Excellent introduction to Kuching and the history and culture of Sarawak which, in my view, enhanced the whole trip. Wildlife walks in Bako National Park with guide Alex Lee; seeing a flying Lemur fly was a real highlight.
Sarawak National Parks, Wildlife & A World Heritage Site in 9 Days
Visit Sarawak’s Best National Parks
See Orangutans & Other Local Wildlife
Explore Mulu UNESCO World Heritage Site
This 9-day tour programme enables you to explore the natural beauty of Sarawak national parks (NP). You will see the incredible wildlife of the area, and learn about the culture and the heritage of the region. Cruise through mangrove swamps to spot proboscis monkeys. Hike through primary forests and visit Mulu UNESCO World Heritage Site(opens in a new tab). This itinerary offers something for everyone looking to explore the wonders of Sarawak.
Tour Highlights
Visit a wetlands ecosystem and the wildlife that thrives in it
Spotting Proboscis Monkeys
Night hunting for Bornean Frogs
Get up close with orangutans
Swim in secluded beach
Explore the world’s largest accessible cave passage
Watch millions of bats
Click the Tabs to Find Out More
Itinerary
Trip Details
Price
Contact us for Prices
Departure Time
4 PM at the hotel lobby on the first day of departure
Meeting Point
Your hotel lobby
Scheduled departure dates:
Contact us for available dates
Duration
9 days, 8 nights
Distance
Trekking 20.8 – 22.3km
Difficulty level
Trekking: 2/5 (Moderate to Active) Undulating terrain on single track jungle trail. Cave trails in Mulu.
Number of trekking days
5 full days and 1 half day
Group Size
Minimum 2 adults, for groups of more than 6, please inquire about a special price
Included
- English speaking guide
- Accommodation (Tanjung Datu National Park)
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- Transportation (road & boat)
- Rain ponchos
- Other non-trekking activities as per itinerary
- Entrance fees
Not Included
- Travel insurance
- Flights & airfare
What to Bring
Essential Items
- Multiple sets of sporting clothing
- Multiple sets of spare casual clothing, including long trousers and shorts, hat/cap, swimming costumes, sandals, and extra walking shoes
- Personal care: small towel, toiletries, personal medication, sunscreen, mosquito repellent
- Camera and chargers, dry bag, and torch light
- Extra cash/credit card
- Passport with 6 months validity and spare pages (additional immigration check at Sarawak’s entry points) and travel insurance details
About your guide
From start to finish, your trip will be led by 1 or 2 English-speaking, cycling tour leaders, depending on the size of the group. Along with further support from an assistant and support vehicle driver, the team aims to deliver a comfortable, safe, fun, and enriching travel experience by ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Our local, English-speaking tour leaders take great pride in their heritage (as well as their own personal stories) and are well informed on Borneo’s history, culture, and natural wonders.
Good to Know
- Age restriction: all participants must be aged 12 and over
- Tell us your food preference, accommodation preference, and any other personal requests
- Check out OUR RESPONSIBLE TOURISM COMMITMENT
What You'll Do
This 9-day tour programme enables you to explore the natural beauty of Sarawak national parks (NP). You will see the incredible wildlife of the area, and learn about the culture and heritage of the region. Cruise through mangrove swamps to spot proboscis monkeys. Hike through primary forests and visit Mulu UNESCO World Heritage Site(opens in a new tab). This itinerary offers something for everyone looking to explore the wonders of Sarawak.
Get ready for an exciting adventure as you leave Kuching for a local Malay village. This village lies within the Kuching Wetlands National Park. Cruise along the mangrove river where you’ll have the opportunity to see the rare Irrawaddy dolphin. You can also spot other Sarawak wildlife species that call this complex mangrove ecosystem home.
- Spot the elusive Irrawaddy dolphin and learn about its habitat and behaviour.
- See Proboscis monkeys and crocodiles in their natural habitat.
- Learn about the incredible biodiversity that make up the mangrove ecosystem.
- Look out for water monitor lizards, otters, mudskippers and other fascinating creatures.
- Observe a range of birdlife, including kingfishers and white-bellied sea eagles.
- Discover the importance of black and red mangroves, known as “Bako” to the locals.
- Experience the unique cultural lifestyle of Kampong Salak village.
Accommodation: Own arrangement
Meals: Own arrangement
On day two of the tour, you will experience a thrilling trekking adventure at the Bako National Park. This is one of the best places in Sarawak to witness Borneo’s diverse wildlife in its natural habitat.
- Drive to Kampung Bako jetty and take a boat ride to the National Park headquarters.
- Witness the diverse wildlife of Bako, including proboscis monkeys, macaques, wild boars, snakes, and monitor lizards.
- Explore several trails inside the park, each offering unique sights and ecosystems.
- Witness the stunning coastline of Bako with its cliffs, sea stacks, and sandy beaches.
- Enjoy lunch at the national park canteen.
- Return boat trip back to the mainland with more opportunities for wildlife spotting.
- Transfer back to your city hotel after reaching the Kampung Bako jetty.
Total Trekking Distance: 5km
Accommodation: Own arrangement
Meals: Lunch
On day three, we embark on another wildlife adventure. This time it’s a trip to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. Here you can witness the feeding of endangered orangutans*. Afterward, we’ll have an easy afternoon to explore Kuching before heading to Kubah NP. For a night walk in search of Bornean frogs and other nocturnal creatures.
*Note: these orangutans are semi-wild. They may not appear during the fruiting season.
- Visit Semenggoh Wildlife Centre for the morning feeding session of orangutans.
- Watch orangutans roam freely and enjoy their fruit breakfast.
- Learn about the successful rehabilitation programme for these primates.
- Head back to Kuching for an easy afternoon exploring the city on your own.
- In the evening, go on a fascinating night walk in Kubah National Park to hunt for Bornean frogs.
- Spot over 60 species of frogs in Kubah National Park, including one of the world’s smallest.
- Look out for freshwater crabs, shrimps, forest catfishes, and pitcher plants on the night walk.
Total Trekking Distance: 2km
Accommodation: Own arrangement
Meals: Own arrangement
From Kuching city, take a long road trip to this remote national park in Southwestern Sarawak. Thus offering a unique experience for nature lovers. And here the isolated beach beckons!
- Stop at a local coffee shop or restaurant for an early lunch during the 2-hour drive from Kuching to Sematan town.
- Take a 20-minute boat ride from Telok Melano fishing village to the national park.
- Go on a short walk on either the Telok Upas viewpoint or Belian trail upon arrival.
- Relax on the beach, swim, or visit the turtle hatchery in your leisure time.
- Enjoy dinner at the park HQ.
- Go on a night walk and search for nocturnal wildlife, such as wild boars, sambar deer, and civet cats
- Watch turtles nest at night if any come ashore, but sightings are not guaranteed.
Total Trekking Distance: 2km
Accommodation: Tanjung Datu NP camp shelter
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Here’s what you can expect:
- Jungle trekking along the Pasir Antu Laut trail with a chance to spot gibbons, banded langurs and hornbills.
- A break at the small stream midway on the trek
- A stroll to Antu Laut beach, a pristine and beautiful spot for swimming.
- Marvel at the landscape; huge boulders along the coast and the rainforest right down to the beach.
- Late lunch at the park HQ followed by a free day at leisure.
- Snorkelling near Telok Upas or another walk on the beach or relaxing on the beach.
- Dinner at the park HQ and a chance to watch nocturnal wildlife on a night walk.
- Possibility to watch turtles come ashore at night to nest.
Total Trekking Distance:2.7km
Accommodation: Tanjung Datu NP camp shelter
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy some free and easy time. Relax on the beach or go swimming. Or, you can also go on a short walk on one of the park trails. At around noon, we get on a boat and travel back to Telok Melano, after which we drive to Sematan for lunch. Another 2 hours of driving, then we arrive back in Kuching for your hotel drop-off.
Accommodation: Own arrangement
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Experience the natural wonders of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The only Sarawak national park in the world heritage list. The Gunung Mulu National Park is one of the five world heritage sites of Malaysia. Here you will explore its magnificent caves and watch the bat exodus.
- Check out of your accommodation in Kuching to catch your flight to Mulu.
- Upon arrival in Mulu, transfer to the Park Headquarters for check-in at park chalet.
- Proceed on a 3-km plank walk to explore Deer Cave and Lang Cave.
- Marvel at the enormous size of Deer Cave and the beauty of Lang Cave’s limestone formations.
- Witness the great Mulu bat exodus spectacle at the bats observatory (weather permitting).
- Return journey on the same plank walk back to park headquarters.
Total Trekking Distance: 5.6km
Accommodation: Mulu NP chalet
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
After breakfast, we embark on a journey to discover the wonders of Mulu. From visiting a Penan settlement to exploring two of the world’s most beautiful caves, here’s what’s in store:
- Stop over at Batu Bungan, a Penan settlement, and learn about the lifestyle of the nomadic tribe of Sarawak. Get your hands on some Penan handicrafts.
- Travel by longboat to Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave, located along the Melinau River.
- Marvel at the limestone formations at Wind Cave and feel the cool breezes blowing through the King’s Room.
- Take the 200-steps stairs to the entrance of Clearwater Cave, one of the longest cave systems in the world.
- Relax by the crystal clear water pool outside the cave or take a dip if you like.
- Enjoy a picnic lunch at Clearwater summer huts before heading back to the park headquarters by longboat in the late afternoon.
Total Trekking Distance: 4.7km
Accommodation: Mulu NP chalet
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Enjoy some free time at your own leisure after breakfast at the park canteen. Transfer to Mulu airport for your onward travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our bike tours are fully supported by air-conditioned vehicles, so should you want to put your feet up, there will be a seat for you and a place to put your bike. The support vehicle also carries your luggage, as well as keeping you topped up with water, tropical fruit, and snacks.
Wearing a helmet is strongly recommended on all our biking adventures. Your tour leader will conduct a group cycling safety meeting on day one, as well as a briefing at the beginning of each day on what to expect during the day’s ride. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue but, to a certain degree, you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. For non-biking activities such as kayaking, safety measures such as life-jackets are compulsory and a separate safety briefing will be given before the start of each activity.
Meals and snacks are included as per the itinerary. We take care in our planning to include the best of Sarawak cuisine, including delicacies from a mixture of Dayak, Malay, and Chinese cuisine that all use local, fresh ingredients from the tropics. Some can be hot and spicy. We eat dinner together, Malaysian style, by sharing all of our delicious dishes. Alcoholic drinks are available at your own expense, but they might not be served in some Muslim halal restaurants.
We have carefully chosen the best available accommodation in different locations with friendly, local hosts. To ensure your comfort after a hard day in the saddle, we strive to offer a range of accommodation that is clean, comfortable, and represents the local culture. The type of lodging can vary depending on the location and what is available: a local tribal homestay, a jungle lodge, a national park cabin, a historical shophouse, and seaside resorts. Rooms are based on a sharing basis with double beds and if you are a single traveler, you might be paired with another traveler of the same sex unless you pay the single supplement.
The details of the number of cycling days, cycling distances, and difficulty levels for each tour are listed in the fact sheet. All our trips require basic fitness, preferably acquired through cycling. The fitter you are, the more you’ll enjoy the riding. However, we try to make our Sarawak bike tours as accessible as possible with the average cycling distance of 30-40 km per day and the longest distance no more than 70 km. Most cycling terrains are on paved roads (and limited gravel tracks) with some undulations.
Being on the equator, Borneo is generally hot (average daily temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius) and humid, especially around noon. Therefore, we like to start our day early and rest at points of interest during the hottest part of the day. Short rain showers are fairly common during the mid to late afternoon but we provide waterproof ponchos for continuous riding, which can actually be very entertaining.
Once you have booked your tour, we will send you a pre-tour information pack that will have all the information you need to prepare for the tour, such as the packing list and joining instruction, etc.
Solo travelers are always welcome and those who would like their own room have the option of paying a single supplement. Otherwise, we will arrange for a shared room with another solo traveler (of the same sex) at no extra cost. If there is no roommate available, we will cover the additional cost of a single room.
We include very limited corporate insurance coverage with minimum coverage. It is a condition of participating in a Paradesa Borneo that each traveler holds his or her own travel insurance for the duration of the trip. It needs to include coverage of medical expenses, emergency evacuation, personal liability, and accident insurance. You should email us a copy of your insurance coverage for our reference in case of an emergency.
The official currency is the Malaysian ringgit (RM). Foreign currencies are not generally accepted and currency exchange is only available in major banks, as well as larger hotels. Credit cards can be used only in larger hotels and shops. ATMs are widely available in cities and towns, but you’ll need cash in villages to pay for some extra meals, drinks, activities, and, of course, shopping. There will be limited opportunities to spend money whilst cycling through rural areas outside of personal items, extra snacks, drinks, and the odd souvenir. Tipping at restaurants and for local guides and support staff is uncommon. Should however you feel the staff/guides have provided excellent service you may wish to give them some form of gratuity. We recommend that you bring an equivalent of US$ 400 (in Malaysian ringgit) for incidentals.
See What Our Guests Are Saying
She was great fun and was flexible with the itinerary so we got maximum enjoyment… We had great support on the road too with Max and Francis and JC the boss came out to visit us (group of 6) one evening and we enjoyed a mega party. A great indigenous company, young and efficient, and I would highly recommend them.
