The Kinabatangan River begins its remarkable journey deep in the mountainous interior of
Sabah and snakes it’s way for 560km through a diverse range of habits.
From the misty highland forests, to the limestone caves, freshwater swamps, oxbow lakes and
mangroves of the coast, the river is a vital natural corridor that links the interior to
the sea. Rich cultural heritage too, the Kinabatangan has for centuries been a vibrant social and
commercial thoroughfare to the river-people and traders of Eastern Sabah.
While much of the countryside around the upper reaches has been altered by logging and plantation
clearing, the lower floodplains remains the best place in all of Asia to experience wildlife
and nature. The 27,000 hectare Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is the crown in a network
of conservation areas on the coastal lowlands of Sabah, and is home to a simply astonishing
range of plant and animal life.
Wildlife river tours offer visitors the chance to experience a breathtaking landscape teeming
with bird-life, crocodiles, orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, and, the chance to see rare Asian
elephants and rhinoceros.
The Lower Kinabatangan River is now an epicentre for conservation programmes, responsible tourism
initiatives, and award winning eco-lodges – ensuring that this special part of wild
Asia remains wild forever.