|
Borneo Island Travel Agents offers Travel to Borneo Island ,
Tour to Borneo Island,Borneo Island Tour Packages,Travel Destination,Borneo Island Tourism,
Trips to Borneo Island, Holidays in Borneo Island, Vacations in Borneo Island,Borneo Island Travel
Package, Travel Agents in Borneo Island, Tour Operators Borneo Island, Travel Agencies
in Borneo Island
|
|
|
BORNEO – TREKKING & CLIMBING
Six French students are learning about Borneo the hard way — by spending 60 days trekking and climbing through 900kms of inhospitable jungle
In the first Raid ISC expedition in Southeast Asia, six young French business students (above) are spending 60 days trying to conquer wild Borneo (top) Above photo : Tham Yau Kong
Staying power over muscle power is one way of summing up the appeal of multi-day adventure races. These increasingly popular events which often last between one and two weeks put emphasis on teamwork and planning, and test the mental as well as physical endurance of competitors. Even so, many hardcore outdoor enthusiasts still look for big-gm longer challenges. As such, this wear’s Raid ISC ‘Walkers of Borneo’ expedition, which lasts a mammoth 60 days, puts the more famous Raid Gauloises the world’s leading adventure race firmly in the shade as a test of endurance.
Since June 19, six French business students have been trekking from Kudat in Sabah to Limbang in Sarawak – a staggering 900km journey through Borneo’s wild jungle. The unprecedented walk is believed to be the longest ever on the large island, and includes climbing three of Malaysia’s four highest mountains. The group’s fitness, teamwork and mental endurance will face a stern test.
“Physical fitness is required to face the long, long trek. But this is not a race; it’s an endurance test,” says Tham Yau Kong with understatement. Tham – who runs adventure travel operator Borneo Endeavour – is the local coordinator for the walk, and he and six trained helpers are accompanying the students throughout the expedition. Though the hostile environment the route covers is very familiar to Tham and his crew, it’s definitely new ground for the young Raid ISC team.
The French team is made up of three men and three women, none of whom is older than 21. All of them have specific roles in the expedition such as ‘in charge of food’, ‘in charge of financial partners are all strong athletes, and between them enjoy a diverse range of sports, from swimming and dancing to golfing and roller skating. Ultimately, though, they are all linked by a strong passion for travelling and exploring new cultures.
Raid ISC, a French association, has organized annual adventure expeditions throughout the world since 1987. These have included crossing the Yakoutia by horse; climbing four 6000m-plus peaks in the Andes; crossing the Gobi Desert by camel and horse; and an expedition to the North Pole by kayak. These are not trips
The ‘Walkers of Bomeo’ is the first Raid ISC expedition to take place in Southeast Asia, and coincides with Malaysia’s Sport & Recreation Year. There can be few more dramatic and challenging introductions to Asia’s wild landscapes than the ancient jungles of Sabah and Sarawak: the jungles are believed to be the oldest in the world, and the mountains are the highest in East Asia.
As well as the physical challenges presented by this dense, inhospitable landscape, the students can experience Borneo’s fascinating culture (the stated goals of the expedition are “sport and culture”). The walk traverses the homeland of many indigenous tribes, and in some sections local guides have to lead the way. Although these students are well travelled, it’s most likely the first time they will perform the head hunter dance of the Iban, try the blowpipe of the Murut hunters, or meet up with the Bajau horsemen, the ‘cowboys of the East’. The trek also offers the chance for the students to see first-hand Borneo’s fascinating indigenous vegetation and wildlife. The trip includes visits to the Tambunan Rafflesia Forest Reserve to see the rafflesia, the world’s biggest flower (up to lm across); and the Tenom Orchid Centre which features 500 orchid species.
For the six students, the walk will be the longest lesson of their life, but probably the most rewarding. Tham sums up the appeal of the expedition: “The strongest forces of Borneo, apart from the largest tropical rainforest in the world, are its extraordinary variety of flowers, trees and animals, and the cultural wealth of its 32 ethnic communities. The explorers may well feel vulnerable in this wild and
Strange landscape.
For Tour to Borneo Island & Borneo Island Tour Packages