Bornean Banded Pitta, Saba by Chris Townend

Tour Dates: Saturday 5th – Wednesday 16th February 2028 (Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinabalu)
Tour Price: £5,699 plus flight
Estimated Flight Price: Approx. £900 return
Deposit: £700 per per person
Conservation Donation from Wise Birding: £250
Minimum Number: 6 people
Maximum Group Size: 6 people

Target Birds:
Crimson-headed Partridge, Mountain Serpent Eagle, Blyth’s Frogmouth, Large Frogmouth, Sunda Scops Owl, Oriental Bay Owl, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Bornean Banded Pitta, Blue-banded Pitta, Blue-headed Pitta, Black-crowned Pitta, White-fronted Falconet, Black-eared Barbet, Red-naped Trogon, Diard’s Trogon, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Bornean Wren Babbler, Black-throated Wren Babbler, Green Broadbill, Whitehead’s Broadbill, Bornean Bristlehead, Whitehead’s Broadbill, Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Spiderhunter, Bornean Green Magpie, Bare-headed Laughingthrush, Chestnut Hooded Laughingthrush, Sunda Laughingthrush, Bornean Treepie, Bornean Flowerpecker, Bornean Leafbird, Mountain Wren-babbler, Bornean Whistling Thrush, Mountain Tailorbird, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Fruithunter, Black-capped White Eye and many more!

Mammals: Bornean Orangutan, Maroon Langur and a good selection of smaller mammals.

Tour Summary
The island of Borneo and its incredible tropical rainforests are quite simply one of those “bucket-list” destinations for birders. This tour is aimed for birders that may have perhaps already visited Borneo and are keen to see some of the more tricky species, but also for birders that wish to have a great introduction to birding in Sabah and are happy focusing on mostly two key birding areas, Mount Kinabalu and Danum Valley.
This tour also links with our 8 night Sarawak & Mantanai Island Extension.

The list of spectacular endemic birds (over 40 species on the island as a whole) is tempting enough and some real gems can be found in the northern state of Sabah which include Blue-headed Pitta, Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Broadbill and Bornean Bristlehead! In addition there are the iconic species like the huge Rhinoceros Hornbills, or the tiny White-fronted Falconet and some exciting night birds too, with chances for the beautiful Oriental Bay Owl and both Blyth’s and Large Frogmouth. Finally, there are the mammals! Though not a specific mammal tour, we have excellent chances of birding amongst some impressive primates. Bornean Orangutans and Gibbons are very likely to be seen on this tour, simply as a result of  birding in such pristine habitats. 

Our tour focuses on the northern state of Sabah visiting both the Crocker Range and Mount Kinabalu National Parks as well as a number of bird hides for some otherwise very tricky to see species, particularly Bornean Ground Cuckoo and both Blue-banded Pitta and Bornean Banded Pitta.  We then move to the famous birding site of Danum Valley where we spend four nights. Danum Valley has some of the best birding oportunities in Sabah and the possible species that we could see is vast. Of course, we won’t see everything, but we will try and focus our time on the endemic and iconic species, as well as seeing a great selection of general forest birds. One thing is for sure, birding in Borneo never disappoints and it is sure to be a tour packed full of exciting birds, great mammals and great memories!

ACCOMMODATION: 11 nights in Borneo OR 19 nights if adding Sarawak Extension
1 night Tambunan, 3 nights Kinabalu NP, 1 night Kota Kinabalu, 1 night Lahad Datu, 4 nights Langom (Danum Valley buffer area), 1 night Kota Kinabalu
Inclusive Meals: Full board

Whitehead’s Broadbill, Sabah by Chris Townend

DAY 1: Arrival Kota Kinabalu
On arrival into Kota Kinabalu International Airport we depart for the Crocker Range National Park, just 1.5 hours by road. We will check into our accommodation and then spend our first afternoon/evening birding Gunung Alab for montane specialities. Key species we will be looking for today include, Red-breasted Partridge, Crimson-headed partridge, Orange-headed Thrush, Long-tailed Broadbill, Orange-breasted Trogon, Whitehead’s Spiderhunter, Little Pied Flycatcher, Bornean Bulbul, Bornean Treepie, Mountain Serpent Eagle, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Bornean Whistler, Bornean Barbet, Mountain Barbet, Pygmy White-Eye, Bornean Leafbird, Dayak Blue Flycatcher, Penan Bulbul, Cinereous Bulbul, Little Cuckoo-Dove, Grey-throated Babbler. Overnight Kota Kinabalu

DAY 2: Crocker Range – Kinabalu National Park
Today we will depart very early and visit the now well known bird hide at  Trusmadi. This is the best and most realistic chance to see some of Borneo’s shyest birds. The hide is really well organised with good viewing and photographic opportunities, drinks and snacks and a toilet nearby. Key species we hope to see include  Bulwer’s Pheasant, Bornean Banded Pitta, Crested Partridge, Dayak Blue Flycather, Rufous Chested Flycather, Bornean Black Capped Babbler, Asian Emerald Dove, Chestnut Hooded Laughingthrush, Temminck’s Babbler, Crimson Headed Partridge, Red Breasted Partridge and more. After spending most of the morning in the hide, we will then walk the road and do some general birding where we should find a few more new species. After lunch, we will depart for Kinabalu National Park (KNP), a 2 hour journey by road. Once checked into our accommodation we will spend the late afternoon birding the road to start searching for the numerous endemics. Overnight Kinabalu Pine Resort

DAYS 3 – 4: Kinabalu National Park
We will enjoy two full days birding the Kinabalu National Park. Mount Kinabalu with its peak at just under 4,100M makes for an impressive sight and the largest peak in Southeast Asia. During the next two days we have no need to head to the highest peaks, as most of our birding will focus at around 1,500M- 2,000M where many new species of bird await us, but we will need venture a little higher for some species, such as Friendly Bush Warbler. We will explore the various trails and spend time birding the Timpohon Road for submontane species. Pretty much everything will be new here, so a very exciting two days! The birding will be done along often very quiet forest trails where we will be looking for species such as noisy flocks of Chestnut-crested Yuhinas, Golden-naped Barbet, mixed feeding flocks with Laughingthrushes such as Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush and Sunda Laughingthrushs, Blyth’s Shrike-babbler and the unmistakable Bornean Green Magpie! Other gems that we hope to find include, Black-sided Flowerpecker, Temminck’s Sunbird, Bornean Forktail and Bornean Whistling-Thrush.  We also have chances for Crimson-headed Partridge, Bornean Treepie, Bornean Flowerpecker, Bornean Leafbird, Mountain Serpent Eagle, Crimson-headed Partridge, Mountain Wren-babbler, Bornean Whistling Thrush, Mountain Tailorbird, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Fruithunter, Black-capped White-Eye, Grey-chinned Minivet, Ashy Drongo etc. Mammals will also feature during the next few days with squirrels in particular from Bornean Giant Squirrel to one of the world’s smallest, the Whitehead’s Pygmy Squirrel. The highest parts of the trail are where the real gems are to be found and with perseverance we will hopefully find one or two of the hardest and incredibly beautiful species such as Whitehead’s Trogon, Whitehead’s Broadbill or Whitehead’s Spiderhunter! Overnight Kinabalu Pine Resort

Blue-banded Pitta, Sabah by Hazwan Suban

DAY 5: Kota Kinabalu – Poring Hot Spring
After breakfast we transfer to Poring Hot Springs which is only 47 km from the national park. This nature reserve offers an array of lowland rainforest birds and depending on interest and if a flower is in bloom (the plant only flowers for a few days in a year), we may quickly stop at the Tambunan Rafflesia Forest Reserve where one of the world’s largest flowering plants with its enormous leathery petals and pungent aroma can be found. Birds species we hope to find today include Gold-whiskered Barbet, Scaly-breasted Bulbul, Green Broadbill, Black-and-Red Broadbill, Black-and-Yellow Broadbill, Waterfall Swift, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Diard’s Trogon, Crested Jay, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Raffles Malkoha, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Dusky Munia, Chestnut Munia, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Wallace’s Hawk Eagle, Blyth’s Hawk Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Maroon Woodpecker and more! After lunch we will return to Kota Kinabalu, a journey of around 2.5 hours by road, where we will check-in to our hotel and relax before our domestic flight the following morning. Overnight Kota Kinabalu

DAY 6: Kota Kinabalu – Lahad Datu – Menara Kayangan
This morning we take a short flight of just under an hour to Lahad Datu. On arrival we will drive to another bird hide where we have a good chance of seeing the beautiful Blue-banded Pitta. It is less than an hour from Lahad Datu and we should see a good selection of other birds here too, but the main target will be Pittas. There are also chances for Blue-headed Pitta in the adjacent forest. We will spend the rest of the day birding this area and see how are luck runs with the Pitta. Overnight Lahad Datu

DAY 7: Lahad Datu – Taliwas River Conservation Area – Langom Research Centre
This morning we will leave very early and head to the Bornean Ground-Cuckoo hide for the morning. This hide has been incredibly successful over the last year and we have an excellent chance of seeing this notoriously shy and difficult to see bird from the comfort of a bird hide. The hide has been specifically constructed to attract the Bornean Ground-Cuckoos which have become habituated to the hide and appear almost daily. Of course, things often change and our local guide will have his ear to the ground if better sites come to light, but for now, this is the place to visit. After lunch in we will  return to Lahad Datu for lunch and get our permits for Danum Valley before travelling by road for 2.5 hours to our stay at  Langom Research Centre and our stay for the next four nights. Once checked in we will have dinner and then head out for a night safari for birds and mammals. Overnight Langom Research Centre.
Please note: Electricity at Langom is generator-fed and half the rooms have air-conditioning and half have a fan.

DAYS 8 – 10:  Langom Research Centre, Danum
We will spend three full days at the Langom Research Centre in the Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve,  in the buffer zone of  Danum Valley Conservation Area.  It is just a short stroll to some fabulous primary forest and it is not unusual to see Bornean Orangutans and Gibbons nearby. Danum Valley is widely regarded as one of the finest remaining examples of primary lowland rainforest in South-east Asia. Protected for over 40 years, this vast tract of pristine forest harbours an exceptional diversity of wildlife and offers some of the best birding in Borneo. Towering dipterocarp trees, a rich mosaic of forest habitats and an impressive network of trails provide opportunities to encounter many of the island’s sought-after endemic birds, alongside hornbills, pittas, broadbills and a remarkable variety of mammals, reptiles and insects. As with all forest birding, it can be tough going but the rewards are high with so many fantastic birds, that with some effort, we have a great chance of seeing. Target Species include Blue-headed Pitta, Black-crowned Pitta and even Giant Pitta too! Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher, Helmeted Hornbill, Crested Jayshrike, Bornean Blue Flycatcher, Spotted Fantail, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Bornean Crested Fireback, up to five Malkohas species, Maroon Woodpecker, Buff-rumped woodpecker, Great Slaty Woodpecker and even a chance for the very shy and exceedingly impressive Great Argus. These are just some of the species we will be looking for and the possibilities are many at this beautiful forest. Although this tour is focused on birding, we have an excellent chance of seeing Bornean Orangutan, Maroon Langur and Eastern Grey Gibbons whilst out in the forest as well as many more species at night. Overnight Langom Research Centre

Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Sabah by Hazwan Suban

DAY 11:  Lahad Datu – Kota Kinabalu
We will enjoy a final morning birding in Langom for any species that we are still missing before we have to return to Lahad Datu for a flight back to Kota Kinabalu. On arrival into Kota Kinabalu International Airport, we will take the very short transfer to hotel for the final night of the tour. Overnight Kota Kinabalu

DAY 12: Depart or join Sarawak Extension
Today will be either transfer to Kota Kinabalu airport for onward flights to Kula Lumpur and back home, or you will continue to join the Sarawak Extension.

Please note this is a flexible itinerary which may need to be adjusted slightly dependent on arrival / departure times, weather conditions and the most recent information from our local guides

Leaders: Wise Birding leader plus local guide throughout tour
Included in cost: Accommodation in twin en-suite rooms, all meals, bottled water, all entrance fees, bird hides, ground transport, internal domestic flights and services of leaders
Not included in cost: International airfare, travel insurance, drinks other than water and any airport/visa fees
Single Supplement: £599
Transport: A/C Minibus throughout.
Difficulty: Medium – Difficult. There is a reasonable amount of walking on this tour, especially when at Mount Kinabalu and Danum Valley. The majority of trails are not necessarily hard in terms of being steep, but more the fact that they are often muddy and therefore can be very slippery. More strenuous walks would be up to 8Km return when in Danum and at Kinabalu, but much depends on the most recent locations of key birds.
Climate: Hot and very humid and a wet tropical climate with rain typically falling as short heavy downpours in the late afternoon. For most of the tour temperatures ranging between night and day at around 24°C – 32°C. When at higher altitude at Mount Kinabalu, daytime temperatures are cooler at around 20°C.
Tour Start Point: Kota Kinabalu airport, Borneo
Tour End Point: Kota Kinabalu airport, Borneo
Suggested Airlines: British Airways via Kula Lumpur

Crested Partridge, Sabah by Chris Townend