4D3N Best Orangutan Tour: Sukau Rainforest Lodge, Sepilok Orangutan, Kinabatangan River, and Gomantong Caves

Your journey begins with a pick-up from Sandakan Airport or your hotel, followed by a visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Watch a short video about the centre’s conservation efforts, then walk along the rainforest boardwalk for the feeding session at 10:00 Hrs. Afterwards, visit the nursery area, where young orangutans learn the skills needed for life in the wild.

Optional: Visit the nearby Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre, home to the world’s smallest bear (entry fee payable on the spot). Guests who opt not to visit the Sun Bear Centre may experience a short waiting time (approximately 45 minutes) while others complete their visit.

After lunch, depart for Sukau Rainforest Lodge, a multi-award-winning eco-lodge located along the banks of the Kinabatangan River. Depending on your room category, travel either by a 2.5-hour boat journey offering scenic views and wildlife sightings, or a 2-hour overland transfer.

Upon arrival and check-in, head out on a late afternoon river cruise to search for wildlife such as wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and possibly Borneo pygmy elephants.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at Melapi Restaurant, followed by a presentation by a naturalist guide sharing insights into the region’s biodiversity.

Overnight at Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

Start your day with an early morning river cruise along the Kinabatangan River to the Kelenanap Oxbow Lake, where you may have a higher chance of spotting orangutan, as well as other wildlife and bird species. 

After breakfast, explore the lodge's Hornbill Boardwalk on a guided nature walk with the resident naturalist to learn more about the unique ecosystem of Kinabatangan and its equally unique inhabitants. 

Enjoy a leisurely afternoon after lunch. In the late afternoon, embark on another river cruise for more wildlife sightings before returning to the lodge for the night.

Take an early morning wildlife cruise along the Menanggol River for more orangutan and wildlife exploration. 

In the late afternoon, travel 27 km overland to Gomantong Caves. Walk along a 15-minute boardwalk through the rainforest, where you may spot orangutans in the surrounding trees. 

At the caves, witness the breathtaking bat exodus, where millions of bats emerge from the caves in search of food, accompanied by swooping raptors. 

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, check out and travel by speedboat back to Sandakan. 

Upon arrival, enjoy lunch in town. 

If you have an afternoon flight, you’ll be transferred directly to the airport. For evening flights, visit the Rainforest Discovery Centre to explore the canopy walk, hanging bridge, and botanical garden before heading to Sandakan Airport for your departure.