Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise: How to Choose The Best Tour

Few experiences can match a Borneo Kinabatangan River cruise, which puts you face-to-face with Sabah’s wildlife.

With over 1,000 wild orangutans living along its banks, Malaysia’s second-longest river is one of the best places in Borneo to see orangutans where they belong – in the trees, not behind glass.

What I like the most about the Kinabatangan River trips is the chance to see more than just orangutans.

You can also spot proboscis monkeys (a fascinating long-nosed species only found in Borneo), several macaque species, saltwater crocodiles and – if you’re very lucky – Borneo pygmy elephants.

In this post, I’ll share my experience on a Borneo Kinabatangan River cruise and exactly what you can expect. I’ll also give first-hand tips on how to pick the best Kinabatangan River tours to make sure that your money is well-spent.

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There are many animals at the Kinabatangan River – however, the question you should be asking is, how many animals are you likely to see?

Seeing macaques and proboscis monkeys is almost guaranteed. Most tours spot several groups of these monkey species.

However, you are less likely to see orangutans; our guide estimated that there’s a 50-50 chance between April and September.

Spotting saltwater crocodiles or pygmy elephants is even more difficult. Elephants’ movements are unpredictable, so it all depends on when they choose to drink, bathe and forage.

What are the Chances of Seeing Orangutans?

Many people come to the Kinabatangan River with the sole intention of spotting wild orangutans.

As I explain in my detailed guide to where to see orangutans, there’s no doubt that the Kinabatangan River is one of the best places in the world to see truly wild orangutans.

However, sightings are never guaranteed. Orangutans are not natural born swimmers, but they often come to the river banks in the early morning or evening to drink water and forage for food.

The best time to see orangutans at the Kinabatangan River is the dry season, from April to September, when they are more likely to rely on the river as a water source.

Some people will see several orangutans in one day. Others, like me, won’t see a single orangutan within two days.

That’s why it’s so important to book the longest tour possible to maximise your chances of seeing orangutans.

Is the Kinabatangan River Worth It?

That brings us to one more question: is the Kinabatangan River worth visiting? The short answer – yes.

The long answer – even though you’re not guaranteed wildlife sightings, it’s one of the best places to see truly wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys and macaques carrying out natural behaviours such as foraging in the trees.

For me, it was totally worth it to see so many wild proboscis monkeys. These distinctive creatures are only found in Borneo and have incredibly long noses. I also enjoyed seeing birds, saltwater crocodiles and macaques.

That being said, overall, I enjoyed my experience of orangutan trekking in Bukit Lawang in Sumatra more. I saw 6+ orangutans in one day, in a group of no more than 6 people.

My Experience at the Kinabatangan River

My Kinabatangan River cruise experience began at Sandakan Airport, where I was picked up by a minivan and transferred to a riverfront jungle camp two hours away.

I was signed up for a two-day Kinabatangan River tour (similar to this 2D1N tour – but staying at a different camp), which included two river cruises in the evening and morning.

In hindsight, a three-day cruise (3D2N tour) would have been better, as it includes an additional full day to look for wild orangutans.

After arriving and checking in, it wasn’t long before the evening cruise. We glided down the murky river on a speedboat, while the guide beadily scanned the surrounding treetops for signs of wildlife.

Every few minutes, he approached the shore for a closer look. The first few times reaped no results, but after around 20 minutes, we came upon our first group of macaques.

Shortly after, we found proboscis monkeys, a group of males high up in the trees. Those with binoculars were able to get a closer look at their distinctive orange fur and long noses.

Our final stop was at a river junction where ropes are strung between two gigantic trees to provide a wildlife corridor for monkeys and orangutans.

Within the mangroves around this crossing, we came across another group of macaques foraging for food. Their tiny babies leapt around their feet, getting in the way, much to the mothers’ annoyance.

Soon after, the light began to fade, and we cruised back to our jungle camp with a large moon in the sky and lights glittering in the distance. I don’t like to over-use the word ‘magical’, but it really was.

Dinner was a casual affair. Those who hadn’t booked onto a night walk (for an additional cost) were anticipating the early start the following morning.

At 6am, our weary-eyed tour group boarded another speedboat and headed onto the water once again, this time into thick morning mist.

The mist quickly cleared as the sun rose. With it came several lively groups of proboscis monkeys and long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques.

The morning cruise was even more successful – we spied two small saltwater crocodiles, storks and an egret too.

One tour boat radioed through to say they’d found an orangutan. However, by the time we arrived, it had journeyed deeper into the rainforest.

After breakfast, my long-awaited Kinabatangan River trip was over, and I was dropped directly to my next hotel – the incredible Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort – to spend a couple of days visiting the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.

Best Time to Visit The Kinabatangan River

The best time to visit the Kinabatangan River is between April and September, the dry season in Sabah.

Wildlife is more likely to rely on the river as a water source during the dry season, making them easier to spot.

The shoulder months, March or October, are also opportune times to avoid tourist crowds, just so long as the weather remains mostly dry. I visited the Kinabatangan River in October.

Tours mostly run year-round, so if you happen to be in the area and the weather is in a dry stretch, it doesn’t hurt to try your luck.

How to Plan Your Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise

Now, let’s get into the nitty gritty details…

How to Choose the Best Kinabatangan River Tours

The only way to visit the Kinabatangan River is to take an organised tour. These are conducted on speedboats with 8-14 people.

If you book an overnight tour, it includes shared or private accommodation at a jungle camp (rainforest-style hotel) along the river.

First of all, you need to decide how many days you’re going to spend at the Kinabatangan River.

As a rule of thumb, the longer you spend at the river, the greater your chances are of seeing wildlife.

If you really want to see orangutans, I suggest that you take the longest tour (3D2N) to maximise your chances.

1. Day tour: Includes x1 afternoon cruise for those who are very limited on time. Check availability for the Kinabatangan River day tour.
2. Two-day tour (2D1N): Includes x2-3 cruises and overnight accommodation. Check availability for the standard group 2D1N tour or the private 2D1N tour.
3. Three-day tour (3D2N): Includes x5 cruises and two nights of accommodation. Check availability for the group 3D2N tour.

What if you don’t see orangutans?

Just in case you don’t see orangutans on your river cruise, you might want to consider visiting Sepilok directly after your tour.

Located only a 1- to 2-hour drive from the river, Sepilok falls within the drop-off range for the river tours.

It has a well-established orangutan sanctuary, where there are very good chances of seeing semi-wild orangutans.

The rangers carry out twice-daily feedings (at 8am and 3pm) to support injured and orphaned orangutans while they re-learn natural behaviours such as foraging and nest building.

After my tour, I was dropped directly at Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort, which is within walking distance of the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.

What to Pack and Wear for Your Cruise

The Kinabatangan River is by no means a fashion show – practical layers that will fit under your mandatory life jacket are essential.

Despite the tropical climate in Sabah, I felt quite chilly at times on the river cruise, due to the breeze when the boat is moving.

I advise wearing comfortable, lightweight trousers on the lower half and a normal t-shirt with a lightweight,  long-sleeved shirt to protect you from the wind.

If you have long hair, it’s also best to tie it up, because it can get very sticky from the humidity and can also block other people’s view.

Sandals or trainers are fine for the Kinabatangan River cruise itself, but back at your jungle camp, you might prefer to wear closed-toe shoes because there are often monkeys hanging around looking to steal rogue food…or flip flops.

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I hope you found this guide to the Kinabatangan River cruise helpful! Leave a comment below to let me know which species you spy on your trip. I’d love to hear from you.