Duration
9 days
Group size
Max 12
Route
Kuala Lumpur → Penang → Borneo
The Rabbit Hole
A night on the Kinabatangan
Start here
You don’t need binoculars. You just need to wonder what lives out there.
You don’t need to know a hornbill from a kingfisher.
You don’t need hiking boots or a long lens.
You don’t need to have watched every nature documentary.
You just need to want to see it for yourself.
We start with Malaysia’s cities: towers, temples, street food and night markets.
Then we fly to Borneo and go quiet.
- Days 1–2 · Kuala LumpurThe cityPetronas Towers, KLCC Park, Thean Hou Temple, Chinatown and night markets.
- Days 3–4 · PenangStreets and canopyGeorge Town street food, Batu Ferringhi and The Habitat on Penang Hill.
- Days 5–9 · BorneoThe wildKota Kinabalu, then a night on the Kinabatangan River and the orangutans of Sepilok.
Who you might meet
01
Penang Hill
The rainforest canopy, from The Habitat’s walkways above the trees.
02
Kinabatangan
Proboscis monkeys, hornbills, macaques and crocodiles along the river, if they decide to show up.
03
Sepilok
Orangutans and sun bears at the rehabilitation and conservation centres.
Wildlife is wild. Sightings are likely, never guaranteed.
Wild
This is how Rabbit Holes start.
Curious
“I want to see an orangutan in the wild.”
First forest
Walk above the canopy.
Into the wild
A night on a Borneo river.
Rabbit Hole
Start planning trips around where animals are, not where hotels are.
Day by day
Your itinerary
Two days in Kuala Lumpur, two in Penang, then five in Borneo: Kota Kinabalu, the Kinabatangan River and Sepilok.
Days 1–9
Chapter 1Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Towers, Then a Helipad at Sunset
Land in Kuala Lumpur, check in and take a little time to settle.
Late afternoon, we walk to the Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park, then up to Heli Lounge Bar for sunset over the city. Dinner is at Jalan Alor’s night market, with a wander past the Alor Backspace street art.
Core Experiences
- ·Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park
- ·Sunset at Heli Lounge Bar
- ·Jalan Alor night market and street art
Kuala Lumpur
Temples, Chinatown and a Long Dinner
A morning city tour, then lunch and an afternoon at Thean Hou Temple.
Later, Chinatown and Pasar Seni (Central Market), dinner in the cafés of Kwai Chai Hong, and Changkat for anyone who wants a night out.
Core Experiences
- ·Kuala Lumpur city tour
- ·Thean Hou Temple
- ·Chinatown, Pasar Seni and Kwai Chai Hong
Optional
- ·Nightlife on Changkat
Chapter 2Penang
Penang
Street Food and a Beach Night Market
A short flight to Penang. Drop the bags, brunch near the hotel, then a street-food walking tour through George Town.
In the evening we head out to Batu Ferringhi for the beach, the night market and dinner by the sea.
Core Experiences
- ·Flight Kuala Lumpur → Penang
- ·Street-food walking tour
- ·Batu Ferringhi beach and night market
PenangWild day
Above the Canopy
A half-day trip up Penang Hill to The Habitat, for your first walk through the rainforest, partly above the trees.
The afternoon is free in George Town, with an optional trishaw ride. Dinner in George Town, then Chulia Street or Love Lane for whoever is still going.
Core Experiences
- ·Penang Hill half-day trip and The Habitat
- ·George Town dinner
Optional
- ·Trishaw ride
- ·Nightlife on Chulia Street or Love Lane
Chapter 3Borneo
Kota Kinabalu
Hello, Borneo
Fly from Penang to Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo and check in.
The evening is for Gaya Street’s night market, dinner at Sin Keh Bah Kut Teh and drinks at Mamasita.
Core Experiences
- ·Flight Penang → Kota Kinabalu
- ·Gaya Street night market and dinner
Kota Kinabalu
Culture, Then a Waterfront Sunset
A morning at Mari Mari Cultural Village, with lunch, for a look at the traditions of Borneo’s communities.
Sunset at Tanjung Aru Beach, then the Filipino Night Market and dinner on the KK Waterfront.
Core Experiences
- ·Mari Mari Cultural Village with lunch
- ·Tanjung Aru sunset
- ·Filipino Night Market and KK Waterfront dinner
Chapter 3 · Days 7–8
Into the rainforest.
Six days of cities and coast, and this is where the trip has been heading. Two days and a night on the Kinabatangan River at Bilit, then the orangutans and sun bears of Sepilok.
Nothing here runs to a schedule the animals agree with. That’s the point.
KinabatanganWild day
Onto the River
An early flight to Sandakan, where the tour team meets us at the airport.
From here, it’s two days and a night on the Kinabatangan River at Bilit, one of the richest stretches of wildlife in Borneo.
Core Experiences
- ·Flight Kota Kinabalu → Sandakan
- ·Kinabatangan River at Bilit: two days, one night
SepilokWild day
Orangutans and Sun Bears
Back from the river after breakfast, we check in near Sepilok.
In the afternoon, the Sepilok Orangutan and Sun Bear tour. Dinner at the hotel.
Core Experiences
- ·Sepilok orangutan and sun bear half-day tour
Sandakan → Kuala Lumpur
One Last Breakfast
Breakfast at the English Tea House, then check out and fly back to Kuala Lumpur.
A transit hotel until the evening, then flights home.
Core Experiences
- ·Breakfast at the English Tea House
- ·Flight Sandakan → Kuala Lumpur and a transit hotel until evening
An outline, not a schedule. Days shift with flights, weather, the river and the group.
What you come back with
More than a nature trip.
Your first rainforest
Not from a viewing deck in a city. From a river, at the pace the forest sets.
Animals on their own terms
Wildlife in its habitat, not behind glass. Which means waiting, watching and sometimes being surprised.
Three Malaysias
A capital, an island of street food and Borneo. Very different trips, one journey.
Questions
You do not need to be a wildlife expert.
This trip is a way into wildlife, not a trip for people with a bird list and a long lens.
Come curious. The forest does the rest.
Do I need to know anything about wildlife?
No.
Will we definitely see orangutans?
Wildlife is wild, so nothing is guaranteed. Sepilok is a rehabilitation centre where orangutans often come in to the feeding platforms, and the Kinabatangan is known for its river wildlife, but the animals decide.
How active is the trip?
Easy-going. Expect walking in the cities, forest boardwalks, boat time on the river and warm, humid days. Nothing technical.
Is this a party trip?
No. There are optional nights out in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, but the trip is built around the cities, the food and Borneo.
Can I come on my own?
Most people do. Solo travellers are the norm on a Voyagio trip, not the exception.
Are flights included?
International flights are not included.
Something else on your mind? Ask us about the trip on WhatsApp.
Inclusions
What’s included
The trip
- ✓Hotel stays in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Sepilok
- ✓Flights within Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur → Penang → Kota Kinabalu → Sandakan → Kuala Lumpur
- ✓Airport and intercity transfers as per itinerary
- ✓Voyagio trip lead and on-ground coordination
- ✓Entrance ticket to the Petronas Twin Towers
- ✓Kuala Lumpur city tour
- ✓Penang street-food walking tour
- ✓Penang half-day trip
- ✓Mari Mari Cultural Village with lunch
The Rabbit Hole
- ✓Penang Habitat entry ticket
- ✓Kinabatangan River at Bilit: two days, one night
- ✓Sepilok Orangutan & Sun Bear half-day tour
Not included
- ·International flights to and from Malaysia
- ·Visa costs, if applicable
- ·Travel insurance
- ·Personal expenses
- ·Optional trishaw ride and nightlife
Dates & price
Your way into Wild starts here.
Nothing is due until we’ve spoken and both feel it’s the right fit.
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