13 May 2027
Twin share
£4,119pp
Single from £4,119
Escorted tour
Solo Wild Borneo – 10 Days
Kinabalu and the Kinabatangan River for solo travellers, with a room of your own.
10 days
From £3,869
Tour overview
This 10-day holiday is designed for people travelling on their own, with a room of your own and no single supplement. A holiday director hosts the group, which numbers between fifteen and twenty-seven. You stay nine nights in three- and four-star hotels and jungle lodges, with twenty-two meals included.
From Kota Kinabalu you explore the Kiulu countryside and the market at Papar, then travel into Kinabalu National Park, home to Mount Kinabalu and extraordinary plant life. Crossing the Kundasang highlands, you reach Sandakan.
Read more
Two nights at Abai Jungle Lodge on the lower Kinabatangan River bring cruises in search of proboscis monkeys, orangutans and hornbills, followed by a night at a riverside lodge in Sukau before you return to Sandakan for a farewell dinner.
The physical rating is low. This holiday suits solo travellers who want to see Borneo’s wildlife in good company.
Trip highlights
-
The Kiulu countryside (Day 2)
-
Papar market (Day 3)
-
Kinabalu National Park (Day 4)
-
Abai Jungle Lodge (Days 6–7)
-
Kinabatangan River cruises (Days 6–8)
Your route
10 stops from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan
- Kota Kinabalu Days 1–3
- Kiulu Day 2
- Papar Day 3
- Poring Hot Springs Day 4
- Ranau Day 4
- Sandakan Day 5
- Sepilok Day 6
- Abai Days 6–7
- Sukau Day 8
- Sandakan Days 9–10
Why choose this tour
Designed for solo travellers, with a room of your own. Twenty-two meals included.
Best suited to
- Solo travellers
- Wildlife lovers
- First-time visitors to Borneo
- Travellers who value company
Day-by-day itinerary
10 days from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to Sandakan, Malaysia
-
Day 1 · Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu
A welcome dinner.
- Hotel
- Horizon Hotel
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 2 · Kiulu Kiulu
The countryside.
- Hotel
- Horizon Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
-
Day 3 · Papar Papar
A local market.
- Hotel
- Horizon Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
-
Day 4 · Kinabalu National Park, Ranau Kinabalu
Below Mount Kinabalu.
- Hotel
- Kinabalu Pine Resort
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 5 · Kundasang, Sandakan Sandakan
Across the highlands.
- Hotel
- Sabah Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
-
Day 6 · Abai Abai
To the river.
- Hotel
- Abai Jungle Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 7 · Kinabatangan River Abai
River cruises.
- Hotel
- Abai Jungle Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 8 · Sukau Sukau
A riverside lodge.
- Hotel
- Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 9 · Sandakan Sandakan
A farewell dinner.
- Hotel
- Sabah Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 10 · Sandakan Sandakan
The holiday ends.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Kota Kinabalu (3 nights) Horizon Hotel
- Kinabalu (1 night) Kinabalu Pine Resort
- Sandakan (1 night) Sabah Hotel
- Abai (2 nights) Abai Jungle Lodge
- Sukau (1 night) Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge
- Sandakan (1 night) Sabah Hotel
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 9 nights with a room of your own
- Meals 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners
- Road and boat transport
- Kiulu, Papar and Kinabalu National Park
- Kinabatangan River cruises
- Holiday director throughout
Not included
- Flights
- Meals not included 1 lunch and 3 dinners
- Optional excursions
- Travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You are travelling as a couple
- You want a small group
- You want an active holiday
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–10 · Lunch: Days 2–8 · Dinner: Days 1, 4 and 6–9
FCDO advice
UK FCDO travel advice for Malaysia
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £3,869 per person, twin share, tour only. 9 upcoming departures.
05 Jun 2027
Twin share
£3,869pp
Single from £3,869
24 Jul 2027
Twin share
£4,239pp
Single from £4,239
04 Sept 2027
Twin share
£4,079pp
Single from £4,079
02 Oct 2027
Twin share
£3,919pp
Single from £3,919
13 May 2028
Twin share
£4,079pp
Single from £4,079
15 Jul 2028
Twin share
£4,419pp
Single from £4,419
02 Sept 2028
Twin share
£4,249pp
Single from £4,249
21 Oct 2028
Twin share
£4,079pp
Single from £4,079
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Is this only for solo travellers?
Yes, everyone has a room of their own with no single supplement.
Are flights included?
No, you make your own way to Kota Kinabalu.
Do I need a visa for Malaysia?
UK citizens don’t need a visa for Malaysia for tourist stays, but must complete the digital arrival card.
How many meals are included?
Twenty-two: nine breakfasts, seven lunches and six dinners.
Will I see orangutans?
Possibly in the wild along the Kinabatangan, though sightings aren’t guaranteed.
Who hosts the holiday?
A holiday director travels with the group.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary