Travel type

Expedition grade

Duration
Days
Accomodation

FROM
$ (AUD)

EXPEDITION OVERVIEW

Come and see orangutans the only way they should be seen, in the jungles of Borneo. Make a personal difference by contributing to a unique organisation helping to save the great red ape from extinction.

The Great Borneo Adventure: An OVAID Conservation Journey. Explore the heart of Indonesia on a mission of conservation, from the misty rivers of Tanjung Puting to trekking in the remote Kutai National Park and serching for wild orangutans. This is more than a tour, it is a privileged look behind the scenes of wildlife rescue.

On this 11-day Orangutan Veterinary Aid (OVAID) fundraising tour, beginning and ending in Jakarta, you will be visiting rainforests, trekking into the jungles of the Kutai National Park, travelling up rivers, and driving through the landscapes of both Central and East Borneo  You will go back in time to places in the jungle where orangutans have lived freely for centuries. You will have the unique experience of visiting both the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) Centres at Nyaru Menteng & Samboja Lestari, the original and largest orangutan rescue centres in Borneo.

You will see how these teams are working tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate orangutan, preparing them for reintroduction back into the wild. This is where you will see the real difference being made by BOSF and OVAID

There really is nothing like giving back and on this specially crafted expedition, you will visit the jungle habitat of the orangutan and help protect them for generations to come. If you are interested in adventure and giving back to the world at the same time, then you have got to be part of this expedition.

Join your hosts Nigel and Sara Hicks (OVAID co-founders) who will travel with you throughout the journey and share their expert views on orangutans and how their organisation is helping to save them and enable them to be released back into the jungle.

An Introduction to BOSF
Borneo Orangutan Survival's story began more than thirty years ago in 1991 with the establishment of the Wanariset, a rehabilitation centre for the rescued orangutans who had nowhere else to go. By 1998, over 500 orangutans had been rescued by BOS from areas of habitat loss as a result of human development activities in East Kalimantan and in 1999 the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was established in Central Kalimantan. In 2006 in East Kalimantan, the rehabilitation activities at Wanariset were moved to the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

BOSF has always been at the forefront of orangutan rehabilitation in Borneo and at one stage these two centres housed nearly 1000 orangutan. Working with the Indonesian Government BOSF has secured extensive areas of safe forest for wild and rehabilitant orangutans and now has extensive release sites in three protected areas of forest. Constantly working to improve the welfare of their unreleasable orangutans, in 2018 BOSF™s first naturally forested, orangutan sanctuary island, located in the Salat Island Cluster, was opened with the arrival of the first six unreleasable orangutans.

Introducing OVAID's co-founders
Vet, Dr Nigel Hicks and his wife Sara Fell Hicks, have been working with orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra since 2009. Together they have on-the-ground experience of rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing orangutans in both Malaysia and Indonesia. Spending approximately five of the last ten years living and working in these countries and being an active part of the veterinary teams in four different orangutan rescue centres, Nigel and Sara can share in-depth knowledge of this critically endangered species. Through their experiences, they recognised an urgent need for the provision of veterinary equipment, supplies and practical veterinary mentoring to orangutan rescue groups and rehabilitation centres in Indonesia and Malaysia. Initially, through friends, they raised funds to enable them to buy equipment which they personally took out to Indonesia but it soon became obvious that a more formal structure was needed and in early 2014 they established Orangutan Veterinary Aid (OVAID) as a registered charity. 

During this accompanied tour Nigel and Sara will share presentations on their work with orangutan over the last 15 years and there will be plenty of time for one to one conversations as well as group discussions.

WHAT TO EXPECT
You are embarking on an adventure to places and amongst people whose lives are very different from your own. Many aspects of life in Indonesia will seem unusual. Remember that these are often the same aspects that make an area an exotic and attractive destination. While boat expeditions are considered easy, no trek is easy, even those rated "easy or moderate". In addition to the personal physical challenges you may face, travel conditions can present unexpected obstacles, such as rough and bumpy roads and changeable weather. To prepare for this "pack" a flexible and relaxed attitude. Bring a spirit of adventure and enquiry, a healthy sense of humour and a willingness to encounter the unexpected and you will find your trip to Indonesia the adventure of a lifetime!

ABOUT OVAID

An Introduction to OVAID

OVAID is a registered U.K. charity that provides essential medicines, equipment and professional help for vets working at the front line of orangutan rescue whether this is from illegal pet homes, human orangutan conflict or the illegal wildlife trade. These vets and their teams are often working in extremely difficult, demanding and dangerous conditions with minimal equipment and the support of OVAID is vital. In addition, the charity seeks to educate and inform the public about deforestation issues, habitat loss and the plight of the orangutan.

Since its inception in 2014 OVAID has provided nearly £500,000 in veterinary supplies, equipment and specialist learning opportunities to orangutan vet teams. This has included funding a veterinary scholarship for young Indonesian orangutan vets from the rescue teams together with in-situ practical workshops. Currently the charity is developing a US$75,000 3 year on-line learning programme in veterinary dentistry and dental anaesthesia for Indonesian & Malaysian primate vets, leading to further workshops during 2025 / 2027. By participating in this tour you will be part of this amazing effort and will be positively impacting orangutan welfare.

HIGHLIGHTS

Our goal is to provide our guests with a unique experience, to observe wild orangutans in their natural habitat. Travel with OVAID co-founders Dr Nigel and Sara Hicks and see first-hand how their work is helping save wildlife.

ITINERARY - 11 DAYS

1st to 11th November 2026
*Subject to change without notice due to local conditions

Phase 1: The Gateway & The River Wilderness
Day 1 | Nov 1: Arrival in the Capital.
Touch down in Jakarta and settle into the FM7 Resort. Your journey begins this evening with a welcome briefing, where you'll meet your fellow conservationists and prep for the early morning flight into the wilds of Borneo.

Day 2 | Nov 2: Into Orangutan Territory 
A dawn flight carries us to Pangkalan Bun. From the riverside town of Kumai, we board our private Klotok (traditional riverboat). We™ll spend the day drifting deep into Tanjung Puting National Park, scanning the canopy for wild orangutans and silvered leaf monkeys. Tonight, sleep under the stars and a mosquito net as the jungle breathes around you.
Meals included: B, L, D

Day 3 | Nov 3: Natural Beauty and Forest Spirits
Wake to the "songs" of the gibbons. After a slow cruise searching for the iconic proboscis monkey”known for its distinctive nose and if time allows we may stop for a trek or take a stroll through a local village. As dusk falls, we return to Kumai accompanied by a natural light show as the sun sets before retiring to the Mercure Hotel in Pangkalan Bun.
Included: B, L, D

Phase 2: The Heart of Rehabilitation
Day 4 | Nov 4: The Golden Path to Palangkaraya Today™s drive to Palangkaraya offers a sobering look at the challenges facing Borneo. We™ll pass through historic artisanal gold mining areas, witnessing firsthand the environmental impact on the landscape. It is a powerful reminder of why the work we support is so vital.
Included: B, L

Day 5 | Nov 5: Behind the Scenes at BOSF
 A truly elite experience. We travel by motorized canoe to the BOSF Pre-release Islands to see orangutans honing their survival skills. Then, we head to the famous Nyaru Menteng Centre.
The OVAID Privilege: "The BOSF centre is normally closed to the public but we have exclusive permission to enter the veterinary clinic where you will meet the vet team and witness the direct impact of OVAID™s life-saving donations and after should we be lucky, can watch the orangutan "nursery" students return from their day at Forest School.
Included: B,L

Phase 3: Orangutans & Bears
Day 6 | Nov 6: From Great Apes to Sun Bears
Fly to Balikpapan and transfer to Samboja Lestari. This afternoon is dedicated to the world™s smallest bear species. We visit the Sun Bear Sanctuary, home to nearly 70 rescued bears, and learn about the complex process of their rehabilitation.
Included: B, D

Day 7 | Nov 7: The Vet Clinic & The Black River
Spend the morning at the Samboja orangutan islands during feeding time. We™ll enjoy another exclusive clinic visit to hand over medical supplies to the resident vets. After taking in the panoramic canopy views from the observation tower, we™ll take a sunset canoe trip down the Black River to spot endemic wildlife in the mangroves.
Included: B, L, D

Phase 4: The Wild Frontier
Day 8 | Nov 8: Crossing the Equator to Kutai We journey north, stopping for a photo-op at the Equator Monument. By afternoon, we enter Kutai National Park. After checking into the Prevab Rangers Station, we head out for a trek. At night, the forest transforms; we™ll take a guided night walk to find the glowing eyes of tarsiers and nocturnal civets.
Included: B, L, D

Day 9 | Nov 9: Deep Trekking in Kutai 
Today is about the raw wild. Kutai is famous for its population of wild orangutans. We will spend the day trekking various trails to observe the flora and fauna that make this park a biological treasure. A second optional night walk is available for the truly adventurous.
Included: B, L, D

Phase 5: The Journey Home
Day 10 | Nov 10: Return to the Coast
Enjoy one last jungle breakfast before traveling by boat and minibus back to Balikpapan. We™ll celebrate our journey with a farewell dinner by the ocean, reflecting on the incredible animals and heroes we've met. Overnight at Novotel Balikpapan
Included: B, L

Day 11 | Nov 11: Farewell Borneo
After breakfast, we fly back to Jakarta. Whether you are catching your international flight home or extending your stay, you leave as an ambassador for the orangutans of Borneo.
Included: B

INCLUSIONS / EXCLUSIONS

INCLUSIONS

EXCLUSIONS

DONATIONS, FEES AND COST

The purpose of this trip is to create awareness of the threat of extinction facing orangutans because of the destruction of their rainforest habitat and to raise funds to help orangutans. The trip hosts, Nigel and Sara are generously donating their time and expertise to help make this a most unique trip and a special experience for all our guests. Each participant of the trip has agreed to fundraise a minimum of GB£850 in donations specifically for OVAID. Your participation in this event WILL make a difference to help save orangutans lives.
 
How will your fundraising be spent? All of the money raised will be completely utilised by OVAID to supply much-needed equipment to BOSF orangutan rescue centres at Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari and to support the further training of Indonesian vets. Nigel and Sara have advised that the following equipment supplies will be provided:-

 

 

HEALTH CHECKS - MANDATORY

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
We share 96.4% DNA with Orangutans making them very similar to ourselves and subject to many of the same diseases although these often manifest much more severely in the primates. For this reason, it is necessary for all guests to have certain health checks prior to entry to the centres. Tests need to be taken witin 6 months of travelling. Please note: these tests are mandatory and if guests do not comply with the centres™ requirements entry will be refused.
Tests required will be for COVID-19, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B (and possibly Hepatitis C). We will inform all guests of the exact requirements in plenty of time prior to travel.

HOW ELSE YOU CAN HELP

Please note OVAID have extensive supplies of consumables needing to be taken out to the centres and which you may be able to help carry in your luggage to help enormously.

Some of our guests feel that in addition to their fundraising effort for OVAID, they would like to make a small personal contribution/presentation to the vet teams e.g. stethoscope or other veterinary item. This is completely optional but if this is the case please contact Nigel at info@ovaid.org prior to acquisition to identify the most suitable item(s) to take.

TRIP EXTENSIONS

Why not think about seeing more amazing locations in Indonesia after your orangutan expedition? For more details about some of the exciting trip extensions on offer to other parts of Indonesia click here.