Terra Incognita \"ter-a-in-kag-net-a"\ [L] (1616): unknown territory: an unexplored country.

Borneo

Red Ape Encounter


Wild male Bornean Orangutan, Kinabatangan River, Borneo

With Cleveland Zoo Society, Philadelphia Zoo and Houston Zoological Society
12 days and 11 nights
Saturday 14th August to Wednesday 25th August, 2010

Well known as the Land Below the Wind and also Land of the Sacred Mountain, Sabah on the island of Borneo, is a land of varied landscapes and natural wonders. Borneo is also the home of many National Parks and an abundance of tropical wildlife and nature. Our itineraries take us on a journey covering local cultures, a World Heritage Site, the base of the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, and a trip upon the Kinabatangan River ; one of Borneo's longest and most majestic rivers. The river and its surrounding rainforest wetlands make up one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. We end with a few days on Lankayan Island, where Sea Turtles share the beach with us and the waters are teeming with tropical life. From our beginnings on Mount Kinabalu, to the Kinabatangan River to the Sulu Sea, we will travel across the north-eastern region of Malysian Borneo. Our trip will offer us an opportunity to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Centre where these primates are rehabilitated for future release programs, and from there on to the village of Sukau, home of the Kinabatangan Orangutan and Elephant Conservation Programs. While in Sukau, we will travel with local staff to look for Elephants and view Orag-utans, Proboscis Monkeys, Hornbills and many other wildlife species using the river as our highway.

This is an Ecotour that will make a difference to you, and to the areas we visit.
We will make a contribution to the Red Ape Encounters Community-based Ecotourism Project.
We will employ local people.
We will use locally owned and operated lodges and outfitters.
We will use local goods and services.

Group size is always restricted to 16 individuals.

Cost per person is $5,499 and does NOT include International Airfare
Single supplement is $1,000 per person

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Saturday 14th August. Departure from USA
Today you fly from home to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia crossing the International Dateline en route.
(D)

Day 2: Sunday 15th August. In flight
We crossed the International Dateline and continue our flight into Kota Kinabalu. All meals in flight.
(B,L,D)

Day 3: Monday 16th August. Kota Kinabalu
Today we arrive into Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival into Kota Kinabalu we are met by our guide from Red Ape Encounters, a community-based Orang-utan ecotourism project. We drive just ten minutes to our luxury lodgings at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort Hotel located directly on the South China Sea for an overnight stay. Guestrooms are decorated in traditional Borneo textures and colors and offer balconies with views of the gardens, sea and outlying islands. Resort amenities include seven restaurants and bars, health club, spa, nine-hole pitch and putt golf course, tennis and two swimming pools. The afternoon and evening is at leisure to recover from jetlag.
Overnight at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort Hotel (B,L,D)


Mount Kinabalu, Borneo

Day 4: Tuesday 17th August. Kota Kinabalu / Sepilok
After breakfast we will begin our drive across the northern portion of the island to Sepilok in Sandakan district, located on the east coast of Sabah. We will stop for lunch along the way at the base of Mount Kinabalu and take some time to stretch our legs on a guided trail. Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia and is famous for its diversity of pitcher plants and orchids. After our walk we will continue our trip to Sandakan, gateway to Sabah's amazing wildlife. We will be staying within walking distance of the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre at the Sepilok Nature Resort. After dinner we will go on a guided night walk in the Sepilok forest.
Overnight at Sepilok Nature Resort (B,L,D)

Day 5: Wednesday 18th August. Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre
After breakfast, we proceed for Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre is an initiative of the Sabah Wildlife Department to rehabilitate and train young Orang-utans to survive again in the wild. Visitors view these red apes during their feeding time from an observation platform followed by audio visual presentation of the rehabilitation initiatives. Observe the difference of rehabilitated Orang-utans and wild ones in the lower Kinabatangan forest. We plan to attend both the morning and afternoon feedings here at the Centre. Immediately after the afternoon feeding we will depart for the Kinabatangan River, a two-hour drive, and then transfer by boat to our lodge on the banks of the Kinabatangan River
Overnight at Kinabatangan River Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6: Thursday 19th August. Sukau, Kinabatangan River
Sukau is a village situated along the lower reaches of Sabah's longest river, the Kinabatangan River. The lower Kinabatangan is the last remaining large tract of wetlands in Malaysia which has enormous wildlife diversity including a number of species endemic to the island of Borneo such as the Orang-utan, Proboscis monkey and Bornean "Pygmy" elephant. During our stay in Sukau, we will be visiting the recently protected 26,000 hectare Lower Kinabatangan Conservation Area, a region where both the Houston Zoo and Cleveland Zoo are working closely with local conservation organizations to protect orang-utans and elephants. Our program in Sukau will be learning about conservation initiatives on orang-utans and becoming part of the conservation effort.

We plan to go on boat cruises up and down the Kinabatangan River looking for wildlife including Orang-utans, Proboscis Monkeys and much more. In the evening we will present a slideshow on the orang-utan research, conservation, community involvement and overview of Kinabatangan ecology.
Overnight at Kinabatangan River Lodge (B,L,D)


Crab-eating Macaque, seen in forest along Kinabatangan River, Borneo

Day 7: Friday 20th August. Full day at Orang-utan study site with Red Ape Encounters
Today we depart early on a boat to the Orang-utan study site. Off-limits to regular tourists, our support of Red Ape Encounters assures us of a behind-the-scenes visit, it provides unprecedented access to forest where only researchers are normally allowed. Orang-utans are endemic to Borneo and Sumatra and this is one of the few remaining study sites of wild Orang-utans. The site is situated in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Meet with Research Officers in the field, join their research activities to understand and observe the behavior of these wild red apes. You will also learn more conservation initiatives underway to protect and conserve the species and their habitat. We will return to lodge for lunch.

Late this afternoon we will drive to Gomantong Cave, which is famous for it's large colonies of insectivorous bats and swiftlets. For centuries, the caves have been renowned for their valuable edible swiftlet nests which are harvested for bird's nest soup. The bird's nest collection is an ancient tradition and the trading of these nests has been done since at least 500AD. Twice a year, from February to April and July to September, locals with licenses climb to the roof of the caves, using only rattan ladders, ropes and bamboo poles, and collect the nests. The first collection takes place early in the breeding season before the swiftlets lay their eggs. The birds then make another nest in which they lay their eggs. If we are lucky our visit should coincide with the daily exodus of bats from within the cave out to feed over the forest and river system - a truly incredible spectacle. After dinner, we go on a night cruise to look for nocturnal animals, along the banks of the Kinbatangan River.
Overnight at Kinabatangan River Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 8: Saturday 21st August. Sukau - Kinabatangan River
We will cruise in the morning to an oxbow lake. An oxbow lake is like a crescent shaped lake lying alongside the Kinabatangan River. This lake was created over time and separated from the main river as erosion and deposits of soil changed the river's course. This lake is one of the best places to go bird watching and sometimes, wild orang utans are spotted in this quiet and serene lake. The lake is also important as a breeding ground for fresh water fish.

Later in the morning, we tour the village of Sukau - this is an opportunity to learn about the culture of the "Orang Sungai" (River People) of Kinabatangan. In the late afternoon, we will go on a river cruise until sunset. This is the time when wildlife is at its most active behavior. Aboard your river boat, you will cruise with your nature guide to search for the proboscis monkeys, snakes, birds and many others. This is an awesome encounter, we simply dock at the rivers edge to watch their peculiar behavior. On a fine weather, the day is usually complimented with a beautiful sunset.

Tonight there will be a BBQ dinner (if weather permits) and cultural performance.
Overnight at Kinabatangan River Lodge (B,L,D)


Borneo Pygmy Elephants, Kinabatangan River, Borneo

Day 9: Sunday 22nd August. Kinabatangan River to Lankayan Island
At 7am after breakfast we leave for Sandakan to catch a boat to Lankayan Island. Lankayan Island is a much acclaimed tropical island offering everything from great beaches to fantastic snorkel and dive sites - indeed the island boasts more than 30 dive sites including two wrecks! Lankayan Island has been declared part of an immense Marine Protected Area, and is situated within the "Sea Turtle Corridor" - indeed Lankayan is a nesting and foraging ground for several species of Sea Turtles including most commonly the Green Sea Turtle and the Hawksbill Sea Turtle. We spend a couple of days here to explore the island, swim, dive or snorkel.
Overnight at Lankayan Island Resort(B,L,D)

Day 10: Monday 23rd August. Lankayan Island
We have a whole day to explore the island, look for Sea Turtles, swim, dive snorkel or just relax!
Overnight at Lankayan Island (B,L,D)

Day 11: Tuesday 24th August. Lankayan Island to Kota Kinabalu
This morning we must leave our tropical paradise, and take a boat back to Sandakan. We have time for a short city tour of Sandakan before our flight back to Kota Kinabalu. At Kota Kinabalu we transfer back to the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort where we began our trip and which sits on 25 acres of lushly landscaped gardens, 10 minutes away from the airport and city centre. We enjoy our Farewell Dinner this evening in the hotel.
Overnight at Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort (B,L,D)

Day 12: Wednesday 25th August. Kota Kinabalu to Home
This morning we board our flights back home and cross the International Dateline enroute home.
(B,L,D)

Price Includes:

Not included:

International Air Travel - International air is not included in the price of your trip, but we would be happy to have you work with AirTreks, our preferred preferred provider of international air arrangements. We recommend our customers work directly with AirTreks as they coordinate your international flights directly with Ecotours and enable you to arrive at your destination at the times specified for your tour. Please contact AirTreks at ecotours@airtreks.com for more information on international air travel, a no obligation cost estimate of your international flights and complete international air itinerary planning.

Make sure to mention Terra Incognita Ecotours when you contact AirTreks to receive preferred pricing, and recommended travel itineraries specifically developed for your tour.

Travel Information

Thanks for choosing Borneo with Terra Incognita Ecotours, Inc. It is our pleasure to help you plan for your upcoming ecotour. To ensure that your travel arrangements are made to your satisfaction, please take a few minutes to read through this information.

What you need to have with you on your trip:
Passport: If you are a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you will need a passport, valid for six months from the date of completion of your trip.

It is always a good idea to make a photocopy of your airline tickets and of the pages of your passport that have the number, your photograph and other pertinent information. Keep the copies separate from the originals.

Visas: Please consult the Borneo consulate or embassy nearest you for visa requirements to enter Borneo. If a visa is required, you are responsible for obtaining it.

Documents for children under the age of 18, not traveling with both parents: The U.S. government is increasingly requiring that minors under 18 years of age traveling alone, with grandparents, or with one parent/legal guardian only, carry a notarized document signed by both parents or by the parent/legal guardian not traveling with the child. We suggest you obtain such a document (noting the age of the child, relationship to traveling adult(s), dates of travel, and destination) to avoid potential problems. For example, in the case of divorce, the parent with legal custody must sign the permit, and the accompanying adult must carry proof of this fact. In addition, if the child’s surname differs from that of either parent, you may want to carry the child’s birth certificate.

Emergency Contact number while on your ecotour:
Call COLLECT (813) 476-2810

Practical Information

Borneo (administratively divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei) is the third largest island in the World. It has an area of 743,330 km² (287,000 square miles), and is located at the centre of the Malay archipelago and Indonesia. Borneo is considered to be part of the geographic region of Southeast Asia. Borneo is in fact only a western reference and the term is rarely used locally; the name Borneo itself was only given by the Dutch during their colonial period. In Indonesia, the island is always referred to as Kalimantan while in Malaysia the northern section is referred to as East Malaysia, as opposed to western reference of Malaysian Borneo.


Wild male Proboscis Monkey, mangrove forest along Kinabatangan River, Borneo

Currency: The currency of Borneo, where we will be visiting is the Malaysia Ringitt (MYR). The exchange rate as of January 2007 was 1 US$ = 3.51 MYR. Major credit cards are generally accepted at hotels and larger stores. U.S. dollars are accepted in Borneo, so we suggest you carry U.S. currency in small denominations for smaller purchases such as taxis, refreshments or miscellaneous expenses.

Health: All information we obtain regarding health precautions is received from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta at 404.332.4559 or www.cdc.gov.

Please note that Terra Incognita Ecotours, Inc., as a travel company, is in no way authorized to prescribe any inoculations or medications. We recommend that you consult your personal physician for medical advice, showing him or her the brochure that indicates the places you will be visiting. Your physician is most familiar with your personal medical history and is best qualified to determine your particular needs. It is always advisable to have physical and dental check-ups before you leave.

At the present time, no specific immunizations are required for this ecotour, although the CDC recommends the following:

Please also note

Swimming There may be several opportunities to swim during the ecotour. You should bring a couple of swimsuits. Since you will have time to swim, for added protection from the sun you may wish to wear a T-shirt while swimming.


Male Orangutan, Borneo

Time Difference: Borneo is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Weather: Borneo enjoys a sunny tropical climate year-round with temperatures generally between 75° and 85°. However, it is certainly an equatorial country and because of the consistent high humidity it feels hot year-round. The rainy season is November to February, but is somewhat unpredictable as tropical showers rarely last for any length of time.

Please remember that the sun’s rays are more vertical than you may be used to, so you can sunburn more easily. Be careful of the midday sun.