Imbak Canyon Photography Trip
This fantastic journey through the thick and uncharted rainforest made an incredible experience for a group of photographers and adventure seekers from around Sabah.
And to my surprise, this was the first-ever trip organised into Imbak Canyon by a group of non-researchers, a conservation area and a biological gene bank.
A total of 20 severe photographers and 4WD enthusiasts gathered in Telupid, the main gateway to Imbak Canyon and Maliau Basin here in Sabah.
Photography Tours to Imbak Canyon Sabah
Finally, the day came in February 2011 when Cede Prudente of North Borneo Safari organised a photographic expedition, and this was my chance to explore the mystical place.
Arriving in Sandakan via Kuala Lumpur, I met with Kenneth of Cede’s trusted and very professional nature guides.
From the airport, we headed towards the town of Telupid to meet up with the rest of the expedition team. The journey took about two hours via the main trunk road, which led to Kota Kinabalu.
On arrival, I met up with everyone, and to my surprise, another photographer friend was there as well, which made it more interesting.
The journey into Imbak Canyon started at about 3.00 pm as we convoyed in ten four-wheel-drive vehicles from Telupid town.
The journey would take us through vast, remote areas of interior Sabah while stopping briefly at the village of Imbak, a small outpost and the last stop before proceeding into the canyon.
Upon reaching the canyon junction, our ranger, who was in the lead vehicle, stopped briefly to pre-warn the other 4WD drivers about the intense conditions the rest of the way. Passing a river, all the cars needed to go through using a set path from the lead car.
We often would stop to ensure everyone safely travelled across treacherous stretches of mud. Finally, after about three hours of intense driving, we arrived at the Tampoi Base Camp.
The camp was bare, with living quarters for the 20-odd staff, including our open-aired bunk bed lodging. Yes, no two or three-star hotels here in the middle of Borneo.
Dinner was prepared for everyone in the main dining area, and to my surprise, I noticed some rangers watching satellite television from a 40″ LCD TV. Talk about modern technology in one of the most remote places in Sabah Borneo.
After dinner, an introduction was done via PowerPoint about conservation work done in Imbak Canyon, while our itinerary was set out for the following day.
The conditions were really nice as I got to experience sleeping in a double bunk bed with mosquito netting under a structure without walls.
The toilets were modern if you should be interested as they are behind the quarters and with 8 units. Only for those who cannot live without hot showers, everything else was great here.
Along the way to the falls, you would be lucky if you bumped into a Borneo Pygmy Elephant, but for my trip, I only saw what the elephant left behind on the trail.
The ranger had told me that the elephant was there last night as the droppings were very fresh. Oh, how I would have loved to bump into one of the mammals.
Arriving at the Imbak Waterfalls, I could hear the beautiful sounds of water falling from a distance. We had to stop the vehicles and walk down a wooden staircase where my eyes could not imagine the size and length of these falls.
Everyone was in awe when we saw it; some could not resist pulling out their cameras and clicking away.
As everyone was making their way down the platform area, Cede and the rest of the rangers who followed us gathered for a detailed briefing at the main platform area. This was crucial as all of us were first-timers here.
So we were informed to be cautious here. Leech socks were required for trekking while moving around the falls; we should be careful.
Here, you can see some of the deep rainforest flora and fauna. As for animals, we heard a lot, but they chose not to be seen while we were there.
Photos of Imbak Canyon
Below are a series of photos taken while I trekked carefully through the Imbak Conservation rainforest. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.
Birdwatching at Imbak Canyon
When we returned from the trek, we spent the afternoon at the waterfalls as many wanted to explore the different timings of the light for photography.
Lunch was arranged and served at the platform, while a few chose to have an afternoon siesta while the severe photographers were seen around the falls. After finishing a two-hour session, we returned to camp for dinner.
The evening was spent talking about everything under the sky, and later in the night, Star Trail professional – Jollence Lee gave us a guide on photographing Star Trails in Sabah.
Overall, this Imbak Canyon excursion had to be one of my most challenging and exciting rainforest adventures in a long while.
For photographers, this is one of the trips you should not miss from around the world. Shooting in remote Borneo inside a 35,000-hectare conservation is something not many people will be able to do, and now this option is available.
If you are interested in a photography trip here or exploration for trekking, you can contact me below as I work directly with the organisers in Sabah:
Imbak Canyon Photography Trip
Contact: David Hogan Jr
Telephone: +6 016 9699997
Email: juniorhogan@gmail.com
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| Photography at Imbak Canyon |
The North Borneo state offers a variety of treks and adventures to suit any kind of trekking, hiking and even climbing style.
And for the birders, Sabah Borneo is one of the well-known birdwatching destinations with many places to choose from.
Apart from the regular excursions here, you can also opt for the advance trips to explore deeper into the rainforest and see the beautiful Imbak Canyon Waterfalls.
Conclusion
Imbak Canyon is not your regular tourist destination, and you must obtain a special permit to visit this rainforest conservation in Sabah.
This fantastic place is best visited in a group and under the assistance of Sabah Park Rangers with the North Borneo Safari guides for your Imbak Canyon photography safari tours.
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