Cycling The Headhunter’s Heartland By Bike Tour Package (6 Nights / 7 Days)

After breakfast we start our journey into the Borneo interior. Visit two lively market bazaars along the way before reaching the outpost town of Pantu. We take a traditional long boat ride into a remote longhouses of Banting, accessible only by boat on crocodile infested river. Explore the local community with your local host and enjoy spontaneous 'longhouse hospitality' at its best, sharing simple traditional cuisine on the floor and dossing down under a mosquito net at night.

Banting Longhouse Meals: BLD

We make our first stop at Serian market, a great place to find every kind of fruit imaginable. Next stop, trading bazaar Lachau and a village-style lunch.The riverine adventure starts at Pantu, in shallow-draft longboats all the way to the Iban villages of Banting. Banting is an old rallying point of the Ibans who use the fertile lowlands for padi farming. The rocky hill by the river was a primitive fort; in times of danger the villagers found refuge here. The early Christian missionaries recognized the importance of the vantage point and crowned it with St.Paul's Church which, improved and renovated many times, has stood here since 1859. Enjoy the simple longhouse welcome - never mind what time visitors turn up, refreshments will be offered. Once you've been shown your quarters you're welcome to-stroll around the village, climb the hill to inspect the church, ask someone to explain the mysterious rock formations near the river, maybe drop in at the school, see people produce artistic handicrafts like mat-making and weaving, or wander off to the rice fields and vegetable gardens. The river here is famous for its prawns -- unfortunately, crocodiles like the tasty crustaceans quite as much as we humans do. Swimming in the river is NOT recommended!

After a short boat transfer to a tiding outpost of Lingga, we ride up the majestic Batang Lupar River, bypassing longhouse villages, farms and paddy fields. If we are lucky, we can see the natural phenomenon of tidal bore roar pass us during our ride. We will reach the old town of Sri-Aman to visit the newly restored Fort Alice to discover how battles were fought during the warring era.

Seri Simanggang Hotel Meals: BLD

You'll set off by longboat for the Lingga bazaar, center of the lower Batang Lupar where you'll taste a coffee shop breakfast. In James Brooke's time, the township was ruled by two feisty Malay women of the aristocratic class who didn't shirk from donning male attire and joining their followers in warfare if the occasion demanded it! You'll enjoy an easy ride along the banks of the great river. A few hills in the distance enliven the landscape; make a couple of detours to have a look at particularly interesting longhouses. You'll pedal into the capital of the Batang Lupar, Sri Aman (formerly known as Simanggang) in time for lunch. You can't miss Fort Alice (1864) perched on a riverside hillock, commanding a good view of the river from where trouble might be expected to come in the old days... and it frequently did. Like all forts, Alice served for defense and security, as administrative headquarters, and as a prison - 'lifers' were usually incarcerated in Fort Alice.

After a short river crossing, we continue another day of pleasant ride upriver to another old fort, Fort Lily at Betong. After a visit to Fort Lily, ride into the hilly interior. The Iban folks will entertain you with old tales and maybe a little rice wine at Ulu Bayor longhouse.

Ulu Bayor Longhouse Meals: BLD

After breakfast, you'll cross the river and pedal overland to the next main township, Betong, on the Layar River. You may get a chance to pay your respects to,a now very veteran warrior who was awarded the George Cross by King George VI; he lives in quiet retirement near his hometown Sri Aman. After a good stint of pedaling, you've deserved a good coffee-shop lunch in Betong! Visit Fort Lily (1855), built to fortify this 'outstation'. Lily has seen considerable action in the turbulent times when Iban chief Rentap challenged the Rajah; some of the cannon used in the skirmishes are preserved in the Betong District Office. From here cycle along winding road dotted with small scale pepper farms, rice fields and rubber plantations to reach the rustic old town of Debak. Your journey continues by car for 20 km on hilly terrain until you reach Ulu Bayor Longhouse. On arrival at the authentic century-old longhouse, you join the host for a tour of his farm enroute to a waterfall. Longhouse hospitality is from the heart, but the facilities tend to be fairly simple; be prepared to eat seated on the floor, and sleep on a mattress under a mosquito net.

After a quick land transfer, we take a pleasant ride passing through many more longhouse villages and small farms. We reach the Batang Ai Lake for a scenic boat ride into a longhouse style resort for a well deserved relaxation.

Batang Ai Resort Meals: BLD

Today you really do travel up country! After an hour trip in the van you'll cycle away from the trunk road, southwards, towards the Kalimantan border. Numerous longhouses along the trail makes the point: this is the Iban heartland. You'll make a side excursion up the Lemanak River; where the terrain gets hilly.-Pedal and pedal until you can literally go no further, and you'll reach a man-made lake snuggled among the hills. This lake supplies hydro-electricity to most of Kuching and West Sarawak. You'll embark on a lake craft that looks roughly like the 'African Queen' to cross the Hydro Lake to the Batang Ai Resort. Yes indeed, the cluster of longhouses bedded against the green slopes is a resort! Spend a leisurely afternoon and evening, recovering from the rigours of the trail.

In the morning, we depart early for more scenic cycling along the Indonesia border with Kalimantan. After lunch, we take the final land transfer back to civilization. We then enjoy our final meal together and celebrate the tour.

Basaga Hotel / The Marian Meals: BLD

Depart Batang-Ai early in the morning by boat and make a 30-minute transfer to a rustic small-town of Lunbo Antu. Start today’s 30km cycling trail on a country lane with terrain that is slightly hilly but with scenic mountain and forest views along the way. The trail is along the Sarawak border with Kalimantan, Indoensia. Lunch will be taken at Engkillili. After lunch we'll set off for Kuching. The return journey to Kuching is for relaxing, talking and singing, and re-living the adventure you've just enjoyed. Epic Headhunter's Trail is a trip to remember! Enjoy one last, glorious meal together at the Topspot Food Center in Kuching. It's where all the good food of Sarawak comes together. The waiters don't carry white serviettes over their left arm and the ambiance leaves something to be desired, but the food is, seriously, something to write home about!

Today the tour concludes. For those who are not in a hurry to leave, the wildlife and adventures of Borneo awaits. For more information on these amazing adventures and other destinations to extend your holiday, please ask our team at the time of booking.

Meals: B

Transfer to Kuching airport for a flight home sweet home.

Please note that the above itinerary is subjected to change due to unforeseen circumstances. However, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary.