Beyond Danum · Rehabilitation

Sepilok

The famous Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and its quieter neighbour, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre — twenty minutes from Sandakan.

Enquire about adding this

Why go

See the safety net, then see the wild

Sepilok is where orphaned and displaced orangutans learn to be orangutans again. Feedings run to a published schedule morning and afternoon, and whether anyone turns up is entirely the apes' decision — the free-ranging older animals often don't bother, which is precisely the point. The outdoor nursery, watching youngsters fail repeatedly at climbing, is where most visitors lose an hour without noticing.

Next door, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre does the same work for the world's smallest bear — walkways above natural forest enclosures, and a genuinely good chance of watching sun bears dig, climb and nap. Do both, then walk to the Rainforest Discovery Centre for the birds.

Wildlife & highlights

What you're likely to see

  • Rehabilitant orangutans at the scheduled feedings — attendance not guaranteed, and better for it
  • The outdoor nursery: young apes learning to climb, with mixed results
  • Sun bears at close range from the conservation centre's walkway
  • Wild birds and macaques throughout the reserve

Best time

Open year-round with fixed daily feeding times — check the current schedule when booking. Placeholder — confirm times with the client.

Pairing it with Danum

How it fits the trip

Sepilok answers the question Danum raises: what happens to the animals that lose their forest? Seeing rehabilitation first makes a truly wild nest over the Danum River land harder. One night is enough; two lets you add the RDC's dawn birding. See the combination itineraries for suggested day splits.

Getting there

Twenty-five minutes from Sandakan (SDK) airport by road. From Danum it's an overland day via Lahad Datu, usually en route to or from the Kinabatangan. See getting there.

Related

Keep planning

Plan your trip

Enquire directly

Tell us your dates and which stops interest you — we build the routing, transfers and stays around them.

Please tell us your name.

Please enter a valid email address.

Please tell us where you're travelling from.

Please enter the number of guests.

Please choose a check-in date.

Please enter at least 1 night.

Thank you — your enquiry is on its way

The Danum Valley reservations team will reply shortly by email.