Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary
Help to rehabilitate the largest number of captive orangutans in the world by volunteering at this orangutan sanctuary!
Speak To A Travel Expert
Activities
Itinerary
Below is an example of a typical two-week itinerary. Please note however, some activities may be subject to change during the time of your stay, as they are dependent on weather conditions and the requirements of the project at the time.
Day 1 - The Adventure Begins:
You will fly into Palangkaraya Airport where you will be met by a project representative and transferred to the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary. Upon arrival, you will be able to settle into your accommodation and meet your fellow volunteers. In the evening, you'll have dinner before being given a full orientation by the volunteer coordinator.
Day 2 - Orangutan Islands:
After breakfast, your morning will begin with an incredible river cruise around the orangutan islands. Here you will have the chance to see the orangutans that are in the final stage of rehabilitation before their eventual release. After lunch, you will take part in your first enrichment activity for the orangutans.
Day 3 - Orangutan Enrichment:
In the morning you could be preparing food for some of the 280+ orangutans who reside at the sanctuary, including those with special dietary requirements or collecting bamboo to create enrichment for the orangutans. After lunch, you'll head out to collect materials for the orangutans to build their nests with!
Day 4 - Bukit Tangkiling:
In the morning you will work on food preparation or enrichment for the orangutans before heading to Bukit Tangkiling after lunch. Here you will embark on a hilltop trek to take in the scenery and learn a little about the local history and culture.
Day 5 - Orangutan Enrichment and a Trip to Town:
Every two weeks the volunteers travel into the local town to purchase items for enrichment making. You'll sit down for a lunch in town before visiting a nearby tourist market. Once finished, you'll make your way back to the volunteer house to relax before enjoying dinner with your group.
Day 6 - Back to the Orangutans:
After breakfast, your group will split into two to work on either enrichment or husbandry, today will be a day that opens your eyes to the ins and outs of taking care of almost 300 orangutans. In the afternoon, your group will be split into two once again, to work on either enrichment or collecting nesting materials for the orangutans.
Day 7 - Relax and a Visit to the Night Market:
Today is Saturday, so take the day to enjoy your free time as you please! In the evening, the whole group will head to a traditional local night market, where you will get a real taste of Indonesian culture…and of course the incredible food! This is also the perfect opportunity for buying souvenirs.
Day 8-9 - Reforestation and Orangutan Enrichment:
In the mornings you will take part in vital reforestation work around the sanctuary in areas that have been affected by many things, including forest fires. In the afternoons, your group will be split into two to work on either enrichment or collecting nesting materials for the orangutans.
Day 10 - Babies at Play:
After breakfast, your group will split into two to work on either enrichment or husbandry before an afternoon you will never forget. After collecting nesting materials you'll head over to the baby playground to watch the young orangutans return from their day in jungle school!
Day 11-12 - Orangutan Observation:
On these days, you will get back into the boats to enjoy orangutan observation! You will work on daily enrichment tasks before venturing out to the orangutan islands to watch these beautiful apes in their semi-wild conditions. This rewarding experience will really highlight what you've been working towards!
Day 13 - Final Day:
Sadly, your final day at the project has arrived. Enjoy a lie-in this morning before packing your things and bidding farewell to the project staff, your new-found friends and of course, the animals! You will then transfer back to the airport for your flight home, or to commence your onward travel plans.
Durations & Prices
Accommodation
Accommodation
Volunteers stay in either an authentic longhouse or one of two houses situated opposite in the jungle surroundings of the sanctuary's grounds. Rooms are based on a twin-share, same-sex basis with 1 double room available for couples at request. Each room comes complete with bed linen, a fan, and mosquito nets. All rooms have their own en-suite bathrooms, complete with a western toilet, shower, sink and mirror. There is a kitchen and communal area in the longhouse, which is free for all volunteers to use, and has free Wi-Fi available, but please bear in mind that the signal can be intermittent. There is a free, regular cleaning service if you wish for your room to be cleaned and there are also laundry services available, though these come at a small fee.
Meals & Beverages
Volunteers enjoy three meals per day at the project, with all meals and drinking water included in the project fee. Your lunches and dinners will be prepared for you and will consist of typical Indonesian food, such as rice, noodles, and fried vegetables. Breakfast, however, is prepared by volunteers, but the food, such as cereal, yoghurt, bread for toast and eggs is supplied. Vegetarians can be catered for but please let us know in advance so the appropriate food can be purchased. (If you have any severe nut allergies, please contact us prior to booking.)
Alcohol is permitted and beer can be purchased at the sanctuary but may only be consumed at the volunteer accommodation. Snacks are not currently available onsite, but they can be purchased from a small local store which is a 15 minutes walk from the accommodation.
Project Details
When Is The Best Time To Volunteer?
This project is based at a rehabilitation sanctuary, and there are orangutans here year-round, meaning there is no real preferred time to volunteer regarding the animals.
The weather is also quite constant throughout, and whilst it can rain at any time of the year due to the rainforest climate, you can expect mostly dry weather with temperatures averaging 32°C (90°F) in the daytime and 23°C (73°F) at night.
Getting There
You will need to fly into Palangkaraya Airport on your project start date, arriving between 8am-5pm, with most international flight routes going via Jakarta International Airport (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport). Upon arrival into Palangkaraya Airport, you will be met by a project representative in the arrivals hall who will then transfer you to the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary. This transfer takes approximately 40 minutes.
If you arrive a day early and stay in a hotel close to Palangkaraya Airport, we will be able to arrange your transfer to Nyaru Menteng from there.
Visa Requirements
To join this project, you will need a Volunteer Visa (C6B), which you must obtain prior to arrival in Indonesia. This visa permits a stay of up to 60 days and can be applied for with ‘My Visa Indonesia’. We will provide all the necessary documentation you require and the cost of this visa is approximately $250.
Please note, your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from your date of entry into Indonesia.
Fitness & Skills
There is a moderate level of fitness required to take part in this project. There may be small construction tasks that will take place in humid conditions, as well as short walks which involve walking uphill. The other tasks are not too physically strenuous, but for the reasons mentioned above, we advise that you ensure you can cope with the few physically demanding tasks involved. There are no specific skill sets or experience that are required to join this project, but volunteers must always be willing to work as part of a team.
Vaccinations & Medical Requirements
To volunteer on this project, you must provide negative test results to show you do not have HIV or Hepatitis B or C prior to arrival. A chest x-ray or QuantiFERON blood test to show you do not have Tuberculosis is also required. These are ESSENTIAL, as without them, you will be unable to join the project.
Due to Covid-19, additional safety measures have also been introduced to ensure the safety of all volunteers, staff members and the orangutans. These can be viewed by clicking here and may change at any time.
No Contact Policy
We are often asked whether or not volunteers will have the chance to touch or play with the orangutans whilst on this project. Our answer to this question is, and always will be no, and this is for good reason.
Orangutans are highly susceptible to human diseases, many of which are far more dangerous to an orangutan than they are to us. Also, an environment of constant change, with new volunteers going to the project every two or four weeks and being in contact with the orangutans would be very detrimental to the orangutans' well-being. With no consistency in their lives, behavioural problems arise. They also have a tendency to begin to trust humans which is damaging should they be released back into the wild, as they will become easy targets for poachers. Finally, an orangutan is around 7 times stronger than an adult male human so a no-contact policy is just as crucial for your safety as theirs.
That is not to say that you will have no interaction with the orangutans, it simply means that you will have no direct contact with them. You will still observe them on a daily basis and see how your contribution to their husbandry and enrichment makes a real difference to the lives of these apes. For more information, please view our article on hands-on contact with orangutans.
Videos
Discover the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary
Join us in the heart of the Bornean rainforest with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, where you can help rescue and rehabilitate orphaned and displaced orangutans, all while experiencing the breathtaking beauty of Indonesia.
Volunteers share their experiences at Nyaru Menteng
Volunteers Rob, Ryan, Camille, and Lasse share their moments whilst taking part at Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary.
Orangutan Rehabilitation: Preparation For Life In The Wild
Arga, a dedicated Orangutan Veterinarian from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, explains the journey of a young orangutan going through the rehabilitation process and the meticulous care required to prepare them for a life of independence.
Gallery
News & Stories
6
Volunteer Achievements in June
UPDATE | Jun 2024
This month volunteers have planted 100 trees on the new island, cleaned, renovated, and repainted the jungle gym, and have consistently achieved enrichment targets!
7
The First Volunteers of 2024 Arrive!
UPDATE | Apr 2024
The first volunteer groups of 2024 arrived at Nyaru Menteng this month, and they have been getting stuck into a whole range of different activities. These have included planting trees on one of the orangutan islands, creating various forms of enrichment, hammock making, boat cruises to observe those orangutans in their final stage of the rehabilitation process, and a unique opportunity to attend a traditional Dayak wedding.
1
ARTICLE | Nov 2023
12 more orangutans have been successfully released back into the wild from the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary and the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Sanctuary thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF). Check out the release video in today's blog!
Reviews
I loved this project so much! Life-changing experience to be so close to the orangutans and with caring, local staff. We learned so much about conservation. We saw the challenges and the successes first-hand. The jungle work was hard and fulfilling. The accommodations were very rustic, all part of the experience. The food was lovely. Every day we did projects which directly supported the quality of life for orangutans. Our volunteer coordinator Cecily was absolutely fantastic! She was the best bridge we could have asked for between us and the local team. We had a very fun and local experience as well visiting sites and going to markets, making it a wonderful and well-rounded time. Couldn't have asked for more. My heart is so full. Mahalo to Nyaru Menteng, BOS Foundation, and The Great Projects for making this possible!
Wow, what an incredible experience. When you volunteer you actually feel like you are making a difference to the lives of these beautiful intelligent animals. It was hard work, definitely not a holiday but with a great team you can achieve so much. From making ice blocks, cutting bedding to planting trees, you get to experience so much. I walked into this project and met 6 strangers after 12 nights together I left with 6 new friends, we all had the same work ethic to get the job done for the orangutans. Cess our project leader was amazing, not only did she make sure we were all okay and happy doing the tasks allocated she got stuck in with us, her work ethic matched ours in abundance. Such a lovely person! You are in the jungle don’t expect hot running water, the cold showers were welcome after hot days working, you do get used to them promise! If you have any doubts just do it you won’t regret being park of this project it was amazing!
I went on this adventure with no expectations, with the goal of giving all that I could to support a fantastic organisation. I was not disappointed at all. The Great Projects volunteer co-ordinator Cecily led by example and we achieved so much. The experience was amazing I learnt so much about BOSF and how it operates. The accommodation and food is great and the cultural experiences are also great. If you want a trip where your involvement means so much to others, with the bonus of seeing lots of orangutans then this is for you. (Please be aware that you will not handle the animals). The enrichments that we prepared really made a difference to them. I will be going again to finish off where these 12 days left me early in 2025.
Download Project Guide
What's Included
- Accommodation
- Three meals per day
- Airport transfers
- River cruise
- Hilltop trek
- A visit to the night market
- Conservation donation
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Visas
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
From $1,494.00
-
Up to 8 Persons
-
All Meals Included
-
12 - 26 Nights
-
Set dates between April and September
-
Minimum Age 17
