Malaysian mountain peaks, river safari, lush jungle, orangutans and elephants
Places filled: 8/8
Places are full, it is possible to register for the waiting list.
The Borneo adventure tour is designed for those who want to dive into a magical blend of nature, culture, and adventure. It’s the perfect balance of relaxation and challenge — just the right dose of adrenaline and the joy of discovery.
We start the journey by exploring the local lifestyle and traditions, easing ourselves into the rhythm of Borneo. Then comes a true highlight — quite literally. Over the course of two days, we set out to conquer Malaysia’s highest mountain, where velvety cloud layers, jungle scents, and diverse landscapes create an exceptional hiking experience. It’s perfectly suitable for anyone with at least average fitness and a desire to experience something authentic.
In the following days, we venture deep into Borneo’s ancient rainforests. Morning and evening river safaris, nighttime jungle walks, and the vibrant wildlife bring us face to face with orangutans, proboscis monkeys, flocks of tropical birds, and—if we’re lucky—the world’s smallest elephants in their natural habitat.
We'll end the adventure on a tropical note: white sandy beach, crystal clear water and great snorkeling on the coral reefs of Manukan and Sapi islands. Pure paradise!
Trip overview
Goal: To hike to the highest peak in Malaysia, discover the nature of Borneo and see fascinating animals such as orangutans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, sun bears, giant monitor lizards, etc.
Dates: 26.10.—04.11.2026 (excluding flight time)
Starting point of the trip: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (flight tickets not included in the price)
Adventure guide: Tanel Tilk (language skills: Estonian, English, Spanish)
Technical difficulty level: 1/5 (easy hike, no special equipment needed)
Physical difficulty: 2/5 (2-day hike Mount Kinabalu The top requires the most effort, the rest of the program is more relaxed)
Group size: min 6, max 8 (including guide)
Trip price
Discounted price until 31.03.2026 — €2790
Registration for the period 01.04.-25.07.2026 — €3069
Late registration from 26.07.2026 — €3348
NB! Elamus+ community members get a 5–10% discount. Read more and check your discount eligibility. community members page.
Travel cost
Price includes
Entire trip organization and on-site guidance
All accommodations
All transfers during the trip, including domestic flight from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu
Local guide and meals during the Mount Kinabalu trek
Cultural program on the first day with a guide, dance program and meal
Visit to an orangutan rehabilitation center and sun bear sanctuary
River safari and jungle walks with a local guide, including all meals
Boat tour to Manukan and Sapi Islands with lunch
Entrance fees to nature parks
All breakfasts and most lunches and dinners
Stylish Elamus+ sports shirt for each participant
Group pharmacy
Elamus+ hiking tour preparation package valued at €200:
a personal 30-minute online call with the tour guide, upon request;
winter hiking training before the trip*;
summer hiking training before the trip*.
*Held once a year — participation depends on the time of registration. Trainings take place in Estonia.
Price does not include
Flight tickets to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and back (from ~ €1000)
Insurance (travel insurance and MANDATORY sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking)
Personal hiking clothing. No special hiking equipment is needed.
Two lunches and three dinners
Extracurricular activities and transportation for them
Personal hygiene products and medications
Internet and data packages
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, you must pay a deposit of 20% of the trip cost within 3 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by e-mail. If there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
NB! We recommend taking out travel disruption insurance immediately after paying the advance invoice so that longer-term health problems are also covered!
Schedule and activities
DAY 1: Arrival
The starting point of the trip is in Malaysia, In Kota Kinabalu.
There are several options for getting there. One of the shortest and most direct ways is to fly. Turkish Airlines(with stopovers in Istanbul and the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur). It should be noted that it takes over 20 hours to get from Estonia to Kota Kinabalu, depending on the flights.
Must be present On the evening of October 26th or at the very least the next morning.
Accommodation in a 3* or 4* hotel in twin/double rooms
Day 2: First introduction to Malaysian culture
On the first full day, we will take it easy to recover from the long flight and enjoy our first moments in Borneo’s tropical rhythm. We explore the city of Kota Kinabalu, and in the afternoon, we will dive into the diverse world of Malaysian culture. We will visit traditional houses, taste local dishes, hear stories about ancient customs, and finish the day with vibrant ethnic dance performances.
Accommodation in a 3* or 4* hotel in twin/double rooms
DAY 3: Put on your hiking boots and head towards the mountains
The morning begins with a two-hour drive. Kinabalu National Park. We meet our local mountain guide and start the hike at an altitude of 1800 meters. We only take a small backpack with everything we need (the rest of the luggage can be left below). About in five hours The hiking trail passes through four different altitude zones, each with its own unique vegetation. By the end of the day we will reach 3300 meters at a height to base campA warm and nutritious dinner awaits you in the mountain huts, and after sunset we retire early.
Accommodation in a dormitory with bunk beds.
Day 4: Mount Kinabalu (4095 m)
According to one true peak ascent we wake up early, around 2 a.m. With a headlamp on our heads, snacks and rain and windproof clothes in our bags, we begin our ascent in the stillness of the night. By sunrise we will arrive to the highest point Between the Himalayas and New Guinea, where the first light breaks over the cliffs and reveals breathtaking views across Borneo. After celebrating our summit, we descend back down. Breakfast awaits at base camp and by lunchtime we arrive back at the entrance to Kinabalu Park. Here we stay for one more night to rest, recover and enjoy the peaceful nature.
Accommodation in a comfortable mountain lodge in twin/double rooms.
Locomotive at the top of Mount Kinabalu
day 5: drive to Sandakan - tropical gardens, waterfalls, tea plantations
At 9 am we start our journey towards the east coast of Sabah state. On the way we will make a few stops to get to know more about the Malaysian nature. We will take a longer break at the Poring Hot Springs, where you can do walks in a tropical orchid garden, visit bones and caves and peek into the colorful to the butterfly garden. We spend our lunch break At the Sabah tea plantation and by evening, around 19 pm, we will arrive in Sandakan.
Accommodation in a 3* or 4* hotel in twin/double rooms
Days 6-8: Kinabatangan River Safari
In the morning we visit orangutans rehabilitation center and the world's smallest bear species, sun bear, shelter. Under the guidance of local guides, we can learn more about these institutions and residents.
Then we head to the Kinabatangan River, where we stay in cozy huts right in the middle of the jungle.
Over the next few days we will immerse ourselves in the lush world of flora and fauna of the tropical jungle. We will do several river cruises ja walks, trying to spot proboscis monkeys, long-tailed and pigtail macaques, silver leaf monkeys, orangutans, crocodiles, colorful birds, and much more.
Accommodation for 2 nights on the Kinabatangan side in quadruple rooms with bunk beds (private room available for an additional fee).
On day 8, we head back to Sandakan, from where we take a domestic flight to Kota Kinabalu. There, as at the beginning of the trip, we stay in a 3* or 4* hotel in double rooms.
Kinabatangan River
Day 9: Tropical islands of Manukan and Sapi
Back in Kota Kinabalu, we dedicate the final day to complete relaxation and enjoying the tropical waters. We take a boat to the beaches of Manukan and Sapi islands, where you can snorkel or simply relax in the sun on the sandy shore. A delicious lunch awaits us on Manukan Beach.
Accommodation in a 3* or 4* hotel in twin/double rooms
Tropical islands
Day 10: End of the program
The end of the itinerary in Kota Kinabalu is planned November 4 until morning.
If you are interested, you can also extend your trip before or after the event, for example to explore Kuala Lumpur or sultanate With Brunei, located in the immediate vicinity of Kota Kinabalu.
NB! The schedule and planned activities may be subject to minor changes depending on the traveler's wishes or the weather.
Malaysia
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) (1 € ≈ 4,8 MYR, exchange rates may fluctuate)
Traffic: left
National language:malay
Population: approx. 34 million
Area: 330 803 km²
Neighbors: Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand
Malaysia is a safe, friendly and well-organized destination to travel to. The most common “threats” are nature, weather and traffic – rather than crime.
Price level:
Street food / simple local meal: €1–3
Average restaurant: €6–15 per person
Beer at the bar: €3–5
Coffee: €2–3
In Kota Kinabalu, you can also pay by card in restaurants, but you should have cash ready to buy snacks/drinks during the Mount Kinabalu and Kinabatangan river safari.
Tipping is not mandatory, but it is a nice way to show appreciation for good service. If you feel that the service (both from your guide and the waiter in the restaurant) was particularly good, leaving a small tip will make everyone feel good.
Traveling to Malaysia
Estonian citizens can travel to Malaysia visa-free for 90 days.
We recommend vaccination against hepatitis A. Further information can be found at vaktsineeri.ee and travel medicine offices.
You can consult the adventure guide regarding flight tickets.
There are several options to get there. One of the shortest and most direct routes is to fly with Turkish Airlines (stopovers in Istanbul and the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur). It should be noted that it takes over 20 hours to get to Kota Kinabalu from Estonia, depending on the flights.
Must be present on the evening of October 26th or, in extreme cases, the following morning.
See more also https://reisitargalt.vm.ee/sihtkoht/malaisia/
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
passport (no visa required; 90 days visa-free);
Sports insurance suitable for mountain trekking (read more on the FAQ page). A valid sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participating in the mountain trek; check the terms and conditions with your insurance provider. For example, Swedbank’s travel insurance always covers treks up to 4500 m, so no additional coverage is needed for our trip.
travel insurance. Please note: Take out insurance immediately after paying the advance payment for your trip so that you are also covered for longer-term health problems.
Read more also travel conditions or feel free to ask the adventure locomotives.
FAQ
How physically fit do I need to be to participate in the trip?
Mount Kinabalu is physically demanding, but most healthy and moderately fit people can do it. It is not a technical climb - rather a long, steep and continuous climb with lots of stairs.
Suitable for someone who:
can walk 6–8 hours a day
have done longer climbs or stairs (e.g. 600–1000+ steps)
can carry a light backpack (4–6 kg)
is used to moving in nature
Who might it be “very difficult” for?
A person who rarely moves
Overweight
Problems with knees
I have never done a multi-day hike before and I am not climbing.
What clothes and equipment should I pack?
The weather in Borneo in October-November is tropical: warm, humid, possibly rainy. The average daily temperature is 27 °C.
In addition to everyday clothing, you should bring a sports shirt, thin fleece, wind and rainproof jacket, long hiking pants, a warm hat and gloves, hiking shoes, a headlamp, hiking poles (can also be rented on site), and a small backpack of 20-30 liters for Mount Kinabalu.
There is no need to bring any other hiking equipment for this trip.
What happens after registration?
After filling out the registration form, we will send you an invoice for prepayment. After the payment, you are registered for the tour. 30 days before the tour, we will send you an invoice for the total cost of the trip. We will create a common chat between the trip participants, where you can discuss everything you need with each other.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
