Green Jungle of the Dayaks

MASWINGS ADVENTURE 1

The Green Jungle of the Dayak

14 days 13 nights

Follow the footsteps of the Headhunter of Borneo!

Borneo, the world’s third largest island, has a cultural history littered with unusual evens and a bewildering cultural bounty. It also features a natural history filled with misty rainforests, bizarre insects and the last population of many unique birds and primates.

Day 1: Flight to Kuala Lumpur

Depart your country to Kuala Lumpur on your own choice of airlines and transit to Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo

Day 2:  Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo

The name “Borneo” evokes ideas of adventure, primeval forests, and headhunters. More than that, Borneo offer awe-inspiring caves, Borneo’s highest mountain and insights into their colonial past. Today we arrives KLIA and transit on MH flight to Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak State. Meet your guide and you will be transfer to your hotel. A briefing conducted by your tour leader at the hotel lobby at 6.00pm Make sure you bring along your international air ticket and your insurance policy. After briefing either you go your own way to look for your choice of meals or your tour leader will bring you the popular TOP SPOT seafood restaurant. 

Day 3: Bako National Park

This morning we visit Sarawak’s first National Park – Bako National Park; this area has been protected since 1957” the animals have become quite tame. Long –tailed macaques and wild boar come around the visitors’ accommodation while proboscis monkeys and monitor lizards can be seen in the surrounding mangrove forest. There is a wide range of bird life, too with both inland and sea birds represented. We return late in the afternoon to Kuching city. We overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

Day 4: Kuching City

This morning amble through the streets of old Kuching and absorb the history of the city as expressed in the buildings inherited from the days of the White Rajas of Sarawak. We will stop at a local coffee shop and finish at the Sarawak Museum. The Museum is one of the best in Asia and is an excellent place to begin to understand Sarawak’s many ethnic groups. Discuss with your tour leader if you wish to have an option tours to Sarawak Cultural Village (Living Museum) or an evening cruise along the Sarawak River. (Breakfast)

Day 5: Iban Long house

As Sarawak develops rapidly and the standard of living of its people rises steady, many of the old longhouse are modernized, rebuilt in brick and cement, often with more privacy and less emphasis on the traditional communal activities. This happens especially near the town areas, where western values and city money make greatest inroads. As a result, visitors looking for traditional longhouses go further and further into the interior. This morning we travel overland to Lemanak River drains an enormous rural area inhabited by the Iban. Only a couple of hours from Kuching, we have discovered a number of small longhouses where tradition is very much alive. Rumah Kasit is a fine longhouse, still with a thatched roof, standing beside a small crystal clear river. Some twenty families live here, each with a private room leading off the long communal veranda. Like most of Sarawak rural folk, they are farmers, growing their own rice and a little rubber, pepper or cocoa for sales. The people here are very hospitable and we will be welcome to spend a night as their guests: like all well brought-up guests, we will bring gifts as well as food to share with them. Perhaps, in the evening, we may be able to join in with their music and dancing. The white-men’s version of the headhunters’ dance is always the most amusing! We overnight at the Guest house. (Breakfast, Dinner)

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Day 6: Longhouse – Kuching - Miri

After breakfast we bid farewell to the Iban folks and we travel overland to Kuching city. On the way we stop over at Lajau town for lunch. We catch the MH flight ETD1630hrs from Kuching to Miri and overnight at Mega hotel (4 stars) located right in the city whereby it is surrounded with variety of food stalls and music café. (Breakfast)

Day 7: Mulu National Park

This morning we fly from Miri to Mulu National Park at 0920hrs flight. The flight will takes only 30 mins. The best of the world heritage site in Malaysia – Mulu National Park earned its reputation for having the biggest cave in the world – Sarawak Chamber and the largest Cave passage in the world – Deer Cave and the longest underground system in South East Asia – Clearwater Cave. Mulu established because of its botanical interest. It has all type of forest and a lot of rare species of plant, orchids and palm trees are found in Mulu National Park. A boardwalk leads from the headhunters through peat swamp rainforest to the largest cave entrance in the world, and the home of over 3 million bats. Nearby is Lang’s Cave, with its delicate limestone formations. We explore both these cave system and spend the evening watching a thick stream of bats leaving Deer Cave for a night of feeding on insects and fruit. We return late in the afternoon to Park HQ and by van to Royal Mulu Resort. We enjoy the cultural dinner at the resort. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8: Camp 5

After breakfast we depart by longboat to the source of the Clearwater River. Explore the CAVE OF THE WIND with unusual calcite formations including the tall, slender stalagmites in King’s Room. Just a few hundred meters upriver lies CLEARWATER CAVE where you ascend the 200 steps to the cave’s main entrance; visit the dry passage – LADY’S CAVE and the Show part of the Clearwater System. For those who want more adventurous activities crawl through the Turtle Cave. We have our picnic lunch at the Clearwater Spring. Hence we go by boat to Long Lutut and trek through the rainforest to Camp 5. We overnight at Camp 5 (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 9: Climb Pinnacles

The limestone mountain of Mt Api has been deeply eroded and features a series of unusual limestone pinnacles reaching above the forest canopy. Early morning we climb 3000 feet through the clouds to view these formations and if the weather is clear gain a view over Brunei and South China Sea. Packed lunch provided at the view point. We descend to camp 5 and overnight. For those who wish not to climb alternative to visit the Kerangas forests where you are able to see the rare species of palm trees and different species of pitcher plant.  (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10:  Headhunters’ Trail

Headhunting was at its height among the warring tribes of Borneo last century. The need for land pushed neighboring tribes into conflict and ownership of an enemy’s head was the sign of a true warrior. Just 100 years ago, the Kayan tribes from the Baram area developed an interest in land beyond Mulu. The Kayan paddled their war canoes up the Baram River to the headwater of the Melinau. From there the canoes were dragged 2 miles overland to the Terikan River, a tributary of the Limbang where the Murut were settled.. For many years the Kayan headhunters fought the Murut, forcing them to move slowly north. The headhunters’ trail from Melinau to Terikan developed into a well used 4 yard wide route, laid with small logs over which the canoes were pushed. We follow the original route of the Kayan Headhunters, although we will not drag our canoes overland!. We will reach the Medalam River after 4 hours trek and travel into the territory and hospitality of the Iban Longhouse. A short visit of the longhouse and we proceed to travel by boat down the Medalam River to Nanga Medamit where we take the van to civilization in Limbang. We overnight at Purama hotel.

Day 11-12:  Pulau Tiga Island

This morning we depart by express boat to Lawas and travel overland to Kuala Penyu. Catch the boat to Pulau Tiga Island. You can either relax at the white sandy beaches or snorkeling. We overnight at Pulau Tiga Resort. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 13: Kota Kinabalu

Late in the afternoon we depart by boat to Kuala Penyu and travel overland to Kota Kinabalu City where we put overnight at Imperial International hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 14: Onward travel home

Free till transfer to Kota Kinabalu International airport for onward travel home. (Breakfast)

For extension stay other interesting packages offers;

3 days Sandakan Wildlife Close-up

3 days Sipadan Dive Heaven

3 days Danum Valley Adventure

2 days Mt Kinabalu Climb

Requirement for the trip:

Raincoat, water bottle, insect repellent, day pack for Pinnacles climb, a sheet, towel, toilet and bath kit, a small first aid kit, Good trekking shoes, No suit case but rucksack, suitable clothing ( not need warm clothes) .

Price per person:  USD990 per person based on twin share.

Single Supplement: USD 400

The Price includes: all transfer from day 1 till last day of the itinerary, domestic airfare ( Kuching-Miri-Mulu) entry permit and fees, accommodation as stated (3 stars), meals as stated, longboat expedition and English Speaking Tour Leader.

Not included: Alcoholic and soft drink, tipping (USD5 per person per day), International airfare and items not included.

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