Frequently Asked Questions

Please email or call Irene Spencer at irene@orangutan.travel or 619-574-1371 to determine if there is availability on your desired departure. If so, please fill out the online application with your credit card deposit. No space is held without a deposit.

You must be 15 years of age to participate on the group trips. If you are under 18 you must be accompanied by a adult.

Irene can arrange your air travel if you live in the U.S. or Canada. There is a 50.00 per person processing fee for air tickets. Tickets can also be arranged if you live elsewhere but the rates may not be as competitive. You need to be in Jakarta on the first day of the trip. It is best to arrive in the afternoon. For maximum enjoyment of your trip, we recommend you come in a day early to get over jet lag and acclimate to the time change. Please ask for the rate for the extra hotel night if you do choose to arrive early.

You must be in good physical condition and be able to walk on uneven surfaces. There are no mountains, hills or long distances to walk. If you are over 75 we may require a doctors letter stating that you are in good health. We are in a remote area and medical facilities are limited.

There are no barriers between you and the orangutans. We ask that you respect them and do not approach them first. It is up to the orangutans if they come over to you. We will monitor the situation and advise accordingly.

It is possible to arrange a private trip but you would not have Dr.Galdikas as your naturalist. Price would depend on length of time spent in Kalimantan and the rest of your chosen itinerary.

Nothing is required but some are strongly recommended. We are not physicians and cannot provide you with specific medical advice. We recommend that you to check with your personal physician who is familiar with your health history. Local travel clinics or the Center for Disease Control (CDC) or the World Heath Organization (WHO) are also good sources. See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect!

CDC recommends the following vaccines

• Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)
• Hepatitis B if you might be exposed to blood 'for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, stay longer than 6 months in the region, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not complete the series as infants.
• Typhoid vaccination is particularly important because of the presence of S. Typhoid strains resistant to multiple antibiotics in this region.
• As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles, and a one-time dose of polio for adults.
• Malarial prophylactics. Most travelers to Asia at risk for malaria should take prescription medication to prevent malaria. Recommended for extended travel outside of metropolitan areas; check with your personal physician

When you arrive by plane there will be a representative from the Sheraton Hotel holding up a sign. If there is a problem you can go downstairs to the Sheraton Kiosk and take the free airport shuttle to the Sheraton Hotel. If you still have trouble, take a taxi; the Sheraton is 2 miles from the airport.

All clients should be prepared for the unlikely possibility of a travel delay. We cannot be responsible for canceled or delayed flights. Assuming you will do absolutely no shopping, the bare minimum you would need for a one week trip would be about $350.00-500.00 USD. Obviously the sky (and your bank balance) is the limit.

Travelers checks are useless in Borneo. Do not count on a credit card to provide you with the necessary cash for your trip. Visa is more widely accepted than MasterCard or American Express. Credit cards are not accepted at the Rimba Lodge and there are no ATM machines readily available. It is best to change money into Rupiah upon arrival at the ATM at the Jakarta airport. You will not have an opportunity to exchange money once you are in Borneo. U.S. dollars or other foreign currency is not accepted in Borneo.

Important! Your passport must be valid for six months beyond your return date. Your passport must have one blank visa page (the pages in your passport that state “visa” at the top) for each country which requires a visa to enter.
Indonesia: Visa required for most nationalities. The visa can be obtained upon arrival for $25 USD per person

We have arranged custom travel for many participants either before or after OFI trips. See the Custom Travel section of this web site.

The lighter the better; this is a very casual trip in a tropical destination. Quick dry long pants are recommended; not jeans. The newer light-weight quick drying fabrics (not cotton) are the best. Dr.Galdikas does not permit shorts or tank tops on the OFI trips.

At the Rimba Lodge it depends upon the weather. At the Blue Kecubung there is laundry service.

There is mobile phone service when we are in Pangkalanbun. There is an internet cafe a couple of blocks from the Blue Kecubung. There is no phone service or internet at the Rimba Lodge.

Yes, but if you have multiple items to charge you are advised to bring an extension cord with extra outlets as the number of outlets locally are limited.

Indonesia uses the two-prong European plug. You do not need a converter unless you are bringing a hair dryer or curling iron which is not dual current or you have very sensitive equipment. If you have very sensitive equipment you may need a surge protector as sometimes there are power surges.