Tropical Herping’s Borneo wildlife photography and herping tour is one of our best-selling trips offered by our team in Malaysian Borneo. It is open to a select group of 2–8 participants who want to photograph the incredible biodiversity of the world’s third-largest island while learning side-by-side from our team of award-winning wildlife photographers, biologists, and naturalists.

Image showing tour leader Frank Pichardo walking on a beach

Frank Pichardo
Tour leader, photo instructor
Wildlife photographer with more than 10 years of experience leading Tropical Herping tours.

Image showing Lucas Bustamante photographing a giant tortoise

Lucas Bustamante
Photo instructor, tour leader
Award-winning wildlife photographer with more than 16 years of experience leading Tropical Herping tours.

Image showing photographer Chien Lee on a dugout canoe

Chien Lee
Tour leader, photo instructor
Award-winning wildlife photographer and most celebrated promoter of Bornean biodiversity.

Tour details

Description: A wildlife photography and herping tour open to a select group of 2–8 participants who want photograph the incredibly biodiversity of the world’s third largest island while learning from our team of award-winning wildlife photographers.

Main tour (14 nights): $8,947. $985 in single room.

Dates: September 26, 2026. November 6, 2027.

Group size: 2–8 people.

Day 1Kota Kinabalu
Days 2–4Mulu
Days 5–6Mt. Kinabalu
Days 7–8Tambunan
Days 9–11Tabin
Days 12–14Kinabatangan
Day 15Departure flights

How to reserve your spot?

  1. Read our cancellation policy below.

  2. Complete the contact form in the next step to let us know about your interests and experience and so we can check availability and give you further information about the tour.

  3. Review and approve the itinerary, invoice, and release of liability form we will send you.

  4. Make payment to confirm your booking.

Cancellation policy: If you are unable to attend the tour, you are welcome to send someone in your place or apply to another Tropical Herping event. Cancellations made up to 90 days before the start of the trip will result in a complete refund minus wire transfer fees and flights purchased by us. Cancellations from 90 to 60 days before the start of the trip will result in a 50% refund minus wire transfer fees and flights purchased by us. Cancellations from 60 days before the trip start to the trip start will result in no refunds.

Important! Read the rules and recommendations.

What to bring? Check out our suggested packing list.

What is included?

Package based on two people sharing a room.

All meals and accommodation.

All river and road transfers.

Guides and tour leaders.

Domestic airfares.

National park entrance fees.

What is not included?

Additional nights due to flight cancellations.

Alcoholic beverages, bottled water, and snacks.

Health/travel insurance.

International airfares.

Laundry.

Photo equipment.

Visa processing fees.

Booking form

Tour description

The tour will start in the eastern side of Borneo Island, where you will visit the World Heritage Site of Gunung Mulu, which contains one of the world’s largest underground chambers and caves famed for their nightly emergence of hundreds of bats. The next stop is the cool montane forests of Mount Kinabalu, which offer a great contrast in flora and fauna from that seen elsewhere in Borneo. Here, we will explore the trails systems around the park to search for unusual montane wildlife including colorful endemic birds, reptiles, and frogs. The third stop will be Tambunan, where some of Borneo’s most elusive wildlife can be seen with the aid of hides. We will spend the day the foothills of Mount Trusmadi where we will visit several permanent hides that have been established to provide photographic opportunities for some of the island’s shyest animals. A top highlight will be the endemic Bulwer’s Pheasant, with a unique display of pure white tail feathers. Finally, you will photograph wildlife in a safari style in Tabin Nature Reserve, on boat along the Kinabatangan River, with natural encounters with orangutangs and proboscis monkeys. As in most Tropical Herping tours, there will be night walks in each location where we the target will be nocturnal mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Finally, this tour will not only count with the in-situ photographic teachings of Tropical Herping’s award-winning wildlife photographers, but also with Chien Lee’s, Borneo’s most famous wildlife photographer.

Image of a Maroon Leaf Monkey (Presbytis rubicunda)
Image of a Leaf Beetle (Trichochrysea hirta)
Image of an Horned Flying Lizard (Draco cornutus)
Image of a Bornean Keeled Pitviper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus)
Image of a Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros)
Image of a Rusty Millipede (Trigoniulus corallinus)
Image of a Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Image of a Kuhl’s Flying Gecko (Gekko kuhli)
Image of a Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
Image of an Oriental Whipsnake (Ahaetulla prasina)
Image of a Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus)
Image of an Earless Monitor Lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis)
Image of a Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)
Image of a Black-headed Cat Snake (Boiga nigriceps)
Image of a Bornean Bearded Pig (Sus barbatus)
Image of a Lichen Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda boiei)
Image of a Horsfield’s Tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus)
Image of a Wallace’s Flying Frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus)
Image of a Borneo Narrow-mouthed Frog (Microhyla borneensis)
Image of a Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis)
Image of a Sumatran Gliding Lizard (Draco sumatranus)
Image of a Whitehead’s Trogon (Harpactes whiteheadi)
Image of a Black-striped Coral Snake (Calliophis nigrotaeniatus)
Image of a Fairy Rock Gecko (Cnemaspis paripari)
Image of an Ornate Earless Agama (Aphaniotis ornata)
Image of a Blue-banded Pitta (Erythropitta arquata)
Image of a Müller’s Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri)
Image of a Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica)
Image of a Bornean Tree Hole Frog (Metaphrynella sundana)
Image of a Southern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina)
Image of a Chung’s Walking Leaf Insect (Phyllium arthurchungi)
Image of a Black-and-Gold Huntsman Spider (Thelcticopis orichalcea)
Image of a Kinabalu Slender Toad (Ansonia hanitschi)
Image of a Rough Horned Frog (Pelobatrachus edwardinae)
Image of a Golden-legged Bush Frog (Philautus aurantium)
Image of a Kopstein’s Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis kopsteini)

Frequently asked questions

Am I supposed to pay the tour price at once?

You can confirm your booking by making a 50% deposit and pay the remaining balance at least 60 days before departure.

Can I make a reservation for this tour but on 2027 or 2028?

Yes, we are currently accepting reservations for both 2027 and 2028. Please contact us for updated pricing for your preferred year. To secure your spot, we require a 20% deposit. The remaining payment schedule is as follows: 50% of the balance is due one year before the tour start date, with the final balance due at least 90 days before departure.

Does the tour take place during the nights?

The tour includes both diurnal and nocturnal activities.

How do I book my spot?

The first thing you need to do to reserve your spot in this tour is contact us using our booking form. Second, you will need to review and approve the itinerary, invoice, and release of liability we will send you. Finally, you will have to make a deposit to confirm your booking.

Can you get rubber boots for me?

No, we cannot get rubber boots for you in Borneo. We suggest you purchase them before the tour begins.

Is there any chance to rent a snake hook?

We suggest you bring a collapsible snake hook, since there will be inland flights between some of the localities.

Is there a chance to arrange a private tour?

Yes, most of the tours we offer are private.

Will the tour be cancelled if one or more participants are unable to join?

This tour will run with no less than three participants. If one of two participants makes a reservation and then cancels, it would affect the tour if no payment has been made to lodges, transports, and guides (which usually cannot be refunded).

Which domestic flights should I purchase?

None. Domestic flights are included in the price of the tour.

What herping gear do you recommend?

We recommend that you bring a durable waterproof headlamp, a rain poncho, and a DSLR camera, ideally one with a macro lens and off-camera flash.

What if there is no other participant willing to share a room?

If you are willing to share the room, you do not have to pay the single supplement fee, regardless of whether you end up sharing the room or not.

What is the meeting point on the starting day?

Our team will pick you up at the Kuching International Airport (KCH).

What kind of trouser is needed?

You can bring any durable but lightweight trousers that are easy to dry.

Which vaccination certificates do I need?

No vaccinations are required by law to enter Malaysia, though health inspections may be required for travelers having recently visited a country where Yellow Fever is present. The following vaccinations are usually recommended: hepatitis B, typhoid fever, diphtheria/tetanus/polio, rabies.

Is there malaria in Borneo?

Malaria is present in some areas of Borneo, although not particularly abundant in the sites we will be visiting during this tour. The decision to take anti-malaria prophylaxis is left to each participant. Please consult your physician regarding which tablets will be most suitable for you.

Will the guides catch the animals for the participants to take close-up pictures?

Whenever possible, all photography by participants will be done in-situ. Animals will only be handled if they are the focus of a research or conservation project.

Will there be laundry service, electricity, and wifi at all sites?

Usually there is electricity at all of the lodges we will visit. Wifi is available only around the reception area at some. Laundry service is usually available.

Will you pick us up at the airport upon arrival?

Yes, a member of our team will pick you up at the airport.