• Life On Land

Sun Bear Sanctuary

location
1 - 3 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Outstanding 4.9  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Samboja Lestari Sun Bear & Orangutan Reintroduction Program set in a 2,000 hectare reserve of unique, regenerating rainforest.
  • Home of sun bears and orangutans, most of whom are being prepared for release to the wild.
  • As a Sun Bear Volunteer, you’ll participate in our enrichment and welfare program creating enrichment items for sun bears & orangutans to play with and enjoy.
  • Work and live in the forest, immersing yourself in the culture.
  • Stay at the stunning Samboja Eco-Lodge, a very comfortable place where rooms are air-conditioned, relaxing and homely.

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
50+

About the program

Experience the amazing wildlife of Borneo at this animal rehabilitation center filled with animals including sun bears & orangutans.

Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers are offering a chance to embark on an exciting journey into the heart of the Bornean tropical rainforest. 

Samboja Lestari is located in a 2,000 hectare reserve of unique, regenerating rainforest. Relatively unknown, it is located just outside of the jostling city of ...

About the program

Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers are offering a chance to embark on an exciting journey into the heart of the Bornean tropical rainforest. 

Samboja Lestari is located in a 2,000 hectare reserve of unique, regenerating rainforest. Relatively unknown, it is located just outside of the jostling city of Balikpapan, known to be one of the best and most accessible places in the world to experience the magic of sun bears and orangutans in their natural habitat. The sanctuary is home to over  72 sun bears & 150 orangutans and an array of other animals including binturongs and macaques. 

The Reintroduction Program at Samboja Lestari was the first orangutan reintroduction program established in 1991 by the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation, specifically designed to provide care and rehabilitation for displaced and orphaned orangutans rescued from areas of habitat loss. The main activities of the organisation include orangutan rescue, translocation of orangutans from areas of conflict to areas of secure and protected habitat, the provision of welfare and healthcare, rehabilitation, reintroduction and forest restoration activities.

Volunteers spend two weeks with Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Australia and local staff in Borneo on the Welfare and Enrichment Program supporting captive sun bears & orangutans learn valuable skills like foraging for food, building and using tools and increasing their agility and resilience.  Volunteers create food enrichments and toys for the sun bears & orangutans that are essential to their welfare and well being. By protecting and nurturing these animals, and enabling them to thrive the best they can, you are leaving a lasting impact on Indonesia's wildlife that will last generations to come.

All visitors that will, or may, be in proximity to orangutan (10 metres or less) must provide current proof that they are free from a range of diseases that are transmissible to orangutans (see list below). Medical health tests should be less than 3 months old before your volunteer start date.

- COVID Vaccination

- Tetanus Vaccination

- Blood test results for HIV, HEPB, HEPC

- Clear chest Xray for TB (unless you are coming from a TB free country and have been vaccinated for TB). 

If you are coming from a Yellow Fever endemic country, you'll need Yellow Fever Vaccine as well.

Typical day

  • At 7am, your day kicks off with a scrumptious Indonesian breakfast before work starts at 8am. Choose to either have a lazy morning or embark on a trip to the local market to purchase fresh vegetables.
  • After the mornings activities, the volunteers head to the forest to create innovative enrichment ...

Typical day

  • At 7am, your day kicks off with a scrumptious Indonesian breakfast before work starts at 8am. Choose to either have a lazy morning or embark on a trip to the local market to purchase fresh vegetables.
  • After the mornings activities, the volunteers head to the forest to create innovative enrichment items for the sun bears & orangutans who love to play! This may involve carrying logs through the forest to construct feeding platforms or chopping bamboo to craft food puzzles. Despite the effort, the experience is highly rewarding.
  • Once you have made your items. the most exciting part of each day is witnessing the keepers distribute the new enrichments and observing the animals' reactions to what's new and interesting. In the afternoon you may choose to spend time with the resident botanist to gather berries and fruits from the wild. Then, after a productive day, unwind with a refreshing drink while admiring the sunset over the jungle hills. A delicious dinner is served before you head to bed early to prepare for another busy day ahead.

Free-time activities

Throughout your stay, you'll be able to engage in various activities in your free time, including a cruise along the Black River to observe Proboscis Monkeys in their natural surroundings, a canopy walk in Bukit Bangkirai, a tour of the Sunga Wain Forest, and an excursion to the nearby night market ...

Free-time activities

Throughout your stay, you'll be able to engage in various activities in your free time, including a cruise along the Black River to observe Proboscis Monkeys in their natural surroundings, a canopy walk in Bukit Bangkirai, a tour of the Sunga Wain Forest, and an excursion to the nearby night market where you can savor delicious street food.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

A moderate level of fitness and agility is required to manage the manual workload.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers

7 night program

13 night program

27 day program = (+an extra day of free time to explore!)

All start dates are subject to availability. Please contact us to check whether your preferred start date is still available!


Airport pickup, accommodation and food & drink are included in the fees.

Airport Pickup at Sultan Aji Muhamad Sulaiman Airport

Return transfers from Balikpapan Airport (or anywhere in Balikpapan) to the Lodge are included.  Volunteers need to arrange their own flights and advise us of the flight details including arrival and departure times to ensure airport transfers can be arranged.

Accommodation

The Samboja Lodge offers comfortable and well-maintained rooms that are air-conditioned and provide a relaxing and homely atmosphere. The estimated travel cost is based on the standard first floor rooms, which offer a lovely garden view and refreshing cold water showers, perfect for the warm climate. It is recommended that guests bring a reusable water bottle to fill up with drinking water at the fountain in the dining room. Mosquito nets on the beds are of good quality and the beds come with pillows and bolsters. Guests should be aware that due to the location in Asia, there may be mosquitoes and bugs, and the occasional friendly gecko may appear in the room.

The lodge also provides good communal areas where guests can get to know each other, including a pool table, lounge chairs, and a viewing deck with breathtaking views. While there is free Wi-Fi available, it may be unreliable, so it is a great opportunity to disconnect. For communication, WhatsApp is recommended for messages, photos, and intermittent phone calls. The lodge also has a generator that runs for at least 12 hours a day. Guests are advised to bring a 2 pin round with earth travel adapter and, if needed, a small power board for charging multiple devices.

Extra nights and accommodation upgrades are available.

Food & Beverages

Volunteers enjoy delicious meals with a variety of local food, all containing steamed rice plus a choice of 3 Indonesian dishes.  There are snack options, which cost extra, for those who are hungry in the late afternoon. Dietary requirements can, in most cases, be met, so please be sure to add them to your application. The lodge bar usually has beer, juices and soft drinks as well as a few snacks. Alcoholic drinks are additional and payable at the lodge, yet all volunteers are expected to drink responsibly.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Sultan Aji Muhamad Sulaiman Airport (BPN) in Balikpapan. We assist you to find cheap flights to Indonesia. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Indonesia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Indonesia you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Indonesia. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

1 week program on request

2 week program: Arrive Sunday. Depart Saturday.

Start dates for 2 week duration:

Sunday 17/11/2024  - Saturday 30/11/2024

Sunday 01/12/2024 - Saturday 14/12/2024

Sunday 05/01/2025 - Saturday 18/01/2025

Sunday 19/01/2025  - Saturday 01/02/2025

Sunday 02/02/2025  - Saturday 15/02/2025

Sunday 16/02/2025  - Saturday 01/03/2025

Sunday 02/03/2025  - Saturday 15/03/2025

Sunday 16/03/2025  - Saturday 29/03/2025


Start dates for 4 week duration:

Sunday 01/12/2024 - Saturday 18/01/2025

Sunday 19/01/2025  - Saturday 15/02/2025

Sunday 16/02/2025  - Saturday 15/03/2025


Send us a message to enquire for dates for 2025/2026 season.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 994€
1 week 6 days 2,048€
3 weeks 6 days (max. stay) 4,160€
Average fees 1,036€/week

Program fees

1,036€ per week 1 - 3 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

1 - 3 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers

Outstanding 4.9 rating (211 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2011

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Tracy

Spoken languages: English

About the project

Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers is a non-profit organisation that was founded for the purpose of providing resources and financial assistance to animal welfare and conservation

Meet your organization

The O2E Founders are animal lovers and committed volunteers. They founded and established the organisation in Melbourne, Australia, having seen firsthand that volunteer recruitment agencies were not always aware if the projects they supported had the best interests of animals and environment in mind. Instead, unethical and harmful behaviour including elephant riding, unsustainable tree nursery projects and the consumption of scarce community resources by the presence of volunteers were often the result. Local wildlife communities and the animals’ environments were also clearly disadvantaged. For this reason, we created our Oceans 2 Earth Ethical Standards and the Wildlife Code and measure all potential projects by these policies prior to partnering with them.

Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers offers volunteering and adventure travel experiences for ethically minded animal and conservation lovers looking for the trip of a lifetime.

In creating Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers, the O2E founders challenge and engage individuals to contribute to meaningful animal welfare and conservation projects. As wildlife carers and avid animal welfare and rights campaigners, they uphold a vision to promote ethical volunteering as an advisable travel alternative.

We believe the way to solve the issues of animal mistreatment and environmental destruction and degradation is to provide people with the opportunity to contribute and interact so that they may develop their own personal culture of responsibility and global conservation. People exposed first hand to challenging bio diverse environmental issues are more likely to draw on those experiences and continue to make a positive impact once they arrive home. 

Oceans 2 Earth recognise that individuals really can make a difference. However small the work effort is from one person, if you combine the actions of many people as a whole, the result can become quite significant. By bringing like-minded and ethically conscious animal lovers together, Oceans 2 Earth believe that there is no limit to what we can achieve. 

Our Mission

Promote environmental sustainability and to be accountable for our impact on the environment.

Take action and find solutions to improve the natural, bio-diverse way of life for all. Promote the ethical treatment and natural living ecology of all animals.

Expose and educate volunteers to the plight of animals ill-affected by conflict or interaction with man, encouraging them to take action and find solutions to these global issues. 

211 reviews · rating4.9

This is my 3rd time with O2E and I have thoroughly enjoyed each experience. Tracy in the office has always been extremely helpful and quick to answer my questions. I have done the Marine Conservation twice now and Helen and Tim are great leaders. My first Marine Conservation involved doing my Rescue ...
Oceans 2 Earth is a great organization for anyone looking to volunteer and have some fun while doing it. The program is very well organized and it is clear how you are making an impact. Helen, Amy, and Tim are all great group leaders. You are able to see all sorts of different marine life while ...
Sienna Scouter rating5

2024 at Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation

Helen, Amy, and Sam were wonderful project leaders. They always showed up with lots of enthusiasm and were excited to teach us throughout the day. Overall, the snorkeling activities were enjoyable and the surveys were ...
Charlotte Pierce rating5

2024 at Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation

O2E has been great. O2E has been such a great experience, all the staff were so friendly and helpful. I loved learning about how we can observe and conserve the ...
Amylyn Mortimer rating5

2024 at Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation

Helen, Amy and Timmy were awesome! I learned a lot and enjoyed meeting and becoming friends with the members of our group. Fitzroy and Green island are absolutely beautiful. There’s a lot of down time in the afternoon to freely snorkel or walk around the islands. They were very inclusive of my ...
Emmy Christiansen rating5

2024 at Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation

I have had one of the best weeks of my life. Not only Australia, but the team here has been wonderful! We learned so many interesting things about the indigenous culture. And I had never seen so many beautiful marine creatures. I’ll never forget this adventure. Thank ...

Location

Asia > South East Asia > Indonesia > Balikpapan

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Volunteer Abroad  >  Animals  >  Wildlife Conservation in Indonesia
Contact Tracy
  Very high response rate
English

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