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Camp Leakey

Camp Leakey

Camp Leakey
4.5
Nature & Wildlife Areas
About
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles163 reviews
Excellent
125
Very good
33
Average
3
Poor
2
Terrible
0

BrookeMorales
London, UK1,940 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
Camp Leakey is situated in the beautiful Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo.
You will either have a local guide who does different stops with you or stay on one of the boats for a couple of nights.
The camp is very interesting, especially if you read up on Dr Galdikas' story and the work she has done there.
It is amazing to see the orangutans in their natural habitat. At a certain time, the park staff put fruit and yams out for the orangutans to eat. Nice to watch, whereas seeing them in the forest, away from the feeding station, is even more special.
People are the only problem here, often loud and disrespectful towards the animals.
Written August 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BoĹĽena Z
Gdansk, Poland139 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Friends
Klotok 3-days trip was a perfect experience. We travel with Isai, who was born in Dajak tribe. Local perfect guide, knows everything about orangutans, has perfect contact with the, and we can approach them with his company very close. Then a walk in the jungle, he showed us trees and plans. He know, which can be used as food, which can be used as medication. It is a pitty we did not have time to visit interior. Maybe next time. Isai kalimantan orangutan guide we perfect experience.
Written June 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ikemax
Perth, Australia507 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2013 • Couples
Much has been said about this trip and we have to add our bit. Yes it is really very very good. In fact better than we expected. Camp Leakey a joy thank goodness for the people who have worked and still work so hard to save the forests and animals.The boat was wonderful, comfortable, clean and was well set up with several sleeping and sitting options. The food was excellent. We had the boat to ourselves, 2 people and slept on deck under a mosquito net, it was magic with the forrest sounds and fireflies.
Travelling up the river was so nice and serene the river is beautiful. It was easy to spot various animals, especially Proboscis monkeys, birds and Orangutans. The walking into the forrest at the stops was easy, more like a stroll and the forrest was diverse. Our guide Fardi was very knowledgeable and friendly, he seems to get a lot of good reports and they are well deserved. Fardi can arrange a complete trip his email -fardibornean@yahoo.com.
At no time during the trip did we see any person or guide try to feed or touch the orangutans. Anything we had anticipated as being of concern such as mosquitos, leeches, rain or heat was not an issue, there was nothing to worry about.
Getting there via internal flights adds to the cost, but considering that you would be paying to stay and eat somewhere, the cost of the trip was very reasonable. We paid $650 AU for 3 nights 4 days, which included transferes from the airport and a tour thro Kumai and Pangkalan Bun.
Domestic air fares were easy to book using 'Mau ke mana' 'Indonesianmatters'. Thanks Chris.
Most important message we have about this place is do it. You will love it.
Written April 14, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

IndiaCairns
Cairns90 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2013 • Couples
It is hard to believe that 40 years ago, the world knew very little about orang-utans – “people of the forest”. Today our knowledge is primarily due to the extensive research and observations undertaken by Dr Birute Galdikas, a scientist and primatologist who arrived at Tanjung Puting National Park back in 1971 and along with her husband Mr Rod Brindamour established Camp Leakey. From this base they ventured out into the swamp forest sometimes in waist high water to follow and learn more about these incredible animals who share 97% of our DNA. Whilst research still continues today from Camp Leakey, visitors are also welcome to visit and experience the daily afternoon feeding.

The only way to visit Camp Leakey is by klotok - a double storey boat that looks like it is straight out of the movie “African Queen”. These vessel’s depart from Kumai and travel up the Sekonyer River into the Tanjung Puting National Park and you can either chose to overnight on the deck of the klotok or stay at the only accommodation on the river, Rimba Lodge. The journey up the Sekonyer River also allows you the opportunity to relax to the sounds and smells of the rainforest and spot both bird and animal life and if you are lucky possibly wild orang-utans. Included in the price of your klotok is a National Park fee which covers your entry into Tanjung Puting National Park however all the facilities that you see at both Camp Leakey and Pondok Tanggui (Camp 2) including the feeding platforms, food, staff, uniforms etc. is funded by the non-Government Organisation, the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) who makes your experience possible. Please if you have the opportunity to visit this orang-utan haven make a contribution to this foundation which operates solely on 100% donations and does not receive any financial support from your visit unless you make a donation. This organisation is not only fighting to protect the Orang-utan’s and also their habitat which is home to numerous other mammals, insects, birds and plant life. It is truly a magical place and one that we hope to revisit in the coming years. It is a place where you should only leave your footprints and take with you precious memories and photographs.
Written February 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kathy K
loomis ca970 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2012 • Couples
Lots of Orangutans on dock and at feeding platform. Excellent photo opportunities. What I didnt appreciate was how crew from klotoks were allowed to feed the animals, rice, coffee, etc.
Written October 19, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Qwelt
Chennai District, India528 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Couples
We ( me and my wife) visited this place on 13th April, 2014. We have visited Tanjung Puting on 12th and also we saw orangutans in Gunung Leuser in Sumatra. But this was the best of all! On the way to the feeding station, we spotted many orangutans and one of them was really entertaining all of us for more than 30 minutes as we were playing with him. We also saw one Gibbon and several orangutan in the feeding station. We spent more than 2 hours and could have seen more than 12 or so. While returning, we saw a mother and 2 children gang and we were walking along with them! Quite a nice experience!
Written April 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hedonist_Australia
Buderim, Australia382 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We were cruising on the small adventure ship, Orion with the focus on orang-utan. If you are really serious about this focus, Orion is the professional way to pursue it. Naturalists on board gave us detailed lectures and a guest primate speaker from Toronga Zoo in Sydney was able to really help us understand about primates. We were given access to the care and rehabilitation centre (not open to normal tourists), which is close to Kumai, where we could nurse baby animals and wrestle ( in the full sense of the word) 7 year olds. At Camp Leakey we got up close and dirty with huge animals. Dr Virute Galdikas, the person who started the centre 40+ years ago, was there and provided additional information. Each Orion guest had donated to the centre so was given a photo of the named animal they sponsored ( serendipitously our animal is Douglas and my dead brother's name is just that -eerie!). We intend to have 4 babies named after our grand sons. Since the animals live into their 60s, it could be an interesting and positive move. We saw other animals that day both at the Camp and during the long boat journey on the river. An unforgettable experience
Written August 24, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suz
Leeds, UK86 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2013 • Friends
Travelling to the camp is great and better in the slow chugging boats rather than speed boats, great trek into see orangutans and gibbons so close it is hard to believe, care needs to be taken to watch bags and back away if orangs get too near, the young teens are cheeky! Mum and baby amazing and although it is very very special the increasing number of tourists are making some of the orangs a little shy. Visit but stay quiet and just watch them go about their normal day. Beautiful photos but also unexpected male orang assaults on female orangs - they do not usually mate with young babies and watching forced encounters can be disturbing If you realise what is going on - one visitor thought the female orang was being a 'hussy' when she was actually being assaulted!

It is a shame the locals aren't allow to sell cold drinks or local art work but they aren't. Bush loos only - take water and mosi spray and definitely your camera - amazing!
Written November 3, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Katrina O
Beerwah, Australia104 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2013 • Friends
Amazing place, worth the boat trip up there. Dont do the 1 day speed boat, do the 3 day lazy trip, it is fantastic.
We went to Kalimantan for the sole purpose of going to Camp Leakey and we were not disappointed.
Written April 27, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott A
Chicago, IL24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014 • Couples
Camp Leakey was absolutely one of the most amazing things my wife and I have ever done.

We flew from Jakarta to Kalimantan and took a private klotok boat up the river to the Rimba Lodge. The Rimba Lodge is a small (~20 room) eco-lodge that shares its profits with the orangutan conservation efforts. It is the perfect location to visit Camp Leakey and other smaller areas as well.

At Camp Leakey you can first visit a small two room museum with facts about the conservation efforts and the history of the camp. Then a half-mile trek into the jungle to the feeding station where everyday the park rangers dump fruit (usually bananas) onto a raised platform and call for the orangutans. The orangutans then come out from the jungle, sometimes in droves, to the feeding station that is just 20-30 feet away from you! Sometimes they will walk right through the crowds of people! The proximity to these amazing creatures and their inquisitive nature led to the most amazing pictures I have ever taken. Plus, at any time there were only 15-20 people at the feeding station so crowds are never a problem.

Be warned you are in a jungle, so proper care about mosquitoes is absolutely necessary. Additionally, while not necessarily a hike I wouldn't recommend it for those who don't like to get a little sweaty with the humidity and heat. The tour guides are good about bringing water and snacks if you need it but given the location, Camp Leakey and the surrounding area is something that should probably be done over the course of a few days due to the time taken to get there. My wife and I did the trip in 3 full days, which I would recommend.

Orangutans are incredibly and in perpetual danger as a species. Go to Camp Leakey to not only experience them in their natural environment (1000x better than even the best zoo could ever offer) but also to help with the conservation effort. You won't regret it!
Written September 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Camp Leakey - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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