30 years ago, Rickshaw Travel's local partner in Borneo decided to design a tour that would provide real interaction between tourists and a longhouse community in Sarawak, one of the two Malaysian states in Borneo. Reaching the furthest points of the Delok river, they came across the Nanga Sumpa Longhouse in Batang Ai and met the Iban tribe who settled there in the 15th century. Because their key objective was to involve the longhouse community in a meaningful way, in order to not disrupt their way of life, it was important to see how receptive the community would be to hosting visitors. Following discussions with the elders of the community, they agreed to build a lodge for travellers adjacent to the longhouse to minimise disruption to the families living there.
What began as a simple camp is now the Nanga Sumpa lodge housing up to 18 guests at a time. As well as offering guests a glimpse into the tribe's lifestyle, visiting the lodge provides a substantial income to the Iban communities in some of the remote areas such as Sumpa, where around 2500 visitors come each year.
In Rickshaw's new Brilliantly Borneo itinerary, travellers can stay in the longhouse and learn about the Iban 'headhunting' culture. Offering a mix of wildlife-spotting, rugged and pristine beaches, adventure and magical sights, this Borneo itinerary is ideal for travellers who want to see everything that Borneo has to offer. Whether its staying with the famous Iban tribe and learning about their traditional way of life, or exploring the Mulu caves in search of bats and keeping eyes peeled for wildlife, there's a whole host of activities to keep travellers busy. And, with some added beach time at the end, travellers can relax and recuperate on the shimmering shores of Lankayan. This 24-day trip is priced from £3495 pp including accommodation (price based on two sharing) with breakfast, permits and other meals, transport and excursions as described in the itinerary.
