Wildlife guide
The perfect introduction to getting your head around the extraordinary life on earth, and where to go to find it.
Orangutan watching travel guide
‘Orang-hutan’ means ‘person of the forest’, and they share over 96 percent of our DNA. Their excitable “longcalls” resonate around the canopy, drawing eyes to rust-red fur amid the leafy treetops. Orangutans are only endemic to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, yet each year, thousands make the pilgrimage here to see the dwindling numbers that remain, despite long haul flights and the fact that interaction is not permitted. The lure of seeing something so unique and intelligent – which may cease to exist within a few decades – is powerful, and each visit to a sanctuary, rehabilitation centre or remaining tract of rainforest supports the conservation of these creatures for future generations.
Their excitable “longcalls” resonate around the canopy, drawing eyes to rust-red fur amid the leafy treetops.![]()
The isolated forests still shelter a marvellous menagerie, including proboscis monkeys, hornbills, slow lorises and pygmy elephants, so tracking orangutans reveals a whole, wonderful world of wildlife. Read our orangutan watching guide to find out more.
Go on an orangutan watching holiday if...
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Borneo tour, Great Apes and Beach escapes
Borneo's best cities, lush rainforests & paradise beaches
From
£2599
9 days
ex flights
Orangutan sanctuary volunteering in Borneo
Care for stunning endangered orangutans in beautiful Borneo
From
£1195 to £1895
13 days
ex flights
Orangutan volunteering in Borneo
Volunteer at an award winning orangutan rehabilitation centre
From
£795 to £1995
8 days
ex flights
Indonesia orangutan and komodo dragon holiday
See two unique animals found only in Indonesia
From
AU $4655
9 days
ex flights
Borneo family holiday to see Orangutans
Come face to face with orangutans
From
£1135 to £1540
9 days
ex flights
Sarawak wildlife & beach holiday
Encounter orangutans and hike through virgin rainforest
From
£1318 to £1685
10 days
ex flights
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Watching orangutans
Watching orangutans can generally be done in two ways: in rehabilitation centres and sanctuaries, and in the wild. The former is the most popular option, as it offers a greater chance of seeing the orangutans, and is much more accessible. Some centres do have caged individuals – as they may need extra care, or be waiting for transferral to a more permanent home in the sanctuary. The big attraction are the twice-daily feeding times, where semi wild orangutans who have been reintroduced into protected areas of forest clamber down from the canopy to visit the feeding platforms. You’ll see them up close but interaction is not allowed, and sanctuary staff will do their best to keep wandering individuals away from the tourists. Sometimes you can also walk through the sanctuary forests with a researcher, who will give you more information on the orangutans, and the work carried out by the centres.
Tracking orangutans in the wild is quite a different experience. You may be on foot or in a boat, and jungle expeditions may last several days – with no guarantee of sightings. For this reason it is important to choose a knowledgeable, experienced guide who can talk about all the other wonders of the forest, rather than focusing on this one goal. If you do see them they may simply be orange blobs in the treetops – but those who have been lucky enough to observe this claim it is a far more moving and meaningful experience than seeing them in the sanctuaries.
Hardcore travellers also have a third option – volunteering. Contrary to popular belief, this does not include any handling of the orangutans themselves, as diseases are easily spread and long quarantine periods would be necessary.
Volunteer work generally involves cleaning out cages, and building fences, enclosures and structures for the orangutans to climb on – volunteers should be physically fit, especially given the heat and humidity.
Volunteer work generally involves cleaning out cages, and building fences, enclosures and structures for the orangutans to climb on – volunteers should be physically fit, especially given the heat and humidity.
A brief History
At the turn of the 20th century, an estimated 315,000 wild orangutans inhabited the impenetrable tropical forests of Sumatra and Borneo; today that number stands at just over 60,000. Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are two distinct species, and the Sumatran orangutan has suffered the most – just 6,600 are estimated to remain on the island and the species is classified as critically endangered.
Read more
More Orangutan articles
Unlike many other wildlife watching trips, you can see orangutans any time of year.
Borneo and Sumatra are the only places you can see orangutans in the wild.
Beyond sanctuaries, learn where to see orangutans in their natural habitat.
Track gentle sun bears, see comically ugly proboscis monkeys, and look for nocturnal slow lorises on night walks.
Volunteer holidays help support orangutan conservation - learn more here.
We've spoken to our holiday companies working in Borneo and Sumatra and asked them for their best advice.
To help travellers, we keep a list of orangutan sanctuaries.
Orangutans are highly endangered so responsible orangutan watching is vital.
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