Sabah's primary sanctuary
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Located 25 kilometres from Sandakan on the edge of a 4,362-hectare forest reserve, Sepilok is where orphaned apes learn the skills to return to the wild.
The sanctuary
The orangutan rehabilitation centre
The facility was established by the conservationist Barbara Harrison in 1964 to deal with the immediate crisis of infant apes. Today, the centre takes in orphaned Bornean orangutans and teaches them to survive independently. Raised wooden boardwalks let you watch the semi-wild apes return for a supplementary meal of milk and bananas.
The centre sits on the northern edge of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, which covers 4,362 hectares of lowland dipterocarp forest. This intact habitat gives you a close look at a critically endangered species making its way back into the canopy.
Centre highlights
What the centre offers
- Learn how orphaned Bornean orangutans are rehabilitated for life in the wild
- Watch the 10:00 or 15:00 supplementary feedings at the forest edge platform
- Observe juveniles on the climbing frames from behind the glass of the outdoor nursery
- Combine the visit with the adjacent Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Stay in comfortable lodges by the reserve boundary for easy access
The Bornean Orangutan
Sepilok brings you into the forest to watch resident semi-wild orangutans learning the skills they need for independence. This is a fundamentally different experience from seeing a truly wild orangutan.
Trip design
East coast travel plans
If you are coming to Sabah for the wildlife, Sepilok fits perfectly into the start or end of an east coast itinerary. Tell the team when you plan to travel, and they will arrange the transfers. Explore nearby places to extend your stay.
Travel and visiting time
It takes about 40 minutes by car from Sandakan city or 25 minutes from Sandakan Airport. You can use e-hailing applications which are reliable and cost-effective. The team arranges the transfers with your stays. Read about the adjacent lodges and centres.
Nearby places
Adjacent lodges and centres
Sepilok Nature Resort
Situated directly on the boundary of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, this property offers timber chalets around a natural lake and the shortest walk to the orangutan and sun bear centres.
The Danum Valley Canopy Walkway
Suspended 27 metres above the primary rainforest floor, the Borneo Rainforest Lodge canopy walkway is a 360-metre structure anchored directl
The sanctuary
Plan your Sepilok visit
Tell the team your travel dates to arrange transfers and accommodation for your visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.