Start: 20th March 2025 | End: 28th March 2025 | Meeting location: Kota Kinabalu Airport | Spaces available: 5
Included in the tour:
- Expert herpetologist guides.
- Accommodation.
- Transport.
- Food & drinks.
- National park entry/ranger/guide fees.
- Permits.
Kinabalu green bush frog (Philautus bunitus)
Chasen's mountain pit viper (Garthius chaseni).
Masked tree frog (Leptomantis angulirostris).
Kinabalu dwarf pipe snake (Anomochilus monticola).
Stuebing's slug snake (Asthenodipsas stuebingi).
Mossy bush frog (Philautus macroscelis)
Malcom's pit viper (Trimeresurus malcomi).
Chasen's mountain pit viper (Garthius chaseni).
Extremely rare black-throated agamid (Complicitus nigrigularis)
Kobyashi's horned frog (Pelobatrachus kobyashii).
Kinabalu gliding gecko (Gekko rhacophorus)
Saffron-bellied frog (Chaperina fusca)
Black-striped coral snake (Calliophis nigrotaeniatus)
Sarawak keelback (Hebius sarawacense)
Borneo red snake (Paraxenodermus borneensis)
Jamil's slug snake (Asthenodipsas jamilnaisi)
Sabah pit viper (Trimeresurus sabahi)
Kinabalu krait (Bungarus flaviceps baluensis).
Malcom's pit viper (Trimeresurus malcomi).
Kobyashi's horned frog (Pelobatrachus kobyashii).
Nights 1-4: Mount Kinabalu
The first location on this expedition is the magical montane forests of Mount Kinabalu, home to some of the most remarkable herpetofauna of anywhere in South-East Asia, with extremely high rates of endemism. Most animals we can see here are endemic to the highlands of Borneo or even this specific mountain. The holy grail of the highlands is undoubtedly the magnificent Malcolm's pit viper (Trimeresurus malcomi), which can grow to incredibly impressive sizes and occurs way up the slopes of Mount Kinabalu. It is rare, but 4 nights of intense searching will give us a good chance to encounter this certified showstopper.
If we experience heavy rain, we may encounter the otherwise highly-cryptic Chasen’s mountain pit viper (Garthius chaseni), while the Sabah pit viper (Trimeresurus sabahi) is abundant regardless of weather and can also grow to large sizes like T. malcolmi. Both the black-striped coral snake (Calliophis nigrotaeniatus) and world-famous Kinabalu krait (Bungarus flaviceps baluensis) inhabit these highlands, feeding primarily on smaller snakes. While high numbers of snakes are typically hard to find here, the diversity on the mountain is high and we will get out in the daytime to target diurnal species and spend every night trying our hardest to see as much as possible.
In between snake encounters, one will remain fascinated by the frogs and lizards which inhabit the area. The giant Kobyashi's horned frog (Pelobatrachus kobyashii) is a must see for anyone visiting the area, while the hilariously proportion broad-headed fanged frog (Limnonectes kong) is also an enjoyable encounter. There are also many beautiful tree frogs in the area, most notably the Kinabalu green bush frog (Philautus bunitus), mossy bush frog (Philautus macroscelis) and the very rare Kinabalu flying frog (Rhacophorus baluensis). The Kinabalu crested lizard (Hypsicalotes kinabaluensis) is our personal favourite lizard here, albeit very rare, while the more commonly-seen Kinabalu gliding gecko (Gekko rhacophorus) is another highlight. Beyond this, several interesting geckos and agamids may show up on our forest walks.
Bornean blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgata tetrataenia)
Many-banded mangrove cat snake (Boiga dendrophila annectens).
Dark-headed cat snake (Boiga nigriceps).
Frilled tree frog (Kurixalus appendiculatus).
Blunt-headed slug snake (Aplopeltura boa).
Cat gecko (Aleuroscalabotes felinus).
Bornean keeled pit viper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus).
Bornean angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus borneensis).
Hole-in-the-head Frog (Huia cavitympanum).
Everett's tree toad (Rentapia everetti).
Bornean angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus borneensis).
Long-nosed horned frog (Pelobatrachus nasuta).
Many-banded mangrove cat snake (Boiga dendrophila annectens).
Sumatran pit viper (Trimeresurus sumatranus).
Bornean short-tailed python (Python breitensteini)
Bornean leaf-nosed pit viper (Craspedocephalus borneensis).
Sumatran pit viper (Trimeresurus sumatranus).
Red-tailed racer (Gonyosoma oxycephalum)
Nights 5-8: Ranau
Not far from Kinabalu National Park is our second locations of the trip, situated at around 500 meters above sea level. This forest at this elevation is rich, tropical dipterocarp rainforest, and we will have access to both forest edges and primary rainforest valleys with giant trees. For most people, the dream snake in this area will be the Sumatran pit viper (Trimeresurus sumatranus). However, there are so many sensational species occurring here that we cannot even hope to list them all. Some highlights we have encountered ourselves are the Bornean leaf-nosed pit viper (Craspedocephalus borneensis) and Bornean keeled pit-viper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus), the Kinabalu krait (Bungarus baluensis), golden-yellow red-tailed racers (Gonyosoma oxycephalum), Bornean short-tailed python (Python breitensteini) and the huge Bornean blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgata tetrataenia). We have also encountered Sumatran cobra (Naja sumatrana) while driving on the roads at night. The number of colubrids here beggars belief, and we can be sure to encounter multiple new snakes every single night.
There are several impressive Gonocephalus sp. lizards occurring in the lowlands, most notably the Bornean angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus borneensis) - adult males boasting an unreal crest of horns. The cat gecko (Aeluroscalabotes felinus) and Peter’s bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus consobrinus) are two fantastic gecko species which are both common here. Regarding frogs, our guides have seen the ultra-rare Everett’s tree toad (Rentapia everetti) here, while heavy rain can bring out the iconic Wallace’s flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) and endemic charming tree frog (Feihyla kajau). The long-nosed horned frog (Pelobatrachus nasuta) is also very common here.
Accommodation:
We will stay at comfortable hotels at each location, within walking distance of high-quality rainforests at Mount Kinabalu and Ranau. The standard package is two people per room, although we have the option to upgrade to a private room at each location. There is wifi and mobile service (4G) at all locations where we will be staying during this tour.
Food:
The majority of meals will be local dishes, but we will make several stops in more urban areas where one can also indulge in Indian and western cuisine. Every location will have access to local shops where one can stock up on snacks and drinks for the night of herping. All meals, drinks with meals and drinking water are included in the price, while personal drinks and snacks are not.
Environmental conditions & fitness:
The weather at our herping locations on Mount Kinabalu is very temperate, rarely exceeding 25 degrees during the day and dropping as low as 15 degrees at night. We highly recommend packing at least one sweater. At Ranau and Kota Kinabalu, it is extremely hot and humid during the day, cooling down significantly at night. This trip is scheduled during the dry season, but we should expect rain at both locations regardless. Waterproof clothing and rubber boots are an absolute necessity, but hiking boots are also recommended for our walks at Mount Kinabalu.
During this expedition, we will not be scaling any mountains but a minimum level of fitness must be met. We advise an ability to walk 10 kilometres on hilly terrain per day. Mosquitos, leeches and other biting/stinging animals are part of jungle life, so long trousers/pants, long sleeved shirts and long socks are strongly advised.
Travel information:
All participants must arrive at the designated meeting point near Kota Kinabalu International Airport by (12:00pm) on the 20th March 2024. We advise all guests to arrive the night before and get a good night’s sleep before the expedition begins. Daily flights to/from Kota Kinabalu Airport are available every day from multiple airports in the region, but we recommend booking far in advance.
It is the guests’ responsibility to meet all entry requirements needed to enter Malaysia, including visa procedures. Explore Herpetology can help advise entry requirements. Guests travelling from most countries do not require a visa to visit Malaysia for less than 90 days. Make sure to check the entry requirements for your country before booking. There are no current COVID restrictions in place for travellers entering Malaysia. One must fill out the MDAC form within 3 days of your arrival.
