Everything about Travel to Borneo Rainforest
Travelling to the Borneo Rainforest is one of the most extraordinary experiences on Earth. Rich with ancient trees and immense biodiversity, rare and elusive wildlife, and untouched wilderness, Borneo offers journeys that feel both adventurous and deeply meaningful.
Whether your dream is to stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL), the only resort within the primary rainforests of Danum Valley for one of a kind experience, explore wildlife along the Kinabatangan River, from the comfort of the legendary Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) or from the remote Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort, or venture into the mammal-heaven Deramakot Forest Reserve for the adventurous night safari drives, this guide covers everything you need to know.
Why Visit the Borneo Rainforest?
The Borneo rainforest is over 130 million years old, making it older than the Amazon and one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
Expect to experience:
Wild orangutans
Pygmy elephants
Proboscis monkeys
Hornbills and kingfishers
Flying squirrels, civets & nocturnal creatures
Ancient rivers, waterfalls & jungle trails
It’s raw, real, and unforgettable.
Travel.
Contact experts today
Top Rainforest Destinations in Borneo
Below are the most popular rainforest destinations in Borneo:
Primary rainforest, undisturbed ancient tall trees, unique canopy walkway experience, luxury eco-lodge, best place for guided hiking on rainforest trails, unique wildlife experience.
Best place in Borneo to see the endemic Bornean pygmy elephants swimming crossing the mighty river. Pleasant wildlife cruises in early morning, afternoon and night offering distinct experience, best opportunity to see the very rare flat-headed cat in Borneo, the weird-looking proboscis monkeys are common around the river bank, comfortable activity for any age and fitness-level.
Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort (KWR)
The remote resort offers very pleasant river cruise experience as this Abai area of Kinabatangan is very less accessible for other tourists, unique behavior of wild orangutan due to abundance of nipah palm, the resort’s private boardwalk- a treasure trove for nature enthusiasts.
Award-winning luxury lodge on the Sukau area of Kinabatangan River, Good to spot pygmy elephants, more fig trees around invite more birds, easy access by road from Sandakan airport.
Secondary rainforest, it offers the best opportunity to see and photograph rare and elusive Bornean mammals, specially the wild cats including the Clouded Leopard, excellent for night drives, rare wildlife sightings, not visited by regular tourists.
Other rainforest regions:
Suggested Borneo Rainforest Itineraries (6–14 Days)
Sandakan → Sepilok → Kinabatangan River → Kota Kinabalu
Day 1: Arrive Sandakan → Sepilok. Guided Night Walk at the Rainforest Discovery Centre.
Day 2: Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre → Sun Bear Centre. Optional Gomantong Cave Tour.
Day 3: Drive/Speedboat to Kinabatangan → River cruise
Day 4: Sunrise cruise → Jungle walk → Night Cruise
Day 5: Return to Sandakan → Fly to Kota Kinabalu
Day 6: Free & easy / depart
Sandakan → Kinabatangan → Danum Valley → Lahad Datu
Day 1: Arrive Sandakan early morning → Sepilok (orangutans & sun bears, Night Walk at Rainforest Discovery Centre) Optional Gomantong Cave Tour.
Day 2–3: Kinabatangan River (3 nights)
Day 4–6: Danum Valley (BRL, 3 nights)
Day 7: Depart via Lahad Datu Airport or Road transfer to Sandakan
Sepilok → Deramakot → Kinabatangan → Danum Valley
Day 1–2: Sepilok (orangutans & sun bears, Night Walk at Rainforest Discovery Centre) Optional Gomantong Cave Tour.
Day 3–6: 4WD Safari Drives in wildlife-rich Deramakot
Day 7–10: Kinabatangan River (KWR or SRL)
Day 11–14: Danum Valley – BRL
How to Get to Borneo?
For Danum Valley
Fly to Lahad Datu → 2.5-hour 4×4 transfer. We can also arrange private road transfer from Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Tawau, Semporna. Since there is direct Kota Kinabalu (KK)-Lahad Datu flights, and KK is air-connected to other countries, many guests select this option atleast one way.
For Kinabatangan River
Fly to Sandakan → 2-hours drive or speedboat transfer. Guests often stay a night at Kuala Lumpur and take a early morning flight to Sandakan.
For Deramakot Forest Reserve
Fly to Sandakan or Kota Kinabalu → 4–6 hours by 4×4 (pre-arranged only).
We arrange road/boat transfers for all wildlife destinations in Borneo.
Plan your Dream Safari Travel
Get in touch today and receive a complimentary consultation.
Borneo Rainforest Wildlife Travel vs. African Safari: Which One Is Right for You?
Borneo rainforest wildlife travel offers a completely different experience from an African safari. Instead of wide-open savannahs where animals are easily spotted from a distance, Borneo immerses you in deep, ancient jungle where wildlife sightings are far more intimate, rare, and often elusive. Animals here have evolved with extraordinary adaptive behaviours to survive in dense primary rainforest, making every orangutan, pygmy elephant, flying squirrel, or proboscis monkey encounter feel like a true discovery. While Africa mostly focuses on vehicle-based game drives across vast landscapes with predictable Big Five viewing, Borneo offers a mix of jungle trekking, canopy walks, night safaris, and river cruises through lush rivers and 130-million-year-old rainforest. The walking safari and night safari in Africa are not very popular among common tourists unless you contact Safari Acacia or some other professional companies.
Borneo offers dense, humid, lush. Waterfalls, rivers, and vegetation everywhere. You feel like you’re stepping into a prehistoric world. African safari offers golden plains, deserts, crater lakes, and acacia trees. Clear horizons make it ideal for photographers.
The contrast is striking, Africa delivers dramatic, open-plains wildlife spectacles, while Borneo rewards travellers with raw, close-up, once-in-a-lifetime encounters in one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems.
Another major difference is in terms of weather. Wildlife tours in Borneo means you will visit a tropical rainforest which is Humid and warm all year. Rain showers is expected throughout the year, not just from November-February. But that is the fun to safari in Rainforest. While in African safari, you can select dry and warm seasons with clearer skies for photography without any rain at all.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Which animals can be seen in Borneo Rainforest Tours?
Bornean pygmy elephants, Clouded leopard (rare), Leopard cat, Marbled cat, Civets of several species, Flying squirrels, Flying lemur, Wild Orangutans, Proboscis monkeys, Red leaf monkeys, Gibbons, Slow loris, tarsier, Hornbills including rhinoceros hornbill, Kingfishers, Borneo peacock pheasant, several sought-after species of Pittas, Bristleheads, crocodiles can be seen during your Borneo Rainforest Tour.
Tracking wildlife is always tricky, and ultimately there is also a chance factor. However, our experienced naturalists knows their forests and the animal’s movement pretty well.
Is it safe to travel to Borneo’s rainforest?
Yes. Sabah’s rainforest destinations are very safe and usually explored with professional guides. Although some countries still issue travel advisories citing kidnapping risk, there was no incident reported recently. The tourism police / Royal Malaysia Police are increasingly active in key tourist areas. Coastal surveillance, maritime patrols, and cooperation between local and federal agencies are strong.
Can families with young kids or seniors visit Borneo Rainforests?
Yes, absolutely. Borneo in general is good for any age-range. At Safari Acacia, we specialise in custom-made itineraries after listening carefully to all your preferences, and advise on the locations in Borneo Rainforest Wildlife Travel accordingly. We also recommend to hire private guides for activities in some locations as that offers more flexibility for families with small kids. Lodges like BRL, KWR, SRL are very family-friendly; in Tabin the hill chalet may be a bit difficult for aged guests and so we always reserve river chalet for our guests visiting Tabin.
Do I need to be very fit?
No. Most activities are light to moderate. At Safari Acacia, we customise guided activities to your comfort level and after understanding your preferences. For example, Kinabatangan is fine for any fitness-level, Danum trekking routes must match your fitness level, Deramakot activity is solely 4WD drives and we can offer shorter drives for the guests who cannot seat for longer hours. We listen to you, so please do not worry about this.
What is the most luxurious rainforest lodge?
Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) is the top luxury lodge in all of Borneo.
What to pack for safari?
Some regular medicines, sunscreen lotion, dust/rain cover for you and your gear, extra batteries and memory cards, multiple power outlets, a safari style hat and sun glass to protect from the Sun. A headlamp is always handy, so is mosquito repellent and antiseptic cream in tropical forests. Clothes not so bright colored, and no perfume during the safari.
Which camera lens do you recommend?
It is recommended to have atleast 300mm reach in all the destinations. The 70-300mm lens is reasonably priced in all brands and is a great all-rounder. If possible, a semi-pro level zoom lens like 150-600mm or 200-600mm with an additional 70-200mm will be perfect. For landscape, a 24-70mm will be handy. Keep in mind that Africa is dusty and it is recommended to attach separate bodies to two different lenses to avoid changing lens on the field.
Is tipping mandatory?
It is a common courtesy to tip your naturalist, driver, guide, cook and porter when on safari. However, it is no way mandatory and you should tip solely based on your satisfaction with service.
Why Book Your Borneo Rainforest Trip With Safari Acacia?
We specialize in Borneo’s rainforest travel and offer:
- Tailor-made itineraries depending on your taste
- Bookings for BRL, KWR, SRL, Deramakot & other good lodges
- Expert nature guides
- Private road/boat transfers
- 24/7 travel support
Travel with confidence – we’ve been there ourselves before we send our guests.
