Sandakan Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center Full-Day Trip from Kota Kinabalu

Sabah, Malaysia

A visit to the see the orphaned or abandoned Orangutans at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Center, in the Malaysian Sabah District of North Borneo, will melt the hearts of the hardiest traveler. Watch as these cute Orangutans are taught the survival skills, by the dedicated team at Sepilok, that they need in order to return to natural habitat - the jungles of Borneo.

The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, located near the town of Sandakan, is one of the best places on earth to see the famous wild man of Borneo in its natural habitat. After pickup from your hotel in Kota Kinabalu, be transferred to the airport for your flight to Sandakan (flight surcharge subject to change, please see Additional Info for more details).

Upon arrival, be taken to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, the largest and oldest of its kind on earth where a dedicated team of professionals work tirelessly to assist orphaned, abandoned or abused Orangutans to learn the survival skills they need to return to their natural habitat - the teeming jungles of Borneo.

Follow your guide on a walk along a raised wooden walkway to the observation deck where Orangutans slowly emerge from the rainforest to be fed by the rangers. The Sepilok centre supplements the rehabilitated Orangutan's diet with a feeding at 10am and 3pm. Please note that wildlife sightings are not guaranteed as the Orangutans roam freely in the jungle.

Afterward, head to a local restaurant for a delectable lunch of Malaysian specialties. Then, enjoy an afternoon of touring around Sandakan beginning with a tour of a local market offering a variety of fruits, vegetables and unique local handicrafts. Learn about traditional Chinese architecture on a guided visit to a the Puh Jih Shih Buddhist Temple, situated on a hilltop. Admire the views of the city skyline from the observation point The temple is situated on a hill-top looking and provides great photo opportunities of the breathtaking views over Sandakan Bay.

At the end of your tour, transfer to Sandakan airport to catch your flight back to Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival, be transported back to your hotel in Kota Kinabalu

USD $112.00

Review by:   Gavin T,    July 2011
Brilliant trip. Not to be missed. Very informative with clear instructions at the sanctuary. Fantastic to see these beautiful animals in their own environment.

Review by:   anthony s,    May 2011
Awesome. A great way to get up close and personal with the Orangutan's whilst also knowing that you are contributing to their rehabilitation. I went at feeding time and it was not in any way crowded. The logistics of getting to and from Sandakan and Sepilok were well organized. As a single traveler I had to pay a 100% supplement to be able to complete this tour. Expensive (for me) but well worth it, a great experience.

Review by:   Lesley K,   Australia, May 2010
The tour to the Orang Utan sanctuary was really well organised, efficient & a great excursion. We were lucky to be able to stand on the boardwalk with an Orang Utan playfully rolling near our feet. Watching the feeding session was entertaining & the information session about the sanctuary was very informative. We asked to see the Sandakan Memorial instead of visiting the Buddist temple & this was easily & efficiently organised. The excursion was well worth the cost & highly recommended.

Review by:   Wayne K,    May 2010
The tour to the Orang Utan sanctuary was really well organised, efficient & a great excursion. We were lucky to be able to stand on the boardwalk with an Orang Utan playfully rolling near our feet. Watching the feeding session was entertaining & the information session about the sanctuary was very informative. We asked to see the Sandakan Memorial instead of visiting the Buddist temple & this was easily & efficiently organised. The excursion was well worth the cost & highly recommended.

Review by:   George C,   United Kingdom, March 2010
Our visit to Sepilok was excellent and the orangutans were very visible. The add on visit to the Buddhist temple was out of context and of little interest. Lunch at the English tea house was disappointing, even if serviced with good Malaysian hospitality.

Review by:   Michael P,   United Kingdom, June 2008
Early start to fly over to Sandakan and the Sepilok Centre but well worth it. Very, very hot and humid throughout the feeding time so make sure you take water. There are plenty of orangutans on view but also plenty of people. You need a good camera to be able to take good shots and preferably a tripod although when we went two of the orangutan actually got onto the viewing platform!! Brilliant experience.

Review by:   Robert D,   United Kingdom, April 2008
We skipped the video show, so we went in early and there were five orangutans playing near the rangers on the viewing platform. When more people arrived, they went back into the rain forest, but soon reappeared when the food did. Everything was very well organized: we had a great guide who was very informative and helpful. This experience is not to be missed, but we were very lucky as well.