Borneo family holiday to see Orangutans

On this trip: Your stay near to Batang Ai, heartland of the longhouse communities, helps to create a mutual appreciation of cultures and an evening with the Iban people is very rewarding. There’s lots of opportunity to interact with the local people, plus to learn about the foods, wildlife and culture of Borneo. Our entrance fees to Mt. Kinabalu National Park, Sepilok and Turtle Island go towards important conservation – you can see this in action as the rangers collect the eggs.

Your stay at Ulu Ai, Nanga Sumpa, is a community project set up by our local ground agent and run by a village tourism committee. The Batang Ai area was where the Iban first settled approximately 400-500 years ago and, until relatively recently, was difficult to access. Your longhouse visit gives a true picture of the Iban lifestyle, culture and hospitality; the Iban people are boatmen, guides and helpers, and have been trained for accepting visitors alongside their normal farming life. Food - particularly fruit and vegetables - is bought from locals wherever possible. An educational fund for longhouse children has also been started through a scholarship fund and money is paid into it for every guest who stays there. Money from the accommodation payments is also being used for ongoing longhouse maintenance. Incentives are offered for protecting the orang-utans in a nearby nature reserve, and it is hoped that improved water supplies and health care projects will be possible soon.

Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us.

Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems.

Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full.

Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book.