4 Days 3 Nights Nature Tours
Experience Sabah wildlife from island beaches to rainforest rivers on this four-day Sandakan nature tour.
Begin with Selingan Turtle Island, where you stay overnight in a chalet and join the evening turtle conservation program with the park ranger. Continue to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre before travelling to Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort on the Kinabatangan River.
The trip includes river cruises, a resort-area jungle trek, full board meals, transfers from Sandakan, and an English-speaking guide throughout the listed activities.
Tour Overview
Start: Sandakan
End: Sandakan
Duration
Departure Time
Minimum guests
Meals
Accommodation
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Why you'll love this trip
Stay overnight on Selingan Turtle Island and follow the ranger-led evening turtle program, with the chance to observe nesting, egg transfer to the hatchery and hatchling release.
Visit two of Sandakan's best-known wildlife centres in one route: Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.
Continue to the Kinabatangan River for repeated wildlife cruises from Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort, giving you morning and late-afternoon opportunities to search for wildlife and birds.
Balance island time, conservation visits, river cruises and a jungle trek within the resort area over a compact four-day itinerary.
Keep logistics simple with hotel within Sandakan or Sandakan Airport pickup, boat transfers, overland transfers, accommodation and full board meals arranged as part of the tour.
Travel with an English-speaking guide and stay close to the wildlife areas instead of returning to Sandakan each night.
Itinerary
Day 1 • Sandakan / Selingan Turtle Island
Begin with pickup from your hotel within Sandakan or Sandakan Airport, then transfer to the jetty for the boat journey to Selingan Turtle Island. On arrival, check in to your island chalet and enjoy free time to relax by the beach. Swimming and snorkelling may be possible when weather and sea conditions permit.
After dinner, join the ranger-led turtle program. Depending on natural activity and park operations, you may witness a turtle laying eggs, the transfer of eggs to the hatchery, and hatchlings being released to the sea.
Overnight in a chalet on Selingan Turtle Island.
Day 2 • Selingan / Sepilok / Kinabatangan River
After breakfast at about 7:00 am, depart Selingan Turtle Island by boat and return to Sandakan. Continue to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, then visit Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.
Lunch is served at Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Restaurant. At about 12:45 pm, depart for the Kinabatangan River area, a journey of roughly 2.5 hours by road.
Arrive at Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort for refreshments and a safety briefing. At around 4:00 pm, join your first Kinabatangan River cruise before returning to the resort for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 • Bilit / Kinabatangan River
Rise early for a morning cruise along the Kinabatangan River, a rewarding time to look for wildlife and birdlife as the forest wakes up.
Return to the resort for breakfast, then join a jungle trek within the resort area for a closer look at the rainforest environment. Lunch is served back at the resort.
In the late afternoon, board another river cruise and continue searching the riverbanks for wildlife before dinner and another overnight stay at Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort.
Day 4 • Kinabatangan River / Sandakan
Start the final day with one more early morning cruise on the Kinabatangan River, giving you a last chance to observe wildlife and birds from the water.
Return to the resort for breakfast, then check out and travel back to Sandakan. Your tour ends with drop-off at Sandakan Airport or your hotel within Sandakan.
Inclusions and activities
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Transfers and guide
hotel within Sandakan or Sandakan Airport pickup, boat transfers for Selingan Turtle Island, overland transfers to Sepilok and Kinabatangan, and an English-speaking guide for the listed activities.
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Accommodation and meals
One night at a Selingan Turtle Island chalet, two nights at Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort, and full board meals as stated in the itinerary.
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Wildlife centres and river activities
Visits to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, plus Kinabatangan river cruises and a resort-area jungle trek.
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Selingan turtle program
Evening ranger program on Selingan Turtle Island, with turtle nesting, hatchery transfer and hatchling release when conditions allow.
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Sepilok and sun bear visits
Continue from the island to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre before lunch.
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Kinabatangan cruises and trek
Join early morning and late afternoon river cruises from Bilit, plus a jungle trek within the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort area.
Before you book you should know
Important notes
Wildlife experiences are subject to natural behaviour, weather, sea conditions, river level, park rules and centre operations. Turtle nesting, hatchling release, orangutan visibility, sun bear activity and river wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Swimming and snorkelling on Selingan Turtle Island are weather and sea-condition dependent. Follow all ranger, guide and resort instructions during island, centre, boat and jungle activities.
Accommodation is arranged at a Selingan Turtle Island chalet and Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort, subject to availability and booking configuration. Please advise rooming preferences when booking.
Please allow enough buffer for onward flights after the tour, as boat and road transfers may be affected by sea, weather, traffic or local conditions. Camera fees, if charged by any site or authority, are payable directly on site unless stated otherwise.