Borneo Impact Expedition: Community and Jungle

Experience the diversity of Borneo’s changing landscapes as you travel from the village of Bongkud to the lush rainforsets of the Crocker Range National Park. You’ll journey to the heart of the Bornean jungle where you will spending time exploring the wonders it has to offer (hopefully spotting an orangutan or two). Immerse yourself in the local culture as you work alongside the local community on vital projects – learning an abundance of new skills and making life long friends.

  • Location Borneo, Asia
  • Duration 8 days
  • Expedition Type Impact

Experience the diversity of Borneo’s changing landscapes as you travel from the village of Bongkud to the lush rainforsets of the Crocker Range National Park. You’ll journey to the heart of the Bornean jungle where you will spending time exploring the wonders it has to offer (hopefully spotting an orangutan or two). Immerse yourself in the local culture as you work alongside the local community on vital projects – learning an abundance of new skills and making life long friends.

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A fully supported expedition, from start to finish

Your expedition cost is comprehensive and covers the incredible activities you’ll be taking part in, as well as the extensive support you’ll receive in the lead up to, and during, your expedition.

Don’t forget you’ll also need your vaccinations, visas, kit and some spending money. You can find guidance on all of these on your personal Traveller Gateway once you sign up.

Note: Travel insurance is excluded if departure airport is not DXB or AUH

  • International flights
  • Expedition Leader
  • Comprehensive travel insurance
  • All meals
  • Unlimited drinking water
  • All accommodation mentioned in the itinerary
  • All activities mentioned in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for all sights mentioned in the itinerary
  • All transfers mentioned are in private vehicles
  • Project costs and management
  • 24 hour support throughout expedition

This sample itinerary will give you an insight into what you’ll be getting up to. Please note, the exact projects, activities and camps may change closer to the time of your expedition.

Day Activities More details
Day 1 Arrive at Kota Kinabalu Fly into Kota Kinabalu International Airport where you’ll be met by one of our friendly Camps crew who will travel with you to our flagship camp – Camp Bongkud. Along the way, you will make a stop at the Kundasang War Memorial where you will learn about the fate of Australian and British prisoners of war during WWII. When you reach camp, you will be greeted by the team and the Camp Manager. You will have the opportunity to settle into your accommodation (a traditional longhouse) before an expedition briefing and a village tour. The evening will be spent enjoying a traditional Bornean dinner and a cultural performance by the local villagers.
Day 2 Project orientation After a much-needed sleep, our project leaders will take you around the local community – we have been working here for over 10 years so you will be warmly welcomed by everyone. While exploring the village you will have a full briefing on what your work here will involve. During the briefing, you will learn more about the current situation and challenges faced by the community of Bongkud. You’ll also get to visit the completed project sites so you can see how projects like the ones you’ll be working on continue to benefit local people for many years to come. Follow a tasty lunch you will get stuck into the project work that has been assigned to your group.
Day 3 – 4 Community project work Over the next couple of days, you will work on your project alongside our locally employed craftsmen learning traditional skills and get a fantastic insight into the challenges that the villagers of Bongkud face, helping you understand the purpose of the projects you are working on. It isn’t all work and no play – in the evening you will get to know your local neighbours with a variety of fun sports matches and cultural activities.
Day 5 Poring Hot Springs This morning you will head back to the project site to finish up the work you have been doing for the last few days. After a lunch stop at camp, you’ll head to Poring Hot Springs where you’ll spend the afternoon exploring the jungle from the skies as you walk high above the trees on the canopy walkway.
Day 6 Explore the wonders of the jungle Today you will travel to Utan Paradise, a jungle eco-camp located in heart of the Crocker Range National Park. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a delicious lunch before trying your hand at some traditional jungle survival skills. You will then head out on a short walk to explore the wonders of the jungle. Following dinner, you will have another chance to venture out into the jungle on a short walk to see what insects and other wildlife you can spot – in the dark!
Day 7 Wildlife spotting in the jungle Following breakfast, you will transfer to Kota Klias where you will have some free time to explore the local area. After lunch, you will head out on a boat ride travelling along the Klias River. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for orangutans and other wildlife. Following some downtime and dinner, you will head back out on the river to enjoy the spectacular display of fireflies.
Day 8 Departure Today you will say goodbye to the Camp Borneo team as you head back to Kota Kinabalu for your flight home.
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See what life is like on expedition

Check out the photos from our previous travellers for a first-hand view into life on expedition.

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For more of our travellers’ best photos visit our photo competition gallery. See more

How you’ll make a difference

You’ll work on a range of projects throughout your expedition, each aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and designed to make a significant and lasting impact on the region’s most critical issues.

Village enhancement projects

Borneo – Village enhancement projects

You’ll get involved in a number of projects to improve facilities for the rapidly growing population of Bongkud. Projects may include constructing a youth centre, improving the drainage system to ensure cleaner and healthier living and establishing a community farming programme to improve food security and encourage self-sufficiency within the village, without needing to transport supplies from larger towns.

UN Sustainable Development Goals
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Zero hunger

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

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Good health and well-being

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

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Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

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Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Experience the local way of life in our authentic camps

Our camps are the heart of our expeditions. Built and staffed by locals in the traditional style, and located within the heart of communities, they are the perfect place to relax after a day of project work. You’ll get to stay in a number of camps during your expedition, which could include those featured below.

Camp Bongkud

Camp Bongkud

Set in the shadows of the mighty Mount Kinabalu, Camp Bongkud is surrounded on all sides by lush picturesque scenery. Its hillside location gives it a pleasant breezy climate which makes it the ideal hillside retreat after a hard day’s project work.

Being in the heart of the village also has its advantages; all your project sites are only a short walk away and you can challenge the locals to a friendly game of volleyball on the community court during your downtime.

  • Location: 127 km (3-3.5 hours drive) from Kota Kinabalu Airport & 160 km from Kudat
  • Accommodation style: Traditional longhouses
  • Bed type: Comfy mattresses & bedding including mosquito net.
  • Toilets: Flushing toilets,
  • Showers: Cold water showers & sinks
  • Power: Mains electricity backed up by generator (between 18:00 – 22:00). British 3 pin power sockets
  • Social area: Chilling hut, volleyball court, badminton & board games
  • Signature dish: Banana fritters & steamed banana cake
Find out more

Throughout my Borneo trip all the camps staff made me feel as though I was at home, there was not one point on the expedition where I wished at was at home. Camps international made me build confidence, integrity, kindness and leadership within myself. This expedition gave me a new outlook onto things and memories to never be forgotten. I would recommend any expedition with camps international to anyone, it was truly the best thing I have ever done.

Sophie, Camp Borneo 2018

Our local camp legends

Our camps are staffed by members of the community who will make you feel like a local in no time. These legends will make your expedition spectacular and will show you the very best of their home country.

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As a Camps traveller, you’ll get to learn about our rich Bornean culture and experience its spectacular beauty – from mountains to coasts and jungles full of flora and fauna. Many people in rural villages in Sabah don’t have the opportunity to travel to other countries, so having travellers come to stay at camp is an amazing opportunity for cultural exchange (both ways!) and inspires the younger generations to study hard and see the world.

Meet our Crew

Interested in this expedition?

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