Borneo volunteering holiday
| country: | Borneo |
| departures: | 2008: 1 Sep |
| price: | From £1200 (4 weeks) - £1900 (10 weeks) excluding flights & insurance. We can offer advice on flights from the UK. Price includes transfers, food & accommodation and 24 hour support |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Work alongside a local initiative, established in 1997, helping to provide sustainable alternative sources of income for locals in Borneo while simultaneously protecting the rainforest and mega-biodiversity of the Lower Kinabatangan.
10 years on the project has grown immensely, and there is immediate need for the development of nature interpretation trails, building work at the Eco-Camp, and basic wildlife surveys. It is also hoped that volunteers will help teach the local community basic IT skills and English.
As a volunteer you will be provided with a one-day forest safety course which will equip you with the skills needed to live in the region, and more importantly will teach you how to make the whole jungle experience comfortable and enjoyable. This course is recognized by the Royal Geographical Society and most universities.
Participants will either be living with a local family in the village (homestay) or camping in the forest. In the village you will learn to live in a traditional way and spend a lot of time with your host family. In the forest camps you may have to cook for yourselves, with basic facilities. Come be a part of this inspiring eco-tourism initiative and see how the little things you do can make a big difference to someone else.
The project is dynamic and constantly changing. There will be times volunteers will be required to support the core team in general maintenance of facilities and equipment such as boat repair, at other times supporting community social work such as rubbish clean-ups. As the infrastructure improves and the facilities get built there are new challenges to undertake. Having said that, below is a sample one week itinerary for the project.
10 years on the project has grown immensely, and there is immediate need for the development of nature interpretation trails, building work at the Eco-Camp, and basic wildlife surveys. It is also hoped that volunteers will help teach the local community basic IT skills and English.
As a volunteer you will be provided with a one-day forest safety course which will equip you with the skills needed to live in the region, and more importantly will teach you how to make the whole jungle experience comfortable and enjoyable. This course is recognized by the Royal Geographical Society and most universities.
Participants will either be living with a local family in the village (homestay) or camping in the forest. In the village you will learn to live in a traditional way and spend a lot of time with your host family. In the forest camps you may have to cook for yourselves, with basic facilities. Come be a part of this inspiring eco-tourism initiative and see how the little things you do can make a big difference to someone else.
a day in the life of a volunteer
We aim to assist the initiative to make significant progress with their project. Project work is extremely varied so no two days will be the same. This is exactly what makes it an exciting partnership. The project is dynamic and constantly changing. There will be times volunteers will be required to support the core team in general maintenance of facilities and equipment such as boat repair, at other times supporting community social work such as rubbish clean-ups. As the infrastructure improves and the facilities get built there are new challenges to undertake. Having said that, below is a sample one week itinerary for the project.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Assisting with construction on the eco-lodge, basic building, plumbing, wiring depending on skills. |
| Day 2: | Trail mapping / inspecting. Repairing bridges or rerouting trails that are flooded. |
| Day 3: | Teaching English to local staff or helping with IT skills. |
| Day 4: | Tree planting. |
| Day 5: | Weed removal from lake. Taking out the parasitic weed that flourishes here. |
| Day 6: | Wildlife inventory. Early morning start, walking the trails recording wildlife, photographing when possible. This might include a night walk or boat ride to monitor wildlife. |
| Day 7: | Day off. Play volleyball, swim, spend the day with host family. |
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
 Established in 1997, the initiative was led by village youth from four nearby villages who volunteered their time to plan and establish community owned ecotourism activities. Among other things these pioneer volunteers documented traditional indigenous knowledge and aural history and began detailed studies of the seven different types of rainforest which surround the community. The aim of this community initiative is to create sustainable and alternative sources of income for the local indigenous people of the four villages of the Batu Puteh Community of the Lower Kinabatangan. The initiative has been developing community based eco-tourism ventures that will provide income from eco-tourists who will come to experience the amazing diversity of wildlife and rainforest types surrounding the community. At the same time as providing an income for the local people of the area, the initiative works to protect the rainforests of the region. With one clear focus (develop eco-tourism in the region) this initiative accomplishes two goals, conservation and sustainable development. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |