River Junkie – fuel the addiction
River Junkie – fuel the addiction

River Junkie Tours Sdn. Bhd. — licensed Kota Kinabalu tour operator (KPL/LN5696), MATTA member, running wildlife safaris, Mount Kinabalu climbs and cave trips across Sabah and Sarawak since 2008.

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Selingan Turtle Island

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Kinabatangan River

4D3N Turtle Island, Sepilok & Kinabatangan River Safari

4 days
3 nights
Departs Sandakan
Mid-range
Price fromRM 3,090
per person, private ensuite chalet, minimum 2 people per departure
Duration4 days
3 nights on the road
DepartsSandakan
Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Additional or alternative departures on request.
Groupmin 2 pax
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About this trip

Spend your first night on Turtle island and witness baby turtles hatching and being released on the beach before making your way to the wildlife sanctuaries of Sepilok. Visit both the orangutan and sun bear sanctuary before continuing on to the Kinabatangan river for 2 nights at Hornbill Lodge. From there you will cruise the Kinabatangan river in search of pygmy elephants, orangutans, proboscis monkeys, hornbills and more before returning to Sandakan. Two night walks and a jungle walk are also included!

Highlights

  • Overnight stay on Selingan Island for turtle watching
  • Ranger-led viewing of turtles laying eggs
  • Sepilok orangutan & sun bear sanctuary visits
  • 4 wildlife-rich river cruises
  • Optional add-on: Gomantong caves & canopy walk

    • Trip facts

    Kinabatangan River, Sepilok, Turtle Island
    Jungle walks, Night Walk, River Cruise, Snorkelling, Turtle Nesting, Wildlife
    4 days of travel
    Physical difficulty 2 / 5
    Departs from Sandakan
    Minimum 2 pax per departure
    Rates: 1st Jan - 31st Dec 2026 (excluding high season supplement)
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    Day by day

    Day 1

    Sandakan - Turtle Island

    Pick up from your hotel in Sepilok, Sandakan airport* or Sandakan city between 08.30 - 09.15am and transfer to Sandakan Jetty ready for departure to Turtle Island. *If you are flying on the same day, please ensure your flight is landing before 8.45am. The journey to Selingan Island is around 45 minutes by boat. Upon arrival, register at the park headquarters and check into your chalet (twin share). At around 12:00 pm, lunch will be served in the restaurant. You are then free for the afternoon to wander around the island, swim and snorkel as you like. After dinner, you will wait for park rangers to call and alert everyone to turtles coming onto the beach to lay their eggs. If turtles have laid any eggs, the rangers will transfer them to the Sabah Parks Turtle Hatchery. If there are any hatchlings ready for release, you will have the opportunity to observe them as they make their way to the ocean. Meals- L, D If you are traveling with large suitcases, we advise packing a small overnight bag for Turtle Island and leaving your main luggage in storage on the mainland due to limited space on the boat.

    Day 2

    Turtle Island - Sepilok - Kinabatangan River

    After breakfast you will get the boat back to Sandakan and then transfer to Sepilok. Head first to the orangutan sanctuary to watch the younger, playful orangutans in the nursery before catching the 10am feeding. Around 11am your guide will take you to the sunbear sanctuary to watch the sunbears (the world’s smallest species of bear!) from raised walkways. From there you will travel 2 hours overland to Hornbill Lodge and have lunch on arrival. Check-into your room and take a moment to relax before heading out on your first river cruise at 4pm. Over the next 2 hours, your guide will be on the lookout for proboscis monkeys, long-tail & pig-tail macaques, silver leaf monkeys, orangutans, crocodiles, birds and more! After your river cruise, return to the lodge for dinner before joining your guide on an included night walk. Meals - B, L, D

    Day 3

    Kinabatangan River

    As day dawns, join your second river cruise and watch as the river comes to life. Keep an eye out for bird life including Borneo’s endemic hornbills and have another chance to spot multiple species of primates. Return to the lodge for breakfast then join your guide for a jungle walk looking for signs of orangutans such as nests in the trees or even orangutans themselves if you are lucky! Enjoy lunch overlooking the river and a chance to rest before joining your afternoon river cruise in search of more of the area's unique wildlife. After dinner, join your guide for a night walk or add-on a night cruise in search of nocturnal wildlife along the river bank. Meals - B, L, D Optional add-on: night cruise: RM100 per person

    Day 4

    Kinabatangan River - Sandakan

    Wake up early and join your guide for a final dawn river cruise, return to the lodge for breakfast then check out and get dropped off at your hotel in Sepilok or Sandakan or Sandakan airport between 11 - 11.30am. Meals - B, L Transfers to other overland destinations such as Lahad Datu, Semporna or Tawau are available on request and subject to additional charges.

    Add-on

    Have extra time on your last day?

    Stop off for a guided tour of Gomantong caves on your way back to Sandakan, enjoy lunch in Sepilok then visit Sabah's longest canopy walk at the Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre with us after check-out! This add-on costs RM300 per adult and is suitable for guests staying overnight in Sepilok or Sandakan or taking a flight leaving Sandakan airport from 5.30pm onwards. Just ask for more details at the time of booking!

    Where you'll stay

    Selingan Turtle Island

    Selingan Turtle Island Chalets

    Selingan Island, Sandakan, Sabah
    Selingan island is the visitable island of Turtle Islands Park, a Sabah Parks reserve about 40 km north of Sandakan where green and hawksbill turtles come ashore to nest and rangers run a hatchery. Overnight guests stay in simple air-conditioned chalets with ensuite bathrooms, operated under concession rather than by Sabah Parks itself. Rooms are few and capped at two adults and one young child, so the island fills quickly in July and August.
  • Ensuite air-conditioned chalet2 single beds. A limited number of rooms have 1 extra bed.
    • FacilitiesAir-conditioned chalets with ensuite bathrooms. Restaurant on the island. Exhibition centre open 9am to 4pm with free entry, and an evening video show at 7pm.
    Good to knowBring an overnight bag only and leave main luggage in storage in Sandakan, as boat space is limited. Maximum two adults and one child under 10 per room, strictly enforced. July and August are peak season with very limited availability, so book far ahead, and trips can be cancelled outright by weather. The evening turtle watch is conducted under ranger supervision: stay quiet, keep torches off and keep your distance.
    A closer look
    Hornbill Lodge

    Hornbill Lodge

    Kinabatangan River, Sabah
    A small riverside lodge on the lower Kinabatangan at Bilit, wholly owned and run by River Junkie Tours. Guests stay in river-facing chalets with private balconies, air-conditioning, ceiling fans and ensuite hot-water rain showers. The lodge manages 30 acres of private riverfront for wildlife, replanting forest, maintaining salt licks and restoring elephant grassland. In addition to daily river cruises, guests also have the opportunity to explore the rainforest on foot on a network of jungle trails only accessible from Hornbill lodge.
  • DormitoryShared dormitory beds, available until 5 November 2026. After that date dormitories are replaced by Family River Chalets and only private rooms are offered.
  • River ChaletPrivate chalet on the riverfront with 1 King size bed & 1 single bed in each room. Sleeps up to 4 people with an extra bed.
  • Family River ChaletPrivate chalet on the riverfront with 1 King size bed & 1 set of bunk beds in each room. Sleeps up to 5 people with an extra bed.
    • FacilitiesLicensed bar and restaurant with river views. Private jetty for river cruises. Jungle trails with complimentary rubber boots. Information corner on local flora and fauna. Free onsite parking.
    Good to knowStarlink wifi in communal areas only, and there is no mobile phone signal. The lodge is built into a hillside, so there is no step-free access to the rooms: the nearest are 10 to 20 steps up and the furthest around 85. Tell us at booking if you need a room close to the restaurant. No plastic bottled water is sold, so bring a refillable bottle. No seafood is served, as there is no sustainable local supply.
    A closer look

    What's included

  • Return road/boat transfers as mentioned
  • Private ensuite chalet with air-conditioning at Selingan Island (1 night) & Hornbill Lodge (2 nights)
  • Nature guide, guided activities as mentioned
  • Entrance & conservation fees
  • Meals as per itinerary
  • Coffee, tea & water refills.

    • Not included

  • Camera fee (see below)
  • Tourism tax (RM10/room per night)
  • Soft/alcoholic bevarages and tips (optional).

    • Prices

    4D3N Turtle Island, Sepilok & Kinabatangan river safariRM 3090per person
    Pricing notesSingle supplement — RM 800 High season supplement April, per person — RM 200 High season supplement June, per person — RM 50 High season supplement July, August & September, per person — RM 250 Tourism tax per room per night — RM 10 Optional add-ons Night cruise, per person — RM 100 Extended river cruise (additional 2 hours), per person (min 4 pax) — RM 180 Gomantong caves + lunch in Sepilok + Sepilok RDC canopy walk after check-out, per adult — RM 300 Camera fees at Sepilok: zoom lens 100-400mm / video camera, per unit — RM 10, fixed-lens 400mm and above / film-making equipment, per unit — RM 1000
    ChildrenChildren are welcome to join and discounts are available for children under 10 (please contact us for a quotation). The accommodation at Turtle Island is strictly limited to 2 adults & 1 child 10 years old or younger per chalet. Families with 2 or more children or children over 10 will be required to book 2 rooms due to the policy of the accommodation provider.
    Rate validity1st Jan - 31st Dec 2026 (excluding high season supplement)

    Frequently asked questions

    Where will I stay?
    You will have a private ensuite chalet with air-conditioning at Selingan Island (2 single beds) for one night followed by 2 nights in a River Chalet at Hornbill Lodge on the Kinabatangan river
    How much walking and climbing is involved?
    Visiting Turtle Island and joining the river cruises does not require any particular level of fitness. The jungle trails at Hornbill Lodge can be steep and slippery in places, and due to the lodge's hillside location there is no step-free access to the rooms - the furthest rooms require climbing around 85 steps and the closest 10 to 20. If you have mobility problems or would like a closer room, please tell our team at the time of booking and we will do our best to place you near the restaurant and reception.
    Can children join, and how many people can share a chalet?
    Children are welcome and discounts are available for children under 10, so please contact us for a quotation. The accommodation at Turtle Island is strictly limited to 2 adults and 1 child aged 10 years old or younger per chalet, so families with 2 or more children, or with children over 10, will need to book 2 rooms due to the policy of the accommodation provider.
    Where are the pick-up and drop-off points?
    Pick up on the first day is from any hotel in Sandakan or Sepilok, or from Sandakan airport, between 08.30 and 09.30am, subject to change according to the boat schedule. We recommend flying in the day before your tour starts. The boat leaves Sandakan jetty at 10am, there is no later boat and no refunds if you miss the boat. On the last day you are dropped at Sandakan airport or your hotel in Sepilok or Sandakan between 11 and 11.30am.
    How much luggage can I take to Turtle Island?
    If you are travelling with large suitcases, you will need to pack a small overnight bag for Turtle Island and leave your main luggage in storage on the mainland, as space on the boat is limited.
    Will I have power, phone signal or wifi?
    Air-conditioning is available at Turtle Island and the Kinabatangan river lodge, and all areas visited have 24 hour electricity, although power cuts are not uncommon. Charging points at all lodges are 3 pin UK style plugs. Phone and 4G signal is good around Sandakan and Sepilok but limited at the Kinabatangan River and Turtle Island. Starlink wifi is available in the communal areas at both places but can be slow at times.
    Am I guaranteed to see baby turtles?
    During peak nesting season from May to October, over 20 female turtles lay their eggs on Selingan island's shores each night. Outside of these months, it is not uncommon to have 5 or more turtles visit in one night. This is nature so there are no guarantees, but it is rare to not see a female turtle laying or hatchlings being released during your visit to Turtle Island.
    Can I add one more night at Hornbill Lodge?
    Yes and this is highly recommended, just ask us for a quotation.
    What if I want to continue to Lahad Datu or Semporna after the tour?
    No problem, just ask at the time of booking and we can arrange a transfer for you. Additional charges apply.

    Photos from this trip

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    Ready to book, or still deciding?

    Tell us your dates and we will come back with availability, the total cost and honest advice — including when a different trip would suit you better.

    Getting between destinations: we also run private van and 4X4 transfers across Sabah and a daily Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan shuttle — ask us to add either to your trip.

    WhatsApp / phone: +60 11 1265 8581
    Email: info@river-junkie.com
    Hours: 8am–5pm, Monday to Sunday
    Office: Wisma Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

    ★ 4.7 / 5 from 288 traveller reviews on TripAdvisor