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Home / malaysia / deramakot

Night-drive forest · Sabah, Borneo

deramakot

The world's best place to find a wild clouded leopard — a sustainably-logged forest of legendary night drives.

Getting there

A long transfer from Sandakan or Lahad Datu into central Sabah

Best for

Sunda clouded leopard, night-drive mammals, civets, the full Bornean cat list

The land

A certified sustainably-managed forest reserve in central Sabah

Good to know

Deramakot's road network and low traffic make it the top spot on earth for clouded leopard

What it is

Deramakot is the clouded leopard capital of the world — a managed forest whose night drives turn up Borneo's most elusive cats.

A model of sustainable forestry, Deramakot has become legendary among wildlife travellers for its night drives: the Sunda clouded leopard is seen here more reliably than anywhere on earth, alongside marbled cat, leopard cat, civets, slow loris, and a strong supporting cast. It is a specialist destination for those chasing Borneo's cats and nocturnal mammals.

Deramakot Forest Reserve — night-drive forest.

The reason to come

The clouded leopard's forest

Deramakot exists, for the wildlife traveller, for the night drives — and the cats.

Clouded leopard

The world's most reliable place for the Sunda clouded leopard, on night drives.

Borneo's cats

Marbled cat, leopard cat and flat-headed cat all possible.

Nocturnal mammals

Civets, binturong, slow loris and flying squirrels.

Worth knowing

The cat capital

No forest on earth offers better odds on a wild clouded leopard than Deramakot.

A forest road in Deramakot, set for night drives.

When to come — honestly

A night-drive specialist's forest.

March – October

Best

Drier months — the road network is best and night drives most productive.

Year-round

Good

Night drives run throughout; wet weather can limit access.

Deramakot is remote, basic and built around night drives — the cats are a genuine chance, not a guarantee, and patience is essential.

Context

Forestry and wildlife together

Deramakot shows that well-managed timber forest can also be world-class wildlife habitat — its cats are the proof.

It is a specialist add-on, usually paired with Danum Valley.

We pair Deramakot's night drives with Danum's primary forest for a serious cat-and-mammal trip.

Beyond the obvious

More to Deramakot Forest Reserve.

Night drive

For clouded leopard and the cat list.

Day birding

Hornbills and forest birds.

Nocturnal mammals

Civets, binturong and loris.

Why Wild Voyager

We get you to the right forest at the right time.

From river lodges to night-drive reserves, we match the parks and guides to your targets — orangutans, clouded leopards or ten species of hornbill.

Handpicked lodges

We choose the lodge and guiding that fit your dates and targets, not whatever is left.

We time it right

We build your visit around the season and the displays that deliver.

Journeys

Trips through deramakot

8 Days · 7 Nights

clouded-leopard-quest

Where to stay

Where you’ll stay in deramakot

Classic Collection

PhotoDeramakot Lodge

Classic

Deramakot Lodge

Basic forest-reserve lodging at Deramakot, built around the legendary night drives.

Wildlife you may see

Birds Leopard Primates

Plan your Deramakot Forest Reserve journey.

Night-drive for clouded leopard and Borneo's cats. Tell us your dates and we will build the route around it.

Plan a Deramakot Forest Reserve trip

Field notes, now and then.

Where to go · When to go · Wildlife in season