The Wild Borneo with Gustafson Photo Safari

Depart United States

In Transit

Departure from United States will be May 20th based on current flight schedules. Arrive in Kuching airport. After clearing immigration and customs, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Before our Welcome Dinner tonight, we will have an orientation to the program. Depending on your arrival time, you will have the day free at leisure to relax or discover Kuching, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak and the largest city on the island of Borneo, on your own. Kuching is one of the most multicultural cities in Malaysia, melding Chinese, Malay, Indian and Indonesian cultural groups and languages. Check in starts at 3:00 pm.

Located about 15 miles from the center of Kuching, the Semenggoh Wildlife Center provides an excellent opportunity to view semi-wild orangutans in a natural setting. The center was established in 1975 to care for wild animals found injured or orphaned in the forest, or ones that were previously kept as illegal pets. Since its founding, the center has cared for more than 1,000 animals, and its orangutan rehabilitation mission has been so successful that the surrounding reserve has now reached its carrying capacity. While rehabilitation continues elsewhere, today Semenggoh focuses on the study of orangutan biology and behavior while providing a safe and natural haven for dozens of semi-wild orangutans that are graduates of the rehab program. It is also home to numerous babies, born in the wild to rehabilitated mothers, a further testament to the program's success. Over 20 orangutans live in forest within the nature reserve and they often return to the center to receive supplemental feeding. The feeding area is set in a natural amphitheater where it is possible to observe the orangutans coming down from the surrounding forest for the food provided. The rangers provide a briefing on the purpose of the center and the conservation objectives. We will visit the reserve both in time for the morning and afternoon feeding times and spend some time before the feeding observing other wildlife in the area. The center closes after the morning feeding session, and we will return to Kuching in between to rest and for lunch. Note: The visit to the center is arranged to coincide with the orangutan feeding times, which take place at approximately 9:00-9:30 am in the morning and 3:00-3:30 pm in the afternoon.

Bako National Park - situated on a peninsula on the coast - is one of the best places in Sarawak to see wildlife in a natural setting. Commonly spotted at Bako are the Borneo endemic proboscis monkeys, silvered langurs (monkeys), long-tailed macaques, wild boar, monitor lizards and numerous species of birds. The park has an impressive range of forest types from mangrove to kerangas (heath forest), tropical swamp vegetation, cliff vegetation and beach vegetation. A trail network provides access to different parts of the park depending on level of fitness and areas of interest. The park's spectacular coastline is dotted with small bays, coves and beaches.

We will have an early morning pick up from our hotel (about 8:00 am) and depart for Bako village by road that will take us about 40 minutes. From the village, we will take our own private boat transfer (about 30 minutes) to the park headquarters. En route there is a chance to see and photograph crocodiles, sea eagles and other shore birds. During our stay, we will explore the various trails with our guide in search of the wildlife. After dinner at the park restaurant, proceed on a night walk by torchlight. The accommodations at the park will be the most basic throughout our trip, however, it is estimated that there are 275 proboscis monkeys at Bako - our star attraction at this location.

Following breakfast, hike one of the trails to spot rare migratory birds, reptiles, langurs and search for the rare and elusive proboscis monkey, a primate only found in Borneo. We will have lunch at the park before returning to Kuching by mid-afternoon and check into tour hotel. Dinner will be at a local restaurant walking distance to our hotel.

Today we will fly to Sandakan, Sabah. Transfer to Kuching airport for the 6:50 am flight. There are no direct flights and we will fly via Kota Kinabalu and arrive to Sandakan at about 1:30 pm. Upon arrival, we will transfer to MY Nature Resort at Sepilok and check in. MY Nature Resort, set in 25 acres of rainforest bordering the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, is home to endangered orangutans. The 10,000-acre protected area, named for the two main rivers that flow through it, comprises tropical highland forest, sandstone ridges and lowland mangrove swamp. In addition to orangutans, during this section of our trip, we will search the forest for gibbons, macaques, mouse deer, wild boar and bright-colored kingfishers. Once we settle in, we will go on an exploratory walk on the resort's own 1,050 meter long boardwalk. Red giant flying squirrels are resident within the grounds of MY Nature Resort. They come out almost every night but sightings are not guaranteed. We will head to the platform near the restaurant before 6:00 pm. Our guide will point out which trees the squirrels sleep in and let us know when they start to come out of their hiding places. If we are lucky, we'll photograph the giant squirrels emerge from their nests and glide across the sky. Dinner will be served at MY Nature Resort. After dinner go on guided night walk on the resort's boardwalk. ** Please Note: Due to flight times, we suggest purchasing food at Kota Kinabalu airport to eat during the flight to Sandakan. Lunch is not included today**.

We will spend the morning photographing the wildlife at our resort's private reserve. After lunch we will transfer to Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary for the 2:30 pm feeding session. Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary is a coastal mangrove reserve that offers a close-up view of these leaping primates named for their large, fleshy noses-and which are found nowhere outside Borneo. This privately-run sanctuary is located within an oil palm estate and offers a unique chance to see proboscis monkeys. These monkeys are wild but habituated and often get very close to visitors. The proboscis monkeys at Labuk Bay live in a fragmented habitat surrounded by an oil palm plantation. As there is insufficient food the monkeys receive a supplementary diet. As feeding time approaches, groups of proboscis monkeys from the nearby forest and mangroves head to the wooden platform for a free meal. Labuk Bay offers a unique opportunity to get close to these normally shy creatures. Silver leaf monkeys and hornbills are sometimes seen near the feeding platform as well. Afterwards we will depart the sanctuary and proceed to the Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC), to photograph the rainforest and some of the bird species from the canopy walkway (147 meters long and 28 meters above the forest floor in places). The walkway and towers offer a unique way of seeing Sabah's rainforest and are an excellent place for bird watching. Over 250 species of birds are found in this area. We will return to our lodge at about 5:30 pm and head to the flying squirrel platform to see if the red giant flying squirrels emerge from their nests and fly across the resort.

After breakfast, we'll visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, established in 1964 to protect orphaned baby orangutans and rehabilitate them for return to the wild. We will be able to observe them at their feeding stations in the rainforest and at the nursery (if open). Most orphans were seized from illegal captivity after having been taken from their mothers as infants to be kept as pets. Staff helps them learn basic survival skills such as how to find food, build nests and climb trees. The center also aids adults that have sustained injuries or require medical care before being returned to their natural habitat. Since the center was established, more than 100 orangutans have been successfully released. Its mission has grown to include research, conservation education and support for other endangered species, including captive breeding of rare and endangered rhinos. We'll then proceed to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center (BSBCC) for our private tour. Founded in 2008, the center provides care, rehabilitation and release of orphaned and captive sun bears, and increases awareness about the plight of this little-known bear. The Malayan sun bear, found only in Southeast Asia, is the world's smallest bear species. While Borneo remains a stronghold for this vulnerable animal, it is seriously threatened if not extinct in many areas of mainland Asia, where forest destruction and poaching have dramatically reduced its numbers. Over 30 sun bears live at the center in the bear house and outdoor enclosures. After our two visits, we will travel by road to Sukau, arriving at Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge in time for lunch at around 1:30 pm. Later this afternoon around 4:30 pm, we will go on a river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to the Menanggul River in search of proboscis monkeys, birds, reptiles and other wildlife.

During the next two-days we will explore the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. The 350-mile Kinabatangan River is Sabah's longest river, beginning in the Crocker Range in Southwest Sabah and ending at the Sulu Sea southeast of Sandakan. From the headwaters to its vast river mouth, the Kinabatangan passes through a diverse range of habitats, including dipterocarp forest, seasonally flooded riparian forest, oxbow lakes, nipah and mangroves. Whilst the upper reaches of the Kinabatangan River have been extensively logged, much of the lowland forest and mangroves have survived. This vast floodplain forest contains a rich mix of vegetation that supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife; including proboscis monkeys, orangutans, gibbons, Bornean pygmy elephants, tarsiers, slow loris, macaque monkeys, crocodiles, hornbills and a variety of other birds. In 2005 the Sabah government gazetted the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. This protected area essentially forms a narrow wildlife corridor that follows the river. Whilst the sanctuary now safeguards an area of 27,800 hectares (68,700 acres), a range of conservation issues remain. A number of NGOs and researchers are active in the Kinabatangan, contributing to conservation projects and working to better understand the environment. Early this morning, we will take a boat trip for photographing birds and other wildlife on the Kinabatangan River and its black-water tributaries in small motorized boats. We will return to the lodge for breakfast and some relaxation before we head out again exploring another tributary.

We have another day in the area to cruise the river and photograph its fantastic wildlife.

After breakfast, we will depart our lodge at 7:00 am and transfer to Lahad Datu (about 2 hours), where we will change our vehicle and continue for another 2 hour private transfer Tabin Wildlife Resort on partly gravel roads. Our resort is located within Tabin Wildlife Reserve, which is one of the richest in Sabah in terms of wildlife and birds. All 8 species of Hornbills found in Borneo can be seen here (Helmeted, Wreathed, Wrinkled, White-crowned, Malaysian Pied, Bushy-crested, Black and Rhinoceros). Rhinoceros Hornbills are Malaysia's national bird and are large and impressive creatures with handsome black and white plumage and ivory colored bills with a curving red and yellow casque! Considered to be the largest wildlife reserve in Malaysia, the reserve comprises a rectangular area of approximately 300,000 acres in the center of the Dent Peninsula. Tabin was declared a protected area in 1984 primarily due to the existence of three of the largest mammals found in Sabah: the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhinoceros and Banteng (a species of wild cattle). Nine species of primate: the orangutan, Bornean gibbon, red leaf monkey, silvered leaf monkey, grey leaf monkey, western tarsier, slow loris, long-tailed macaque and pig-tailed macaque also call Tabin home. The largest predator found here is the clouded leopard. Whilst sightings of this cat are rare, it is quite common to see leopard cats and civet cats.

After lunch, we will have some time to rest and recharge, before we embark on a short trek through the jungle in the afternoon for twenty minutes arriving at the Lipad mud volcano. This area serves as a mineral salt lick for wildlife as evidenced by the multitude of animal footprints here. After dinner, enjoy a Night Safari to look out for nocturnal wildlife and birds.

We will spend the day photographing the different species found in the area. This evening, we will go on a dusk drive to look for nocturnal wildlife.

We will depart for Lahad Datu at about 7:00 am after breakfast. After our 2-hour drive on partly gravel roads, we will change vehicles and continue to Borneo Rainforest Lodge at Danum Valley. Danum Valley Conservation Area is Sabah's largest area of undisturbed lowland forest, with more than 200 species of trees that tower to160 feet. This spectacular tract of ancient primary rain forest holds exceptional status. Before it received full protection in 1995, there were no human settlements within the area, meaning that hunting, logging and other human activities had not disturbed the habitat. Danum Valley is one of the planet's most complex ecosystems, containing an astoundingly diverse array of flora and fauna, including clouded leopard, orangutan and proboscis monkeys. During our three days, amid dense vegetation, we will follow elevated walkways through the canopy and hike a network of trails that surrounds the secluded lodge. On night drives in open safari vehicles, we will watch and listen to the rain forest's inhabitants become animated after dusk.

Full day photography using the trails surrounding the lodge.

Full day photography using the trails surrounding the lodge.

We will have our last morning of photography on the canopy walkway before we depart after lunch. Here in the treetops we may spy great slaty woodpeckers, black-and-red broadbills and giant pittas among a multitude of species. We will transfer to Lahad Datu airport for our afternoon flight to Kota Kinabalu, capital of Malaysia's Sabah state in the northern part of Borneo. This coastal city, partly surrounded by rain forest, is known for its classic markets, modern boardwalk, beaches and lively waterfront. Our Borneo adventure comes to a close this evening with a farewell dinner.

After breakfast transfer to Kota Kinabalu airport for your departure flight back home. Check out is at 12:00 pm.