How to See Wild Orangutans

I used to have posters of Orangutans in my dorm room during college. That’s the level of dorkiness we are dealing with here folks. So just imagine how it felt to finally see these incredible beautiful animals in their native habitat.  I tear up just thinking about how lucky I am to have experienced seeing wild orangutans.

See WIld Orangutans

The Orangutan is an endangered species and a symbol of the problem of deforestation.  Visiting them responsibly may be one way to help save the species. My once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience in Indonesian Borneo would be any nature enthusiast’s dream. I hope that if enough people learn about protecting and visiting these fragile ecosystems, maybe we can save them.

See Wild Orangutans

Tips on Responsible Tourism

Please do extensive research on establishments where you can interact with animals prior to visiting these places.  Do not look toward Trip Advisor for research as it promotes unethical places that are well-known for animal abuse. Never visit places where orangutans pose for photos with tourists or are used to entertain via boxing shows or the orangutans are dressed in human clothing.  Avoid establishments where you are able to hold an infant orangutan or have hands-on interaction.

Read More: Swimming with Whale Sharks

There should never be any hands-on interaction with orangutans when it comes to tourism.  Orangutans share almost 97% of our DNA which makes them extremely susceptible to human disease. An orangutan can catch a common cold or flu which could kill them.  Many orangutans in Indonesia have also unfortunately caught hepatitis B virus from humans.

Look at me here keeping a safe distance even though I so badly wanted to hug and squeeze them!

See Wild Orangutans

Your money is your power. Be a responsible tourist and do not support establishments that exploit animals for profit!

Best Places to See Wild Orangutans

Orangutans inhabit the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. There are many things to do in Borneo and seeing Orangutans is just one of the many cool activities on this huge island.

The Malaysian side of Borneo is more developed and easier to navigate. In the provinces of Sabah and Sarawak,  there are opportunities to see them in the rainforest as well as in sanctuaries. My understanding is that Sarawak is the less expensive option. The Indonesian side is a bit more intrepid and harder to get to. This also means there are less tourists here.

I went to Tanjung Puting National Park, which is 1600 square miles of roadless jungle as well as a UNESCO site that serves as a sanctuary. The closest airport is in a town called Pangkalan Bun. There are flights from Jakarta on either Kalstar Air or Trigana Air. If you are not Indonesian, you cannot use your credit card on their website. You must book through a ticket agent.

See Wild Orangutans

Once you arrive in Pangkalan Bun, it is a twenty-minute drive to the Port of Kumai. From there you can board your Klotok boat and it is about two hours by boat to the first station in the forest.

For more information about best places to see Orangutans click here.

My Experience

I booked through Orangutan Days. I opted for the 3 day/2 night trip on a medium-sized Klotok. Klotok is the kind of boat used on the Sekonyer River here in Kalimantan and I presume it got the name from the distinctive sound that it makes. The only people on the boat were the captain, assistant captain, cook, guide and me!

See WIld Orangutans

See Wild Orangutans

My bed was on the top deck and at night they put a mosquito net over it and I felt like a river princess.  The cook made three delicious meals per day plus snacks. It was incredibly peaceful and relaxing and I truly enjoyed every second.

See WIld Orangutans

They fed me WAY too well!

See WIld Orangutans

My guide Maita and I spent the time on the river spotting various wildlife and I was not disappointed. I watched proboscis monkeys and macaques playing in the trees. At sunset they congregated in the trees near the river for their bedtime where it is a bit cooler. I even saw a few brave ones swim across the river. Luckily none were eaten by crocs! They are good swimmers, even with a baby wrapped around their torso!

See Wild Orangutans
Proboscis Monkeys

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I saw kingfisher birds, huge monitor lizards and a glimpse of a crocodile. There are 220 species of bird, 17 reptile, 29 mammal including sun bears, civets, barking deer, and clouded leopards in this rainforest.

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Macaques

See WIld Orangutans

Camp Leakey

This was established in 1971 by Dr. Birute Galdikas and Rod Brindamour. Dr. Louis Leakey (any bio nerds like myself who know this name?) mentored Dr. Galdikas as well as Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey, to name a few animal superstars.  Camp Leaky is the site of the longest continuous study by one principle investigator of any wild animal in the history of science. Very cool!

See Wild Orangutans
(Carlos, the intimidating dominant male)

 

When walking through the forest, nothing stirs up your adrenaline like hearing the rustling of branches in the trees above. You feel your heartbeat increase as you squint, desperate for that flash of hairy orangeness swinging in the trees. Sometimes, as in the case with the large male, Carlos (pictured above), it seemed like King Kong was coming to get me as he got a bit close for comfort and I had to reluctantly run as opposed to continue filming! (that is on my video by the way)

This camp, and the others I visited, do research on the forest ecology, observing orangutans, spearheading reforestation projects, and have rehabilitated injured or ex-captive orangutans to return to the wild. The orangutans I saw on the feeding platforms are semi-wild since some are ex-captive.  The younger ones were mostly born wild.

See Wild Orangutans
Mom and baby entering platform

Viewing and Feeding Platforms

The feeding platforms serve multiple purposes. One is for tourists to see orangutans. Viewings are very controlled. People must be five meters away, quiet, and stay out of the animal’s way. I was happy to see that aside from a few annoying children, this was observed. The bananas that are offered help the orangutans during the season when there isn’t much fruit in the wild. The fewer animals that show up for feeding is considered a good sign for ecologists…a sign that they are happy and doing well in the wild. The platform is also a chance for female and male orangutans to meet. Unlike the other great apes (gorillas and chimpanzees), orangutans are solitary.

The experience is really best understood in my vlog. I can’t adequately describe the amazing sounds and sights. Due to length there are two parts. The second part has more of the really exciting orangutan encounters and I hope you watch! I really tried to document this experience well since it was so special and unique.

 

Interesting Facts

  • Orangutan comes from the Malay words “orang” meaning person and “hutan” meaning forest. Therefore, Orangutan is “person of the forest”.
  • Borneo has 5,000 known species of trees. England has 34, just for comparison. In a 25 acre plot of Bornean rainforest there will be 783 species of trees!
  • Indonesia contains over 50% of all known animal species.
  • Indonesia has already lost as much as 75% of its original natural forest habitat.
  • Palm Oil exports from Indonesia have increased 244% in past 7 years.

Sad Truth about Orangutans

It is estimated that there are 41,000 orangutans left in Borneo. They are listed as endangered. There are only 7500 left in Sumatra, considered critically endangered. At one time there were 250,000 roaming the rainforests!

At least 2000 Orang Utan are killed each year via habitat destruction. Palm oil plantations and illegal logging are the prime causes. It is now illegal to keep an orangutan as a pet. There are laws against owning, killing capturing or harming, but that doesn’t seem to stop the Palm Oil companies.

See Wild Orangutans

About Palm Oil

One cannot speak of orangutans without speaking of palm oil. I will just briefly state a few facts.

Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil that is derived from the palm fruit, grown on the African oil palm tree. Oil palms are originally from Western Africa, but can flourish wherever heat and rainfall are abundant. Today Indonesia and Malaysia produce an export 85% of all palm oil globally.  Palm oil can be present in a wide variety of products, including baked goods, confectionery, shampoo, cosmetics, cleaning agents, washing detergents and toothpaste.  Sadly its production in tropical locations destroys the environment, has driven multiple species to the verge of extinction and has had terrible impact on the climate.

Orangutans are parasites to the palm oil industry. Some companies encourage locals and villagers to shoot them for rewards. Some locals even eat them. If nothing changes, species like the orangutan could become extinct in the wild within the next 5-10 years.

Read More about Palm Oil in my Huffington Post article: Why You Should Care About Palm Oil and Orangutans

What You Can Do

Educate yourself and others.  Don’t boycott all palm oil. Just boycott unsustainable palm oil. Palm oil is a high-yield vegetable oil, which means that anything replacing it will have to use more land. Deforestation could actually be worse! Better to get palm oil production ‘right’.

Look for these labels:  RSPO or Green Palm.  Most packaged products have labels containing their companies’ contact information. Call or write the company of your favorite product and urge them to use certified sustainable palm oil.

List of Companies Committed to Sustainable Palm Oil

Thank god Oreos are on that list!

This website has more info as well as interactive version of company directory which includes tools that you can use to urge these companies to support the production of sustainable palm oil.   Palm Oil Scorecard

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I hope that responsible ecotourism counteracts all the harm being done by big companies. I can’t say enough good things about this adventure. Sleeping at night under the stars on the river with the sounds of cicadas and other critters all around was truly magical.

Pin it! 

See Wild Orangutans

About The Author

Cherene Saradar

Cherene is a travel expert with 30 years of experience in over 100 countries and 7 continents. She has traveled solo to over 50 countries. She is also a nurse anesthesiologist with over 20 years of healthcare experience. Her passions include wildlife travel and visiting wine regions of the world.

29 COMMENTS

  1. Two weeks in Borneo: Your adventurous Borneo itinerary for the best things to do in Borneo - Wanderlustingk | 2nd Mar 18

    […] slower boats around.  My friend Cherene had a fantastic experience after flying into Kalimantan seeing wild orangutans in Indonesia.  My aunt was able to take an in-depth tour in Kalimantan to discover traditional weaving done in […]

  2. wanderinjon | 14th Nov 17

    Amazing post, thank you!

  3. Trekking the Mount Rinjani Crater - WanderingRedHead | 1st Jun 17

    […] How to See Wild Orangutans […]

  4. thelifeofasolivagant | 31st May 17

    Because of you I am now looking at booking this trip. I am currently about to leave West Africa and moving to Asia in August, and I was sad about leaving a place so rich in wildlife adventures. But I am honestly looking into booking this trip as soon as I can cause it sounds amazing. And thank you so much for promoting a sustainable and responsible company!

    • csaradar | 31st May 17

      How exciting! I’m so glad you’re going to do this. It was seriously one of best experiences of my life. I would go with Orangutan Days, which I did or Orangutan Journeys, which another blogger told me about.

      • thelifeofasolivagant | 1st Jun 17

        Thank you so much! I will look into both and see which works best!
        I am honestly so excited that I came across your post!

        • csaradar | 1st Jun 17

          Let me know if you do it!

          • thelifeofasolivagant | 3rd Jun 17

            Will do! (I most likely will! Trying to find the best time of year to go!)

  5. CHAPTERTRAVEL (@CHAPTERTRAVEL) | 29th May 17

    What a great post. I love that you included the eco tourism part and obviously really thought about the effects for the Orangutans. Thank you, I’m so happy there are people like you that really care!

    • csaradar | 31st May 17

      Thanks so much for your kind words. I always want to do what little I can to address the many problems I encounter!

  6. cassandrale | 28th May 17

    This is so insightful and really well researched! I had no idea that the word “orangutan” meant people of the forest. I like how you also included sustainability tips and responsible tourism trips, which is so important for travelers these days!

    • csaradar | 28th May 17

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your sweet comments.

  7. swatisinha09 | 28th May 17

    I am only imagine the experience of seeing orangutans in the wild. I recall seeing one in Singapore zoo and loved them. Their sheer size is intimidating and amazing at the same time. Thanks for sharing

    • csaradar | 28th May 17

      They were so cute and human like. The large males were intimidating!!

  8. Jillian Michelle | 27th May 17

    Hahaha I giggled at the part about wanting to hug and squeeze them — that’s totally me lol! I loved that you stressed the importance of responsible tourism and keeping a distance though. And your pics are absolutely stunning!! <3

    • csaradar | 28th May 17

      Thank you! I want to hug every animal I see. LOL

  9. Boarding Call | 27th May 17

    great article, I really appreciate the tips on how to see orangutans in a sustainable way. I really wanted to see them when we were in Indonesia, but sadly we didn’t get to visit when we were last there… what is the best time of year to see them?

    • csaradar | 27th May 17

      I think spring (April) when I was there after the rainy season or the fall before the rainy season. Summer is the high season and very crowded!

  10. MeanderWithMeg | 27th May 17

    Adore this! What a wonderful experience you looked to have had. I wanted to do a river cruise and stay onboard a boat in Indonesia, but headed to the Malaysian side instead. Next time in Borneo I know where to head! Like you, I was completely moved by seeing wild orangutans – it has also been a dream of mine. I’m so happy for you that you had an excellent trip. I love all the detail you’ve added as well – it’s so important people realise the effects of deforestation and palm oil.

    • csaradar | 27th May 17

      I’m glad you got to have a great experience as well. It’s nice that there are options! How exciting we get to live our dreams like this!

  11. How Not To Travel Like A Basic Bitch | 27th May 17

    OMG I didnt even THINK about how humans can give diseases to orangutans also! This is such a well informed post withholding any judgement and only offering information and positive alternatives. I love your attitude and everything about this article. Thank yoU!!

    • csaradar | 27th May 17

      Thanks so much for your lovely comments. It means alot coming from a girl with an attitude I admire:)

  12. C-Ludik | 27th May 17

    I love activities with wild animals and nature too ! I enjoy Mother Nature, more the country side over the city, the landscape to take your breath away rather than the skyscraper 🙂 It is such an amazing experience to see wild orangutans and not the circus-like experience offered by the so-called “rehabilitation centres” (the accessible ones of which in fact exist to serve mass tourism much rather than to rehabilitate apes) !

    • csaradar | 28th May 17

      There’s nothing like Mother Nature! Thanks for the lovely comments:)

  13. A Resort Rendezvous | 27th May 17

    I had no idea about Trip Advisor, so I’m glad I found this article! I can;t imagine how amazing it is to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat (not at a zoo). The photos you captured look like you’re right there within reach!

    • csaradar | 28th May 17

      It was amazing. I felt close to them but I did have to use a zoom lens to capture it well. So happy you enjoyed it!

  14. Katie McIntosh (@katieshowblog) | 27th May 17

    I’m a total wildlife nerd too so I’d love to experience something like this. It’s so hard to know how to set up an experience though without supporting unethical practices so I’m grateful for this post – thank you!

    • csaradar | 27th May 17

      You’re so right…so many wildlife experiences are completely unethical. I am thrilled to find and experience things like this and share with our wildlife nerds:)

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