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Photo tour Borneo’s rainforests 3rd – 13th August 2026admin2025-10-14T16:04:27+02:00
SOME HIGHLIGHTS
- A rainforest photo tour with several of Borneo’s finest nature photography opportunities during the best season
- Great chance for fantastic encounters with orangutans – both mothers with young and majestic adult males
- Wild untouched rainforest with magnificent trees, buttress roots, lianas, aerial roots, ferns, orchids, and phenomenal biological diversity
- Several opportunities for encounters with the unforgettable proboscis monkeys, both up close and in the trees along the Kinabatangan River
- Good chances of encountering Borneo’s unique pygmy elephant
- The Bornean gibbon can be heard in the mornings at several of the places we visit — and with some luck, we might even see them
- Fantastic birdlife – chances to see 8 species of hornbills, kingfishers, jewel-thrushes, broadbills, trogons, bee-eaters, and a range of unique endemic species
- Chances to see several lesser-known mammals such as the red giant flying squirrel, Sunda colugo, Bornean slow loris, tarsier and Malay civet
- Visit outside Gomantong Cave in the late afternoon, when 2 million bats fly out for the night, followed by a variety of birds of prey trying to catch some of them
- Photo excursions in open boats along both wide and narrow rainforest waterways
- Walks among the enormous trees and the lush greenery of the untouched primary rainforest
- Night excursions with chances to photograph frogs, cool insects like praying mantises, lantern bugs, crickets, and walking sticks, as well as nocturnal mammals
- Our photographic leader will show you their best spots, and you’ll have opportunities for photographic advice and tips in a small group of like-minded people
It’s magical when the morning sun breaks through the blue light in the rainforest’s pillar hall and lights everything in a radiant golden glow, while gibbons howl in a family concert and the resonant calls of the great argus pheasant make the forest vibrate. Borneo’s rainforests are considered among the oldest in the world, with a plant and animal life that is extraordinarily unique. The Bornean orangutan, Bornean elephant, proboscis monkey, hornbills, flying squirrels, and flying frogs are just some of the many animals that will fascinate you on this journey to the province of Sabah in northern Malaysian Borneo. Here, you will have the chance to photograph animals and plants—often up close—that you may have only dreamed of seeing before.
With many years of experience and local knowledge, we have created a program that visits Sabah’s top natural gems, beginning immediately with some of its most charismatic wildlife icons.
SEPILOK
Our first destination is Sepilok. Here you’ll find the world’s most famous orangutan rehabilitation center. It also attracts wild orangutans from the area who often come to visit. They live completely free here and can come and go as they please. Here, we’ll have good chances to photograph orangutan mothers with their young as they are trained for a life of freedom. Right next to the orangutan center is another rehabilitation center—this one for the unique sun bears that have been confiscated from illegal trade and captivity. They now enjoy a much better, more natural life here compared to what they’ve previously endured. Many of them are later released into protected rainforest once they’ve learned to fend for themselves in the wild.
Our next stop is a mangrove forest with groups of proboscis monkeys. A unique project is underway here to protect this distinctive-looking species. The proboscis monkey is, like many other animal and plant species in Borneo, endemic, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. This location typically offers great photographic opportunities and chances for close encounters with these monkeys.
In the evening, we’ll embark on our first night walk in the rainforest to search for nocturnal animals and birds. We hope to spot creatures such as tarsiers, slow lorises, flying squirrels, frogs, and more. This is when we’ll begin practicing the exciting low-light photography techniques that we’ll use throughout the rest of the trip during other night walks.
KINABATANGAN RIVER
We’ll spend one extra morning with the orangutans in Sepilok. Before leaving the area, we’ll also photograph from the treetops via a unique canopy walkway.
Then the journey continues to the Kinabatangan River. Here, we’ll explore the river by boat over four days, searching for proboscis monkeys, orangutans, saltwater crocodiles, hornbills, several species of kingfishers and herons—and perhaps most of all, some of the family groups of Bornean elephants, a subspecies of the Asian elephant. The Bornean elephant lives and thrives in the riverside forests. To increase our chances of finding the elephants and large wild male orangutans, we’ve allocated four days here.
We’ll also take night-time boat trips and visit the area above the Gomantong Cave, which is home to over 2 million bats. This offers excellent opportunities to photograph them as they pour out of the cave in an endless stream—almost like a river in the sky—to begin their nightly hunt. These bats attract birds of prey, and if we’re lucky, we might capture the hunt on camera.
TABIN NATURE RESERVE
Next, we’ll travel by minibus to the large Tabin Nature Reserve, covering 150,000 hectares. It is known for its many visible nocturnal animals (insects, frogs, civets, and possibly even a leopard cat). Several hornbill species live in the trees around the lodge, and the hairy-nosed otter is regularly seen in the river in front of our rooms. Tabin also has a gibbon family that often stays near the lodge.
DANUM VALLEY CONSERVATION AREA
Finally, it’s time for a visit to the Danum Valley Conservation Area, the heart of a forest reserve with 1 million hectares of protected land—one of the world’s most unique rainforests. This untouched ancient dipterocarp forest is awe-inspiring in its vastness and beauty, offering a true rainforest wilderness experience.
We’ll stay at one of the world’s top nature lodges—the Borneo Rainforest Lodge—which is also where the BBC bases itself when filming in Borneo’s rainforest.
Over two days, we’ll explore the easily walkable and well-developed trail system with the help of expert trackers, looking for species such as orangutans, red leaf monkeys, tarsiers, reptiles, hornbills, and many fascinating insects and plants.
Night walks can bring sightings of owls, frogs, stick insects, sleeping birds, and a variety of small mammals.
Itinerary
Day 1 (3/8) (Dinner)
Sandakan-Sepilok
Arrival in Sandakan shortly after lunch. Gathering, a short transfer, and check-in at our nice and comfortable hotel right on the edge of the rainforest. We will have our first night walk at the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre.
Day 2 (4/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Sepilok – Labuk Bay
We start the day by visiting the Rainforest Discovery Centre again, walking along the canopy walkway and hoping for a beautiful sunrise with mist over the forest. Then we continue to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, where we hope to photograph our first orangutans during their feeding time. Wild orangutans often come here to eat the food that is put out. Next, we visit the Sun Bear Centre, where rescued sun bears are cared for.
After lunch, we head to the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Centre to meet our first proboscis monkeys. Here, we’ll have the opportunity to photograph wild proboscis monkeys from very close range.
After dinner in the evening, those who wish can join an additional night walk at the Rainforest Discovery Centre.
Day 3 (5/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Sepilok – Kinabatangan river
After breakfast, we make a second visit to Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary to complement our photo collection. Around 11 a.m., we leave Sepilok and head to a boat jetty in Sandakan for a one-hour boat trip up the Lower Kinabatangan River to our next lodge. During the boat ride, there will be opportunities to spot wildlife along the river.
After lunch and some rest, we set out on the river to search for orangutans, proboscis monkeys, elephants, birds, reptiles, and other wildlife.
As darkness falls, we experience the glowing fireflies in the mangrove trees.
We return to the lodge for dinner.
After dinner, those interested can take a night walk along the lodge’s nature trail to look for insects, birds, and other animals.
Day 4 (6/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Kinabatangan river
Today, we will focus entirely on what the Kinabatangan River has to offer us. We will search for orangutans in a specific tributary, where we have the chance to photograph males at eye level. Of course, we will also look for proboscis monkeys, elephants, birds, and everything else the Kinabatangan River has to offer.
Day 5 (7/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Kinabatangan river
We start the day with another trip on the Kinabatangan River. After breakfast, we leave our lodge and continue upstream to our next lodge. After lunch and some rest, we head out on the river once again to experience the wildlife along its banks.
Day 6 (8/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Kinabatangan river
The morning begins with another trip out on the Kinabatangan River. We’ll focus more on the species we haven’t yet seen or photographed. After lunch and some rest, we’ll head in the late afternoon to Gomantong Cave, known as a roosting site for millions of bats. We won’t enter the cave but will climb stairs to a viewpoint where we can watch and photograph the bats as they fly out of the cave. The large number of bats attracts birds of prey and hornbills, which take the opportunity to catch some of the bats.
Day 7 (9/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Kinabatangan river – Tabin rainforest
Today, we travel to the Tabin rainforest. After breakfast, we depart for Lahad Datu and then continue to our lodge in Tabin, arriving around lunchtime. The afternoon is dedicated to photography in and around the lodge. For those interested, we’ll take a night walk in the surroundings of the lodge.
Day 8 (10/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Tabin rainforest
A full day in Tabin, where we will do various hikes and excursions in the area for photography. Gibbons are often found near the lodge early in the morning, and the rhinoceros hornbill is also common here. The animal and plant life around the lodge is very rich, so you don’t have to go far to find great photo opportunities.
Day 9 (11/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Tabin rainforest – Danum valley
After breakfast, we leave Tabin and begin our journey to Danum Valley via Lahad Datu. We’ll arrive in Danum Valley around lunchtime, check in, eat, and rest a bit before taking our first rainforest walk. Here, there are incredible photo opportunities—from macro shots to intimate landscapes and wildlife. Night walks are available for those who wish to join.
Day 10 (12/8) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
Danum valley
A full day in the rainforest of Danum Valley. We’ll hike along trails, searching for exciting photo subjects and experiences. Night walks are available for those who wish to join.
Day 11 (13/8) (Breakfast)
Danum valley – Lahad Datu
We take one last walk in the rainforest in the morning. After breakfast, we transfer to the airport in Lahad Datu for our journey home.
Photographic leader
Jan Pedersen, born 1957, is a photographer, author, and world traveler. For over 33 years, he has led nature and wildlife photography trips all around the globe—in every biome from deserts to rainforests. He has guided tours in 55 different countries and worked for several major Swedish travel operators. Jan is a highly respected tour leader, guide, and nature photography instructor. He has produced travel programs and trained many new tour leaders. Ecotourism is very close to his heart.
Since 2014, he has been a member of Naturfotograferna/N (The Swedish Nature Photographers Association) and is an internationally award-winning photographer. In 2015, he won the overall title in the prestigious international photo competition Asferico.
Jan is also a very experienced photography teacher, specializing in nature photography since 2001. He has taught courses in photo clubs, folk high schools, and media programs, running annual courses alongside his teaching.
Jan is one of Swedens most well-published nature book authors. His first book ”I Arabiens öknar” was awarded WWF Sweden’s Panda Book of the Year for children’s books in 2000. His singing book ”Fågelsång” is the all-time top-selling nature book in Sweden. It has sold a total of half a million copies in Sweden, Finland and Norway, as well as having been issued in eight other languages. The sequel ”Vilda djur” was also a success, and was published in Norway and Finland, and in four other European languages. He has also authored popular books such as ”Fågelresor”, ”Mitt I Naturen”, ”Fågelsång runt knuten”, ”Lyssna på djuren”, ”Djur i Världen”, ”Sveriges Fåglar – en fälthandbok för alla”, and ”Fåglar I Sverige och Norden”.
Jan has written numerous articles on animals and nature for daily newspapers and professional journals. He is frequently invited as a speaker for diverse audiences and has also worked as a ranger and guide in Swedish nature reserves.
