Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Begin of Tour Kuching (Sarawak) - Matang (L/D)

Meet your local guide at your hotel in Kuching. Start the program with a short drive to Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre was founded in 1975 to give endangered species like the orangutan, sun bears, and hornbills a sanctuary. Most animals living on the premises were rescued from captivity. They have to learn how to live from the forest and trainers help them to regain the knowledge. The orangutans can roam free on the 700ha area and come only to the feeding platform if they want. If they choose to visit the platform you can hear them coming from far away. The weight of male orangutans can reach 90kg. You can hear the leafs rustle and some of the smaller branches will break when an adult orangutan moves through the forest. After the feeding you may opt for a walk along the trails in the reserve. Continue the drive to Matang Wildlife Centre (approx. 1.5 hrs). Orang Utan Project is a conservation company based at Matang Wildlife Centre. They coordinate volunteer work for the rescue and rehabilitation projects working with orangutans, and other protected species such as the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), binturong (Arctictis binturong), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) and false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii). You will be given a presentation of their work and the specifics of orangutan rehabilitation. Leo Briddle, the CEO and founder or Orang Utan Project, has more than 15 years of experience in the field of great ape conservation. You will be given a guided tour of the project site and meet all the different species that found sanctuary on the premises. After dinner you may have the opportunity to take part in the ongoing conservation projects and observe field teams at work tracking and monitoring animals which were freed from captivity and re-trained to survive in their natural habitat. Or you may be taken on a night-walk to see nocturnal wildlife.

Day 2: Matang (B/L/D)

After breakfast it is time for the enrichment workshop. Captivity and boredom can be a huge stress factor for the animals. It is important to keep them entertained. For this purpose you will help the volunteers to create enrichment items for the animals. They are challenged with little puzzles, toys and mysteries to get their food. Lunchbreak. In the afternoon the permanent project members take the youngest orangutans at Matang into the jungle for rehabilitation training. This important step of their program is not open for public because large groups of people might distract them from their training. You have the exclusive opportunity to watch the young animals get reconnected with nature. Some of them were never before in the forest and only know their iron cages. You will be accompanied by an englishspeaking member of staff at all times. Guideline for the observation session: It is important to keep a minimum distance of 25m from all orangutans at all times. Keep the noise level down, so not to distract the orangutans. All questions will be answered after the training. Your visit might be cut short, if the animals are distracted. Flash photography is strictly prohibited. There will be absolutely no physical contact to the orangutans. Dinner and overnight at Matang.

Day 3: Matang - End of Tour Kuching (Sarawak) (B)

After breakfast depart from Matang and return to your hotel or Kuching International airport.