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Two adult orangutans resting close together.

Alaya Expeditions · For the body

Deep Wild Borneo: A small-group Borneo wildlife expedition

Rainforest, rivers, and the orangutans of Borneo, met on their own terms, in the hours when the forest actually moves.

  • Target datesMar 25–30, 2027
  • Duration6 days, 5 nights
  • Group sizeSmall group, capped
  • WhereMalaysian Borneo

Trip overview

The forest goes quiet, then a branch bends somewhere above you, and you realise you’re the one being watched.

Borneo’s lowland rainforest is one of the oldest on earth, and one of the last places where orangutans still live wild. Deep Wild Borneo is built around meeting that forest slowly: on foot, by river, and in the early and late hours when wildlife actually moves.

Six days, a small team, and a route we’re scouting ourselves before a single seat goes on sale. The full itinerary, price, and Trip DNA are being finalised. Join the early list and you’ll see them before anyone else.

Duration6 days · 5 nights
Led byConfirmed with itinerary

Trip DNA & Lenses

What this trip is really made of.

Every Alaya Expedition is built and checked against the same 5 lenses. Here’s what each one looks like on this trip.

Terrain

The real physical challenge: elevation, distance, temperature swing, days without a road.

The Reckoning

The exact moment the trip pushes a real limit, where discomfort is the point.

The Team

The interdependence moment: shared camp duties, the hour someone needed the group.

The Wild

The species, the behaviour, the natural phenomenon. Named, not generic.

The Local Thread

The guides, herders, and communities at the edges, and what they pass on.

The full Trip DNA (named people, places, and moments for every lens) is published with the final itinerary.

What you’ll bring home

You’ll come home having done something your body didn’t think it could. Proof, not a photo.

Day by day

The route is being scouted.

We don’t publish an itinerary until one of us has walked it. Here’s where this trip stands.

  1. Concept & line

    Destination chosen, trip designed around its Trip DNA.

  2. Scouting & host vetting

    Every guide and host is met in person before their name reaches an itinerary.

  3. Itinerary, price & dates

    Published to the early list first, then to everyone.

  4. Booking opens

    Small group, capped. Early-list members get first right to a spot.

Your guides

Who you’ll travel with

Designed and scouted by the two of us. Tour leaders are confirmed with the final itinerary.

Merald Ayson

Merald Ayson

Chief Route Architect

An industrial engineer and operations head in tech, the one who plans, systemises, and makes sure things run on schedule. Writes Wandering Emerald on the side.

Mirjan Hipolito

Mirjan Hipolito

Chief Charm Officer

A flight attendant, beauty queen, and creator who has seen more airports and time zones than almost anyone in the room, and still plans her own trips while boarding.

Questions

Questions & FAQs

What does joining the early list mean?

You’ll get the full itinerary, final dates, and price before they’re announced publicly, plus first right to a spot. There’s no payment and no obligation.

How big will the group be?

Small, always. Every Alaya departure is capped, the exact number is confirmed with the itinerary, and it won’t move once it’s published.

How do deposits usually work?

On our open departures, a 30% deposit holds your place and the balance is due 60 days before departure. Final terms for this trip are confirmed when booking opens.

Can you help with flights and insurance?

Yes. Our Concierge team handles flights, extra nights, and insurance matched to the trip, including altitude and trekking cover for Expeditions.

Can I do this as a private trip instead?

Yes, through Alaya Reserve we can build a private version around your own dates and group.

Still wondering about something?

Ask us directly. A real person (usually one of the founders) replies within two working days.

Join the early list

Be first when Deep Wild Borneo opens.

Itinerary, final dates, and price go to this list before they’re announced anywhere, along with first right to a spot. No payment, no obligation.

Want the full itinerary to read later or share?

Request the brochure

The early list

Hear about new departures first.

Dates, prices, and open spots reach the list before they’re announced anywhere else. Once or twice a month, never filler.

We’ll only email about trips and the Journal. Unsubscribe any time.

Deep Wild BorneoDates & price soon
Early list