Sumatra orangutan experience, Indonesia

Planet

We are completely dedicated through tourism, to protect the local environment and raise awareness of the conservation challenges facing a particular area. In Borneo, we support local projects such as the reforestation area at Pesalat and the Care Centre in Kumai as well as the research center at Camp Leakey all protecting the environment and that wildlife that has already suffered from deforestation. Part of your expedition fee goes toward an adoption of an Orangutan and toward Safeguard, a local ranger operation that helps prevent deforestation and pouching of wildlife.

Guidelines such as :
As you trek through the forests or visit Camp Leakey it is important to remember that you are entering the habitat of one of the rarest great ape species on Earth. The population of Bornean orangutans can generate from two different origins

1. Ex-captive individuals who have been rehabilitated and released in the forest. Captive and rehabilitation experiences often result in released rehabilitant orangutans not fearing humans and even expecting to interact with them.

2. Wild individuals, some of whom have become habituated to human presence, with the remaining being naïve (i.e. not used to people’s presence in their forest habitat).

Inappropriate behaviour by visitors may affect the behaviour and health of orangutans from both populations negatively, which places them at increased risk of becoming stressed, or the transfer of diseases. We will furnish you with appropriate guidelines so that you are able to see the orangutans at all locations in a way which is both safe for themselves and safe for the orangutans, whilst at the same time, experiencing a more natural, unique experience in the forest.

We partner with an organisation which supports conservation programs in Borneo and Sumatra. Each guest's fare includes the cost of adopting an orangutan and sponsoring 100 hectares of rainforest for 1 year.

People

We attempt to bring as many people from the local communities into Tourism. We do not skimp on hiring more help and as such the dollars we bring into these communities gives value to protecting the environment, the asset that generates an income for local land owners. We use family run hotels and family run transport companies.

On your trip, we will give you advice on where the best local restaurants are to eat so that your hard earned money goes to those that are in most need, while you receive great service and nutrition. In Tanjung Puting we use local boats that have been furnished by us and upgraded to safer standards than the average local boat. This gives the local boat owners better opportunities to rent the boat out to other visitors while raising the standards of the industry as a whole.

In Borneo, the pressure on local land holders by multinational companies is immense. Through responsible tourism, the land holds great value when protected than leased off to Palm Oil companies. Through your dollars spent wisely with local operators and guides, the value of the land is increased and as such land holders do not feel as pressured to sell off, for many, their only asset.