Volunteer with Sun bears in Borneo

Two weeks volunteering at a sun bear rehabilitation centre in Sabah state, Malaysian Borneo. Accommodation in self-catering jungle longhouse. Be prepared to get dirty. But be prepared for superb wildlife adventure.

Rehabilitation of sun bears Sabah rainforest Sabah wildlife Habitat construction Working with renowned sun bear conservation organisation Accommodation in traditional Borneo longhouse Jungle treks

Price

£1499 excluding flights

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Duration

14 Days

Type

Tailor made

Accessibility

More info

2 weeks costs £1499 and 4 weeks costs £2199.
Includes airport transfers, accommodation, food budget and all training.
Private rooms available for a supplement.

Description of Volunteer with Sun bears in Borneo

Volunteer at a sun bear rescue and rehabilitation center in Borneo to help save the world’s smallest bear and ensure the survival of this endangered species. Known for their tiny size and often called the “cutest” bear, sun bears face a high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade.

Young sun bears are frequently taken from the wild to be kept as pets. As they grow, they become harder to control and are often chained or abused. At this sanctuary, rescued bears get a second chance at life through dedicated wildlife rehabilitation.

As a sun bear volunteer in Borneo, you'll work alongside experts to help care for over 30 bears. Your tasks include feeding, food preparation, creating enrichment activities, habitat construction, and monitoring. This wildlife conservation project gives you the unique chance to help save sun bears and prepare them for release back into the wild.

This is an amazing opportunity for anyone passionate about endangered species and wildlife conservation to make a real difference while living in a beautiful jungle setting.

Accommodation & Food
You’ll stay near the sanctuary in a volunteer house on the edge of the jungle. Share a comfortable room with a fellow volunteer, complete with a safe, storage, and mosquito net. A food budget and fully equipped kitchen are provided to help you save on meals.

Enjoy Western-style toilets and refreshing cool showers. A lake and country park nearby offer stunning views and a peaceful retreat during mornings and evenings.

Itinerary

Day 1:	Arrive to Sandakan on the 5th of the month. You will be collected from the airport and taken up to your rainforest accommodation. You will enjoy a welcome meal and induction on your first evening.
Day 2:	Meet the team at the sun bear rehabilitation centre and get stuck into the project.
Day 3+:	You will be volunteering 5 days per week with 2 days off to enjoy the local area and all that it offers.
Last day:	Trips are for either 2 or 4 weeks. On your last day you will be taken back to Sandakan airport in time for your flight.

Price information

£1499 excluding flights

Convert currency:

2 weeks costs £1499 and 4 weeks costs £2199.
Includes airport transfers, accommodation, food budget and all training.
Private rooms available for a supplement.

Contact Us

If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one, we're very happy to help

01273 823 700

Call us tomorrow after 10am

Calling from outside the UK rosy@responsibletravel.com

Departure information

This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements

Contact Us

If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one, we're very happy to help

01273 823 700

Call us tomorrow after 10am

Calling from outside the UK rosy@responsibletravel.com

Travel guides

2 minute summary Families

Our guide explains how your time and effort can make a real difference in Borneo.

2 minute summary Map & highlights

Our travel guide highlights some of the world's most important and exciting projects.

Holiday information

US pricing:

The currency converter above works on todays exchange rate. We do take bookings in USD but the price is set at a rate confirmed months in advance and is typically above the current exchange rate. Please enquire for details.

Accessibility

Accessible overview:

There are challenges associated with volunteer travel, and these can make accessible travel difficult. However, we are very keen to chat with travellers with specific needs to see if we can make a trip possible.

Responsible Travel

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.

Planet

Protecting local wildlife
The sanctuary is passionate about the well being of the animals in its care. Human contact with the sun bears is limited, ensuring that they do not become dependent on humans. They are well fed, well cared for and encouraged to live out in the wild. Volunteers are dissuaded from wearing sun cream and insect repellent, which cause problems for the bears. Instead volunteers should wear long-sleeved clothing to avoid sun burn and bites.

Protecting the world
We insist that all participants bring their own water bottles when they travel with us, and clean free water is always available. We have even created a water bottle that can be purchased before departure and encourage people to use it at all stages of their journey including at the airport, on flights and whilst on their project. We are striving for all of our projects to be free of single use plastic.

People

Campaigning for change
The project works with the local community to educate about the importance of their work. Sun bears are a protected species, however many are dying out in deforestation work or due to being kept in captivity. It is essential to work with locals to ensure that fewer sun bears die each year.

Supporting the local economy
The project helps the local economy and community. Our participants spend money on food and leisure in the local area, staff are employed from the area to work as volunteer coordinators, and rent is paid to the local guest house.

Cultural sensitivity
Our pre-departure briefing includes a special session entitled ‘Responsible Tourism’ where we discuss cultural differences and sensitivities as well as advising volunteers on appropriate cultural conduct. People are encouraged to learn some of the local language and briefed on what is considered polite in terms of eating, greeting and dressing.

Volunteer with Sun bears in Borneo