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












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.
Minimum 7 hours of 4WD spotlight driving per day, timed around visitors preference and best time to find mammals.
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.
Maximum 6 guests per vehicle. Quiet, unhurried, intimate — the way serious wildlife watching should be.
Every booking contributes directly to habitat restoration projects inside Deramakot and supports the sustainable forestry certification that keeps this reserve wild.
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.
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
Tell us your travel dates, group size and target species. We'll come back within 24 hours with availability and a personalised quote.
deramakotbookings@gmail.com