Borneo
|
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of accommodation as detailed above, all meals, return flight London - Kota Kinabalu, domestic flights as described, airport taxes, minibus transport, admissions and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tips to local guides and drivers, drinks and other personal expenses. These trips will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays Leaders: 2011: Keith Grant and local guides 2012: Paul Harvey and local guides |
Join us for a cocktail of birds, mammals, butterflies and orchids on our adventure to the lowland and montane forests of the Malaysian province of Sabah in Northern Borneo. |
||
|
The magnificent birdlife of Borneo, the world's third largest island, parallels that of the bountiful Malay Peninsula, but includes numerous species that do not occur there - among them thirty or more endemics.
We begin our tour of this remarkable island amongst the oldest rainforests on earth. Kinabalu National Park is a World Heritage Site and boasts Asia's highest mountain peak. Its maze of trails will lead us to a huge range of birds and, hopefully, the first of Borneo's endemics. Among the major attractions of the Mount Kinabalu area are a number of elusive but sought-after avian gems such as the glistening-green Whitehead's Broadbill and striking Whitehead's Trogon, Black-breasted Fruit-hunter and the shy Crimson-headed Partridge. Also to be seen here are more than 700 species of orchid and 600 different ferns - many of them found nowhere else on earth. Perhaps most intriguing amongst the plants are the Nepenthes pitcher plants, with their intricate traps for insects, eight species of which are found within this amazing National Park. Next, we fly across Borneo and travel to the delightful Borneo Rainforest Lodge, set deep in primary rainforest above a bend on the Danum River. The Danum Valley Conservation Area is one of the world's finest lowland rainforests and boasts a huge species list. Gigantic trees, some towering upwards to eighty metres or more, create the tallest canopy of any rainforest. Here we will endeavour to find more of Borneo's superb forest birds. The prospect of looking for such treats as Great Argus (largest of all the pheasants), the spectacular Rhinoceros Hornbill, the whacky Bornean Bristlehead, the aptly-named Pygmy White-eye and the furtive Bornean Wren-babbler can't fail to guarantee an exciting stay. Danum is also probably the best place in the world to encounter a wild Orang-utan! We travel back, stopping at some superb caves, complete with thousands of Edible-nest, Black-nest, Mossy-nest and Glossy Swiftlets, as well as Wrinkle-lipped Bats. We stay until dusk to watch the bats emerge on their nightly forays over the forest - usually with Bat Hawks and Peregrines in attendance to pick them off. We then stay at a wonderful riverside lodge at Sukau, where we will explore the river and mangrove forest for elegant egrets, kingfishers, Oriental Darter, and vividly coloured bee-eaters and hornbills. This is a great spot for mammals too, and we have chances to encounter the extraordinary Proboscis Monkey, yet another of Borneo's weird and wonderful endemic creatures. The tour will conclude with a morning on a lovely island where the snorkelling can be superb and where we could find Tabon Scrubfowl, before our flight home. Itinerary Day 1 We catch a scheduled flight from London to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, and connect with a flight to Kota Kinabalu (in the state of Sabah in Borneo), arriving there the next day. Days 2 - 5 From the airport we travel directly to the Kinabalu National Park for a four-night stay. Mount Kinabalu, at 4,101m, is South-east Asia's highest peak. The park has been declared a World Heritage Site, the first in Malaysia, and boasts a huge range of endemic plant and animal species. Lush lowland rainforest gives way to montane oak, rhododendron and conifer forests with increasing altitude, culminating in the alpine meadow plants and stunted bushes of the summit zone. Its isolation has given rise to the evolution of a fantastic array of endemic species, which together with the variety of habitats gives Kinabalu probably the richest floral diversity of any area of its size in the world. We are based in an excellent location to view some of Borneo's endemic montane birdlife. Mixed feeding flocks rove the forest edge, bringing Hair-crested and Ashy Drongos, Bornean Treepie, Chestnut-capped and Sunda Laughingthrushes, White-throated Fantail and crowds of Chestnut-crested Yuhinas and Black-capped White-eyes our way to enjoy. Despite its bright red belly, the endemic Whitehead's Trogon sits unobtrusively beneath the canopy. Other species we shall be watching for include Golden-naped, Bornean and Mountain Barbets, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, the brilliantly green Whitehead's Broadbill, Black-breasted Fruit-hunter, Bornean Stubtail, Mountain Leaf and Yellow-breasted Warblers, Black-and-crimson Oriole, Mountain Blackeye and the stunning Short-tailed Magpie. Mammals include over ten species of squirrel, including Giant Squirrel and the endemic Kinabalu Squirrel. We shall also pay a visit to Mountain Garden, with its collection of orchids, rhododendrons and pitcher plants, for an idea of what can be encountered along the well-maintained trails. On one day we drive to Poring Hot Springs, which is located at much lower altitude, near the foot of the mountain. En route, we make a stop at Nabalu village to savour local fruits and to bargain for the handicrafts. Nearby we can walk trails and observe wildlife on the canopy walkway 100 feet above the forest floor. Occasionally the dramatic Rafflesia keithii (nothing to do with our leader!), which produces one of the world's largest and most remarkable flowers, can be found in bloom nearby. The range of possible birds today will be different too, with Maroon and Rufous Woodpeckers, Moustached Babbler, Everett's White-eye, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and Bornean Spiderhunter among many lowland rainforest treats to watch for. Four nights Kinabalu NP Days 6 - 8 After breakfast we return to Kota Kinabalu for our domestic flight to Lahat Datu. We travel on to the Danum Valley, one of the world's most splendid lowland rainforests, where we stay at Borneo Rainforest Lodge, established to show that tourism can help to protect this superb area. Within the area there are some good trails and canopy walks to view the abundant wildlife on offer. The rainforests of South-east Asia are unsurpassed, containing more tree species than in Amazonia and a fantastic range of birds, including hornbills, barbets, minivets, kingfishers, broadbills, trogons - and many, many more! Danum is probably the best area to look for some of Borneo's trickier species, such as pittas and the shy Great Argus Pheasant, whose distinctive call can be heard from over a kilometre away. Among a host of sought-after species are the endemic Bornean Bristlehead, White-crowned Shama, Pygmy White-eye, the furtive Bornean Wren-Babbler, Bornean Blue Flycatcher, animated Yellow-rumped, Yellow-breasted and Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers, and the elusive Bornean Ground Cuckoo. More widespread forest dwellers we may encounter include Oriental Honey Buzzard, Crested Serpent Eagle, Emerald Dove, the entertaining Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Raffles's and Red-billed Malkohas, Red-naped and Scarlet-rumped Trogons, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Banded, Green and Black-and-yellow Broadbills, Fiery Minivet, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler and Spectacled Spiderhunter. The list of possible species is long and our days are sure to be filled with great birding. Among the mammals we could see are wild Bornean Gibbons, Red Giant Flying Squirrels and Bearded Pigs. Danum is probably the best place in the world to encounter a wild Orang-utan - no guarantees of course, but we will do our best! We'll also have a chance to go on a nightwalk, to encounter some truly amazing mammals, including a tiny primate, the Western Tarsier. In all, we spend three nights at the splendid Borneo Rainforest Lodge, set deep in primary rainforest above a bend on the Danum River, with abundant butterflies in the garden including several species of magnificent birdwing. Three nights Danum Valley Conservation Area. Day 9 After a final morning at Danum, we return to Lahat Datu, and continue on by road to the Gomantong Caves, the largest birds' nest caves in Sabah, famous for swiftlets and their edible nests. These include Edible-nest, Black-nest, Mossy-nest and Glossy Swiftlets as well as Wrinkle-lipped Bats. We stay till sundown, when a spectacular exodus of thousands of bats can be observed as they leave the cave in search of food over the forest - and several Bat Hawks are usually in attendance, too. Our destination this evening is Bilit Rainforest Lodge, Sukau. Overnight Bilit Rainforest Lodge Day 10 The Kinabatangan River is the longest river in Sabah. Here can be found the greatest concentration of wildlife in the whole of Borneo. The main river is lined with forest on fertile alluvial terraces. Behind these are extensive, low-lying forested swamps which are usually waterlogged and flooded. Within these swamps, scattered hills and lakes dot the landscape. From our excellent riverside lodge, we will visit the oxbow lakes and mangroves which should be teeming with birds. Mammals abound in this area and we may see the bizarre Proboscis Monkey, a species endemic to Borneo, feeding in the mangrove forests. These placid vegetarians live in groups of up to twenty or more and always sleep next to water amongst the mangroves. Other primates include the superb Maroon Langur and Crab-eating Macaque. We may also encounter Asian Elephants. The lower Kinabatangan is excellent for birdwatching, with egrets, kingfishers, darters, vividly coloured bee-eaters and hornbills, the star amongst them being the incomparable Rhinoceros Hornbill. Overhead we can look for soaring Grey-headed and Lesser Fish Eagles, while in the evenings we'll keep an eye open for Buffy Fish Owl. The rare Storm's Stork can also be found in the area. Overnight Bilit Rainforest Lodge Day 11 After a final morning at Sukau, we travel to the local airport and fly back to Kota Kinabalu, with a visit to Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre if time permits. Overnight Kota Kinabalu Day 12 Our final morning is spent on a trip to lovely Manukan Island where the snorkelling is fantastic and birding can be good with Tabon Scrubfowl, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher and Mangrove Whistler to be seen. We return to the hotel for lunch before a late afternoon transfer to the airport for a flight to London via Kuala Lumpur. Arrival in London on Day 13, where our tour concludes. Accommodation Lodges and hotels with all rooms en suite Numbers : Max. 14 clients |
|
UK Tel: 01305 267994, UK Fax: 01305 265506, International Tel: +44-1305-267994, International Fax: +44-1305-265506
email: info@naturalist.co.uk