1st - 16th April 2025 16 Days
Maximum Group Size 5
Activity Level Easy
Pricing US$7,397
Tour Leader Nick Ludovic Green

Introduction

Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, is one of our planet’s most biodiverse avian areas with over 50 island endemics found across pristine dipterocarp forests, montane cloud forests, riverine habitats, and also mangrove swamps. On this small-group Bird-Photo-Tour to the East Malaysian State of Sabah on the Island of Borneo, we will aim to setup close photographic encounters with some stunning families of birds including Pittas / Trogons / Kingfishers / Pheasants / Partridges / Hornbills / Broadbills / Bee-eaters / Owls / Frogmouths / Thrushes / Sunbirds / Barbets / Woodpeckers and Bulbuls.

Photographic Highlights

Broadbills: Whitehead’s Broadbill / Black-and-Yellow Broadbill / Black-and-Red Broadbill

Kingfishers: Banded Kingfisher / Blue-eared Kingfisher / Stork-billed Kingfisher / Rufous-collar Kingfisher

Partridges: Crimson-headed Partridge / Red-breasted Partridge / Crested Partridge

Pheasants: Bulwer's Pheasant / Borneo Peacock Pheasant / Bornean Crested Fireback

Hornbills / Frogmouths: Large Frogmouth / Bornean Frogmouth / Blyth's Frogmouth / Rhinoceros Hornbill / White-crowned Hornbill  / Wrinkled Hornbill

Pittas / Trogons: Blue-banded Pitta / Blue-headed Pitta / Black-crowned Pitta / Whitehead’s Trogon / Diard’s Trogon / Red-naped Trogon

Pricing

Price US$7,397
Single Supplement US$600
Deposit US$2,447
Bird-Photo-Tour Asia Inclusions:

Guiding Fees / Ground Transportation / Accommodation / Meals / Entrance Fees / Tipping for Drivers, Boatsmen, Hotel and Restaurant Staff.

Bird-Photo-Tour Asia Exclusions:

International Flights / VISA Fees / Travel Insurance / Tips for Local Guide / Alcohol / Laundry / Items of a Personal Nature

Itinerary

Day 1 Kota Kinabalu District [1N / 0D, 1S]. Arrive in Kota Kinabalu for one afternoon photo session. Photographic Targets: Blue-naped Parrot / Javan Sparrow / Western Hooded Pitta.

Days 2-4 Tambunan District [2N / 1D / 4S]. Drive 2-hours to Tambunan District. Photographic targets: Crimson-headed Partridge / Red-breasted Partridge / Bulwer’s Pheasant / Orange-headed Thrush / Bornean Banded Pitta / Crested Partridge.

Day 4-7 Ranau District [3N / 2D / 6S]. Drive 2-hours to Ranau District. Photographic Targets: Whitehead’s Trogon / Whitehead’s Broadbill / Whitehead’s Spiderhunter / Bornean Treepie / Everett’s Thrush / Mountain Black-eye / Fruit-hunter / Golden-naped Barbet / Pale-faced Bulbul / Bornean Green Magpie / Indigo Flycatcher.

Days 7-9 Beluran District [2N / 1D / 4S]. Drive 2-hours to Beluran District. Photographic Targets: Bornean Peacock-Pheasant / Bornean Crested Fireback.

Days 9-12 Sandakan District [3N / 2D / 6S]. Drive 2-hours to Sandakan District. Photographic Targets: Black-and-Yellow Broadbill / Diard’s Trogon / Red-naped Trogon / Rufous-collar Kingfisher / Rufous-backed Kingfisher / Black-crowned Pitta.

Days 12-14 Kinabatangan District [2N / 1D / 4S]. Drive 2-hours to Kinabatangan District. Photographic Targets: Rhinoceros Hornbill / White-crowned Hornbill / Wrinkled Hornbill / Storm’s Stork / Large Frogmouth / Oriental Bay Owl / Blue-eared Kingfisher / Stork-billed Kingfisher.

Days 14-16 Tawau District [2N / 1D / 3S]. Drive 4-hours to Tawau District. Photographic Targets: Blue-banded Pitta / Blue-headed Pitta / Banded Kingfisher.

Day 17 Kota Kinabalu District [0N / 0D / 0S]. Depart Tawau Airport for flight to Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur.

[Key: N: Night / D: Full Day / Session: Half-Day]

 
Nick Ludovic Green

Nick, a UK National, has been living in Asia for over 15-years and in this time has conducted over 125 bird photography trips across the whole of the Asian continent ranging from Kazakhstan in the west, through India and China to Japan in the east, and from the Kamchatka coastline in the north to as far south as Indonesia. In China alone Nick has photographed to portrait-quality standard over 1,200 of China's bird species taking him to all of China's provinces as well as most of those nations bordering China. These bird photography trips have ranged in length from a few days to many months, including a three-month bird photography expedition to China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, becoming quite possibly the most travelled foreigner in this region over the past decade. Nick has also conducted a four-month bird photography trek across the Himalayas, ranging from the Indian States of Ladakh and Kashmir in the west, into the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, then onto the Indian States of West Bengal and Sikkim, ending in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the eastern Himalayas. Nick has had his images published across numerous media channels including the BBC and Chinese state-owned media outlets, various bird magazines and journals including the Oriental Bird Club's BirdingASIA. He has his own website on the Birds of China at www.BirdingInChina.com and his book 'Portraits of the Birds of China' is due for publication in 2026. Furthermore, Nick has presented films on photographing birds both in Asia and Europe, has his bird images published across many social media platforms within and outside Asia, and has led a number of bird photography lectures and walks, particularly targeted at children. Consequently, Nick has accumulated significant experience of photographing birds within the Asian continent and this expertise has formed the backdrop to setting up Bird-Photo-Tours Asia, trips designed by bird photographers for bird photographers.

Easy Activity Level

(i) The guesthouses are all in close proximity to the bird photography locations (ii) Walking is at a light pace (iii) There is no requirement to hike nor climb. (iv) None of the locations are at altitude (v) There is no camping.