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At home with the headhunters

Route: Kuching - Batang Ai National Park - Kuching

Enter the mysterious, dense green jungles of Sarawak and meet the once feared Iban tribe, better known as 'headhunters'. Unravel the mystery of this remote location as you glide through the jungle in a wooden jungle boat. Appropriately, your accommodation during this module is a rustic jungle lodge surrounded by lush green plants and trees of every species.

During this Borneo visit, you'll visit the generous and hospitable Iban tribe. They are keen on sharing their culture and traditions with their visitors. You can also spend more time in this area if you would like to; this module can be extended by one, two or more nights. Extending this Borneo visit will give you the opportunity to visit wild orangutans and of course at the end of each day you'll sleep deep in the heart of the jungle.

You can start building your own Borneo trip using our bite-sized Borneo tours. Or, alternatively you can take your pick from our range of suggested holidays in Borneo. Want to combine your Borneo adventure with a trip to Malaysia? No problem. Simply choose from our selection of bite-sized Malaysia tours or ready-made holidays in Malaysia.

Duration	3 days / 2 nights	Accommodation	Rustic jungle lodge Comfort level 1 (see accommodation)
Price	£255 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	Bus and boat transfers to and from Kuching, visit to Iban long houses, jungle walk, 2 nights in jungle lodge and meals: 2 x breakfast / 3 x lunch / 2 x dinner
Transport	Minibus and jungle boat

Day 1 - Kuching - Batang Ai National Park (Menyang Tais Longhouse)

Approximately four hours from Kuching, you'll find one of the more remote areas of Sarawak, the Batang Ai National Park. You can also stop off at a colourful market in the city of Serian where all types of products from the jungle can be purchased. This is a great place for buying a few small gifts such as cigarettes or fruit to give your host at the Iban tribe, the 'chief' of the longhouses. Lunch will be served for you at a local restaurant.

Eventually you'll board a motorised 'perahu', a traditional wooden jungle boat to begin your Borneo visit. During the boat ride past the overgrown jungle shores, you'll hear the sounds of screeching monkeys and children at play while watching everyday life in the jungle unfold before you. You'll see local women washing clothes and children splashing around in the same water. The boat ride to Iban territory will take approximately an hour and soon you'll be immersed in the sights and sounds of the jungle, sailing beneath a green sky of thick leafy branches.

The Iban tribe was once feared due to their practice of 'headhunting'. These days the Iban are peaceful people who live off of the land in harmony with their neighbours. Iban traditions and have been carried out with pride for centuries and they have a remarkable practice when building their homes. The Iban live in longhouses: long, one-story houses built on poles high above the banks of the river. They are colossal wooden structures with roofs of approximately 150m. Entire communities of up to 30 families live in these houseboats in separate quarters.

On your Borneo visit, you'll stay at a rustic jungle lodge near the tribe and after dinner you'll visit the Iban tribe. It's customary to leave behind the small gifts you purchased along the way, or a small amount of money in the small baskets hanging by the door in order to appease the spirits. You must always wait to be invited into a longhouse. Usually the chief ('tuai rumah’) will invite you to come in and take a look at his 'ruai', a 'gallery' filled with relics from the tribe's past. You may also experience an authentic 'Miring Ceremony' lead by a priest; traditionally dressed women and men with a 'hgajat' (traditional dance) will welcome you with a glass of 'tuak', local rice wine.

Day 2 - Batang Ai National Park (Menyang Tais Longhouse)

After breakfast, you and your guide will head out to explore the area surrounding the longhouse. Your guide will give you a glimpse into the life of people in this area and tell you more about what you come across. In the afternoon you can either go for a walk through the jungle or perhaps you may even want to try your hand at fishing 'The Iban way' using a fishing net. It may look like a piece of cake; however you'll see that it will take quite some practice to catch more than a few floating branches. Eventually you'll walk back through the rainforest to the jungle lodge. Walking through the humid forest is sure to create an appetite. No worries though, our cooks will prepare a delicious meal for you including all kinds of local delicacies. This meal is sure to please your taste buds... In the evening you'll visit the Iban once again and as always these gracious people will greet you with a smile. You'll spend the final night of your Borneo visit in a jungle lodge.

Day 3 - Batang Ai National Park (Menyang Tais Longhouse) - Kuching

After you wake up to a tasty breakfast, you'll say goodbye to your new Iban friends as your Borneo visit comes to an end. A wooden boat will take you on a relaxing boat trip across the river. When you reach the shore a mini-bus will be waiting for you. You'll spend the next four hours or so driving through the green landscape. Before reaching Kuching you'll take a rest break to freshen up for your return to civilisation.

This Borneo visit can also be extended by a day so that you can trek deeper into the jungle in search of wild orangutans and visit places unknown to most tourists. You'll spend the night in a jungle lodge, exclusive to our guests. For more information have a look at the bottom of this page.

Borneo visit: House rules

A longhouse is more than just a community; it is a traditional way of life with customs dating back for centuries. When visiting a longhouse its best to know what to and not do to avoid offending the inhabitants.

Entrance: When entering a longhouse for a first meeting, wait patiently until you are invited in and remove your shoes before walking onto the veranda. As you may expect, in the event of a death of a loved one, only family and those close to the family are allowed to participate in certain rituals. In this case you will not be allowed to enter the longhouse. After being invited into the home, your guide will introduce you to the chief ('tuai rumah’) of the community. It is customary to bring along a gift and to give it to the chief at this time. Appropriate gifts are tobacco, soap, clothes pins or pens and notebooks (not alcohol, sweets or plastic toys). The chief will give your gifts to those who need it most. On your way to the longhouse you'll pass a market where you can buy gifts; however a typical gift from your own country is also very greatly appreciated.

Food and drink: When you enter the home on your Borneo visit, you'll be offered a drink (usually the local rice wine 'tuak'). Accept this and all kinds of food, with two hands; declining is considered offensive. The wine may taste mild; however it can pack a punch, so try not to drink it too quickly. Sit with your back against the wall while hiding the soles of your feet. As in India, showing the bottom of your feet is considered offensive here. It is also offensive to use your finger to point at something or someone. Instead use your entire hand. If you would like to ask someone to come over, use your entire hand with the palm of the hand facing down. After dinner the tribe sings and dances and you're expected to set aside your inhibitions and join them.

Washing up: Women should keep both the upper and lower part of the body covered while washing. It may sound difficult, but simply watch how local women do this and you'll see how easy it is. Men must also wear underwear while washing.

Extend this Borneo visit...

At home with the headhunters & stay at the jungle camp (3 nights)

If you extend this Borneo visit, your first day in the jungle will be the same as the programme above. On the second day you won't return to the jungle lodge after your visit to the Enseluai waterfall; instead you'll trek deeper into the jungle where you'll visit another longhouse. Together with your guide you'll search for edible jungle products for dinner, such as bamboo shoots and nuts. If you're lucky, you may see wild orangutans out and about since this is their most active time of day. You'll spend the night in the middle of the jungle in a rustic cabin. The following morning you'll trek deeper into the rainforest in search of orangutans, monkeys and tropical birds. In the evening you'll return to the jungle lodge where you can sit down to a delicious local meal. After dinner you'll visit the Iban tribe. On the last day of this trip you'll travel by long boat and mini bus until you reach Kuching.

Duration	4 days / 3 nights	Accommodation	2 nights in jungle lodge and 1 night in jungle cabin. Comfort level 1 (see accommodation).
Price	£497 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	Bus and boat transfers to and from Kuching, visits to the Iban long houses, jungle walks with English speaking guide, 2 nights in jungle lodge, 1 night in jungle cabin and meals: 3 x breakfast / 4 x lunch / 3 x dinner
Transport	Bus and boat	Excludes	All other meals

If you would like to uncover even more secrets of the Sarawak jungle, be sure to visit the Bako National Park on a Borneo adventure trip or if you would like to get back to the city and take in the traditional atmosphere, visit Kuching.

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