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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
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Once your dates are confirmed, pay your program fee—choose to pay in full or in easy installments.
Secure Your Spot
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Want to volunteer with wildlife, restore rainforests, and protect sea turtles in Borneo?
Our Travel Roots Ultimate Borneo Guardian program:is an epic 4-8 week journey through the forests, villages, and tropical islands of East Kalimantan—designed for those who want to give their all and experience it all.
This is a full conservation cycle—from rescuing wildlife and rehabilitating habitat, to safeguarding sea turtle nesting beaches in the remote Berau archipelago.
Over four transformative weeks, you’ll rotate through three major field bases:
Week 1 – Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre: Assist keepers in caring for rescued animals, building enrichments, and supporting daily operations at Borneo’s only multi-species wildlife sanctuary.
Week 2 – Forest Restoration in Merabu or Merasa: Join the reforestation team to plant trees, maintain corridors, survey tracks, and hike through vital rainforest regeneration zones.
Weeks 3 & 4 – Turtle Conservation on Balembangan Island: Travel to the remote marine frontier of Borneo. Work alongside local experts to protect sea turtle nests, release hatchlings, conduct beach patrols, and collect valuable conservation data.
Conservation Duties Include:
Wildlife husbandry and enrichment
Tree planting, trail clearing, and forest surveys
Turtle nest protection and monitoring
Hatchling release and beach patrols
Community education and conservation outreach
Data recording and biodiversity documentation
Adventures You’ll Experience:
Trekking limestone cliffs and discovering jungle waterfalls
Immersing in Dayak culture and learning traditional fishing techniques
Swimming, snorkelling, and stargazing from a remote island
Watching baby turtles take their first steps into the sea
This is more than just a volunteering program. It’s an expedition—where every week builds your skills, every environment opens your heart, and every moment counts.
By volunteering on our Ultimate Borneo Guardian program, you will:
Experience the full conservation cycle—rescue, restore, and protect—across three extraordinary ecosystems
Work at Borneo’s only multi-species wildlife rescue centre, assisting with daily animal care and enrichment
Reforest degraded habitats and contribute to the long-term recovery of Borneo’s native wildlife corridors
Patrol nesting beaches, protect turtle eggs, and release hatchlings into the ocean
Swim, snorkel, and live on a remote tropical island in the Berau archipelago
Develop diverse, transferable conservation skills in animal care, marine ecology, and field research
Immerse yourself in Indigenous Dayak culture, learning from local traditions and forging real community connections
Return home with expanded knowledge, global friendships, and the deep satisfaction of leaving a lasting impact
What to Expect: A Day in the Life of a Ultimate Borneo Guardian
This four-week expedition is designed to keep you active, immersed, and inspired—from forest floors to island shores. While your tasks shift with each phase, every day blends hands-on conservation with cultural discovery and once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
Week 1 – Wildlife Rescue (Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre)
Mornings start early with feeding, enclosure cleaning, and enrichment creation. Midday brings rest and cultural sessions. Afternoons focus on behavioural observation, education support, or light maintenance. Evenings include jungle walks, fire-side chats, or quiet downtime beneath the stars.Typical Day:
6:30 AM – Wake up in the jungle
7:00 AM – Animal care routines
10:00 AM – Creative enrichment or trail work
12:30 PM – Lunch & rest
2:00 PM – Wildlife observation or cultural workshops
5:00 PM – River swim or hammock break
7:00 PM – Dinner & storytelling with locals or teammates
Week 2 – Forest Restoration (Merabu or Merasa)
Expect full days of trekking, planting, and surveying. You’ll rise with the sun, hike to remote sites, and return fulfilled, muddy, and proud. You’ll also experience jungle lakes, medicinal plant walks, and unforgettable forest views.Typical Day:
6:00 AM – Early breakfast
7:00 AM – Fieldwork (planting, data collection)
11:30 AM – Return for lunch
2:00 PM – Community-led workshops or eco-education
4:00 PM – Waterfall swim or forest walk
7:00 PM – Dinner and reflection
Weeks 3 & 4 – Turtle Conservation (Balembangan Island)
Island life moves with the tides. Mornings may be for surveying nests or swimming with turtles in the reef. Afternoons include community talks or habitat care. Night patrols give you the chance to witness nesting mothers and help protect hatchlings under the moonlight.Typical Day:
7:00 AM – Turtle tank feeding or nest monitoring
10:00 AM – Marine debris collection or reef observation
12:30 PM – Island-style lunch with the team
2:00 PM – Educational outreach or data entry
5:00 PM – Beach cleanup or snorkel session
9:00 PM – Night patrol (as scheduled)
This is conservation in motion. Each week offers new landscapes, new skills, and new reasons to care.
Your Impact as a Volunteer
The Ultimate Borneo Guardian program is more than a volunteering opportunity—it's a holistic contribution to a thriving conservation network. Over four weeks, your impact ripples across land, wildlife, oceans, and communities.
At the Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre, your hands help heal. By feeding, cleaning, and enriching the lives of rescued animals, you provide the physical and emotional care they need to recover from trauma and captivity.
In the rainforest, your footsteps matter. Every tree you plant, every invasive vine you remove, every corridor you maintain plays a role in stitching together fragmented habitats. This is long-term ecosystem repair in action—boosting biodiversity and giving endangered species like orangutans and sun bears a fighting chance.
On Balembangan Island, you become a guardian of the ocean. Protecting turtle nests, patrolling beaches, and releasing hatchlings contributes to the survival of species whose futures are at risk due to pollution, poaching, and climate change.
But your greatest legacy may lie in the connections you form—with nature, with Indigenous communities, and within yourself. You’ll leave not only having made a difference, but equipped with new conservation skills, a global mindset, and the confidence to carry this impact into your next chapter—wherever in the world it may lead.
Jungle, Village, and Island Life—All in One Journey
During your month-long experience, you’ll live in three incredible yet distinct environments—each reflecting the raw beauty of Borneo’s wild places. While the settings change, the atmosphere remains constant: simple, communal, and deeply immersive.
Week 1 – Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre (Forest Basecamp)
Stay in rustic jungle huts tucked within the rainforest canopy. You’ll sleep to the sounds of nocturnal wildlife and wake to mist rising through the trees.Rooms: Shared wooden huts or dormitory-style cabins
Facilities: Shared bathrooms, cold-water showers, filtered water
Atmosphere: Jungle peace, outdoor dining, and night skies filled with stars
Week 2 – Forest Conservation Base (Merabu or Merasa)
Your reforestation week takes you into a remote Indigenous village or a mobile forest camp, where you’ll be embraced by Dayak culture and rainforest rhythms.Accommodation:
• Village guesthouses with traditional Dayak architecture
• Or basic forest shelters for off-grid campingFacilities: Bucket showers or river bathing, squat toilets, and solar lighting
Meals: Cooked on-site by locals using fresh, locally sourced ingredients
Weeks 3 & 4 – Balembangan Island (Turtle Conservation Camp)
Live on a remote island in the Berau archipelago surrounded by coral reefs and nesting beaches. This is where the jungle meets the sea.Accommodation: Shared island bungalows or simple beachfront huts
Facilities: Basic bathrooms, cold showers, filtered water, and generator or solar electricity
Extras: Hammocks, ocean views, and daily snorkel opportunities just steps from your room
Throughout the journey, you’ll learn to live light, live slow, and live intentionally—with nature always just outside your door.
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
Ultimate Borneo Guardian Program Fees
Duration Total Fee (€) Daily Equivalent
4 Weeks €1806 €64/day
Looking to stay longer or experience more?
We can build on this journey to create you your perfect tailor made program.What’s Included:
✔️ Accommodation at all three project locations (forest, village, island)
✔️ Three fresh, locally prepared meals per day
✔️ All project-based transportation between sites
✔️ Field equipment and materials for all conservation tasks
✔️ Domestic airport transfers
✔️ Welcome pack full of necessary and useful info
✔️ Certificate of completion at the end of your placement
✔️ Expert guidance and training from experienced field professionals
✔️ Full support before, during, and after your program
✔️ 100% Cancellation Money-Back Guarantee
✔️ So much moreYour Investment in Conservation—and in Yourself
This isn’t just a fee—it’s a contribution to long-term conservation, and a personal investment in your growth.
Your program fee supports:
Daily care and rehabilitation of rescued wildlife
Reforestation of vital rainforest corridors
Sea turtle nest protection and hatchling releases
Community-led conservation and environmental education
Local employment and Indigenous partnerships
Ongoing data collection and conservation research
And for you? It’s four weeks of real-world experience in conservation science, wildlife handling, ecosystem restoration, and community engagement. The skills you gain—ecological, practical, and personal—are yours to take anywhere in the world.
Where You’ll Be – From Rainforest to Coral Reef
Your month-long expedition will take you across three remarkable regions in East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo—each with its own unique ecosystem, rhythm, and cultural heartbeat.
Long Sam Wildlife Rescue Centre
Your journey begins deep in the forest at Long Sam, home to Borneo’s first multi-species wildlife rescue facility. Tucked alongside the Sekonyer River, this jungle base is alive with the sounds of gibbons, macaques, and hornbills. It’s remote and rugged, yet welcoming—where simple wooden huts rest beneath a canopy of towering dipterocarp trees. The rescue centre is surrounded by lowland rainforest and limestone cliffs, offering endless trails and lookouts for after-work exploration.
Merasa Dayak Village & Reforestation Zone
In your second week, you’ll travel to Merasa or neighbouring Merabu—traditional Dayak villages nestled at the edge of protected forest reserves. These Indigenous communities have stewarded Borneo’s forests for generations. Here, you'll trek jungle paths to reach reforestation sites, cool off in hidden waterfalls, and learn how local wisdom is central to modern conservation. Expect a warm welcome, rich cultural exchange, and powerful lessons on how people and nature coexist.
Balembangan Island – Turtle Conservation Site
Your final two weeks take you from forest to sea. Located in the Berau archipelago off the coast of Kalimantan, Balembangan is a pristine tropical island fringed with coral reefs and dotted with sea turtle nesting beaches. Life here is beautifully simple—white sand, open skies, and the rhythm of waves. The island’s remoteness makes it an ideal haven for conservation. You’ll patrol under starlight, swim with turtles by day, and sleep just steps from the shoreline.
Indonesia – The Wild Heart of Southeast Asia
Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, and Indonesian Kalimantan is its wildest region—known for its lush biodiversity, rich Indigenous culture, and fragile ecosystems under threat. Expect a hot, humid tropical climate year-round (28–32°C), dramatic downpours that bring the forest to life, and landscapes that change with each leg of your journey.
From the jungle canopy to coastal reefs, this program gives you an unmatched perspective of Borneo’s ecological richness—and your role in protecting it.
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.
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