The island of Borneo lies in the South China Sea and is predominantly covered by dense rainforest, supporting an abundance of plant and animal life. Teams will visit the northern half of the island, travelling through both Sarawak and Sabah. These two states make up East Malaysia, with the tiny Sultanate of Brunei sandwiched in between them.

Borneo's ancient rain forests have, in some cases, remained virtually unchanged for many millions of years. It is said that this part of the world may have been the home of the earliest form of man, with findings from caves in Sarawak suggesting that man was here 40,000 years ago. Borneo today has an amazing diversity of peoples and cultures. In addition to the Malays, there are large numbers of Chinese and Indian immigrants, especially in the more developed coastal areas. Further inland Borneo's many indigenous tribes are found, including the Iban and Penan tribes, who still live under the traditional "longhouse" system.

The climate of Borneo is, as one would expect, humid and hot, with temperatures normally between 20?C and 30?C. The wet season falls between October and February, although rain falls all year round and is generally short-lived and very heavy!

Borneo offers a wealth of opportunities for jungle trekking, with a range of challenging terrain. It is not a destination for the faint hearted and ideally suited for fitter teams seeking more adventurous trekking in fairly tough conditions.

Some possible expedition objectives are given below, please note these may alter between now and your expedition. The Expedition Programme Manager for Borneo will agree a suitable expedition itinerary for you.

Acclimatisation
Crocker Range, Sabah
A challenging 4-day trek from the heights of the Crocker Range National Park through primary and secondary rainforest. An ideal introduction to the heat and humidity of a jungle environment.

Bako National Park, Sarawak
A series of day treks in Sarawak's oldest National Park. The park contains a great variety of flora and almost every type of vegetation in Borneo. It is also famous for its wildlife and is one of the best places to see the rare proboscis monkey.

Main Trekking phase
Kelabit Highlands
The Kelabit Highlands in Sarawak offer a variety of testing and highly challenging treks through the jungle. Trekking may go through longhouse villages where local people still live in communal houses on stilts, and some routes may even involve river travel.

Mt Kinabalu and Mt Trusmadi
Most teams choose to include as part of their itinerary either climbing Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia at 4095m, or Sabah's second highest mountain, Trusmadi, a more challenging off the beaten track climb.

Projects
There are a range of options, the majority of which involve living and interacting with local communities in small villages. These are great cultural experiences, and teams will really get to know the locals, their lifestyle and culture. There may also be the opportunity to do some manual labour to support the village.

Rest and Relaxation
There is no shortage of beautiful coastline for snorkelling or simply relaxing on a beach. Teams can also choose to explore the amazing Niah Caves in Sarawak, or even visit the Orang Utan Sanctuary and see these fascinating animals close up!