The Kinabatangan River flows from the mountains of southwest Sabah (eastern Witta Range) into the Sulu Sea, east of Sandakan. It is the longest river in Sabah measuring 560 Kilometres.
Sporting exceptional wildlife and habitats such as native monkeys and elephants, various tropical forests, oxbow lakes and mangrove swamps, it is no doubt a favourite destination for wildlife lovers around the world.
The area is known to home one of Malaysia's most diverse lowland wildlife and habitats. Being easily accessible by boat along the river, expect to be spoiled by the astonishing variety of wildlife: The Orang Utan, Proboscis Monkey, Macaques, Maroon Langur, Borneon Gibbon, Borneon Pygmy Elephants, Clouded Leopards, Saltwater Crocodiles, Hornbills, and the list goes on.
It doesn't matter whether you are an experienced bird watcher or a first-timer, you can sit back and have a peace of mind as you embark on your journey into the wild along the Kinabatangan River. Here, there are local, knowledgeable and friendly river guides dedicated to bring you the best of nature.
During the wet season due to the northeast monsoon, between November and March, the oxbow lakes often gets connected back to the main river channel and thus it is possible to traverse in to the oxbow lakes with a greater concentration of wildlife.
Moreover, because of the river's humble amount of discharge, the river frequently swells and overflow onto its banks during the rainy season. This causes a huge floodplain to be formed where both tropical flora and fauna abound, turning the area into the best spot for nature lovers, not just in Sabah but the whole of Southeast Asia.
