LOS ANGELES, January 31, 2013 ― In 2011, Orangutan Odysseys was founded to provide animal-loving adventure seekers with the rare opportunity to sojourn into exotic regions of Malaysia and Indonesia to observe and learn about one of nature’s most endearing and endangered great apes, the orangutan. 

Australians Garry Sundin and Peter Miller started Orangutan Odysseys with the intention of saving the environment through tourism. Their goal is not only to provide adventure but also to shine a light on the environmental concerns, starting with orangutans; a percentage of the fees go toward saving them. With an incredible and diverse variety of experiences, ranging from photography trips to extreme hikes, they are the only travel company with itineraries to every orangutan destination on the planet. 

In 1900, it was believed that there were more than 300,000 of these magnificent animals across the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. Due primarily to deforestation by the palm oil industry, this number over the past century has plummeted to as low as 60,000. Thanks in part to a decrease in demand for palm oil combined with awareness of the orangutan’s plight, the decrease in population has stabilized, but continued awareness could help cause a surge in the population of these gentle giants. 

Orangutan Odysseys presents animal enthusiasts with a multitude of ways to see orangutans in their natural environment. Whether it is trekking across mountaintops or taking a guided boat trip up some of the world’s most remote rivers, this travel company works with individuals to find the perfect way to suit the traveler’s needs. 

Lonely Planet’s Michael Taylor offers photography enthusiasts opportunities to go by car, boat and foot for eleven days into some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful jungles. This world-renowned photographer, who has dedicated much of his career to photographing orangutans, offers professional services at no cost. Instead, fees are donated back to several orangutan conservation efforts. While the treks are challenging, they are manageable for both adults and children. 

Dr. Gary Shapiro, a noted orangutan scientist, who worked in the late 1970s teaching orangutans in Tanjung Puting National Park to communicate with sign language, also offers eight day treks. These begin in Bali and go into Borneo where guests spend three nights eating and sleeping in the jungle. On this trek, you will not only see orangutans in the wild, you will see formerly captive orangutans that now roam free but have become accustomed to being around humans, giving trekkers a chance to observe them in their natural environments without the apes being afraid. 

These tours are just some of the many that Orangutan Odysseys offer. Working alongside dozens of local conservation groups, Orangutan Odysseys is an educationally oriented adventure company that not only teams up with global conservation leaders to save these animals, but also to ensure that their message gets out. In helping them do so, participants have the experience of a lifetime. 

 

To learn about more available tours, go to http://www.orangutanodysseys.com/.

 

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