Borneo is one of the few places left where “jungle” still means jungle: ancient rainforest older than the Amazon, rivers the colour of strong tea, and wildlife that seems to have been designed by a committee with a sense of humour. There’s the orangutan, who looks at you with an expression of mild disappointment; the proboscis monkey, whose nose is a matter of some local pride; and the pygmy elephant, which is exactly as adorable as it sounds.
The big question on any Borneo trip is how wild you want to go. Orangutan sanctuaries guarantee close encounters, river cruises bring you wild animals in their own habitat, and the deepest reserves take you to places where the night walks are genuinely thrilling. This guide compares every Borneo tour we offer, with who each suits and its honest drawback.
The quick answer
- For Sarawak and Sabah in depth, pick Borneo: Sarawak & Sabah Discovery.
- For Mulu’s bat flight and a nocturnal safari, pick the Borneo Wildlife Discoverer.
- For flights and every meal included, pick Best of Borneo with Flights.
- If you are travelling alone, pick Solo Wild Borneo.
- If you are 18 to 35, pick Real Borneo, with a village trek and snorkelling.
Every Borneo tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarawak and Sabah | ||||||
| Borneo: Sarawak & Sabah Discovery – 16 Days | 16 | £3,950 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Both states in depth, with Mulu and Tabin |
| Borneo Wildlife Discoverer – 15 Days | 15 | £4,159 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Mulu's bats and a night safari |
| Best of Borneo with Flights – 16 Days | 16 | £5,190 pp incl. flights | Medium | Max 28 | Yes | Everything included, with flights |
| Sabah only | ||||||
| Solo Wild Borneo – 10 Days | 10 | £3,869 pp | Low | Max 27 | No | Solo travellers, room of your own |
| Real Borneo: Orangutans, Kinabatangan & Kiulu – 10 Days | 10 | £567 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | 18 to 35s, village trek and snorkelling |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us which Borneo tour fits →
How wild is wild?
Sanctuaries (guaranteed, close up). At Sepilok in Sabah and Semenggoh in Sarawak, orphaned and rescued orangutans are rehabilitated to live in the forest. They come to feeding platforms, so sightings are likely, though they’re free to stay away. Next door to Sepilok, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre cares for the world’s smallest bears.
Rivers (wild, from a boat). The Kinabatangan River is one of the best places in Asia to see wildlife. Dawn and dusk cruises bring proboscis monkeys, macaques, hornbills, crocodiles, wild orangutans if you’re lucky and, with real luck, pygmy elephants.
Deep reserves (wild, on foot, at night). Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Mulu National Park take you further in, with jungle walks, night walks and, at Mulu, millions of bats pouring out of Deer Cave at dusk.
Sarawak and Sabah
Borneo: Sarawak & Sabah Discovery
Borneo: Sarawak & Sabah Discovery – 16 Days
- 16 days
- From £3,950 per person
- Max 16 people
- Kuching, Malaysia to Sandakan, Malaysia
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Sixteen days with a tour leader and ten to 16, with two internal flights. In Sarawak: Bako National Park by boat for proboscis monkeys, Semenggoh’s orangutans, a night with an Iban family in a longhouse, and Mulu’s vast caves and canopy walkway. In Sabah: lunch with the Dusun people below Mount Kinabalu, Sepilok and the Sun Bear Centre, two nights on the Kinabatangan with cruises and a night walk, and two nights in Tabin with mud volcanoes, waterfalls and night walks.
Suits: wildlife lovers who want the most complete trip. The honest drawback: heat, humidity and some simple lodges.
Borneo Wildlife Discoverer
Borneo Wildlife Discoverer – 15 Days
- 15 days
- From £4,159 per person
- Max 16 people
- Kuching, Malaysia to Sandakan, Malaysia
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, December
Fifteen days with a tour leader and four to 16: Bako’s proboscis monkeys, Mulu’s caves and the sunset bat flight from Deer Cave, a free day in Kota Kinabalu for snorkelling or birdwatching, a night at a tea plantation below Mount Kinabalu, Sepilok, Kinabatangan cruises and two nights in Tabin with jungle walks and a nocturnal safari.
Suits: active wildlife lovers who want variety and value. The honest drawback: no longhouse stay with an Iban family, and few meals beyond breakfast.
Best of Borneo with Flights
Best of Borneo with Flights – 16 Days
- 16 days
- From £5,190 per person incl. flights
- Max 28 people
- Starts and ends in United Kingdom
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, August, September
Sixteen days with a tour director, return flights from the UK, internal flights and every meal: Kuching, Bako by boat, Semenggoh, two days with the Iban at a longhouse, Kota Kinabalu and a day at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, then Sepilok, the Sun Bear Centre and a riverside jungle lodge on the Kinabatangan reached by boat.
Suits: travellers who want Borneo with everything included. The honest drawback: groups can reach 28, and there’s no Mulu or Tabin.
Sabah only
Solo Wild Borneo
- 10 days
- From £3,869 per person
- Max 27 people
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to Sandakan, Malaysia
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, July, September, October
Ten days for people travelling on their own, with a room of your own at no extra cost and a holiday director: the Kiulu countryside and Papar market, Kinabalu National Park and the Kundasang highlands, two nights at a jungle lodge on the lower Kinabatangan with river cruises, and a night at a riverside lodge in Sukau. Twenty-two meals are included.
Suits: solo travellers who want wildlife in good company. The honest drawback: groups can reach 27, and no Sepilok or Sarawak.
Real Borneo for 18–35s
Real Borneo: Orangutans, Kinabatangan & Kiulu – 10 Days
- 10 days
- From £567 per person
- Max 16 people
- Sandakan, Malaysia to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Ten days in Sabah for travellers aged 18 to 35: Sepilok and the Sun Bear Centre, two nights in dormitory rooms at a Kinabatangan jungle lodge with three river cruises and a night walk, Kundasang below Mount Kinabalu, a two-day trek through the Kiulu valley with a night in a bamboo hut and a village cooking class, and a snorkelling day off Dinawan Island.
Suits: young, active travellers on a budget. The honest drawback: dorms and simple huts, and a long drive or two.
How to choose
By wildlife. For the widest range, pick a Sarawak and Sabah trip with Tabin. For guaranteed orangutans, any trip with Sepilok or Semenggoh. For bats and caves, the trips with Mulu.
By comfort. Best of Borneo uses four-star hotels and eco-lodges with every meal included. The others mix hotels with simpler lodges; Real Borneo includes dorms.
By budget. Real Borneo is by far the cheapest. The Wildlife Discoverer is good value for 15 days. Best of Borneo includes flights. Live prices are in the table above.
When to go
Borneo is hot and humid all year, with rain at any time. The drier months, roughly March to October, are generally best for wildlife and river trips, while the wetter season, roughly November to February, brings heavier rain, especially in Sarawak. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for Malaysia, including the latest advice for eastern Sabah.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Borneo tour for orangutans?
Any tour that visits Sepilok or Semenggoh offers close encounters with rehabilitated orangutans, and the Kinabatangan River cruises give you a chance of wild ones.
Sarawak or Sabah?
Sabah has Sepilok, the Kinabatangan and Mount Kinabalu; Sarawak has Bako, Semenggoh, Iban longhouses and Mulu. Borneo: Sarawak & Sabah Discovery covers both.
Can I see pygmy elephants?
Sometimes. They roam the Kinabatangan floodplain, and sightings on river cruises are possible but never guaranteed.
Is there a Borneo tour for solo travellers?
Yes, Solo Wild Borneo gives you a room of your own at no extra cost.
Is there a Borneo tour with flights?
Yes, Best of Borneo with Flights includes return flights from the UK, internal flights and every meal.
When is the best time to visit Borneo?
Roughly March to October is drier and generally best for wildlife, but Borneo is humid and can be rainy all year.
Ready for Borneo?
Tell us how wild you'd like to go, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the Borneo tours with you.
Keep planning
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
