2.5 hours from Lahad Datu, Danum Valley covers 438 square kilometres of unlogged lowland rainforest. You wake in the dark for the canopy walkway or the Study Centre's morning drive, which temporarily replaces the Bukit Atur tower sunrise trip during access-road maintenance. Expect to sweat in the intense midday humidity, but you will be glad you explored the forest.
The day starts at 5:30am. The forest is completely dark. The first thing you hear is the Bornean gibbons making their complex vocal duets to define their territorial boundaries. You dress quickly in the dark. Standard hiking socks offer no protection against terrestrial leeches so you put on the mandatory leech socks before leaving your room.
"The first thing you hear is the Bornean gibbons making their complex vocal duets to define their territorial boundaries."
Mid-canopy primates and birds
The primary rainforest canopy intercepts almost all available sunlight. By 6am you are in position. The light at the forest floor is low. Up on the walkway, you are level with the mid-canopy. This is the time to spot the red leaf monkey. Their maroon coats stand out against the green leaves.
The morning is also the best window for birdwatching. Danum Valley hosts over 320 species. Serious birders spend hours seeking the Bornean bristlehead or the critically endangered helmeted hornbill. Flocks move fast through the canopy. The guides recognise calls in the dawn chorus to locate the birds before they even see them.
Electric buggies and logging roads
Dinner is served around 7pm. By 8pm, the night activities begin. You explore on a night drive or a guided walk. Borneo Rainforest Lodge uses silent electric buggies for drives close to the lodge. The Study Centre relies on 4x4 safari vehicles for the rugged logging roads. Keep your camera flash off to protect the animals' night vision.
A different set of animals comes out after dark. You have a realistic target of seeing Malay civets, common palm civets and red giant flying squirrels. The western tarsier is a bonus for early risers or night walkers. You might catch the eyeshine of a Bornean slow loris. The drive is about being in the dark forest and seeing what emerges.