Why visit Sepilok
Why visit Sepilok
Orangutans, learning to be wild again
Sepilok is a rehabilitation centre, not a zoo. Orphaned and rescued orangutans — from logging, plantations, the illegal pet trade — are cared for and taught the forest skills they'll need, then released into the surrounding Kabili-Sepilok reserve. Watching a young orangutan swing in for a feed, semi-wild and free to leave, is a genuinely moving encounter with an endangered great ape.
The first of its kind, since 1964
Opened in 1964, Sepilok was the world's first official orangutan rehabilitation project, and it remains one of the best-known. It sits within 4,000-plus hectares of protected lowland rainforest near Sandakan — a place where decades of conservation work have played out, and where dozens of orangutans now live free in the reserve.
A whole Bornean wildlife day
Sepilok rarely stands alone. Right beside it are the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre — home to the world's smallest bear — and the Rainforest Discovery Centre's canopy walkways, while the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary is a short drive away. Together they make one of the richest wildlife days in Borneo.
What to see at Sepilok
What to see at Sepilok
A visit is built around the feedings and the forest, usually with the neighbouring wildlife centres added on. These are the things to aim for.
- The feeding
The feeding platform
Twice a day, rangers put out fruit and milk on a forest platform, and semi-wild orangutans swing in from the canopy to feed. It's the centrepiece of a Sepilok visit — and timing your trip around a feeding is the single most important thing to get right.
- The nursery
The nursery viewing area
From an indoor gallery you watch younger orangutans on an outdoor climbing frame, learning ropes, balance and confidence under the eye of their keepers — often the most endearing part of the whole visit.
- Boardwalks
Rainforest boardwalks
Raised walkways lead through the lowland rainforest of the reserve between the entrance and the platforms — a chance to feel the forest itself, and to spot other wildlife along the way.
- Sun bears
The Bornean Sun Bear Centre
Right next door, the conservation centre for the sun bear — the world's smallest bear, with its pale chest crest — lets you see another rescued, endangered Bornean species up close from its boardwalks. Most tours include it.
- Rainforest Discovery
The canopy walkways
The nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre has canopy towers and walkways for birdlife and a wider view of the ecosystem — a good add-on for keen naturalists and birdwatchers.
- Labuk Bay
Proboscis monkeys
A short drive away, the Labuk Bay sanctuary is the place to see Borneo's odd, big-nosed proboscis monkeys at their own feeding times — frequently paired with Sepilok on a full-day tour.
Visiting Sepilok in Borneo
Visiting Sepilok in Borneo
Sepilok is in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, and almost everyone visits on a guided tour timed to the feedings. Here's how it works.
Getting there
The centre is about 25 km west of Sandakan, the nearest city and airport; Sandakan is a short flight from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's main hub. Most visitors come on a guided tour from Sandakan, or on a longer day trip (often including a flight) from Kota Kinabalu.
Time it around a feeding
The feedings happen twice a day, and they're the heart of the visit — so tours are built around those times. Booking a guided tour is the easiest way to make sure you arrive for a feeding and fit in the sun bears and Labuk Bay without a rushed, self-organised scramble.
What tours include
Tours generally bundle transport, entrance to Sepilok, and a guide; most add the Bornean Sun Bear Centre next door, and many include the Rainforest Discovery Centre and/or Labuk Bay, sometimes with lunch. Check exactly which centres and which feeding your option covers when you book.
On site
It's hot, humid rainforest with boardwalks and some steps, and it can rain any time, so wear light clothes and sturdy shoes and bring water, insect repellent and a rain layer. Leave bags in the lockers — orangutans are quick — and keep your distance; these are wild animals, not pets.
Sepilok & Bornean wildlife, in pictures
Sepilok & Bornean wildlife, in pictures
Orangutans at the platform and nursery, the rainforest boardwalks, and the wildlife of Sabah.
Tour options & what's included
Tour options & what's included
| Option | What it includes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sepilok + Sun Bear half-day | Transport, entrance, guide, timed to a feeding | The focused way to see the orangutans |
| Full-day wildlife tour | Adds Rainforest Discovery and/or Labuk Bay, often lunch | The most popular, fullest day |
| Private tour | Your own vehicle, guide and pace | Flexible; the priciest option |
| From Kota Kinabalu | Long day trip, often including a flight to Sandakan | For visitors based in KK without an overnight |
Ways to visit Sepilok
Find a Sepilok tour for your dates
Tours here are booked through Viator, with live availability and the final price shown in your own currency before you pay.
Live availability and pricing from Viator, shown in your own currency.
Planning your visit
Planning your visit
Build the day around a feeding
The feedings are twice daily and are the highlight, so plan your visit — and your tour — around one of them. A guided tour handles the timing for you; if you go independently, check the current feeding times before you set out.
Pair it with the sun bears and Labuk Bay
Sepilok, the Bornean Sun Bear Centre, the Rainforest Discovery Centre and Labuk Bay are all close together, and seeing two or three in a day is the norm. Decide how much wildlife you want, then pick a tour that bundles it — the fuller days are excellent value.
Dress for hot, wet rainforest
It's humid and can rain at any moment. Wear light, quick-drying clothes and sturdy shoes for the boardwalks, and bring water, insect repellent, sun protection and a rain layer. A dry bag for your camera is a good idea.
Respect the animals
These are wild and semi-wild endangered animals, not attractions to touch. Keep your distance, don't feed them, secure your belongings in the lockers provided, and follow the rangers' instructions — it protects both you and the orangutans.
Booking flexibility
The listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before and, on many options, reserve-now-pay-later — so you can lock in a departure without paying today and still adjust if your Borneo plans change.
Planning a Sepilok visit
Planning a Sepilok visit
GEO/FAQ
Sepilok tour questions
What is Sepilok?
Sepilok is the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo — a centre, opened in 1964, where orphaned and rescued orangutans are taught to live wild and released into the surrounding Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. Visitors watch semi-wild orangutans at a twice-daily feeding platform and youngsters at a nursery, and the sun bear centre and Labuk Bay are close by.
How do I get there?
The centre is about 25 km west of Sandakan in Sabah. Sandakan is a short flight from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's main hub. Most people visit on a guided tour from Sandakan, or on a longer day trip (often including a flight) from Kota Kinabalu, timed to a feeding.
When are the feedings, and are orangutans guaranteed?
Feedings happen twice a day and are the best time to see the orangutans, so tours are built around them. Because the orangutans here are semi-wild and free to come and go, sightings are very likely at feeding time but never guaranteed — that freedom is exactly the point of a rehabilitation centre.
What else can I see nearby?
Right next to Sepilok is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (the world's smallest bear), and the Rainforest Discovery Centre with its canopy walkways. A short drive away is the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary. Many tours combine two or three of these into one full day.
What should I bring and wear?
Dress for hot, humid rainforest that can rain at any time: light quick-drying clothes, sturdy shoes for the boardwalks, water, insect repellent, sun protection and a rain layer. Use the lockers for your bags — orangutans are curious and quick — and keep a respectful distance.
Can I visit as a day trip from Kota Kinabalu?
Yes — some tours run as a long day trip from Kota Kinabalu, usually including a short flight to Sandakan, though staying a night in Sandakan makes for a more relaxed visit. Each option's inclusions and live price are shown on Viator before you book, and the listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Still deciding which tour, or which day?
Leave your email and roughly when you're travelling — we'll send a short rundown of how the Sepilok tours compare, what's included, and how to time your visit around the feedings.