Kinabatangan River Safari Cruise
At these river cruises, bird watchers and nature lovers will experience the rare Bornean birds and unique wildlife in this region.
If you have been following my other Kinabatangan articles, this was my most exciting trip on a river cruise while exploring Sabah Borneo.
Kinabatangan River Cruise
Kinabatangan River in the morning.Another couple had joined us with their nature guide, and they were equally ecstatic about the morning river cruise. One of the highlights was seeing the Borneo Pygmy Elephants.
Kinabatangan River Morning Safari Cruise.The tip here is to be careful when boarding the boats as it can get slippery at this time of the morning.
Birds in the morning.Our bird spotters also had a bird guidebook with them, and every bird we saw had a clearer picture in the book.
Kinabatangan River Cruise.I was also informed that the Sandakan area in Sabah is hosting the third Borneo Bird Fest around the Rainforest Discovery Center in Sepilok, Sandakan.
A Hornbill flies above our boat.During our morning river safari through the Kinabatangan River, we spotted three of the eight Hornbill species there.
Birds are easily seen in the mornings here.
Hornbills were spotted on some trees.
A Hawk is seen from a distance.
Kinabatangan River Birds.
Video of Kinabatangan River Boat Ride
A boat cruises along the river.As we cruised the river, more boats were seen ferrying nature lovers armed with binoculars and cameras, hoping to spot some exciting wildlife.
To my surprise, almost 98% of the guests were Caucasians and seeing Asians there was a rare sight, too. If you see any, they are primarily Singaporean, Japanese, Korean or from China.
Monitor Lizard.Their sizes range from one meter (3 feet) to about 5 meters (15 feet).
Gibbon at the Kinabatangan River.
According to my guide and the boatman, the last sighting was over six months back, and it was a rare chance to see them.
Proboscis monkeys are high up on a tree.The usual Proboscis Monkeys were seen at various locations along the main Kinabatangan River and inner rivers. This is, without fail, the most common sighting while you do the river cruises here.
Proboscis monkeys along the river.The Proboscis Monkeys are commonly known to travel in groups of five to twenty or more. During that morning safari along the Kinabatangan River, we must have seen at least six groups.
Orangutan sighted!The highlight of this river safari was witnessing the Borneo Orangutan in the wild. We saw two orangutans in total on this one river cruise.
The first sighting was in one of the inner rivers where we saw the Bornean Gibbon, and the second was the more enormous male Orangutan on our way back to the Melapi Lodge.
Male Orangutan at the Kinabatangan River.Sadly, the first sighting did not stand out as the Orangutan was relatively high on one of the trees, and the leaves blocked the view.
However, the second sighting was terrific as it was just five minutes from the lodge where we were staying and much closer to the river and us.
Orangutan feasting on local figs.The reasonably sizeable male Orangutan was casually sitting on one of the local fig trees, feasting away while our boat approached the river banks.
Looking non-frightened, we were amazed at how the Orangutan moved around picking the figs. I have seen many orangutans, but not in a natural condition like this.
Orangutan in the wild.A real wild Orangutan in the Kinabatangan was new as I had never encountered one so close.
As I mentioned, I have seen orangutans in the zoos, at the Bukit Merah Orangutan Island and at the Sepilok Orangutan Conservation Center. However, this has to be one of the best encounters in my life.
Orangutan looking at us.The male Orangutan often moved around the fig tree with similar human-like movements. From a distance, one would think that a human was up there. We must have spent 15 minutes observing this before another boat joined us.
Melapi Lodge along Kinabatangan River.After a much-satisfied river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, seeing the various animals, reptiles, and birds, we returned to the Proboscis Lodge at Bukit Melapi.
Again, I will say it—this was one of the most exciting nature trips I have taken in my life, and I will do it again if given the chance.
I have to thank Uncle Ben, our excellent nature guide, and Sabah Tourism for making this experience memorable, even though we missed the Borneo Pygmy Elephants by a few kilometres.
My conclusion to the Morning River Safari
When you arrive at the Kinabatangan and stay at any of the lodges, the river safaris are included in your package. However, this does not include the night river cruises.
This place is an incredible experience if you love wildlife or birds. Highly educational if you have children and a trip you will never forget and relate to friends and family.
Kinabatangan River is also suitable for solo travellers, couples, or families with young kids. It is not disabled-friendly, but certain operators can arrange special arrangements.
Finally, to fully enjoy your experience here, spend at least two nights in Kinabatangan.
Best times to visit Kinabatangan:
- The Kinabatangan region can be visited all year round, though it is often flooded in December and January, the wettest months of the year.
- The main flowering and fruiting season, from April to October, is generally relatively dry and a good time to spot many birds and animals.
- The best time to see Pygmy Elephants is around June but check with the lodge or tour operator about this, as it changes occasionally.
Getting to Kinabatangan:
- AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines fly to Sandakan from Kuala Lumpur and, from there, engage a tour company for your river cruise safari.
- A car, bus or taxi is available from all towns in Sabah, and prices vary according to distances.
- You can also rent a car and self-drive to Kinabatangan.
- Various tour operators around Sabah offer complete board packages to Kinabatangan.
General Tips for Kinabatangan:
- Bring a poncho, as the boats are non-covered if it rains.
- Bring water and snacks, as cruises can last 2-3 hours.
- Binoculars are a must to see the animals and birds at a distance.
- A 150-600mm lens is minimal for those with DSLR cameras. You will need more than your standard lens to satisfy you.
- For compact digital cameras, a 10x to 20x zoom is required with an anti-shake function or go for a Nikon P900 Camera.
- Night cruises are optional and not included in packages, so check with your guide.
- Always stay in the boat and do not try silly heroic things, as you would not want to fall into the waters.
For those seeking and adventure to remember, it is here in Sabah Borneo that you get the best out of nature. You can experience wildlife and nature in many places, so it is best to go with a good tour company.
Prices are not cheap, but you can see some of the most amazing things in the wild. One of the trips I recommend is the Kinabatangan River safari cruise, which is the best wildlife experience in this part of the world.
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