Schools or Group Travel: Wild Orangutan Adventure volunteering in Borneo
Support wild orangutan conservation—a group or school adventure in Borneo!
Groups of up to 20 are welcome in Borneo’s rainforest as you embark on an unforgettable adventure to make a meaningful impact. You’ll help regenerate vital habitats and monitor diverse local wildlife, including orangutans, pygmy elephants, various primates, and crocodiles. Your efforts will play a crucial role in preserving these incredible creatures and their ecosystems for generations to come.
This unique opportunity allows you to live in a small remnant of paradise, immersing yourself in a way of life that has nearly vanished. Experience the beauty and complexity of one of the world’s most biodiverse regions while actively contributing to essential conservation efforts. Age 15+
Highlights
- Drift down the river, where you’ll encounter breathtaking wildlife at every bend.
- Experience the unforgettable thrill of spotting your first wild orangutan—a moment that will stay with you forever.
- Be warmly welcomed into local homes, sharing delicious meals and enriching cultural exchanges with families.
- Embrace a simpler way of life, free from the distractions of modern living..
Join us in Borneo’s Sandakan region for an extraordinary adventure, where your group will be contributing to reforestation efforts and may have the chance to observe wild orangutans and other amazing native creatures in their natural habitat. Whether you’re planning a school trip, research expedition, or conservation-focused journey, we are ready to offer your group an immersive and impactful experience.
Group Accommodation
- Maximum group size is 20 students with 2 accompanying adults. The project requires a minimum of 10 students with 1 accompanying adult to run.
Age Flexibility
- Our preference is for students aged 15 years and above, as they will be handling tools on our tree-planting sites.
Teacher-to-Student Ratio
- We prefer a ratio of 10 students to 1 teacher, ensuring proper supervision and support throughout the experience.
Seasonal Availability
- Our project is available during January, February, March, April, May, October, and November.
- Availability is heavily dependent on accommodation
Travel Arrangements
• Other groups have previously engaged local travel agents for transfers to and from Sukau, as well as to add extra days for exploring other parts of Sabah.
Project Site
The Wild Orangutan Adventure takes place within the Corridor of Life and Wildlife Sanctuary along the Kinabatangan River, Borneo. The base is in a picturesque village on the riverbank, about 2 hours from Sandakan and 228km east of Kota Kinabalu.
Kinabatangan Project Summary
- Location: Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia
- Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
About the Project
This program is part of the Corridor of Life project, a collaboration between the Sabah government and WWF to replant 26,000 hectares of forest, creating an unbroken stretch from the Heart of Borneo to the east coast. Students participate in tree planting, wildlife spotting, and nursery work, combining fun and experiential learning with real conservation efforts.
Accommodation
Students stay in a cosy village B&B with 2-3 per room, all with en-suite facilities. Larger groups (10+) have access to private dorms, and accompanying adults stay in single rooms.
Food
Breakfast is provided at the accommodation, with some meals hosted by local families. Dietary needs must be communicated early due to the remote location.
Transportation
River transportation by licensed boats with lifejackets is included. Flights to Sandakan and transfers to Sukau are not included and should be arranged through a travel agent.
Health and Safety
Student safety is our priority, with briefings before every activity. Students may be exposed to unfamiliar environments and wildlife, so a nurse or qualified first-aider should accompany the group.
Itinerary
A sample itinerary includes river cruises, reforestation work, village tours, and tree planting, with flexibility based on weather and group needs.
Other Activities & Extensions
Additional activities in Sabah, such as visiting Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre or Mount Kinabalu, can be arranged through local travel agencies.
Logistical Considerations
There are no direct international flights to Sandakan. We recommend flying into Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu and taking a connecting flight.
Programme Inclusions
- Meet and greet at Sukau Greenview Lodge
- 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
- 3 nights shared accommodation
- Boat transfers
- Environmental conservation activities
Are you looking for paid work in the conservation sector after volunteering or interning? Oyster have teamed up with our friends at Conservation Careers who support people to find paid work in conservation following study or a career change. You can add their fantastic and flexible course to your volunteering trip with Oyster. Your Oyster experience will help add interest to your conservation resume as an eye catching addition to your job applications in future!
- Enjoy three nutritious meals daily at the project site, ensuring you stay energized for your activities.
- Breakfast typically includes a hearty selection of eggs, rice, toast, spreads, teas, and coffees to kick-start your day.
- Lunch and dinner are mainly prepared by the local community, allowing you to experience authentic local flavors.
- A standout feature of this project is dining in the homes of local villagers, where you’ll savor delicious, home-cooked meals.
- While varying dietary requirements can be accommodated, please note that village life is quite simple, making it challenging to cater to “picky” eaters.
Travel arrangements
Airport: Sandakan (SDK)
Included
- Access to your own personal ‘My Oyster’ account – our online portal where you can find out much more about the program and manage your booking
- Dedicated contact time with an experienced destination manager to discuss the project, answer any of your questions and for us to find out more about you
- Help and advice from our UK office before arrival and whilst you are away
- Pre-departure information covering medical, safety and project advice
- Gold level, 24/7 Pharos crisis management and incident support cover
- Financial protection: ATOL (if we book your flights).
- Thorough orientation on arrival
- In-country support
- Accommodation (see the ‘accommodation’ section above for details)
- Advice on visa requirements
- Oyster plants a tree in Africa with TreeAid to help reduce the impact of global carbon emissions
On your return:
- Welcome home pack
- Certificate of Recognition (on request)
- References (on request)
Not Included
- Flights – as an ATOL bonded company, Oyster can book flights for you
- You need a valid passport that meets the requirements of the country you will be travelling to
- Insurance (covering your time with Oyster and any planned independent travel)
- Any costs associated with changing your return flight date if you need to
- Independent travel costs
- Home country travel costs
- Spending money for additional trips, food and entertainment
- Camera fees
- Drinks
- Last night meal
FAQ's
The Corridor of Life is an essential conservation area situated in Sabah, Malaysia. It includes the Kinabatangan River, which is the longest river in the region and winds through the heart of Borneo before joining the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea. Spanning an impressive 26,000 hectares, this unique area is rich in biodiversity, providing a habitat for a diverse array of wildlife and plant species.
However, the ecosystem is under significant threat from logging activities, which jeopardize the delicate balance of this environment. Restoration efforts are vital to protect the native flora and fauna that inhabit the Corridor of Life. By focusing on conservation initiatives in this region, we can help ensure the survival of the extraordinary wildlife that relies on this habitat, preserving it for future generations.
When preparing for your adventure in Borneo, be ready for rain! Many regions experience over 2,500 mm of annual rainfall, making wet weather a common occurrence. Additionally, humidity levels can reach up to 90%, contributing to a tropical climate that feels warm and sticky.
Borneo has two primary seasons:
- Wet Season: November to March, characterized by frequent rain and higher humidity levels.
- Drier Season: April to September/October, which generally sees less rainfall but can still experience occasional showers.
Regardless of the season, it’s wise to pack waterproof gear to stay comfortable while exploring this lush, biodiverse paradise!
No visa is necessary for trips under 90 days from UK and most western European and western countries.
You need to make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months from your date of entry into Borneo/Malaysia.
You should visit your doctor or travel nurse to find out what vaccinations you will need. Your routine vaccinations will need to be up to date, it is likely you will need Hepatitis A and Typhoid, and possibly Hepatitis B, Malaria and Rabies. Please follow your doctor’s advice.
Please check below for where the closest hospital to the project is – your doctor may ask to know this so that they can provide information on rabies.
For any more information, including entry requirements related to Covid-19, please see the Fit for Travel website or the UK government’s travel advice page for Malaysia.
Medical facilties are closeby, just 20 minutes from the project and accommodation. There is a larger hospital 3 hours drive away.
Malaysia is a progressive country that has become increasingly popular among travelers worldwide, especially Malaysian Borneo, which is easily accessible and welcomes numerous visitors each year.
Upon your arrival, you’ll be greeted at the airport and transported to your accommodation, ensuring a seamless transition to your adventure. Your first night will be spent in a beautiful, leafy guest house located on the outskirts of town, providing a safe and tranquil environment.
During your project, you’ll be under the guidance of an experienced volunteer coordinator, who will provide comprehensive health and safety briefings to ensure a smooth and secure experience. Your accommodation will be situated in a friendly village, where the local community actively supports the project, fostering a welcoming atmosphere.
While Sandakan Town is a charming tourist destination, it’s essential to remain vigilant with your belongings while exploring the area. Embrace the adventure, and enjoy the rich culture and breath taking landscapes of Borneo!
The village where the project is based is 3 hours from the town of Sandakan.
Internet access is limited during your time on the project.
Please bear in mind that you are in Asia, and signal and speed are unlikely to be as reliable as you might be used to back at home.
There is good phone reception in the village and in the guest houses where you spend your first and last night on the project.
Malaysia Standard Time is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+8).
In Malaysia, the British 3 pin plug is used.
Supervision will be fairly intensive during the first few days, when you will receive a thorough induction and work-related training. Once you are comfortable with things, you might not always have a supervisor working alongside you, but there will always be staff and other volunteers around to help, and you will always be accompanied for any high risk activities.
Staff at Oyster’s head office and in-country will be responsible for your safety and welfare while you are at the project. This will start from the moment you are picked up from the airport until the time you are dropped back there. Before and after these times, you will be outside Oyster’s responsibility and should make sure that you act safely and avoid risk. This is also true if you choose to leave the project during your time off. We will give you plenty of guidance and advice about this.
Oyster assesses projects carefully to ensure that they offer high standards of animal welfare and environmental practice. We also check that volunteers understand key points of good practice before working with animals. To find out more, see our animal welfare policy.
Project Reviews
“Both guides were fantastic. They were bright, and passionate and able to help us to understand the complexities and factors to consider when understanding challenges in relation to reforestation in Borneo. The whole family (kids aged 11, 14, 17) really enjoyed the volunteering aspect and felt that it was incredibly rewarding. It was hard work in the humidity but completely...
“Both guides were fantastic. They were bright, and passionate and able to help us to understand the complexities and factors to consider when understanding challenges in relation to reforestation in Borneo. The whole family (kids aged 11, 14, 17) really enjoyed the volunteering aspect and felt that it was incredibly rewarding. It was hard work in the humidity but completely manageable and breaks and snacks were always strongly encouraged. It was very inspiring to hear of animals being seen in areas that have been reforested, and a sense of hope for similar with the trees we’ve planted. Maintenance of trees planted by previous volunteers was lovely, knowing that future volunteers would look after ours. We felt very well looked after throughout the project .The river trips were fantastic and we all loved the night trip as well. Our guide went out of his way to ensure we could see as diverse a range of wildlife as possible. It was very special to have a guide who was still in touch with his family’s indigenous roots and beliefs and to give us a deeper insight into understanding the rainforest on a much deeper level. The food was good, and even our relatively fussy children enjoyed it and ate well. Meals in villagers houses were a real highlight. Out of a three week trip to Borneo, I’d say that this was everyone’s favourite week.”
“The entire project and everyone involved with it provided a first-rate service throughout the trip and it proved to be a truly remarkable experience for me and my family. We felt fully prepared about what to expect and were able to ask questions throughout – always getting a full and swift response. Nick at the flight centre was excellent, especially when the Malaysian Airline website kept crashing and organised seating, special assistance and private transfers for us in KL which really helped. Georgie has been a great support throughout, and I felt I could trust her to ensure our trip would run smoothly. Mark in Malaysia is a formidable guy, an excellent educator, passionate conservationist and 100% dedicated to the work they are doing on the ground. He is infectious and brings out the best from every volunteer on the project. I must particularly praise the patience and kindness with which he supported our son with learning disabilities – Mark made him feel valued and as such he was able to make his own contributions to the project. There were so many magical moments but seeing a mother and baby orangutan, in the wild, at close quarters will take some beating! Also for the sheer hilarity that ensued – the boat breaking down late afternoon in a croc infested river led to the most incredible wildlife observation experiences of the trip. Grasp that nettle and do it. It will be like nothing else you’ve ever down as a family before and from it you will get to observe the different relationships between your children, see their own interests develop and emerge, meet incredible people and have a school vacation like no other! It has given us a time together that we might not otherwise have had. I was really keen to help my children understand a little bit about the world around them, especially after the impact of Covid. This experience has absolutely provided that, it has pushed them outside of their comfort zone, got them away from the constant pinging of phones and given them a new perspective on the opportunities that are available to make a positive contribution to the world.”
“Mark is an amazing project leader, so intelligent and passionate. Our teammates are awesome, too. We’ve all bonded. The tree planting is coming along, and we’ve seen many wonderful animals.”
“Anne was super nice and helpful. She was always on top of things. I think it is great that you conduct an interview ahead of the booking, as this is critical for less experienced travelers. Anne did an amazing job in ensuring that I was well prepared for the travel. Mark in Borneo was amazing. He is super knowledgeable and so enthusiastic a out his work.”
“This trip was amazing. I’ve been very lucky to be able to travel but this was my first volunteer vacation and it was spectacular. OWW was easy to work with and gave me enough info to make it all easy – loved every minute. I expected it to be more work and to need downtime afterwards but the project was designed really well to be a really perfect balance of work and vacation things/seeing the area/critters and so forth.Thanks for facilitating such an amazing opportunity with an amazing organisation doing meaningful work on the ground!”
“We collected the saplings and took them with us on the boat to the planting sites. Our aim was 200 trees in 3 hours. We were infilling gaps in the forest so that the orangutans would have a corridor to move along. One day we visited a site that had been planted 6 years ago and the trees were tall enough to support the orangutans. I really enjoyed my time on the project and hope to have made a difference to the orangutan corridor. I would certainly recommend the project to anyone wanting to help the orangutans.”
“It has been so much fun! I’ve seen a lot of wildlife, including orangutans, but no elephants yet. The work is quite tiring but very satisfying. I’ve particularly enjoyed meeting and spending time with the locals. Everyone is amazingly kind and welcoming, and it’s really incredible learning about the culture here. The food is especially good. All around it’s been great with no issues. Thank you for organising everything- I appreciate all your help!”
“There many highlights throughout the programme but the main one for me personally was seeing Orangutans in the wild for the first time. Many other highlights include the amazing people I met in Malaysia and the rainforest maintenance work as it felt so rewarding to see the end goal of setting up a replanting site.”
“Everyone who assisted from start to finish were extremely helpful and made it effortless. The people that I met along the way, knowing I made a difference (even if for a few days) and seeing the variety of wildlife living in their natural habitats was amazing. Be prepared to work but the rewards are well worth it. ”
“The project was good and I am definitely missing it – but not the humidity so much. I just wanted to say a big thank you for being there and helping me out before and during the project. ”
“I thought we would be lucky to see one orangutan, but we saw 12! We were lucky enough to see a female making a nest just a few metres away. It was an amazing feeling to clear a brand new site of vegetation, and to go on to plant 250 trees in that area. Thank you!”
“My favourite project activity was tree planting after clearing a brand new site full of grasses and bamboo. Followed by all the hard work preparing 250 planting spots + saplings and mulch! We worked really hard as a team to get there and it was most rewarding, knowing we did this ourselves and are giving back to the world. Homestay food in particular was amazing! Tried so many dishes and never had the same dish twice. Really felt like I was embracing culture here.”
“The tree maintenance was hard work but it was very rewarding. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the process of rehabilitation and the biodiversity in the rainforest. The project
“My time in Borneo was so much better than I ever imagined! We were lucky enough to see 8 orangutans, as well as as crocodiles, a wild array of birds, monitor lizards and the 6 other primates found in Sabah. The locals were so friendly and willing to teach us their ways. I especially loved learning their local dances! Amazing wildlife, the most friendly people and a community that is really developing and trying to save their rainforest and river!”
“It wasn’t just the appeal of seeing wild animals in their natural habitat, but for me it was all I had studied at university being put into action, and had finalised for me what work to pursue in the near future. I would definitely come back to volunteer again, especially to see the progress of the planting sites which we were involved with.”
“I loved my time abroad and I found myself just this morning thinking about what a good experience it was.Would you like to chat to Kate, who manages this programme? Just call +44 (0) 1892 771 973or email: – [email protected].
Ask a Question
