4D3N Kinabatangan River Safari With Gomantong
Three nights on the river, the Gomantong caves and an exodus of over a million bats at dusk — plus a complimentary night cruise. From RM2190 per person.
Your Itinerary Day By Day
Day 1 · Sandakan or Sepilok to the Kinabatangan
Your day will start with pick up from Sandakan hotels, Sandakan airport or the Sepilok area between 12pm and 1pm. Make sure to have something to eat before pick up or bring some snacks for the journey, as the estimated transfer time to the Kinabatangan river is 2 to 2.5 hours. If you would like to add on a guided tour of the Sepilok orang-utan & sun bear sanctuaries before pick up, please let us know.
Upon arrival, check into your room and enjoy tea, coffee and snacks at our restaurant overlooking the river before embarking on your first river cruise at 4pm. Over the next 2 hours, your guide will be on the lookout for proboscis monkeys, long-tail & pig-tail macaques, silver leaf monkeys, orang-utans, crocodiles, birds and more!
After your river cruise, return to the lodge for dinner before joining your guide on an included night walk.
Meals: dinner
Day 2 · Hornbills, jungle walk and an afternoon cruise
As day dawns, join your second river cruise and watch as the river comes to life. Keep an eye out for bird life including the Kinabatangan river’s 8 species of hornbills and have another chance to spot multiple species of primates.
Return to the lodge for breakfast then join your guide for a jungle walk looking for signs of orang-utans such as nests in the trees, and orang-utans themselves if you are lucky! Enjoy lunch overlooking the river and a chance to rest before joining an afternoon river cruise in search of more of the area’s unique wildlife.
After dinner, join your guide for a night walk or add on a night cruise in search of nocturnal wildlife along the river bank.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Optional add-on: night cruise RM100 per person
Day 3 · Gomantong caves and the bat exodus
A dawn river cruise, then breakfast and a guided jungle walk on our forest trail — prime ground for wild orang-utans.
Mid-afternoon we drive to Gomantong Forest Reserve and follow the boardwalk into Simud Hitam, home to Borneo’s swiftlet nest harvest. At dusk, climb the limestone outcrop for the bat exodus — over a million bats streaming out, hunted by bat hawks. Orang-utans and red-leaf monkeys are frequent visitors to the reserve. Back at the lodge: dinner and a complimentary night cruise (min 2 pax).
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Viewpoint: around 500 steps. The exodus is also visible from the car park and is weather dependent.
Day 4 · A last dawn cruise, then onward
Enjoy a final dawn river cruise or opt for a well-deserved lie-in before breakfast, then catch your transfer back to Sandakan airport at 8.30am. This transfer is suitable for flights departing at 1pm or later, or to hotels in Sandakan and Sepilok.
Meals: breakfast
Onward transfers to Lahad Datu (for Danum Valley & Tabin Wildlife Reserve) or Semporna (for Mabul / Sipadan) can be arranged on request, please inform us at the time of booking.
Everything That's Included
Three nights, six cruises, Gomantong Forest Reserve for caves, primates and the bat exodus — our most complete Kinabatangan itinerary.
Not included: Drinks other than tea, coffee & water; Tourism Tax RM10 per private room per night; Flights; Tips (optional).
In the price :
- 6 river cruises (3 morning, 2 afternoon, 1 night cruise)
- 2 night walks & 1 jungle walk
- Gomantong Forest Reserve visit
- Meals as per itinerary, tea, coffee & water
- Return transfers to Sandakan/Sepilok on scheduled basis
- Nature guide on join-in basis
Pricing
Dormitory
Shared by up to 4 people
RM2190
/ per person*
- Air-conditioned & ensuite bathroom
- Same guides, cruises and meals
- Best value for solo travellers
River Chalet
Twin or triple share, ensuite
RM2490
/ per person*
- Private ensuite bathroom
- River-facing veranda
- Single supplement RM750
Good to know
Supplements & children
25%
child discount (4–12 yrs)*
- High season supplement (all room types): RM100 per person per night for all nights in April, July, August & September 2026
- Tourism tax RM10 per room per night
*Prices valid for tours departing before 31st Dec 2026
Departures & Good To Know
The practical details — pick-up times, drop-off, children and what to bring.
Daily departures — pick up from Sandakan hotels between 12 - 12.15pm, Sandakan airport or the Sepilok area between 12.30pm and 1pm. If you are planning to fly in on the same day your tour starts, please book a flight landing no later than 12pm
Drop off back in Sepilok between 10.30 - 11am and Sandakan between 11 - 11.30am. Suitable for flights departing from 1pm onwards. If you need to catch an earlier flight, private transfers are available at an additional cost.
Child 4 - 12 years old: 25% off from adult rate if sharing a private room with parents (no child rate is available for dormitory beds); 0 - 3 years old are free of charge based on using existing beds
River cruises are not physically demanding, but night and jungle walks require the ability to walk for an hour or longer over uneven ground
There is no step-free access at the lodge: the closest rooms are 10 - 20 steps from the restaurant, the furthest around 85
The bat exodus viewpoint requires climbing 500 steps but it is possible to observe from ground level also.
We only have 16 rooms so advance reservations are essential. Easter holidays and European summer holidays fill up especially quickly, book at least 6 months in advance if you can.
Phone reception is limited; Starlink wifi is available in the main restaurant area but it can be slow at times
Hornbill Lodge has 24 hour electricity as well as a back-up generator; power outages may still occur but should be short-lived
- Light raincoat/poncho
- Sun hat & sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Refillable water bottle
- Binoculars (not essential but good to have, available to rent at Hornbill Lodge)
- Torchlight/Flashlight/Headlamp for night walks & power cuts
- Comfortable shoes with good grip (sports or hiking shoes are best, rubber boots are available to borrow at Hornbill Lodge if needed)
- Lightweight long sleeve shirt and trousers for night & jungle walks (Shorts, T-shirts & sandals are fine for river cruises)
- Basic first aid kit
- Leech socks (optional, can also be purchased from the lodge) or long socks
Tipping is not mandatory nor expected, but a small token of appreciation is always gratefully received.
There is a communal tip box at reception for our lodge staff and you may choose to tip your driver or guide directly should you wish to do so. An appropriate amount is RM10 - RM20 per person per day for your guide or driver and/or RM50-100 in the communal box.
Yes, you can pay for any drinks, Tourism Tax or optional activities by credit card.
4.9 on TripAdvisor
73 reviews · #5 of 17 in Kinabatangan District
Verified guest reviews on TripAdvisor.
Three nights, six cruises and a million bats
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