the country.  One of the main highlights of a stay here is the lodge’s multi award winning canopy walkway, spanning 300 meters with several viewing platforms at different heights. The highest platform is 26 meters above ground level and its zig-zag design showcases the different tiers of the pristine rainforest in a 360 degree view.  And after a hard day of exploring, you can relax in the open-plan restaurant and bar, take in the views and enjoy a sundowner whilst listening to the sounds of the forest.

Note: Borneo Rainforest Lodges only allow guests with a minimum of two doses of an approved Covid vaccine to stay, so proof of vaccination is required.

Suggested itinerary

23 August   
After departing the Kinabatangan River this morning, our group will be transferred to the town of Sandakan. Whilst the main group has lunch and a short city tour, those on the Danum Valley extension will instead travel straight to Sukau jetty by boat and afterwards by road to the small town of Lahad Datu, in order to register with the National Park authorities and have a briefing at the Borneo Nature Tours (owner of the Borneo Rainforest Lodge) office.  Afterwards,  depart for the overland 4×4 journey to Danum Valley and the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, a journey of 2-3 hours.  Arriving at the lodge, enjoy a welcome drink while you are briefed on the facilities available at the lodge and surrounds. Check in to your rooms, and have lunch at the lodge.  After lunch, there is a slide presentation to introduce you to the wildlife you may see during your stay, before your first guided exploration. Enjoy an afternoon trek through the lodge’s nature trails and the tree top canopy walkway,  allowing a close-up observation of the rainforest.  Return to the lodge for dinner, then enjoy an optional night drive in an open-top vehicle to look out for some of the area’s nocturnal animals.

24 August
Breakfast at the lodge, before a morning jungle trek to the Kadazandusun burial site known as ‘Coffin Cliff’, for a bird’s eye view of the area from the top of the escarpment. There will be plenty of wildlife to spot along the way.  Coffin Cliff is so named because it was once used as a tribal burial site, and descending,  you will see holes carved into the cliff and the remains of the chief’s coffin.  Historically, it was customary to carve your own coffin from ironwood (known as Berlian locally), including a meaningful motif, usually an animal.   At the base of the cliff you’ll find a ‘natural Jacuzzi’, which is a small pool fed by a waterfall, and enjoy a dip if you’d like to cool off.   Return to the lodge for lunch.  Enjoy an afternoon jungle trek or choose a relaxing session of “tubing” down the Danum River – a brilliant way to experience the area.(subject to weather and water level condition). Dinner at the lodge will be followed by an optional guided night walk this evening.

25 August
Breakfast at the lodge. Today we recommend you take a trek to Fairy Falls and Serpent Falls. Both waterfalls are very scenic, with natural rock pools, and as ever, your guide will be helping you look for some of the region’s superb flora and fauna. More than 340 bird species have been recorded here, along with 124 species of mammals, 72 species of reptiles, 56 species of amphibians, and there is a staggering biodiversity of 200 plant species per hectare.   Individual wild orangutans frequently nest in the vicinity of the lodge, so walking the trails surrounding the lodge and keeping quiet and still is one of the best ways to find them. Return to the lodge for lunch.  This afternoon, relax at the lodge, perhaps book yourself a spa treatment, or for the active there is always the option to add an additinal trek today along the Segama River.

26 August 
Breakfast at the lodge and time to pack before checking out and heading by 4×4 to Lahad Datu Airport (2-3 hours by road) for your onward flights (Malaysian Airlines flies from Lahad Datu to Kuala Lumpur from where there are numerous onward international connections).

Price: The price of this 4 day/3 night Danum Valley extension is approximately £2430 per person, based on two people sharing.  A shorter two night version is available at around £1715 per person.

Beach/relaxing extensions (3-7 nights)

Malaysian Borneo has one or two really lovely island beach hotels should you wish to end your tour with some relaxing time at the beach. To reach these we would fly you back to Kota Kinabalu from Sandakan at the end of the tour, and from there a 20 minute speedboat would take you to Gaya Island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.  We particularly like the Gaya Island Eco Resort, a tranquil and luxurious island haven surrounded by rainforest where macaques roam the grounds.  Kayaks, snorkels and stand-up paddleboards are available to explore the island, and there is a beautiful pool for lounging around.

Price: from £650 per person for a five night stay at Gaya Island Resort, including breakfast daily, flight from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu, airport transfer, speedboat to/from the resort, based on a Canopy Villa, based on two people sharing a room.

Kuala Lumpur pre or post-tour stopover – 2 nights/3 days

The vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur is where most visitors to Malaysian Borneo stop to change planes enroute to and from their final destination, and it makes an excellent place to base yourself for a few days before or after our main tour.  You can also visit the historic city of Malacca as a day excursion. We especially recommend this stop-over before the main tour so you have time to relax and acclimatise to the weather and time-zone of the region before starting the tour. A suggested two night itinerary could look like this:

Day 1: Land in Kuala Lumpur mid-morning. You’ll be met in the arrivals hall and transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel downtown.  Check in and enjoy the afternoon at leisure, before meeting your guide in the lobby this evening for an initial foray into the city to get your bearings.  Choose from EITHER a visit to the Petronas Towers to watch sunset from the skybridge followed by dinner at Atmosphere 360 restaurant on the top of the KL Tower, OR a join a specialist foodie guide for an evening walking tour in Chinatown to embrace the stories and history of the city while discovering its local culinary delights. During the tour, you’ll smell and taste delicious snacks and dishes including Indian Rotis, the famous Claypots Chicken Rice and colourful pastries from a 4th Generation bakery, discover hidden laneways containing interactive murals, and try an expertly mixed fusian cocktail at a sophisticated speakeasy.

Day 2:  Today, choose between a full day privately guided walking tour through Kuala Lumpur’s contrasting neighbourhoods with local lunch, OR for an additional £80 per person, a private full day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Malacca, 90 minutes from Kuala Lumpur by car (also includes lunch). Discover the diverse cultures of this former colonial outpost including the Peranakan culture, unique to the straits of Malaysia.

Day 3: Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before meeting your transfer agent in the lobby for a transfer to the airport in time to catch a late morning flight to Kuching to start the tour. Most of the other tour participants will be on the same flight and you will be met on arrival and will take the group transfer to the first tour hotel together.

Price: This two night/three day extension costs around £430 per person based on two people sharing a room, to include private transfers, private guiding as mentioned, and hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis at the Majestic Hotel. Incudes dinner on Day 1 and lunch on Day 2.  Upgrade to the Ritz Carlton Hotel for an additional £65 per person. For a more relaxed version of the above trip why not add on a third night and either spend your first day at leisure, or split your sightseeing into two half day excursions with time at leisure on both days.  A wide selection of other day trips and excursions can be recommended depending on your interests.

Please contact Lia, our group tour co-ordinator at lia@templeworld.com for advice or a quote on any private pre or post tour extensions.