2D1N Bornean Pygmy Elephant Safari

07:30 Hrs: Land at Tawau Airport via the first flight from Kota Kinabalu (e.g. MH4706 ETD BKI 0645hrs, ETA TWU 0735hrs). Enjoy a local breakfast near the airport to fuel up for your wildlife adventure. 

08:30 Hrs: Drive through Tawau town en route to Brumas, passing local landmarks like the state mosque and the vibrant Pasar Besar Tawau (Tawau Big Market), where you can browse native produce, dried seafood, and spices. 

09:00 Hrs: Continue overland to Brumas, travelling through Sabah’s forested countryside. The drive to Brumas takes approximately two hours from Tawau. 

11:00 Hrs: Arrive at Brumas Countryside Lodge, your accommodation nestled within a FSC-certified plantation and conservation zone. Receive a warm welcome with cold towels and refreshments. After a safety briefing, enjoy lunch at the dining hall and check in to your air-conditioned rooms. The lodge combines rustic charm with comfortable amenities, a wildlife experience that doesn’t require roughing it. 

15:00 Hrs: Set out on a 4x4 safari through the FSC-certified forest plantation, which forms part of a designated wildlife corridor where Borneo pygmy elephants roam freely. This secondary forest ecosystem, supported by WWF, allows better elephant foraging access than denser primary forests, resulting in a high chance of sightings. Your guide will interpret the landscape and conservation efforts as you pass through groves of Eucalyptus pelita and Albizia falcataria. 

17:00 Hrs: Stop at the estate’s tree nursery to learn about Brumas’ reforestation programme, which has planted over 100,000 native trees. You’ll gain insight into sustainable forestry, seedling care, and human-wildlife coexistence. Join an optional planting session to contribute your own sapling to the corridor. 

18:00 Hrs: Unwind with a sundown drink as the day cools and wildlife stirs at dusk. 

19:30 Hrs: Dine al fresco by the lodge’s pool, accompanied by a short heritage talk from your guide about Brumas’ colonial-era origins and transition into a conservation-forward estate. 

07:00 Hrs: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast. If you missed the previous day’s planting activity, you can choose to plant a tree this morning as well (at additional charge). 

09:30 Hrs: Check out and depart Brumas. 

11:30 Hrs: Make a quick stop at Bandar Sri Indah where you may wish to use the nearby ATM, convenience store, or restrooms. 

12:30 Hrs: Pause for lunch at a local restaurant in the Kunak district. 

13:30 Hrs: If you’re headed to Borneo Rainforest Lodge, continue the scenic drive and arrive in time for check-in and dinner. Begin the next chapter of your Borneo wilderness experience. 

06:30 Hrs: Leave after an early breakfast and begin the long but scenic drive through Sabah’s southeastern interior toward Brumas. 

11:30 Hrs: Enjoy a hearty local lunch and toilet break in the town of Kunak. 

12:30 Hrs: From Kunak, the journey takes roughly three more hours. Keep an eye out for changing landscapes and rural settlements as you approach Brumas. 

15:30 Hrs: Welcome drinks and a safety briefing await you. Check in to your comfortable room, rest briefly, then prepare for your wildlife safari. 

16:00 Hrs: Head out in a 4x4 safari truck with your guide to explore the Brumas wildlife corridor, where elephants are regularly observed feeding and moving through the forest plantation. WWF researchers are active in the area, making this a living conservation zone with unique opportunities for meaningful sightings and nature photography. 

17:30 Hrs: Pay a quick visit to the Brumas tree nursery, a reforestation site responsible for over 100,000 planted trees across 7,000 hectares. Plant your own tree (optional activity with additional charge) as part of the corridor’s enrichment programme. 

18:00 Hrs: Unwind with a sunset cocktail before dinner. 

19:30 Hrs: Dine beside the lodge’s pool with a view of the forest edge, accompanied by stories of the Brumas Estate’ history – from its colonial roots to its present-day conservation mission. 

07:00 Hrs: Fuel up with a warm meal before departure. Optional tree planting is available (at additional cost) this morning if not done the day before. 

09:30 Hrs: Check out and depart Brumas. 

11:30 Hrs: Take a short break at Bandar Sri Indah where you have access to facilities including an ATM, a convenience store, and restrooms. 

12:30 Hrs: Pause for lunch at a local restaurant, a chance to enjoy regional flavours before continuing your journey. 

13:30 Hrs: If you’re headed to Borneo Rainforest Lodge, continue the scenic drive and arrive in time for check-in and dinner. Begin the next chapter of your Borneo wilderness experience.