Danum Valley and the Pygmy Elephants
A rare and magical encounter with Borneo’s pygmy elephants in Danum Valley, Sabah.
Written by Itisha Ismail
I have not been inspired to write for a while now. But nature and inspiring world travelers kicked me in the ass and got me typing my experience once again!
Since February this year we have been blessed with inspiring travelers who were in Borneo for their honeymoon and some who have listed Borneo on their bucket travel list. Having met the lovely strangers we now call friends has made both Simon and I realize that the huge step we took almost a year ago is all worthwhile. It is not just a business venture or, as some would think, “a hobby.” No, definitely not. It is bigger than that for a humble set up like Bike and Tours.
Travelers Who Inspired Us
February started with a bang with sporty honeymooners from Perth – Mick and Erin, who have travelled and worked across different continents. Keen naturalists, both impressed us with their love for chili. Then came a lovely Swiss couple, Viola and Pascal, who walked more than 2000 km from Switzerland to Santiago de Compostela in Spain! And just a few days back we had the ever-positive couple from Germany – Elisa and Martin – who cycled with us in Taliwas and Danum Valley. We thank all the above individuals for appreciating our work and for providing us with constructive feedback in this tropical adventure of ours.
The Journey to Taliwas and Danum
As I am typing this, the image of our tour last week with Martin and Elisa keeps playing in my mind. Everything seems so surreal! Martin and Elisa did their 20 km + cycle from the Silam Junction to Taliwas. They took the challenge extremely well considering the hot and humid weather. It was all good with the sweet reward of the clear Taliwas River after the ride.
Slightly after lunch, we loaded the car with the bicycles and drove to Danum Valley. On the way down the gravel road, Elisa—still charged with enthusiasm—jokingly made comments such as “Soon we shall encounter the elephants!” or “When will we be stopped by the elephants?” Martin, on the other hand, was happy to discover the dense tropical rainforest and glad that we kept our promise of not showing him the palm-oil plantations! We stopped for a while to snap photos of the lovely green valley. The weather was still scorching hot, but the rainforest air brought a cool breeze. It was actually very pleasant.
Waiting for the Elephants
As they were taking pictures, Simon and I gave Elisa and Martin some privacy while we pondered Elisa’s question: when would we be lucky enough to see a wild elephant? Let’s not be greedy—one elephant would be enough. We have been to Danum Valley numerous times over the past year, but so far we had only been lucky to witness the sight of elephant dung! We could only guess if they were around by the moisture level of the dung. How sad!
The First Encounter
As we continued down the ex-logging road, I craved a cup of coffee. Just as I was about to ask if anyone wanted one—which we had conveniently prepared before leaving Taliwas—Simon pointed ahead, his eyes huge with excitement. “Look! Look! Look!” he exclaimed. As we all looked ahead, we were in for a jumbo surprise: two pygmy elephants—a mummy and her baby! They had their booties facing us whilst their long tails swayed and curled, their huge ears slowly fanning themselves.
We drove closer but respected their distance; we did not know what to expect—whether they were in a good or bad mood. As the mother elephant heard the engine, she seemed to signal her calf to dive straight back into the jungle. We remained in the car for a while and proceeded to the side of the road where the elephants were last seen. Something was moving in the layered tropical forest—almost like a jungle party. We saw leaves shake, heard branches snap and water splash. The pygmy jumbo and relatives must have been frolicking in the river. At times we heard them blowing their trumpet, sounding very much like Chewbacca from Star Wars.
The Smell and the Silence
A trail of powerful body odour lingered in the air, challenging our sense of smell. Along with it came fly-like insects hovering around us. We battled these tiny companions while snooping on the pygmies in the valley. No wonder the elephants constantly swayed their tails and flapped their ears! We waited a bit longer for them to reappear, but I guess there was more action in the valley—the ex-logging road was simply less entertaining for them.
And Then, the Herd
We proceeded back to our car and drove on towards the Danum Valley Field Center. Like excited kids, we talked non-stop about our lucky encounter. Reliable sources claim that Borneo pygmy elephants are much smaller than those in Africa—indeed, the smallest in Asia. Though we only saw two elephants from the back, it gave us happy vibes. But little did we know, there was more to come.
Elisa, still engaged in our conversation, put her head out of the car window. From the side mirror, I could see her scanning the jungle. It wasn’t long before this petite girl shouted, “There they are!” And indeed, there they were—about fifteen pygmy elephants in the middle of the road!
The Grand Finale
Now we got a front-row view of the elephants. Their faces were innocent and cute—like Yoda from Star Wars with a trunk. Their trunks curled as they picked greens to munch on. They seemed calm. We’re sure they knew we were there; our car engine wasn’t exactly quiet. But since we kept our distance, we seemed to have earned their respect. They continued munching. A few little ones played beside the adults. Even from afar we could see mud-patches on their thick grey skin, eyes blinking slowly, ears fanning away insects. Some roamed the road, others fed peacefully on the greens by the roadside.
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Story by: Itisha Ismail (Bike and Tours / HAK’s World)
Photography by: Simon Werren (Bike and Tours / HAK’s World)
About the Author
Itisha Ismail is the co-founder of HAK’s World Travel & Hospitality Group in Lahad Datu, Sabah. A passionate storyteller and culinary host at Hawa’s Artisan Kitchen, she connects guests with Borneo through meaningful travel, local food, and community-based experiences. Photography throughout this story by Simon Werren, co-founder of HAK’s World and creative lead behind its visual storytelling.