Borneo: Tour promises adventure, apes, aerial walkways and more

Armchair travelers and adventurer-seekers who dream of getting off the grid will find a taste of the exotic in a new trip being organized by Asia Transpacific Journeys called The Wild Jungles of Borneo.

The April 8-21 trip will explore the Southeast Asian island’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, known for their variety of species. The tour promises a chance to search for tigers, rhinos, elephants and leopards from treetop aerial walkways and to observe nocturnal wildlife and birds on a night safari.

“Borneo is one of the most biodiverse destinations on the planet,” said Pat O’Connell, a travel specialist with Asia Transpacific Journeys. “This small nation’s sanctuaries and wildlife reserves are spectacular gems.”

One of the places the tour visits, said O’Connell, is Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, where rescued apes are rehabilitated to forest life.

“Over the years, the center has handled about 80 orangutans, and it now encompasses 15 square miles. Twice a day, visitors can hear the whooping of approaching apes and also observe them as they crash through the jungle treetops to feed at their eating platforms.”

The tour also cruises backcountry rivers in search of proboscis monkeys and macaques and visits Tabin Wildlife Reserve, one of the largest reserves in Borneo, where natural mud volcanoes serve as a mineral and salt lick for wildlife.

The 14-day trip is $8,395 per person, double occupancy, and excludes airfare.

Info: Asia Transpacific Journeys, (800) 642-2742.

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