Sarawak and Sabah tour, Orangutans & Ibans

Planet

We believe that tourism - when controlled, operated and managed responsibly - plays an essential role in the preservation of endangered wildlife. We only offer wildlife camps and experiences when we’re entirely satisfied with their management and operational procedures, and we stringently monitor them. Within this itinerary, visits are made to the Semenggok Wildlife Centre near Kuching and the renowned Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary. These inspiring projects exist for the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured orang-utans, many of whom have been rescued from captivity. Also included in this itinerary is a visit to Sepilok’s Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. In a similar vein to the orang-utan sanctuary, this centre was built both to improve the welfare and rehabilitation of the Malayan Sun Bear, as well as raise awareness of the plight of this, now protected, species.

Minimise plastic usage: We launched our One Bottle At A Time initiative to replace disposable plastic water bottles with refillable canisters across our destinations. We also send our guests a wooden toothbrush to help avoid using hotels’ disposable plastic brushes, and educate clients about the limited recycling facilities in Asia, and best-practice regarding waste-reduction.

In order to truly contribute towards a healthier planet, we believe in putting our efforts into travelling responsibly and donating towards conservation projects. This is why we’ve put together the Selective Earth Programme, which offers all our clients the opportunity to contribute towards conservation projects in Asia. We have teamed up with the World Land Trust (WLT) – an international conservation charity who actively conserve Asia’s rainforest whilst supporting local communities. We work closely with the trust to identify which projects are a priority for funding, to ensure our donations keep on making a difference. We are currently contributing towards the conservation of the Khe Nuoc Trong forest, in Vietnam, as well as planting fruit trees in the surrounding communities.

People

All our holidays that take place in and around minority communities are set up with the locals’ best interests at heart and we work with partners who do everything possible to ensure that the entire community benefits from our visits. This Borneo itinerary visits a village occupied by the indigenous Orang Sungai tribe. The community works closely with the nearby riverside lodge, with local staff employed and regional produce used wherever possible. Also included is two nights in an Iban Longhouse which offers an excellent opportunity for clients to immerse themselves in authentic local life. We are conscious that these visits do not have a negative impact on the local people and the income generated from these visits directly benefits the whole community.

This tailormade itinerary is based on private travel in Borneo, not in a large group. By travelling in this way we have minimal disruptive impact on the communities visited and are able to stay in small, locally run accommodation, where possible, that is not suitable for larger coach tours.