Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour
4
Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour
By MAM Holidays Malaysia
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Borneo is home to some of the world’s most biodiverse rainforests and most endangered wildlife. With this tour, visit three conservation projects and learn about the important work being done to protect and preserve Borneo’s wildlife. Visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre; observe the magnificent creatures in natural surroundings; and enjoy a guided discovery walk at the Rainforest Discovery Centre.
from per adult (price varies by group size)
$125.00
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99
Duration: 7–8 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Three unforgettable wildlife experiences in one day
- Spot orangutans, sun bears, and endemic plant species
- Delicious lunch of Malaysian cuisine at a local restaurant
- Private tour ensures a personalized experience
- Round Trip transportation by Car/Minivan
- English Speaking Licensed Tour Guide
- Local Lunch
- Goods and services Tax
- Entry/Admission - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Entry/Admission - Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Entry/Admission - Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
What's not included- Other Food and Drinks
- Any other things not mentioned in the itinerary
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.Airport pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included airports.
- Sandakan Airport, Sandakan Malaysia
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 29580P30- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- A discount price is available for children.
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 29580P30
Reserve your spot
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1
- 2
- 3
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- chenth120 contributionsElephants, crocodile and proboscis monkeysWe saw 5 elephants crossing the river, so lucky. And another 15 more on land, walking by the river. Plus a crocodile by the river, which dashed in into the river after a while. There was a group of proboscis monkey, and an even larger group of macaques. The boatmen were very accommodating. Our driver Abdul drove us here. He's reliable and super friendly, reasonable prices. His WhatsApp is +601116695114Written September 3, 2024
- 786eleanorj0 contributionsDo not book!The tour guide did not show up! Viator have refunded us so no issue with them, but do not book this tour. If you want to do it, all of the grab drivers seem to know people who do a similar tour and you can pay in person when they show up. We sadly couldn’t do this because we waited for too long for the guide to show up and then all the other tours had already departed. A real shame!Written August 25, 2024
- paulwH7804FE0 contributionsExcellent fun cultural experienceExcellent tour (and we have been to a number of similar ones in other countries). In house guide spoke fluent English. Group sizes reasonable (13 in ours). Visited 5 tribal reconstructed longhouses, all fully explained. Lots of food and drink to sample. Interactive throughout, fun, entertaining and informative. Short dance and music show. Excellent buffet food at the end. Difficult if mobility issues as some steps up and down into houses, but may be alternatives. Thoroughly recommended, including for children.Written August 12, 2024
- leaht8310 contributionsGeorgetown by private carWe had a great half day tour with Mohammad. It was the perfect way to see GeorgeTown (in the heat!) traveling with elderly parents and a young child as we were picked up / dropped off at our hotel and driven around to key sites without too much walking. Mohammad provided the right level of commentary for us too. The car was clean and Mohammmad very cheerful which made for a nice morning out.Written August 10, 2024
- Creative-Malak0 contributionsMari Mari cultural villageVery slow people are divided into groups and there is not enough time between groups resulting in long queue and overcrowding , no published time for the show we had to wait for more than 45 mins to wait for the show to start , No places in between the walks to get water , No access to anyone who has a disability and also knee problems . It takes longer than it should due to lack of Organization. We were also told it included lunch and it was not part of itWritten August 4, 2024
- 94lynner0 contributionsFireflies cruise.Enjoyed the experience. Fireflies were interesting. Didn't see any other wildlife. Food was good. Guide was entertaining.Written July 27, 2024
- candicebF1264DQ0 contributionscancelled less than 24h before our tourpretty disappointed. Our tour was cancelled at 12.30am, the morning of our trip. Waited half an hour for our pickup and couldn’t contact the number provided, or anybody of that matter. Refund takes 3-5 business days and it’s a Friday. Not happy.Written July 25, 2024
- G661RNemmar0 contributionsGood value and great experience - very interactive.Great experience. Overall a good snap shot into the tribes history and how they lived day to day. Very Interactive and the staff really enjoy the work they do there which shines through in the tour Thank you to BiBi and the team for making the day very memorable for our family.Written July 18, 2024
- Ruth L0 contributionsNo show or communicationNo show from driver Tickets were not redeemable. I had to purchase new tickets at the park. Cost to catch a grab and pay at park is almost 50% less than paying for group tour. Would recommend checking season, if it's outside of peak times, no need to prepay.Written July 3, 2024
- patrickwI6569ME0 contributionsGood tourGood commentary about the history of Penang and the Guide was very good and talkative. We enjoyed the walk very much. Would highly recommend the tourWritten June 24, 2024
- Greatbrownhype0 contributionsHighlights of George TownFirst off, big thank you to MAM and our guide Muhammad for accepting such a last minute booking! This was a great tour and Muhammad was an excellent guide! Pick up was prompt, and our private car for the tour was spotless and comfortable. Muhammad is everything you expect in an excellent guide. He gave us great background information on the region and sites without it turning into a lecture, all mixed in with a little humor. At each stop he let us enjoy things at our own pace. We never felt rushed and he struck the perfect balance of guiding us around and letting us explore on our own. We got a great overview of the city, excellent photo ops, and a little tourist shopping. 100% would recommend him to anyone looking to book a tour.Written June 18, 2024
- 992melving0 contributionsKL tour.We enjoy our tour around KL. The guide was helpful and gave us a good understanding of places of interest around the city and Batu Cave.Written June 16, 2024
- profesorn20230 contributionsQuite the experienceWe found out about this trip via our driver Mr. Azrien, he was honest and reliable, he didn't sugar coat any attraction and his suggestions were concrete. We were greeted with tea and snack while waiting for the start of the journey, then we swam and observed the animals: mud skippers, crabs, monkeys and baby crocs. Then we waited until it was dark to see fireflies along the river. Trip ended with tasty dinner. It was quite the experience.Written June 6, 2024
- S810PGdanielt0 contributionsGreat and memorable trip!The cruise was great, there were many opportunities for photos and learning as our guide, Azrien was extremely knowledgeable and hospitable. He ensured that we got to see all the best sites and made the entire journey very comfortable, going out of his way to ensure our safety multiple times. The food was great with a nice array of local dishes, the quality was great and the trip was a memorable one for sure. Guide Azrien - +60 13-797 9018 👍Written June 3, 2024
- O5155SOeds0 contributionsThe ultimate mangrove experienceTanjung Rhu is truly a must when visiting Langkawi. The average cost of renting one boat is RM 200 and the boat ride takes approximately 2 hours where you first start off by looking at soaring eagles. The boat operators normally throw raw chicken meat into the water and you can see these eagles soaring down to eat them. Then you go through the mangrove area where you see 100’s of monkeys just hanging around and chilling. You will also stop by a small fish farm where you will be introduced to various species of fishes. Before ending the tour, you will be taken to a cave where you can see 100’s of bats. Must watch out for the monkeys that will grab your plastics bags as they might think you have food in them !Written May 27, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
More to explore in Sandakan
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
30 reviews
Excellent
18
Very good
7
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
3
Karla T
Melbourne, Australia139 contributions
Very disappointed. Our tour was cancelled at 3pm the day before, the morning of our trip. There was no explanation as to why! They said a refund would be sent, I am still waiting for it. We ended up paying a Grab driver for the day, (to take us, and bring us back to hotel) and we paid our individual entrance fees to the 3 places- Sepilok orangutan rehab centre, Borneo Sunbears and Rainforest discovery centre, and all together cost us a quarter (in Aus dollar) of what this company was going to cost. So it ended up better for us!
Written August 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ovens3738
Wangaratta, Australia67 contributions
So much better than a big tour group!
Mr Ray sent us a msg the night before to confirm our flight and arrival time. We arrived at the airport, met him outside at our agreed meeting point and off we went. His car was clean, he was friendly and knowledgeable. We caught the early flight from KK, so had time to stop off at local bakery! They only took cash, which is something to consider if you want to go to the true local places, not all of the venues have an eftpos machine. It was cheap and delicious and so nice to hang with the locals.
We got the the Orangutan Sanctuary before the tour buses, so also got the prime positions to view these beautiful animals. Two had little babies, they were very playful, it was wonderful to watch.
We also saw the sun bears and got to buy our souvenirs at the gift shop. Tshirts were a bit on the small side but, they don’t take refunds or exchanges, so check the sizes.
The rainforest centre and the viewing platforms were also worth the visit. Lots of bird photographers hoping for that special shot.
Lunch was also delicious, a small buffet but, the food was great.
We had some time to kill before our flight back so we went up the hill to a Buddhist temple. The views were amazing.
Thank you so much Mr Rey, we had a wonderful time and hope to come again with the other half of our family!
Mr Ray sent us a msg the night before to confirm our flight and arrival time. We arrived at the airport, met him outside at our agreed meeting point and off we went. His car was clean, he was friendly and knowledgeable. We caught the early flight from KK, so had time to stop off at local bakery! They only took cash, which is something to consider if you want to go to the true local places, not all of the venues have an eftpos machine. It was cheap and delicious and so nice to hang with the locals.
We got the the Orangutan Sanctuary before the tour buses, so also got the prime positions to view these beautiful animals. Two had little babies, they were very playful, it was wonderful to watch.
We also saw the sun bears and got to buy our souvenirs at the gift shop. Tshirts were a bit on the small side but, they don’t take refunds or exchanges, so check the sizes.
The rainforest centre and the viewing platforms were also worth the visit. Lots of bird photographers hoping for that special shot.
Lunch was also delicious, a small buffet but, the food was great.
We had some time to kill before our flight back so we went up the hill to a Buddhist temple. The views were amazing.
Thank you so much Mr Rey, we had a wonderful time and hope to come again with the other half of our family!
Written July 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StephanieKrishnan
Singapore, Singapore157 contributions
A good day out with options to add visits (at a cost). We saw orang-utans both in the wild and in the sanctuary, proboscis monkeys (extra) and sun bears. Rahim picked us up and dropped us off from airport. Trip was seamless and lunch was great.
Written January 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pedro
Brussels, Belgium35 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Sepilok is definitely worth the visit. Great day out with the amazing Orang Utans. There was however no pick up at the airport by the tour operator, so we had to take a cab (Grab), which worked our fine in the end. Difficult communication with the tour operator (no immediate reply to phone calls, text messages, voice messages). In the end, I did get an immediate and full refund.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davidlewry
Sydney, Australia12 contributions
The trip was incredible Agus and Siti were amazing hosts for the day, they looked after us like kings and we had lots of laughs as well. . They made us feel so welcome and comfortable and the day was w a let as described. Seeing the orangutans in the natural environment incredible. I couldn’t fault this trip and well worth the money.
Written October 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RockinRob_13
Maroochydore, Australia21 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
Unusually for us we decided to book a private tour over a longer period of time to give us more time to see Sepilok, Sun Bears & Rainforest Discovery Center. What a waste of money it was! As Leeds_Knight said in his review - "not a tour, more an expensive taxi". If only we had seen this review earlier!
1. Alarm bells rang from the time our "tour guide" (NOT!) picked us up in his red & white taxi. We asked to see his tour guide ID - oh it's in my wallet he replied - a lie - guides are required to wear their card around their neck. He was obviously just a taxi driver and a big overweight one at that. He didn't introduce himself as a real tour guide does - he may have been called Rasheed?
2. Just about as soon as we were in his car, he was pressuring us to give him a good review. He picked us up early & wanted to take us to see a couple of city sights which we declined because we'd already done a half day city tour previously.
3. He had difficulty walking & couldn't keep up with us. As the day went on he put on a leg brace & walked with a walking stick. Very unfit & puffing a lot. We tried to tell him to wait for us and not walk because he was slowing us down and, to be honest, spouting lots of useless hot air.
4. He made a big deal of saying "Oh I've purchased your tickets" or "I've paid for your meal" - as if we owed him but these were part of the tour inclusions.
5. He talked a lot but just read info from the various info boards. We took to listening to other "real" tour guides to get some proper info which he plainly didn't know.
4. While at Sepilok he met a couple he knew from I think Kota Bahru and spent quite some time talking with them.
Don't bother booking a "private tour" with MAM Holidays Malaysia. If your experience is like ours, you'll pay a lot for an expensive taxi driver. As Leeds_Knight says we would have been far better to use Grab. If you do book a private tour, make sure your tour guide is a registered guide with his card around his neck.
1. Alarm bells rang from the time our "tour guide" (NOT!) picked us up in his red & white taxi. We asked to see his tour guide ID - oh it's in my wallet he replied - a lie - guides are required to wear their card around their neck. He was obviously just a taxi driver and a big overweight one at that. He didn't introduce himself as a real tour guide does - he may have been called Rasheed?
2. Just about as soon as we were in his car, he was pressuring us to give him a good review. He picked us up early & wanted to take us to see a couple of city sights which we declined because we'd already done a half day city tour previously.
3. He had difficulty walking & couldn't keep up with us. As the day went on he put on a leg brace & walked with a walking stick. Very unfit & puffing a lot. We tried to tell him to wait for us and not walk because he was slowing us down and, to be honest, spouting lots of useless hot air.
4. He made a big deal of saying "Oh I've purchased your tickets" or "I've paid for your meal" - as if we owed him but these were part of the tour inclusions.
5. He talked a lot but just read info from the various info boards. We took to listening to other "real" tour guides to get some proper info which he plainly didn't know.
4. While at Sepilok he met a couple he knew from I think Kota Bahru and spent quite some time talking with them.
Don't bother booking a "private tour" with MAM Holidays Malaysia. If your experience is like ours, you'll pay a lot for an expensive taxi driver. As Leeds_Knight says we would have been far better to use Grab. If you do book a private tour, make sure your tour guide is a registered guide with his card around his neck.
Written July 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan M
Somerset, UK677 contributions
Nov 2019
We were all behind one way viewing glass in an air con room though there were A LOT of people and many did not respect the request of keeping quiet. The food was placed outside the windows for the nursery orangutans to learn from the older ones about how to interact, eat and behave. There were some very endearing moments between mothers and babies. Outside we were able to see older orangutans being fed and learning how to deal with macaques stealing their food - preparation for the wild. Orangutans appear to have a very high tolerance of other monkeys and were very laid back - people could learn a lot from them. It was an organised tour so we were on a time schedule but could have spent all day there just watching. Good to know rehabilitation is doing well. Quite a few steps hence not necessarily wheelchair friendly though some ramps are being put in place.
The sun bears area appeared too small but then we were told it is only a holding area whilst they are being assessed prior to going to a rehabilitation centre. The bears did not appear distressed and seemed to adapting quickly with lots of food and less stress from wherever they had come from.
The sun bears area appeared too small but then we were told it is only a holding area whilst they are being assessed prior to going to a rehabilitation centre. The bears did not appear distressed and seemed to adapting quickly with lots of food and less stress from wherever they had come from.
Written November 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leeds_Knight
Leeds, UK23 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Booked this via Viator which listed "English Speaking driver guide"
From previous experience, we therefore expected that we'd get taken to each locale and accompanied by a guide who would provide info on what we were seeing - e.g. facts about the region, wildlife and nature.
On the morning of the tour, we were told to meet someone else with no real explanation at the last minute - always slightly worrying as a tourist.
The driver was very friendly and extremely helpful and did an excellent job, but literally was just a driver, driving us around, providing the pre-paid tickets and waiting for us outside of each place.
Had we known that there would be no guide, we would've just used 'Grab' (local Uber) and saved a relative fortune.
The individual sites were very interesting and we enjoyed those, so would recommend them, but book the tickets online and use Grab to get about - you'll not only save money but have a more relaxed experience.
From previous experience, we therefore expected that we'd get taken to each locale and accompanied by a guide who would provide info on what we were seeing - e.g. facts about the region, wildlife and nature.
On the morning of the tour, we were told to meet someone else with no real explanation at the last minute - always slightly worrying as a tourist.
The driver was very friendly and extremely helpful and did an excellent job, but literally was just a driver, driving us around, providing the pre-paid tickets and waiting for us outside of each place.
Had we known that there would be no guide, we would've just used 'Grab' (local Uber) and saved a relative fortune.
The individual sites were very interesting and we enjoyed those, so would recommend them, but book the tickets online and use Grab to get about - you'll not only save money but have a more relaxed experience.
Written June 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gladys R
Scottsdale, AZ22 contributions
We had a wonderful tour to see the Orangutans and Sun Bears. Only problem was that it was sold and ticketed as a private tour and there was another couple that we didn’t know with us , whose goals were quite different than ours
Written November 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Annette G
Boise, ID12 contributions
Sep 2019
I went there in September. This is a rehab center, not a zoo. However, at morning feeding time, we were indoors, behind glass, observing at least three or four orangutans . I believe these orangutans are gently reintroduced to the forest, as during a morning bridge walk, an adult was seen ahead.-- our tour group went quiet as she walked nearby. Sepilok orangutan and Sun Bear refuge is a well-built facility, lots of educational info posted. Actual care takers also speak to tour groups, giving info on the animals. Sun Bears were interesting -- they have a blonde moon marking on their upper chest. The whole experience got me thinking about deforestation and palm tree oil mono culture, and my use of palm oil in every day life. The orangutans are the most intelligent primate, yet their populations are lin deep decline. Although this was a "fun" experience, it also had impact.
Written October 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
I’d like to book for this Tuesday, for my daughter and I. We are staying at Shangri La Rasa Risa resort so I need to also book flights? Or do you book them. I am happy to book them but would like to confirm times with you. Also, would it be possible to go to the city instead of the last stop at the rainforest?
Thank you!
Christine
Written June 1, 2019
We are staying at the Shangri La Rasa Ria hotel. Will there be transport from there to sandakan airport and back please
Written May 16, 2019
Yes, Pickup from from Shangri La and drop off airport is ok
Written May 26, 2019
Hi we arrive at sandajan airport at 11 a.m. is it possible to change the order of the day and visit the orangutans for afternoon feeding?
Written May 4, 2019
Can you pick up & drop off from Nexus at Karambunai?
Written April 24, 2019
Hello. What time is drop off at Sandakan airport please?
Written April 2, 2019
Hello. I would like to know if we could take out the Rainforest Discovery Center Tour and swap it in for a tour of the War Memorial. We are a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child). If possible, would there be a price change?
Thank you
Written March 30, 2019
Hi
Would it be ok to be collected and dropped from paganakan dii resort?
Rob
Written February 12, 2019
Is this a group tour or a private tour? Also is there a minimum number required to undertake this tour?
Written April 29, 2018
This is a private tour required minimum 2 travelers.
Written August 28, 2018
Showing results 1-10 of 10