10N/11D Borneo Trail Running Retreat

Borneo Trail Running RetreatWelcome to the wild side of Malaysia, Borneo.This epic Borneo Trail Running Retreat takes you deep into the Malaysian state of Sabah, located on the north-eastern side of the island. From paddy fields and dense rainforest to ancient trading trails, pineapple plantations, mountain ridges, islands, and white-sand beaches—this is an immersive experience like no other.Our 11-day journey through Borneo will take you to the beaches, rainforests, mountains, valleys and rivers. Staying with local communities and quiet lodges experiencing new adventures, searching for wildlife surrounded by nature.Midway through the trip, we trade trail shoes for quiet observation, getting up close and personal with Borneo’s most iconic wildlife. Meet the “Wild Man of the Jungle”—the endangered orangutan—found only in Borneo and Sumatra, as well as the Bornean Sun Bear, the smallest bear in the world.Our journey begins at sea level on the west coast in the small city of Kota Kinabalu. We start with a visit to the tropical islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Here, we’ll explore below the surface, with the chance to snorkel or scuba dive—an ideal way to decompress after a long flight. A 10km trail run to Gaya Island’s highest point (300m) helps you acclimatise to the humidity and jungle terrain to come. Then it’s time to swap the sea for rivers and waterfalls at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu (4,093m).Photo By Jake Baggaley on locationBuy nowWe’ve included an epic point-to-point trail day:A 34km mountain run with 2.4km of vertical ascent, passing through remote villages, paddy fields, and plantations. You’ll cross parts of the iconic Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon (BUTM) and The Most Beautiful Trail (TMBT) routes—exclusive trails where we will be the only runners.Our final destination is the legendary Tip of Borneo, where the South China Sea meets the Celebes Sea. Here, you’ll unwind in private ocean villas beneath starlit skies, where time slows down and nature takes centre stage.Leading our trail runs are some of Sabah’s strongest mountain athletes—winners of the infamous 50K and 100K BUTM and TMBT. You’ll get to know them, learn about their culture, and experience the rich traditions of the communities we pass through—places steeped in story, belief, and resilience.Daily yoga is led by our local yogi, a trained practitioner of Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin Yoga. Sessions focus on strength, flexibility, breathing, aromatherapy, and total wellbeing—balancing the intensity of trail running with deep restoration.This adventure is crafted by Jo and Richard of Adventures in Borneo, an award-winning adventure travel company and trusted provider of Adventurous Training for the British Ministry of Defence.We’ve timed this Borneo trail running retreat to take place just before the 2026 Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon (BUTM), so those who want to stay on and race can do so fully acclimatised.This is a fully inclusive trip. You only need to cover your flights, a few dinners, and any alcoholic drinks.Travel & Program ItineraryDay One: Arrive and check in to your Kota Kinabalu city hotel. Evening briefing and dinner.Overnight: Ming Garden Hotel or equivalents:  Twin/Double Rooms, Air-conditioned with En-suite bathroom. (Dinner Included)Day Two: A short jog or walk to the marina for a 10-minute boat transfer to Gaya Island. We kick off with a 10km run to the island’s highest point (300m). Non-runners can snorkel, scuba dive or kayak.Overnight: Ming Garden Hotel or equivalents:  Twin/Double Rooms, Air-conditioned with En-suite bathroom. (Breakfast, Lunch Included)Day Three. Travel to the Kiulu Valley for a 9km jungle trail run through rivers and plantations. Non-runners can walk riverside trails and learn about tribal traditions. Evening yoga under the stars. Overnight: Camp (equipment provided, good facilities) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Day Four: The epic point-to-point day! A 32km trail with 2.3km vertical ascent through remote landscapes. Non-runners take a scenic drive with cultural stops. Overnight: Village Homestay, Private Twin/ Double Rooms, Shared Bathroom. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Photo By Jake BaggaleyDay Five: Start the day with yoga. A gentle 7km or 14km run/hike follows. Non-runners can hike a shorter route, or relax by and swim in the river. Overnight: Village Homestay, Private Twin/ Double Rooms, Shared Bathroom. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Day Six: Farewell to your homestay hosts after visiting the ‘Tanak Nabalu’ – mini Mt Kinabalu. Four hour overland journey passing by hills, lush rainforests and palm oil plantations to the Sepilok Kabili Forest Reserve.  Free at leisure until dinner time. Overnight: Sepilok Jungle Resort, Twin/ Double Share, en-suite rooms with air-conditioning. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Day Seven: Wake up to the sound of the Bornean Forest. Visit Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre to witness feeding time at 10am. Proceed to the Bornean Sunbear Conservation Centre to learn about the smallest bear in the world. Free at leisure until dinner time. Overnight: Sepilok Jungle Resort, Twin/ Double Share, en-suite rooms with air-conditioning. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Day Eight: Free at leisure until check out at 10am. Overland transfer to Kinabatangan river. Evening river safari searching for wildlife and birdlife along Sabah’s longest river. Try to spot pygmy elephants, orangutans, crocodiles, proboscis monkeys, macaques, hornbills and myriad of birds living in the region. Optional night walk with the in-house guide. Overnight: Bilit Adventure Lodge, twin/double share, air-conditioned en-suite rooms. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included).Day Nine: Rise to the calls of gibbons and hornbills and embark on a 1-hour morning river safari to look for more wildlife waking up by the river bank.  Now get ready to slow down for an 8-hour transfer to the Tip of Borneo through scenic countryside. Free at leisure, enjoy our beautiful surroundings. Overnight: Ocean Villas Twin/ Double Share / Tripple Share (large rooms), en-suite rooms with air-conditioning. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Day Ten: After breakfast we enjoy a stunning 12km run along beaches and quiet beach trails to the northernmost tip of Borneo where two seas meet. Overnight: Ocean Villas Twin/ Double Share / Tripple Share (large rooms), en-suite rooms with air-conditioning. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included)Day Eleven: After breakfast transfer three hours to Kota Kinabalu City for your evening flight or onward journey. (Breakfast Included) Buy nowWhat Our Guests Are Saying“Absolutely I would recommend this trip to others. It was just a wonderful combination of adventurous discovery of nature in the sea, mountains and jungle, meeting local people and experiencing their culture, and reflecting on all life categories with an amazingly diverse group of beautiful souls (kids included). What a privilege to experience this! I want to do this again!”— Rosie Diaz“Thank you so much for organizing this retreat, truly! It revealed so much about my emotional needs—I was not paying attention to them. It empowered me once again, uplifted me, balanced me, brought so much gratitude and love to my soul. So much appreciation of the amazing people I have in my life, of the support I have constantly. I felt much love and compassion around me in Borneo. Thank you. Love u guys. So Grateful.”— Katalin Enache“Authentic. Meaningful. Beautiful. I really enjoyed the leadership. The creation of circles that honored and respected everyone’s style, viewpoint and frame. I valued the experiences we had and the people. The people that were part of this journey were incredible. They say that you attract who you are. As a leader, I found that to be true—even when who I was had some parts I would change. I valued the form and function of our first stay that reminded me of my work for 24 years in building environments for people. How much I value the feeling of serenity and peace a space can generate. The feeling of the mountain and its sacred presence. The grounding force of the village, the people. The excitement of the wildlife viewing and boat adventures. Seeing the elephants, the monkeys, the birds. The snorkeling and diving. Sharing of food.”— Cheri Stringer“I feel as though I am going home a different man. I’ve grown. The locations, the people, the activities, the team. Everything has exceeded our expectations.”— Donal Brophy Your Safety is Our PriorityDuring this travel itinerary at all times you are in safe & professional hands. We take our responsibility as a facilitator very seriously and have a number of verifications in place to ensure that we are offering quality locations to our clients and describing them honestly.Please refer to your local health authority for information on traveling abroad. NHS in the UK suggest this Travel Health Pro.Unless otherwise stated all photography is shot on location and a representation of the trip by Richard Swann from Adventures In Borneo.Buy nowPackage IncludesPackage ExcludesThings To BringSpecial Terms & ConditionsPackage Includes • All Land & Boat Transfers In Country • 10 Nights Twin / Double Share / Triple Accommodation in Stunning Natural Environments • Meals 10 Breakfast, 9 Lunch, 9 Dinner. • Snorkeling Session • Day Trip to Sepilok Oranguan & Sun Bear Rehabilitation Centre • Cultural Immersion Sharing Stories with Local Tribes • Licensed Tour Guide • Facilitated by Adventures In Borneo. Staff Team On LocationPackage Excludes • International Flights (Fly to Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Sabah, Malaysia, Borneo.) • Any Meals Not Stated • Alcohol and Carbonated Drinks • Personal Expenses & Laundry Service • Personal Travel Insurance • The Rehabilitation Centers Charge a Small Fee For Cameras Taken Into The Centre (approx £3.00 each). • Items not mentioned in the itinerary above.Things To BringBorneo is located just above the equator, its hot with day time temperatures around 28-30 degrees. Night time 26 degrees.• Lightweight casual evening clothes, t.shirts, loose trousers suitable for the tropics. • Lightweight running gear with running vest to hold 2ltr fluid suitable for the tropics. • Trail and road or hybrid running shoes. Casual shoes / flip flops for evenings • Lightweight Raincoat • Hat, sunglasses, sun screen, insect repellent. • Light weight towel / day hiking bag / refillable water bottle. (we have a ban on single use plastic)Special Terms & ConditionsPlease read our terms and conditions of booking. You will be asked to agree to these on booking. We would like to highlights the following• We recommend arriving in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on the day prior or in time to meet for dinner on day one.• 30% non-refundable deposit is payable to secure your booking. Balance payment is due 60 days prior to the trips start date.