Let’s be actual — seeing orangutans within the wild is motive sufficient to hop on a airplane to Borneo. However would not you recognize it, there may be far more to see and do on the third largest island on the planet. Learn on as journey author and seven-time G Adventures traveler Richard Kitzinger shares highlights from our Borneo – East Sabah journey. Having visited 70 international locations, the journey marked his return to journey writing after the pandemic, and we’re thrilled to share his expertise with you.
A pure white heron, glowing like a bride in her wedding ceremony gown, takes off from a department and flies throughout the Kinabatangan River to perch on one other department. The ten of us within the speedboat observe him with our eyes and, in a heart-stopping second, there’s a household of proboscis monkeys within the tree.
They actually look probably the most comical animals. Males have lengthy fleshy noses (therefore the identify proboscis monkeys), whereas females have somewhat sharp, knobby noses. Both approach, they appear completely shocked. Our two boats stick with these enjoyable monkeys for a very good time earlier than we head again to the lodge for dinner.
That is my first expertise within the jungles of Borneo and, through the few hours we’re on the water, we benefit from the antics of long-tailed macaques, pig-tailed macaques and silver-leafed langurs, in addition to seeing 4 completely different species of hornbill. Our Chief Expertise Officer (CEO) Albert states: “We’re fortunate. Very pleased.”
At our welcome assembly in Kota Kinabalu, Albert requested everybody what they had been most hoping for from the tour and the overwhelming majority needed to see wildlife, of which the orangutans had been favorites in fact, but additionally small elephants, marmosets and turtles. No, says Albert, “No ensures,” however the gods of the jungle are on our facet.
When the aim is to identify wildlife, I function on the precept that my analysis is essential and {that a} good information is important, however these items solely improve the probabilities of success. In the end it is a matter of climate situations and luck. Past that, East Sabah Journey coated all of the bases by way of locations and alternatives to see the complete vary of Sabah’s particular natural world.
We now have three river cruises included. Returning house for breakfast from certainly one of them, the passengers within the different boat excitedly discuss how they only noticed an orangutan in a tree. With out query, Albert and our native pilot/information informed us to placed on our life jackets and head again out on the water. It turned out that it was not only one orangutan, however a mom and a child, perhaps a 12 months outdated. Whereas mother lazily plucks figs from the bountiful crop rising on the tree, the toddler amuses us by stretching, practising rocking and probably the most comically earnest facial expressions on his old-young face.
From land, we see the identical orangutan and her child approaching us on a jungle trek by the rainforest. There we encounter creepy crawlies like pillbugs and large centipedes, the sort of creatures I believed solely existed in Roald Dahl tales. A number of native leeches latched onto members of the group, inflicting moments of ache and a few bleeding. All in all, it was most likely value it, given what number of tales are retold that night time.
Orangutans are synonymous with Borneo – and rightfully so – however there’s much more to it than that. I’m captured by a horned rhinoceros as I watch it fly down the Kinabatangan River to perch on a tree. It’s simple to see why the big pink curved horn above his yellow beak has been in comparison with that of a rhinoceros. There’s additionally an estuary crocodile that slips into the river and retains up with us for some time regardless that our pilot mercifully retains his distance.
The true spotlight for many people is the jungle trek the place we see the dung and footprints within the mud of the smallest species of elephant on the planet, the small Borneo elephant. Assembly the herd, I get pleasure from their honking and the fixed pushing into one another. One thing is clearly bothering them. Inside three minutes, the sky opens and we’re drenched in a deluge. I marvel at their intelligence and the way they sensed the approaching thunderstorm earlier than it hit us.
A part of the enchantment of the tour is that we additionally go to the well-known Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Heart and the adjoining Solar Bear Conservatory. Right here, in 46 hectares of forest, stay a semi-wild life, feeding twice a day on a platform in entrance of a substantial crowd of vacationers. I am grateful to have seen them up shut, however I am equally grateful to have seen some really wild ones.
Having not seen solar bears within the jungle, it is extremely good to see among the rescued ones in Sepilok. Listed as weak, the world’s smallest bear might be present in Borneo, however is never seen within the wild.
Our wildlife encounters aren’t restricted to the jungle. We spend the night time on Pulau Libaran, one of many islands the place loggerhead and inexperienced sea turtles lay their eggs. Happiness – like the complete moon – shines on us as a result of we are able to witness the discharge of forty new child turtles, hatched that afternoon. For some in our group, the temporary second because the cubs waddle to the better security of the ocean is their greatest reminiscence of the wildlife journey.
That, I feel, is the fantastic thing about Borneo. All of us come hoping to see orangutans – and seeing them within the wild is actually one thing particular – however, from the tiniest crimson sunbirds to child elephants and from child turtles to Sepilok solar bears, all of us take photographs and reminiscences of far more uncommon creatures.
Getting there
Are you able to swing by the jungles of Borneo to spend time with its wide selection of wildlife? Listed below are some methods to hitch us in a small group:
Borneo – an journey in jap Sabah
Better of Borneo
Highlights of Sabah and Mount Kinabulu