Borneo Wildlife Tour: Kinabatangan River, 3 Days at Jungle Camp

Watch proboscis monkeys and hornbills from a boat, then return to a camp run by the river community itself.

A 3-day wildlife tour based at Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp, a locally-owned lodge on the Kinabatangan River near Sandakan, where you watch wildlife by boat at dawn and dusk, stay overnight in basic jungle accommodation, and eat local meals prepared on-site. The camp limits itself to 10 travelers at a time and keeps only one boat on the water during each wildlife watch, so you see animals without the crowds that gather at other Kinabatangan lodges. Pickup from your Sandakan hotel is included; the drive takes about 2 hours each way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Afternoon to Night Wildlife Watching

• Pick up traveler at Sandakan or Sepilok
• Drive to Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp
• Stop for lunch at local restaurant
• Arrive at Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp
• Briefing on camp rules
• Afternoon wildlife watching
• Dinner with local cuisine
• Night wildlife watching
• Overnight at jungle camp

Day 2 — Morning to Night Wildlife Watching

• Wake up and light breakfast
• Morning wildlife watching
• Real breakfast after cruise
• Free and leisure time
• Lunch served
• Afternoon wildlife watching
• Dinner served
• Night walk or night cruise
• Overnight at jungle camp

Day 3 — Departure Day

• Breakfast at 8am
• Check out at 9am
• Optional late check out with extra payment

The Experience

The tour starts with a midday pickup from your hotel in Sandakan or near Sepilok, then a 2-hour drive to the camp with a lunch stop at a local restaurant (your cost). You arrive by 2:30pm, get a briefing on camp rules, and head out on your first wildlife watch at 4:30pm until 6pm. After dinner at 7pm, you go out again for a night watch from 8pm to 9pm. The generator runs only from 6pm to 10pm, so the camp runs on daylight and lamplight the rest of the time.

Day two starts at 6:15am with light breakfast, then a morning wildlife watch until 8am. You have the rest of the morning free—bring books or games—before a full breakfast and lunch at noon. At 4:30pm another afternoon watch runs until 6pm, dinner follows at 7pm, and by 8pm you're out again for either a night cruise or a night walk on the trail, depending on fire ant activity that day. The generator switches on again at 6pm.

On the final morning, breakfast is at 8am and checkout at 9am. The camp's shuttle van returns you to Sandakan around that time to pick up the next group; late checkout is available if space allows, though you'd pay the driver directly. The camp is run by members of the river community, and a portion of your payment goes toward a rainforest carbon offset project—the camp buys tropical seedlings from local growers to replant the forest. An English-speaking guide is with you throughout, and children from age 4 are welcome.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Sandakan at noon.
• the 2-hour drive to Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp.
• three nights of accommodation in basic jungle camp rooms.
• all breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the camp featuring local cuisine.
• four wildlife watching sessions by boat (afternoon and night on day one, morning and afternoon on day two).
• an optional night walk or night cruise on day two.
• an English-speaking guide throughout.
• and a portion of your payment directed toward the camp's rainforest carbon offset tree-planting project.

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want wildlife watching without the crowds—the camp's one-boat-per-watch policy and 10-traveler maximum mean you see animals without competing for sightings. The basic accommodation and early mornings suit travelers comfortable with simplicity in exchange for authentic access to the river and the community that runs the camp.

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Top questions

What animals will I see on the Kinabatangan River wildlife watches?

The river is home to proboscis monkeys, hornbills, crocodiles, and other wildlife. Because Tanjung Bulat keeps only one boat on the water during each watch period, you see animals without the competition for sightings that happens at other lodges on the same river.

How many people stay at the jungle camp at one time?

Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp limits itself to 10 travelers maximum at any moment. This no-mass-tourist policy is why the camp can keep a single boat per wildlife watch instead of multiple boats competing for the same animals.

What is the accommodation like at the camp?

The camp describes its rooms as basic jungle camp standard—simple, no frills, but functional. Electricity comes from a generator that runs only from 6pm to 10pm each evening.

Is pickup from my Sandakan hotel included in the price?

Yes. Pickup happens at noon from your hotel in Sandakan or the Sepilok area, and the drive to the camp takes about 2 hours. The return journey on day three leaves around 9am to get you back to Sandakan.

What meals are included, and what do I pay for separately?

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the camp are included and feature local cuisine. The lunch stop on the drive to the camp on day one is at a local restaurant and is your own cost.

Do I need any special gear or fitness level for this tour?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness for the wildlife watches, which involve early mornings and boat rides. Bring your own rain coat, towel, binoculars, and toiletries; the camp does not provide these.