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Orangutan in the jungle of Borneo, Malaysia

Borneo Orangutan Conservation

EXPERT-LED GROUP TOUR

Departure date	Duration	Prices Start from	Tour Expert	Max Group Size	Status
07/06/20	10 Days	£3,395 ex. flights	Ashley Leiman	10	FULL
06/06/21	10 Days	£3,695 ex. flights	Ashley Leiman	10	AVAILABLE	Reserve your place

SEE ALL TOUR DATES BELOW

Journey deep into the lush rainforests of Indonesian Borneo for a unique opportunity to visit Lamandau in co-operation with the Orangutan Foundation.

Come face-to-face with the orangutans in their fragile natural environment and spend time at the three feeding sites, including famous Camp Leakey established in 1971 by Dr Biruté Galdikas. The feeding sites are frequented by ex-captive orangutans living in the wild, allowing for some close encounters. Whilst deep in the rainforest of Tanjung Puting, journey along the rivers and spot the fascinating wildlife that lives here. Hope to catch a glimpse of proboscis monkeys, monitor lizards and kingfishers.

The group tour will be joined by either Ashley or a member of the Orangutan Foundation, who will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience and provide behind-the-scenes insight into orangutan conservation. Through the expertise of the Orangutan Foundation, understand the importance of the forest and the role of local communities in securing the orangutans’ future.

“Ashley was excellent and it was such an experience to have met her and learnt about her personal experiences.” L Gill, Indonesian Borneo Group Tour with Ashley.

Ashley Leiman

01285 601 784

Ashley first went to the Malaysian rainforest in 1976 and being in the forest was a profound experience for her. In the early 1980s, she was an active member of the Natural History and Conservation Society of Hong Kong.

In 1986, she went to Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo and met with Dr Birute Galdikas. At that time, she was living in New York where there was plenty of focus on the rainforests of South America, a little on the Congo but the third-largest rainforest – Indonesia received hardly any attention and neither did orangutans.

View Ashley Leiman's full profile

Key Highlights of this Itinerary

Orangutan Foundation

Join experts from the Orangutan Foundation and gain an insight into conservation projects.

River safaris

Take river journeys through dense jungle, spotting proboscis monkeys and monitor lizards.

Camp Leakey

Visit the renowned Camp Leakey and gain exclusive access to orangutan release sites.

Your visit counts

Travel knowing your costs contribute directly towards the Orangutan Foundation.

Why we like it

This orangutan tour helps support the Orangutan Foundation, who have been instrumental in fighting for habitat preservation, raising awareness and rehabilitating ex-captive orphans. The tour helps fund vital habitat protection which includes running guard posts and forest patrols in Tanjung Puting National Park and the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. Outside of protected areas money goes to supporting the Orangutan Foundation’s Rescue and Release Programme.

Explore our suggested itinerary

Day 1
Jakarta
Day 2
Jakarta - Pangkalan Bun - Tanjung Puting National Park
Day 3
Tanjung Puting National Park
Day 4
Camp Leakey
Day 5
Tanjung Puting - Yayorin Conservation Village - Pangkalan Bun
Day 6
Pangkalan Bun - Lamandau Wildlife Reserve -Tanjung Puting National Park
Days 7-8
Tanjung Puting National Park
Day 9
Tanjung Puting National Park - Pangkalan Bun - Jakarta
Day 10
Jakarta

Tanjung Puting National Park

Located on the southern edge of Indonesian Borneo, Tanjung Puting National Park is a vast area of jungle that incorporates dry forests, swamps and coastal mangroves. Famous for its orangutan population and associated conservation efforts, the park rose to prominence thanks to the work of Dr Birute Galdikas, one of Louis Leakey’s remarkable ‘Trimates’.

Whilst Tanjung Puting is famed for its orangutans, it also boasts a number of other animals including the bizarre-looking proboscis monkey, clouded leopards, civets, sun bears and over 230 species of birds, including hornbills and many wetland species. Despite the park’s protected status and the work of the Orangutan Foundation, this fragile ecosystem remains under threat.

Camp Leakey

The research station at Camp Leakey has helped to develop eco-tourism as an important role in the country’s economy, helping to stave off the ever-present threat of palm oil plantations and logging. The joy of drifting along the smaller waterways of the Bornean rainforest, with colourful hornbills, lively proboscis monkeys and the elusive orangutans nearby make this area a magical place to visit.

Lamandau Wildlife Reserve

This site is not open to the public so Steppes Travel has negotiated special access to the region through the Orangutan Foundation. In doing so it means that the orangutans and their environment can be observed in privacy – a unique opportunity to appreciate these wonderful creatures and the beauty of the forest.

Orangutan Foundation

Includes / Excludes

Important Information

Activity Level

Moderate Activity

Single Supplement

Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.

Flexibility

To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf and the above is an indication of the cost, based on return flights departing from London. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.

What is included

Accompanied by Ashley Leiman or a member of Orangutan Foundation
Services of guides and rangers
Accommodation based on twin-share basis
All activities as detailed in the itinerary
Contribution to Orangutan Foundation
Internal flights
Gratuities for local guide, driver and porters
A copy of 'The Orangutan's World: A Photographic Celebration of Bornean Wildlife'
Meals as indicated
Park fees
Transportation throughout

What is excluded

International flights
Visa
Travel Insurance
Meals other than those shown
Alcoholic and soft drinks
All items of a personal nature
Departure taxes

Accommodation

Below you can see some of the wonderful places we recommend you stay on your journey.

Rimba Lodge £££££

Indonesia
Safari and Wildlife Lodge
Wilderness

Meaning forest, Rimba is a forest lodge on the banks of the Sekonyer River and is the best place from which to access the three orangutan feeding sites in Tanjung Puting National Park. Rimba has 35 air-conditioned cabins, surrounded by forest, with wooden boardwalks throughout. There is an opportunity to see macaques, proboscis monkey and numerous birds species directly from the lodge.

View Property

Why a Steppes expert-led group tour

1.Experience Matters

We have been running insightful and groundbreaking group tours since our inception in 1989. We have worked with institutions such as the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum and run wildlife tours in conjunction with conservation agencies such as Fauna & Flora International, Wildlife Conservation Society, the Orangutan Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the Jane Goodall Institute.

2.Size Matters

Our average group size is typically eight to ten people, smaller than other group tours typically offered – a factor which many of our clients appreciate. Travelling as part of a smaller group provides a more intimate, personalised and relaxed atmosphere.

4.It’s about who you know

We have developed an enviable pool of expertise from which to choose our tour experts, who we carefully select based on their knowledge, companionship and personality. Often, these experts can use their influence to facilitate private access to sites not typically open to the public.

3.Like-Minded People

Steppes Travellers are like-minded people – interesting, interested and curious. Our group tours aim to create an easy and informal atmosphere – we have a lot of fun on our tours and many friendships have been formed.

5.Value for money

Our tours are well-priced to ensure you get real value for money. We include gratuities on the majority of our tours and do not pass on currency surcharges. We strive to look after single travellers as well as we can, keeping single supplements to a minimum.

6.Peace of Mind

When you travel on one of our group tours, you will be looked after by our local agents and your tour expert with the back-up of our 24-hour emergency number and duty manager. All our holidays are fully bonded and protected – our ATOL number is ATOL 6495.

Our future tour dates

For further information about any of these tours please call 01285 601 784

Departure date	Duration	Prices Start from	Tour Expert	Max Group Size	Status
07/06/20	10 Days	£3,395 ex. flights	Ashley Leiman	10	FULL
06/06/21	10 Days	£3,695 ex. flights	Ashley Leiman	10	AVAILABLE	Reserve your place

Reserve your place on this group tour

Our travel experts have a wealth of first-hand knowledge, so if you have any questions about this expert-led group tour, please get in touch. They would love to help. We hope you can join us on this tour.

01285 601 784

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Why Choose Steppes?

Our knowledge and expertise sets us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.

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Borneo Orangutan Conservation