Have you ever been lost in the Jungle? Would you know what to do if you were ever thrown into the situation? To survive the night in the jungle you need to know how to find safe shelter and how to find something to eat. In the jungles of Borneo, locals grown up learning the different ways to survive in the jungle including watching Orangutans, otherwise known as “The Man of the Jungle”.
When you book a river cruise with Nature Lodge River Cruise you learn many tips for surviving in the jungle. The Kinabatangan River Cruise is a must see when visiting Sabah, Borneo. Keep reading to learn why.
ORANGUTANS
Orangutans are one of the closest animals related to humans. Their diet consists of to stick to leaves, shoots and fruit. Orangutans, otherwise known as “The Man of the Forest”, are gentle creatures that spends almost all of their lives up in the trees. Due to deforestation in many parts of Borneo and the world, Orangutans are currently on the Endangered Species List. Because of this, it is incredibly rare to see an Orangutan in the wild.
To see Orangutans in Sabah, Borneo you have two options: You can go to Sepilok and see the orangutans at the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary or try your luck on the Kinabatangan River Cruise.
The Kinabatangan River Cruise is the best way of seeing Orangutans in the wild; but it is still not guaranteed. Regardless the River Cruise is still a great experience and you can see plenty of other beautiful wildlife along the adventure.
THE KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE
The recommended company to book the river cruise through is called Nature Lodge: Kinabatangan River Cruise. The small business also has a sister lodge in Sepilok, which you can visit before or after the cruise to see more Sepilok Orangutans Sanctuary.
The River Cruise is made up of 3 days and 2 nights. You can opt for 2 days and 1 night but I strongly recommend spending 3 days and 2 nights. This is because you get more for your money if you stay the two nights and you have a better chance of seeing more wildlife.
PRICES for Dorms ONLY:
2N/3D- Dorm Bed – Cost: 480RM which is roughly $ 120 USD
Includes:
- 2 Dinners, 2 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 2 coffee/tea/sacks
- Bed, towel, aircon dorm room
- 4- 2-hour long river cruises
- 2 Night Walks and 1 Day walk ( 45 minutes – 1 hour long walks)
1N/2D – Dorm bed – Cost 400 RM roughly $100 USD
Includes:
- 1 Dinner, 1 Breakfast , 1 Tea/Coffee/Snack
- Bed,towel,aircon dorm
- 2 – 2-hour long river cruises
- 1 Night Walk
If you would rather stay in a private room additional costs apply.
WHAT YOU COULD SEE ON THE CRUISE/WALKS
The Kinabatangan River Cruise is along the Kinabatangan River, like the name implies. The river is located in the Northern Part of the Borneo state of Sabah. Kinabatangan is a thriving ecosystem filled with tones of wild animals including:
ORANGUTANS
We were lucky enough to see two wild orangutans on the river cruise. Unfortunately they were very challenging to see and I didn’t have a strong enough camera to capture them. The following photo was taken at the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary.
CROCODILES
PROBOSCIS MONKEYS
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- Proboscis Monkeys
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- Proboscis Monkeys
PIGTAIL MACAQUE MONKEYS
LONGTAIL MACAQUE MONKEYS
BIRDS
Depending on the season you can also see elephants but they are fairly rare.
On the Night Walk you can see a different assortment of animals including:
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- Bugs
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- Snakes
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- Sleeping kingfishers
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- tree frogs
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- Spiders
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- Luminescent Mushrooms
You can also see wild boar, cougars and other night creatures but they are incredibly rare.
THE CHALLENGES OF THE RIVER CRUISE
While the river cruise was a wonderful experience, and I got to see so many interesting animals, there were some challenging parts.
Challenge #1:
The number one challenge would be the bugs! I am not a bug person but for some reason they LOVE me! To protect yourself from the insects I recommend buying and bringing some OFF bug spray. I usually don’t like using the very toxic bug spray but in this case I do recommend it, unless you are okay getting bitten.
Challenge #2:
Another challenge is the trekking condition. On the night and day walks there is a high possibility that you will encounter leeches. The Nature Lodge provides rubber boots that you can rent for the entire stay and I highly recommend it!
Challenge #3:
Lastly, the heat. The heat in the jungle is a different kind of heat level. It takes the hottest summer you can think of to an extreme and adds in a lot of humidity. For two nights and three days it is completely doable but be prepared to be uncomfortable for the adventure. Don’t worry though it is part of the experience!
CONCLUSION
Overall, while challenging the Kinabatangan River Cruise is a must see when visiting Sabah, Borneo.
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