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GYC3434 - Meaningful Tour: The Orang-utan experience Country: Malaysia Cost: £995.00 Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food, kit and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance or visas      Duration: 2 weeks Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7592 or

 

	This placement would suit... Participants who love animals and are looking for a wild time! You'll get most out of the placement if you the outdoors and enjoy trekking for which a moderate to good level of fitness is required. Since you will be part of a group, come prepared to work as part of a team is essential.This is the perfect placement for an adventurous gapper and can be combined with other i-to-i projects. Swing into action on this 14-day orangutan conservation tour on the mystical island of Borneo. By taking a walk on the wild side, animal lovers can observe these gentle giants and learn about them in their natural habitat. They can also enjoy exclusive "back stage passes" to the running of the orangutan rehabilitation centres of Sarawak, uncover the existing conservation problems and discover some of the solutions that are helping to sustain large and safe populations. The jungle is massive and you will have the opportunity to monkey around by hiking along the trails, exploring the rainforest's flora and fauna, and swimming in the jungle waters. So, if you fancy yourself as the next Tarzan or Jane then make the great escape, meet the descendants of the infamous head-hunters of Borneo and explore the Bako, Kubah and Batang Ai national parks. This tour requires a minimum of 5 people to run, please do not book your flights until the trip has been confirmed by The Asia Team. Why the project needs visitors: According to the World Wildlife Fund, fewer than 63,000 orangutans exist in the world today, and the majority of these call Borneo home. In the past 100 years, orangutan populations have fallen 91% due to destruction of their habitat, poachers, and illegal pet trading. Because orangutans give birth to a single offspring only 1 every 8 years or so, concentrated efforts are needed to conserve current populations and to promote and protect breeding programmes to encourage orangutan population growth. This tour gives you the opportunity to see a number of different orangutan conservation organisations, focusing on education and raising awareness. Through your visit, you can help to shed light on the plight of the orangutan and work toward reversing the damage that has been done. Your role: You will spend time searching for the orangutans in the wild and simply observing them, learning about them and counting nests. Where the project is based: The city of Kuching in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, located on the north-western shore of the island of Borneo, will be the starting and ending point for the tour. The city of Kuching is a perfect blend of traditional and modern, and there will be plenty of time for exploring the cities colourful markets, Chinese temples and interesting museums. Minimum numbers apply; please call us for more information. You should fly into Kuching airport for this project. Please ensure that you arrive into Kuching on the start date of the tour, early airport pick ups cannot be arranged if you arrive early. "i-to-i volunteers certainly surprised us when they got down and dirty to help in an urgent project to make a building orang-utan proof at the wildlife. Orang-utans being held before they have had a chance to be rehabilitated had been known to escape. i-to-i projects bring out the best in volunteers from skills to personality and the project benefits. Looking forward to the next i-to-i volunteers to see how they shine in the rainforest!" Project Leader: The Malaysian Orang-utan experience 0845 344 7592 i-to-i: We pride ourselves in a high level of service to ensure that all our gap year travellers get the most our of their meaningful travel. With Teaching, Community Development, Conservation, Sports, Media and Health placements in 24 countries, we can offer you the meaningful gap year that you want.