In July/August 2017, working as an Expedition Leader for World Challenge Expeditions, I lead an expedition to Borneo (Sarawak) and Malaysia.
Our itinerary includes working with a local community, a five-day jungle trek, visit to the Pulau Pangkor Islands and white-water rafting.
For photographs of this expedition see Borneo & Malaysia
This expedition is arranged by World Challenge
Jul 6 – Jul 7, 2017
Arrive in Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo. Nestled close to the glistening Sungai Sarawak, Kuching is packed with greenery. We take a walk down the beautiful riverfront esplanade to acclimatise and visit old Chinatown. There’s delicious food to be had, as well as plenty of souvenir shops to visit.
Jul 8, 2017
Orientation in Kuching. Today is the first full day in country and we need to contact our In-Country Agent , make bookings and buy supplies for our next phase.
Jul 9 – Jul 11, 2017
We travel to Kubah National Park. The park\’s accommodation has fully equipped kitchens that we can use. Kubah National Park is a 45 minute drive from Kuching. Trekking in Kubah National Park. Forested sandstone hills pockmark the 22 square kilometres of Kubah National Park. The trails here are an excellent way to get stuck into jungle trekking and acclimatise to the heat and humidity.
We have a choice of different self-guided trails and maps are available from the park headquarters.
The rain-forest and waterfalls are a sight to behold, while the Matang Wildlife Centre, despite its concrete exterior, is an active rehabilitation centre for endangered species in Borneo.
Jul 12, 2017
Travel back to Kuching and make final preparations for our next phase.
Jul 13 – Jul 14, 2017
Travel from Kuching to Miri. The journey to Miri has multiple parts, with a stay overnight in Bintulu. We take the bus to Bintulu (9 hours). The journey is a great opportunity to see different parts of the Borneo landscape. We complete our journey the next morning, with a bus journey to Miri (3 hours).
Miri is a busy transport hub for people travelling to Brunei, the Kelabit Highlands, and many of Sarawak\’s national parks. We can also see oil towers from the coast: the oil and gas industry drives the economy of this town, yet the vibe here is calm and friendly.
Jul 15 – Jul 16, 2017
We make our way to the Niah Caves National Park for our acclimatisation trek.
Jul 17, 2017
Back in Miri we have an admin day to prepare for our next stage and use some of our time today to do some washing and re-pack our kit ahead of travelling to your next itinerary location. Once we’ve done this, we explore the city.
Jul 18, 2017
Travel to Bario. We fly on a small 19-seater twin-otter plane to reach Bario, a beautiful, remote jungle town. It’s one of a very few journeys that still require these tiny planes: the views are simply incredible. We first fly Miri to Barudi, a nine minute flight! Then Barudi to Bario, a 30 minute flight.
Jul 19 – Jul 23, 2017
Trekking in the Kelabit Highlands. Jungle trekking, with its heat and moisture, can be tiring, but it\’s also very rewarding as the scenery of the Kelabit Highlands is absolutely astounding. The Highlands themselves are set in a gorgeous hanging valley encircled by jungle-clad mountains.
During our trek we carry all of our own kit, approx 25kg and walk for an average of 3-4 hours a day over gently undulating terrain. Each evening will be spent at a jungle campsite where we set up our hammocks and bashas and cook on an open fire.
Jul 24, 2017
Travel back to Miri.
Jul 25, 2017
Travel from Borneo to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia, with its jungles, ancient temples and bustling towns, is the next stop for our expedition.
Jul 26 – Jul 29, 2017
We travel on to our Community Engagement project in Bentong. This is an incredible opportunity to immerse ourselves in Malaysian culture, discover how local people live, and learn about some of the issues they face within their community.
Jul 30 – Aug 1, 2017
Travel to the island of Pulau Pangkor. This morning we make our way by bus to the town of Lumut. When we arrive at Lumut bus station we head to the ferry terminal catch a boat over to the island. The ferry journey from Lumut to Pulau Pangkor takes about 30 mins.
Aug 2 – Aug 3, 2017
Rest and Relaxation in Kuala Lumpur.
KL is overflowing with things to do. Petronas Towers, Suria KLCC, Central Markets, Chinatown and more.
Aug 04 – Aug 05, 2017
Depart Malaysia. Sadly it’s time to start our homeward journey. Time for those last minute jobs before we pack up our kit for the final time and head to the airport for the flight back home.
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