Borneo Trek Expedition: 3 Weeks

Work alongside local communities, learn cultural traditions, and take on an epic multi-day trek through the jungle. This is service-learning, adventure, and connection all in one expedition.

  • Location Borneo, Asia
  • Duration 3 weeks
  • Expedition Type Trek

From building vital infrastructure to regenerating habitats and visiting world-renowned conservation centers, you’ll experience Borneo’s culture, nature, and people up close. Along the way, you’ll complete a multi-day trek off-grid, learn through cultural exchange, and reflect on your adventure.

A fully supported expedition, from start to finish

Your expedition fee covers not just the incredible activities you’ll experience, but also the extensive guidance and support you’ll receive every step of the way. From the moment you sign up through your safe return home, our team ensures everything is organized and supported.

You’ll also need to plan for essentials like vaccinations, visas, personal gear, and a bit of spending money. Don’t worry—we make it easy. Once enrolled, you’ll get access to your personalized Traveller Gateway, with clear guidance and resources to help you prepare with confidence.

  • Round-trip international flights
  • Expedition Leader (qualified and experienced)
  • Accident and health insurance
  • All meals
  • Unlimited, safe drinking water
  • All accommodations listed in the itinerary
  • All activities listed in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for all included excursions
  • All in-country transfers by private, approved vehicles
  • Project materials, costs, and management
  • 24/7 support throughout the expedition

This sample itinerary will give you a preview of what your expedition could look like. Please note that specific projects, activities, and camp locations may vary depending on local needs and conditions at the time of your expedition.

Day

Activities

More details

Day 1 Leave for Borneo This morning you will make your way to your designated meeting point ready to embark on your journey to Borneo.
Day 2 Arrive in Kota Kinabalu On arrival at Kota Kinabalu, you will be met by a member of our awesome Camp Borneo crew who will take you to your first camp. When you arrive at camp, there will be an arrival briefing, camp orientation and village tour by our Camp Manager. You will then enjoy a home-cooked dinner with your team and will be treated to a cultural welcome performance from the local community.
Day 3 – 8 Community project work Over the next few days you will be getting stuck into some community project work. You could be getting involved in helping to build classrooms, constructing and refurbishing community buildings and installing water storage systems. Whichever project initiative you work on, you’ll be working hand in hand with locals to tackle real needs. During the evenings, you’ll get to experience more of the local culture, with language lessons and cultural dance sessions (be prepared to show off your best moves!).
Day 9 Get prepared for your trek Today is all about getting trek-ready. You’ll have an expedition briefing where you will be introduced to your guides and we’ll run through what you can expect over the coming days.
Day 10 – 14 Jungle Trek Over the next four days, you will be trekking through villages, farmland and deep Bornean jungle. Experience true off-grid living as you sleep in hammocks, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the jungle. You will gain a new perspective on life as you visit poignant memorials to World War II soldiers, and you’ll have the chance to learn essential jungle first aid and survival techniques whilst mastering some incredible traditional skills. You will end your trek at Sabah Tea where you’ll have the chance to take a relaxing shower and a well-earned rest.
Day 15 – 18 Environmental project work Over the next few days you will be based at our environmental camp where you will learn more about the Borneo jungle and the challenges faced in this important habitat – home to many species including orangutans. Project work will include working on reforesting the area by growing and replanting native trees.
Day 19 Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary Today you will visit the famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre to see these amazing creatures up close and personal in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, you’ll head to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre – the only one of its kind in the world – where you can learn about the conservation work taking place to protect these unique bears.
Day 20 – 26 Community project work After travelling to your next camp, you will get stuck into some more community project work that is designed to benefit the local school and wider community. This could include low level construction, painting, plastering and brick laying. You will also have the chance to learn about local arts and crafts from the community.
Day 27 Explore the city of Kota Kinabalu Today you will head back to Kota Kinabalu for some sight-seeing and last-minute souvenir shopping. Depending on time, you may also get to spend some time by the coast, taking in the white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters before checking into your hostel for the evening.
Day 28 Goodbye Borneo After breakfast at the hostel, it’s time to say your final goodbyes to the Camp Borneo crew and head to the airport in time for your flight home.

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

2 Zero Hunger Icon

Zero hunger

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

3 Good health and well-being

Good health and well-being

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

9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

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

13 Climate Action

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Habitat conservation

Borneo – Habitat conservation

Batu Puteh is an incredible haven for a large majority of Borneo’s wildlife including orangutans, elephants and proboscis monkeys, and is one of the world’s most important natural habitats. However, it’s also one of the most threatened. You’ll get involved in activities to help safeguard this wildlife paradise for future generations by helping to tackle deforestation.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

13 Climate Action

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

15 life on land

Life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Community care construction

Borneo – Community centre construction

Community centres (‘Balai raya’ in Malay) are commonplace in Sabah and form an integral part of village life. A well-used and maintained community hall is often a good indicator of the health of the community itself. You’ll be getting involved in a long-term project to construct a community centre for the local community, who currently do not have one.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

8 Decent work and economic growth

Decent work and economic growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

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

Experience the local way of life in our authentic camps

Our camps are at the heart of every expedition. Built in traditional styles and staffed by local community members, they offer an authentic place to rest and recharge after a day of service learning project work.

Depending on your itinerary, you’ll stay in several of our camps. These could include those featured below.

Rainbow over main building in 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
Borneo view from a trek adventure

Camp Batu Puteh

Batu Puteh is all about getting back to nature! Our jungle camp is set in the heart of one of Borneo’s most ancient forests along the banks of the Kinabatangan river where you’ll get the chance to live alongside elephants and orangutans for an experience that’s hard to beat.

Our camp offers three types of accommodation and you’ll hopefully get a chance to try them all:

Jungle camp: Get back to basics and experience true adventure. Learn how to rough it in the jungle with local guides accompanying you and showing you the ropes. Sleep in a hammock and cook over a camp fire before falling asleep to the soothing sounds of the forest.

Eco camp: A little more luxury but still an exciting wilderness experience. This camp offers raised camping platforms where you can enjoy camping in the great outdoors.

  • Location: 350 km (6 hours drive) from Kota Kinabalu Airport & 60 km from Lahad Datu
  • Accommodation style Jungle Camp: Hammock, tarpaulin & mosquito net. No toilet or washing facilities – completely back to nature!
  • Accommodation style Eco Camp: Tents with comfy mattresses & bedding. Flushing toilets, cold showers & sinks
  • Power: Gas lighting available in eco camp
  • Signature dish: Local cakes – Linggang & Gelang

All the camps staff were super friendly and helpful. It was incredible experience learning about different cultures. To see the project work completed by the end of the stay in a particular camp was so satisfying and knowing that the local community would benefit from it.

Asha, Camp Borneo 2023

Our local camp legends

Our camps are staffed by local community members who will quickly make you feel at home. These amazing team members bring each expedition to life and share the very best of their country with you.

Evelyn Binti Thomas

As a Camps traveler, 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.

Interested in this expedition?

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