Sabah's Premier Mammal Watching Destination

Deramakot —
Where Wild Mammals Rule
The Night

One of the best wildlife trips Borneo has to offer — a sustainably managed forest reserve in the heart of Sabah where rare mammals and orangutans can be encountered in the wild.

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100+
Clouded Leopard sightings
7hrs
Minimum 4WD safari time daily
12+
Years Experience in Deramakot
140M
Year old rainforest
Morning light through Deramakot lush rainforest

Southeast Asia's Best Place to See Nocturnal Mammals from a Vehicle

Deep inside a 55,000-hectare sustainably managed forest in the interior of Sabah, Deramakot's network of logging roads creates conditions that are perfect for Mammal Watching — vehicles moving slowly through dense forest at night, spotlights scanning the canopy and verges, and a density of nocturnal wildlife that has to be seen to be believed.

Visitors are regularly seeing Sunda Clouded Leopard, Marbled Cat, Leopard Cat, Binturong, Sun Bear, Slow Loris, wild Orangutan and Pygmy Elephant — a list that could take years to accumulate elsewhere in Borneo.

See the Itinerary View Gallery
Golden sunrise over Deramakot forest canopy
Dawn Over the Forest
Misty forest road, Deramakot dawn
Early Morning Safari Road
Photographer at sunset, Deramakot forest
Hornbill in Flight

Mammals You Could See at Deramakot

Deramakot has some of the highest densities of rare mammal sightings in Borneo. Our guides know the roads, the territories and the timing.

Sunda Clouded Leopard
Sunda Clouded Leopard
Vulnerable · Flagship species
Malay Civet
Malay Civet
Least Concern · Nocturnal
Leopard Cat
Leopard Cat
Least Concern · Frequent
Binturong
Binturong
Vulnerable · Nocturnal
Sun Bear
Sun Bear
Vulnerable · Tree climber
Philippine Slow Loris
Philippine Slow Loris
Vulnerable · Nocturnal
Wild Orangutan
Wild Orangutan
Critically Endangered
Pygmy Elephant
Pygmy Elephant
Endangered · Road crossings
Bornean Gibbon
Bornean Gibbon
Endangered · Dawn calls
Island Palm Civet
Island Palm Civet
Near Threatened
Western Tarsier
Western Tarsier
Vulnerable · Nocturnal
Sambar Deer
Sambar Deer
Vulnerable · Common
Wildlife photographers on misty forest road at dawn, Deramakot Two photographers with telephoto lenses, Deramakot

Specialists Who Have Spent Thousands of Hours on These Roads

Our guides don't just know Deramakot — they grew up with it. They know which trees the orangutans favour, which road junctions the cats use most, and how to read the forest sounds from a moving vehicle at midnight.

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Night Safari Expertise

Minimum 7 hours of 4WD spotlight driving per day, timed around visitors preference and best time to find mammals.

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Permitted Reserve Access

Only a small number of licensed operators may take guests into Deramakot. We are among the pioneers who first opened this reserve to wildlife tourism.

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Small Groups Only

Maximum 6 guests per vehicle. Quiet, unhurried, intimate — the way serious wildlife watching should be.

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Conservation at the Core

Every booking contributes directly to habitat restoration projects inside Deramakot and supports the sustainable forestry certification that keeps this reserve wild.

The Deramakot Reception Centre

Simple, comfortable and completely surrounded by the forest. The reception centre is the base for all your safaris — a clean, well-maintained research station with everything you need and nothing you don't.

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AccommodationClean twin rooms with air conditioning and en-suite or shared bathrooms.
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All Meals IncludedA resident cook provides three meals daily — hearty, freshly prepared food. Dietary requirements catered for with advance notice.
Reliable ElectricityGenerator power throughout the night. Charge camera batteries and phone between drives.
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Deep Inside the ReserveUnlike lodges on the reserve boundary, you are staying in the heart of the forest — meaning wildlife right outside your door, morning and night.
Deramakot Accommodation at night

What Our Guests Say

★★★★★

"Deramakot is by far the best-kept secret in Borneo for wildlife. Beyond every expectation — I could happily stay for months. I have been on many safaris around the world and this is right up there with the best. Make it your number one place to go in Borneo."

JH
James H.
TripAdvisor · Deramakot Forest Reserve
★★★★★

"I spent 5 nights spotlighting at Deramakot and saw at least 24 mammal species. The highlight was a Sun Bear — but also Binturong, Banded Palm Civet, Bornean Gibbons and wild Orangutans. Our guide was an excellent spotter willing to work long hours. I will use them again."

RM
R. Mitchell
TripAdvisor · Deramakot Forest Reserve
★★★★★

"Deramakot is the best place I have ever visited for mammal watching, especially night safari for wild cats. In one week I saw a marbled cat, many leopard cats, two binturongs, three slow loris, four kinds of civets, three orangutans and three pygmy elephants. Nowhere else in Borneo comes close."

WL
W. Liu
TripAdvisor · Deramakot Forest Reserve
★★★★★

"Simply spectacular. I spent three nights at Deramakot and saw an incredible number of mammals in a truly wild environment. Each sighting felt very special. The logistics were flawless given the remoteness. Our guide's skills at finding and identifying animals are a thing of wonder."

SP
S. Palmer
TripAdvisor · Deramakot Forest Reserve
★★★★★

"Our guide Adi was incredibly knowledgeable — in a remote and demanding destination like Deramakot, seeing such a young woman leading with so much confidence and professionalism was truly inspiring. The itinerary was well-planned, accommodation and food exceeded expectations."

EM
E. Müller
TripAdvisor · Deramakot Forest Reserve
★★★★★

"Our guide was truly brilliant at spotting wildlife and keeping lists of our sightings. She was kind, informative and went above and beyond at every turn. Our 3-day list included 32 species. I have never seen so many high-profile mammals in such a short time."

KC
K. Chen
TripAdvisor · Deramakot Forest Reserve
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Safari guests, Deramakot
★★★★★ Guest Reviews

What Our Guests Say

TripAdvisor, Google and Facebook reviews from guests who have experienced Deramakot's night safaris.

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Clouded leopard, Deramakot
Field Reports & Blog

From the Wildlife Diaries

Trip reports from MammalWatching.com, Margarita Steinhardt and Ru Smith — first-hand accounts from the field.

Read field reports →

Ready to Experience Deramakot?

Tell us your travel dates, group size and target species. We'll come back within 24 hours with availability and a personalised quote.

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deramakotbookings@gmail.com