Step 1
Step 3
Step 2
You’ll be matched with your personal volunteer travel expert who’ll guide you every step of the way.
Meet Your Travel Expert
Receive your welcome pack with everything you need: arrival info, contacts, visa and insurance help, packing tips, vaccines, language basics, and so much more.
Get Ready to Go!
Choose your dream project and apply for free—no commitment, just excitement!
Pick Your Destination & Apply
Step 2
Step 3
Once your dates are confirmed, pay your program fee—choose to pay in full or in easy installments.
Secure Your Spot
Step 4
.jpg)
Want to volunteer at a Wildlife Rescue Centre in Borneo?
Our Travel Roots: Adventure with a Purpose programinvites you to spend a transformative week at the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre—a pioneering sanctuary that aids all wildlife species, not just one. It’s the first of its kind in Borneo, and a place where no two days are the same.
This is your chance to go beyond traditional travel and contribute to meaningful conservation work. You’ll work side-by-side with trained wildlife keepers and help care for rescued animals, from feeding and enclosure cleaning to enrichment design and maintenance of the sanctuary grounds.
But this program goes beyond purpose—it’s also packed with unforgettable adventure. You’ll trek through lush rainforest trails, learn to fish like a local, and connect with the rich cultural traditions of the Dayak people in Merasa Village. This is conservation, connection, and wild exploration all in one.
What You’ll Do:
Assist with daily animal husbandry: feeding, cleaning, and care
Create enrichment activities to encourage natural behaviour
Maintain the rescue centre grounds and assist with small facility projects
Support the team in any new rescues or wildlife emergencies that arise
Learn about the centre’s role in the broader conservation landscape of Borneo
Your Adventure also Includes:
A guided trek through the jungle to a lookout viewpoint
Discovering the White Rock Face and panoramic viewing platform
Cultural immersion in Merasa Dayak Village
Learning traditional fishing methods from local villagers
By volunteering on our Adventure with a Purpose program, you will:
Support one of Borneo’s most inclusive wildlife rescue centres, helping care for diverse rescued species
Gain hands-on experience in wildlife husbandry, enrichment, and sanctuary maintenance
Immerse yourself in the daily routines of trained keepers and conservation professionals
Hike through untouched jungle to breathtaking lookouts and limestone rock faces
Connect with the Dayak culture of Merasa Village through shared meals and traditions
Learn to fish like the locals and develop a deeper understanding of sustainable living
Experience a meaningful and adventurous week that blends real impact with exploration
What to Expect: A Day in the Life of an Animal Keeper Volunteer
A week at the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre is a beautiful balance of meaningful conservation work and cultural exploration. Each day brings a new challenge—and a new reason to fall in love with Borneo.
Example Day at the Rescue Centre:
7:00 AM – Morning Briefing & Animal Routines
Start the day with the wildlife keepers. Prepare feeds, clean enclosures, and observe the animals’ behaviours.9:30 AM – Enrichment Creation
Get creative by designing enrichment tools for rescued wildlife—climbing ropes, hidden treats, or sensory puzzles that mimic wild behaviours.12:00 PM – Lunch Break
Enjoy a hearty meal at the centre and take time to relax in the forested surroundings.1:30 PM – Grounds Maintenance or Small Projects
Assist with upkeep tasks such as trail clearing, fence checks, or light construction to improve the sanctuary’s infrastructure.3:30 PM – Wildlife Observation or Training
Join the team for behavioural observation or help prepare educational materials for school visits.5:00 PM – Free Time or Cultural Exchange
Wind down with fellow volunteers, go for a river swim, or take part in traditional village activities.Adventure Days Include:
Jungle trekking to panoramic lookout points
Discovering Borneo’s iconic White Rock Face
Visiting Merasa Dayak Village for an authentic cultural experience
Learning traditional fishing methods from local families
Every day is different—but each one brings you closer to nature, culture, and purpose.
Your Impact as a Volunteer
Every task you take on during this program contributes directly to a brighter, more sustainable future for Borneo’s wildlife and people.
At the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre, your support makes it possible to provide daily care, enrichment, and rehabilitation to animals rescued from the illegal pet trade, human-wildlife conflict, or deforestation.
By helping to clean enclosures, prepare food, and create naturalistic enrichment, you play a vital role in giving these animals dignity, stimulation, and the best chance at recovery.
But your impact stretches beyond the sanctuary walls. By simply being present—living in the local village, learning from the Dayak community, and sharing your energy—you help create a bridge between cultures, and shine a light on how conservation and community development can work hand-in-hand.
You’re not just assisting with animal care. You’re contributing to the success of a locally led conservation model—one that combines ancient wisdom with modern action, and protects not just species, but entire ecosystems.
Your Jungle Base at Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre
During your stay, you’ll live right in the heart of the forest at the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre. The accommodation is rustic yet welcoming—designed to keep you close to nature while ensuring your basic comforts are met. You’ll be surrounded by towering trees, birdsong at sunrise, and the calls of wildlife echoing through the canopy.
What to Expect:
Private & Shared rooms in simple, wooden jungle huts or dormitories
Mosquito nets and fans provided for comfort and protection
Shared bathroom facilities with western toilets and basic showers
Communal dining and relaxing areas for socialising, journaling, or enjoying the view
Home-cooked local meals prepared by the on-site team
Filtered drinking water available throughout your stay
Sustainable Living:
The rescue centre practices low-impact living. You’ll use eco-friendly toiletries, recycle waste, and take part in communal clean-up efforts—living as part of the conservation solution from day one.
Staying here isn’t about luxury—it’s about immersion, purpose, and being part of something bigger than yourself.
History
Our trusted partner in Borneo is a grassroots conservation initiative built from the heart of the forest. The founders—indigenous leaders Parsianus, Paulinus, and Susilawati—combined their traditional wisdom with modern ecological practices to form a bold new movement. Their work began with defending ancestral land rights and has grown into one of the most dynamic conservation networks in Indonesia.
At the centre of their operations is the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre—Borneo’s first and only multi-species wildlife sanctuary. But their mission doesn’t stop there. With thousands of supporters and the establishment of ecotourism villages, forest patrol units, and youth education programs, their impact spans land, sea, and community.
What started as a local movement has become a global call to action.
Mission & Vision
The mission is clear: to restore balance between humans, forests, and wildlife. Through a three-pronged approach—wildlife rescue, forest protection and reforestation, and community empowerment—they are building a future where conservation is led by those who live closest to nature.
Their vision is a world where everyone becomes a guardian of the Earth—whether you’re planting a tree, rehabilitating an animal, or simply choosing to live more consciously. Volunteers like you help bring this vision to life—one species, one forest, one story at a time.
Program Fees & What’s Included
Adventure with a Purpose Program Fees
Duration Total Fee (€) Daily Equivalent
1 Week €505 €72/day
Looking to stay longer or experience more?
You can build on this journey by joining:A Path to Recovery (2 weeks): Includes all the above plus an extra week focused on forest restoration and trekking in Merabu or Merasa village. (Further details can be found HERE)
The Ultimate Borneo Guardian (4 weeks): Combines the rescue centre, reforestation, and marine turtle conservation on a remote island paradise. (Further details can be found HERE)
Each extended program includes additional training, adventures, and contributions to even wider areas of conservation.
What’s Included
✔️ Shared jungle accommodation at the wildlife rescue centre
✔️ All meals and filtered drinking water
✔️ Hands-on wildlife experience alongside trained professionals
✔️ Cultural exchange with the Dayak community
✔️ Adventure activities: trekking, traditional fishing, and sightseeing
✔️ Welcome pack full of necessary and useful info
✔️ Domestic airport or project site transfers
✔️ Expert guidance and training from experienced field professionals
✔️ Full support before, during, and after your program
✔️ Certificate of completion
✔️ 100% Cancellation Money-Back Guarantee
✔️ So much more...Payment Terms
Fees are due 30 days before your start date.
If applying within 30 days of arrival, full payment is due within 48 hours of confirmation.
Your Investment in Wildlife, Culture & Yourself
Volunteering at the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre is more than just a journey—it’s a meaningful investment in ethical animal care, community-driven conservation, and your own personal growth.
Your contribution enables round-the-clock care for rescued wildlife and supports a centre that is one-of-a-kind in Borneo.
It also fuels your own development—helping you gain valuable field experience in animal husbandry, conservation, teamwork, and cultural immersion.
The skills, insight, and friendships you build will travel with you long after the jungle fades into memory.
Where You’ll Be – Long Sam, Heart of Borneo’s Interior
Tucked inside the lush lowland rainforests of East Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre sits beside the Sekonyer River, a tributary that threads through emerald jungle and limestone outcrops.
The nearest sizeable town is Tanjung Redeb, reached by a half-day overland journey followed by a boat ride that winds past giant dipterocarp trees and aquamarine forest pools. Nights are serenaded by cicadas and gibbons; mornings begin with mist rising from the canopy right outside your door.
The centre lies on Dayak ancestral land, and nearby Merasa Village welcomes you into its long-house traditions, blow-pipe stories, and forest-foraging wisdom. Trails lead from camp to panoramic look-out points, hidden waterfalls, and the striking white-limestone rock face that towers above the green.
Borneo – One Island, Three Nations, Infinite Life
Shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, Borneo is one of Earth’s oldest and most biodiverse islands. Its rainforests—some over 130 million years old—harbour orangutans, clouded leopards, sun bears, and thousands of plant species found nowhere else.
These forests also store vast carbon reserves and regulate regional climate, making their protection critical far beyond Southeast Asia.
Deforestation for timber and oil-palm, along with illegal wildlife trade, threatens this ecological jewel. By volunteering here, you become part of a frontline movement that blends Indigenous knowledge with modern conservation to safeguard both culture and wilderness.
Expect tropical heat (28-32 °C), afternoon showers that keep the forest vibrant, and star-filled nights unmarred by city lights—a remote, raw, and rewarding backdrop for purposeful adventure.
Your week in the forest isn’t just about giving—it’s about experiencing the adventure of a lifetime. In between your wildlife duties and cultural immersion, you’ll have time to explore one of Borneo’s most spectacular and untouched regions.
White Rock Face Discovery
Hike to the foot of a towering limestone cliff that rises from the rainforest canopy. Climb to the viewing platform for panoramic jungle views that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Jungle Trekking & Wildlife Tracking
Go on guided forest treks in search of animal tracks, medicinal plants, and hidden natural wonders. You’ll learn how to read the jungle the way the locals do.
Traditional Fishing Experience
Learn to fish with handmade nets and local methods passed down through generations. A peaceful and immersive moment with Merasa’s riverside traditions.
Merasa Dayak Village Visit
Spend time with the Dayak people of Merasa, one of Borneo’s most welcoming Indigenous communities. You’ll share meals, stories, and music, and experience life inside a traditional longhouse.
River Swimming & Forest Walks
Cool off in pristine jungle streams or take an evening walk to spot fireflies and listen for the echoing calls of hornbills and gibbons.
Evenings at Camp
Unwind with your fellow volunteers, swap stories around the dinner table, or gaze at a sky glittering with stars completely free of light pollution.
%20%20%C2%A9%20APE%20Malaysia%20Mark%20Louis%20Benedict%20_JPG.jpg)
