Exclusively for Solo Travellers Your Own Room Always Visit Amazing Destinations Low or Zero Single Supplements 11 DAY SOLO TOUR: AUGUST 2019

Transcription

1 Exclusively for Solo Travellers Your Own Room Always Visit Amazing Destinations Low or Zero Single Supplements ITINERARY 11 DAY SOLO TOUR: AUGUST 2019

2 With its dense rain forests, tropical coastal islands and mysterious jungle valleys, Borneo is a rare destination these days. It s a place where you can still encounter nature in its truest form, with a rich variety of colourful and endangered wildlife amidst amazing natural scenery. This trip to the Malaysian state of Sabah and Sarawak takes you face to face with many unique species, including orangutans, proboscis monkeys and hornbills. Why you ll love this trip One of the last remaining wild places on earth, Borneo offers a rare treat for the nature lover. It s one of the world s last two remaining homes to the orangutan This year Peregrine adds a new destination to its Borneo adventures, Mulu National Park. Here you can hike through spectacular untouched jungle and visit Asia s longest cave The Kinabatangan River is a bird-lover s paradise. All eight of Borneo s hornbill varieties are commonly spotted here As well visiting the unique endangered sun bears, gain insight into the rehabilitation of primates at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre With four internal flights, spend less time travelling and more time taking in the wildlife and natural beauty of your destinations Your 2 night feature stay on the Kinabatangan River is in an eco-resort that doesn t sacrifice the environment or comfort and allows you to wake to the sounds of the jungle Spend your last 2 nights soaking in the serenity of the Shangri-La s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa. Surrounded by 400 acres of tropical forest, the Rasa Ria is an enchanting tropical retreat rising above a pristine stretch of beachfront. Unique to the resort is the Nature Interpretation Centre, gateway to the Nature Reserve. Here, you can meet the Borneo s wildlife before enjoying cocktails on the beach and been enchanted by the natural magic. Welcome to Paradise! Is this trip right for you? Travelling light is essential, as there is a strict 15 kg maximum luggage limit due to the internal flight. Excess luggage will incur extra fees. The accommodation varies, from hotels to a jungle lodge. The jungle lodge may be a little more basic than our standard hotels. The unique location and close proximity to wildlife is what makes the jungle lodge special. In gorgeous Mulu National Park (days 7 and 8) you explore the jungle by low rise long tail boat. These can be slightly difficult to get on and off, so be sure to take care when you do so. There will be a few short walks included on this trip on forested paths that can get wet and slippery. Shoes with a good grip are recommended. 2

3 Day 1 - Friday 2nd August 2019 KOTA KINABALU Welcome to Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah. An individual arrival airport transfer is included. There is an important welcome meeting at 6pm today, where you will meet your local guide, fellow travelers and your Two s a Crowd Host. If you have any free time beforehand, perhaps explore this intriguing city that was born between the Borneo jungle and the South China Sea. Modern-day KK is a lively modern metropolis, having recovered from World War II bombings. The Sabah State Museum is a great place to immerse yourself in its backstory. Accommodation: Your own superior room at Mercure Hotel (4 star) Day 2 - Saturday 3rd August 2019 MULU (B) We will take an early morning flight to Mulu National Park. You are only permitted 15kg of checked luggage. Upon arrival we will be transfer to our accommodation at the very tropical Mulu Marriot. Soon after we head into the heart of one of the most spectacular national parks in Asia by foot - Gunung Mulu National Park. Spend the afternoon strolling the walkways and catching the sunset flight of the bats at Deer Cave. This spectacular cave is home to millions of bats and at dusk they emerge for their nightly feeding, looking like a black plume of smoke moving across the sky. We return at dusk to our accommodation. Visit Deer & Lang cave Bat Exodus (Weather permitted) Accommodation: Your own deluxe room at Mulu Marriot (4 star) Day 3 - Sunday 4th August 2019 MULU (B,L) Spend the day exploring the stalagmites and columns of Clearwater Cave and Wind Cave. Located along the Melinau River, Wind Cave is named for the cool breeze that blows through it- so make sure you pack a jacket. Later, explore the caverns and crags of Clearwater Cave, one of the longest caves in Asia. For lunch, enjoy a simple picnic with your fellow travellers. In the evening, enjoy a cultural performance from the local village people. Visit to Wind & Clearwater caves Cultural Performance Optional Activity: Bat Exodus (weather permitting) Accommodation: Your own deluxe room at Mulu Marriot (4 star) IRAN ADVENTURE 3

4 Day 4 - Monday 5th August 2019 KOTA KINABALU (B, D) Your morning is free to enjoy at leisure. We then fly from Mulu to Kota Kinabalu, arriving at 4:30 pm. Enjoy dinner in a local family home, before returning to the Mercure Hotel. Kota Kinabalu - dinner with a local family Accommodation: Your own superior room at Mercure Hotel (4 star) Day 5 - Tuesday 6th August 2019 KOTA KINABALU- SANDAKAN (B,L,D) After breakfast today we will visit the Mari- Mari Cultural Village to see how indigenous ethnic groups of Borneo used to live. It is a great chance to see what the culture and lifestyle would have been like in years gone by. We will see first-hand how the tribes would cook their meals, strating fire with bamboo and using a blowpipe to hunt. It is a fun and educational experience. Afterwards we will fly to Sandakan. The flight time takes approximately 40 minutes. You are only permitted 15kg of checked luggage. Upon arrival at Sandakan town, we will proceed with a tour of the City, including The Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple, which is located on a steep hill top where you can have a magnificent view overlooking Sandakan Bay and the Town Centre. We also visit one of the oldest churches in Sabah- St. Michael s Church and the Sandakan War memorial. Afterwards, we will proceed with lunch at a local restaurant before departing for an overland journey (approx. 2hrs) to the multi award winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge. We then take a river cruise (with motor!) in search of wildlife and birds. Tonight we enjoy a special candle light dinner overlooking the riverbank followed by slide presentation and interpretation by naturalist guide. Visit to Mari-Mari Cultural Village Accommodation: Your own superior or deluxe room at Sabah Hotel in Sandakan (4 star) Day 6 - Wednesday 7th August 2019 SANDAKAN/ SEPILOCK (B, D) After breakfast this morning we will make a stop to visit the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary. Here you can watch up close the amazing bachelor proboscis lazing and feeding - an experience that can only be found in Borneo. The sanctuary is a protected forest reserve inhabited by several groups of wild proboscis monkeys. Next we visit The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre that was set up to help re-introduce these wonderful creatures back into the wild after a life of domestication or having been orphaned. To aid the orangutans adapt to the wild, a supplementary diet of bananas and milk is laid out on feeding platforms twice a day. From the viewing platform, you can watch and photograph these charming creatures as they swing into view on ropes and vines. We re not permitted to hinder the orangutans, as human contact must be kept to a minimum and it s essential that we follow the instructions of the park, as directed by your leader. There s also a short film about the orangutan rehabilitation process to watch in the reserve s interpretation centre. Next we visit the newly opened Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center. This is a wonderful new center taking care of rescued Sun Bears that have spent many years mistreated and locked away in cages. Borneo Sun Bear Conservation center is giving a better life to these bears by caring for them with the hope of reintroducing them back into the wild. They are doing great work at promoting Sun Bear conservation in Borneo through animal welfare, conservation, rehabilitation, research and education - to put a stop to these cruel practices. In the late afternoon, we take a walk along the canopy walkway to see the canopy from above and visit the plant discovery garden before returning back to our resort for night. Tonight s dinner will be enjoyed at a local restaurant. Visit to Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary Visit to Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary Visit to Borneo Sun Bear Centre Visit to Rainforest Discovery Centre Accommodation: Your own superior or deluxe room at Sabah Hotel in Sandakan (4 star) 4

5 Day 7 - Thursday 8th August 2019 SANDAKAN/ KINABATANGAN RIVER (B, L,D) After breakfast, we will proceed with the Sandakan Nature City Tour, where we will visit inspiring places such as- The Puu Jih Shih Buddist Temple, located on a steep hilltop where you have magnificent views overlooking Sandakan Bay and Town Centre. We will also see Agnes Keith s House, the Sandakan War Memorial and the oldest church in Sabah, St Michaels and All Angels Church. Afterwards we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before departing for our overland journey (approx. 2 hours) to the multiaward winning Sakau Rainforest Lodge. After our arrival, we will take an (electric motor-boat) river cruise, in search of wildlife and birds. Tonight we enjoy a candle-light dinner overlooking the riverbank, followed by a slide presentation and interpretation by the in-house naturalist guide. Sandakan Nature City Tour, with guide Afternoon cruise on the Kinabatangan River Accommodation: Your own superior room at Sakau Rainforest Lodge (4 star) Day 8 - Friday 9th August 2019 KINABATANGAN RIVER (B, D) Take an early morning (6am) river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to Kelenanap oxbow lake to view more birds and wildlife. We will have a light breakfast on board - completely surrounded by nature. Afterwards proceed for an educational tour along the lodge s Hornbill Boardwalk with our in-house naturalist. After lunch, join our in -house Orang Utan talk activity. In the afternoon, we proceed for another river cruise for more wildlife. Enjoy your dinner today followed by a cultural performance by local people. Morning and afternoon river cruise Naturalist talks Cultural performance Optional Activities: Halia Spa- Start at RM80 Per person Night cruise - RM65 Per person Accommodation: Your own superior room at Sakau Rainforest Lodge (4 star) IRAN ADVENTURE 5

6 Day 9 - Saturday 10th August 2019 SANDAKAN- KOTA KINABALU- RASA RIA (B) After breakfast, we will depart from Kinabatangan to SandakanTown for our flight back to Kota Kinabalu. The flight takes approx. 40 minutes and you are only permitted 15kgs of checked-luggage. Upon arrival at Kota Kinabalu, we will be transferred (just 45 mins) to our next tropical destination- the stunning Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort & Spa. This evening is your own to enjoy the beauty of this beach side resort, and indulge in one (or many!) of the award winning international restaurants or bars that are on offer. Accommodation: Your own deluxe garden view room at the Shangri-La s Rasa Ria Resort and Spa (5 star) Day 10 - Sunday 11th August 2019 FREE DAY TO ENJOY THE RASA RIA RESORT (B) Free day to enjoy the Rasa Ria Resort. Today is your own to wander the grounds of your 5* resort, which is an enchanting tropical retreat set amongst a nature reserve and rising above a pristine stretch of beachfront. You can relax in the swimming pools, dine in any of the 9 restaurants, enjoy the exclusive beach or immerse yourself in any of the optional activities available to resort guests- cooking and craft classes, a round of golf, horse-riding or quad-biking, jungle trekking, or indulge in a variety of treatments at the in-house spa. Tonight you are welcome to join the group, at one of the many dining options, to enjoy a farewell dinner and reminisce about your adventures to one of the last remaining wild places on earth- Borneo. Accommodation: Your own deluxe garden view room at the Shangri-La s Rasa Ria Resort and Spa (5 star) Day 11 - Monday 12th August 2019 DEPARTURE DAY (B) Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. There are no activities planned for the final day, other than a group transfer from the resort to the airport. Alternately, you could request that Two s a Crowd book you additional nights to stay on and further indulge in the delights on offer at the Rasa Ria Resort, or alternate hotels in the township of Kota Kinabalu. IRAN ADVENTURE 6

7 TOUR PRICE AUD$5,925 PLUS INTERNATIONAL AIRFARES AND TAXES TOUR DATES: 2ND - 12TH AUGUST 2019 Tour Inclusions: All guiding and experiences as per detailed itinerary Two s a Crowd Tour Host accompanies group throughout. All transport as mentioned by comfortable, airconditioned private minibus. We also include the domestic flights (Kota Kinabalu- Mulu- Kota Kinabalu, economy class & Kota Kinabalu- Sandakan- Kota Kinabalu, economy class). For some jungle exploration and wildlife spotting we also use 4WD vehicles and longtail boats. Accommodation at listed hotels (or similar) in your own room with daily breakfasts. Comfortable Hotel (5 nights), Feature stay in Kinabatanhan River Jungle Lodge (2 nights), Resort (4 nights) All airport transfers with English speaking guide. Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfasts, L= lunches and D=dinners). All entrance fees as detailed in itinerary. English speaking guide throughout. Tips and gratuities. Limited to a maximum group size of 11 + TAC Host Standard CHI Travel Insurance Policy. Additional premium may be payable if over 69 years, have an existing medial condition or wish to extend your travelling dates (underwritten by Allianz). Tour Exclusions: International flights and taxes. Personal expenses. Visas. Services and meals if not mentioned in itinerary. All drinks, including water, soft drink and alcohol on all included or optional excursion. Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of a personal nature. Important Note: There is a strict 15kg maximum luggage limit on this trip due to the internal - Borneo flights. Any excess luggage fees are to be paid by the traveller direct to the airline. Thinking of extending your stay? Let Two s a Crowd assist by booking your pre-tour accommodation at The Mecure Kota Kinabalu from AUD$215 per night, including brekafast. A 1-way airport transfer is AUD$30. We can also extend your journey at Shangri-Las Rasa Ria Resort & Spa at the completion of your tour. From AUD$388 per night, including breakfast. The Resort offers a complimentary airport shuttle service. NEED MORE INFORMATION? CONTACT THE TEAM: ( P hone: (AUS) or (NZ) team@twosacrowd.com.au ABOUT TWO S A CROWD: We are an award winning tour company exclusively dedicated to the needs of solo travellers. At Two s a Crowd, single and solo travellers have access to fantastic itineraries at great prices without ever feeling like a third wheel to someone else s private getaway. Our travellers enjoy the best of both worlds: private time, personalised attention, low single supplements, as well as the camaraderie of like-minded travellers. For your peace of mind we are ATAS accredited (No A13850). Our commitment is to make solo travel more enjoyable and affordable. Terms & Conditions: Prices are per person and based on sole use rooms throughout Pricing correct at January 2019 and is subject to change until paid in full. Refer to our website for full terms and conditions Travel Passion Pty Ltd ABN trading as Two s a Crowd. Two s a Crowd and the disk logo are registered trademarks of Travel Passion Pty Ltd. Issued: 14/01/2019 7