Orangutans are Asia’s only great apes and the largest tree-dwelling mammals on Earth. All three species, the Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans, are Critically Endangered, mainly because of forest loss to logging, fires and plantations. Seeing an orangutan in its rainforest home is a profound experience, and responsible tourism helps make standing forests more valuable than cleared ones.
Wild or rehabilitated?
- Rehabilitation centres care for orphaned or rescued orangutans and prepare them for release. Visitors watch feeding sessions from platforms. Sightings are almost certain, but the animals are semi-wild.
- Wild orangutans live in forests such as the Kinabatangan floodplain and Danum Valley. Sightings are not guaranteed but are more rewarding. Good guides and time are essential.
Most itineraries combine both.
Best places in Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak)
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sabah
Founded in 1964 near Sandakan, Sepilok is the most famous centre. Twice-daily feedings take place on a platform in the forest, and an indoor nursery lets you watch young orangutans learning to climb. Nearby, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre and the Rainforest Discovery Centre canopy walkway are well worth a visit.
Kinabatangan River, Sabah
Sabah’s longest river flows through a narrow corridor of floodplain forest surrounded by plantations. Boat cruises at dawn and dusk give good chances of wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys, Bornean pygmy elephants, long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques, crocodiles and all eight Bornean hornbill species. Lodges cluster around Sukau and Bilit.
Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah
A protected area of ancient lowland dipterocarp rainforest. It is one of the best places in Borneo to see wild orangutans, as well as gibbons, red leaf monkeys, flying squirrels, clouded leopards (rare) and many birds. Accommodation is limited, so book early.
Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah
A large reserve near Lahad Datu with mud volcanoes, night drives and a chance of orangutans, pygmy elephants and leopard cats.
Semenggoh Nature Reserve, Sarawak
About 30 minutes from Kuching, Semenggoh is home to semi-wild orangutans that live in the forest and may come to feeding stations. During fruiting seasons they may stay away, a sign of their independence. Nearby Bako National Park is excellent for proboscis monkeys.
Best places in Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan)
Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan
Travellers explore the park on a klotok, a wooden riverboat where you eat and sleep on deck, moving between feeding stations such as Camp Leakey. The primatologist Biruté Galdikas began her long-term orangutan research here in 1971. The river journey through swamp forest is a highlight.
Sebangau National Park, Central Kalimantan
A large peat swamp forest with one of the largest wild orangutan populations in Borneo. Visiting is more adventurous.
Sumatra
Bukit Lawang, Gunung Leuser National Park
On the edge of the vast Gunung Leuser ecosystem, Bukit Lawang offers jungle treks to see Sumatran orangutans, many of them descendants of rehabilitated animals, as well as Thomas’s leaf monkeys and white-handed gibbons. Choose a licensed guide who does not feed orangutans.
Tapanuli orangutans
The Tapanuli orangutan was described as a new species in 2017 and lives only in the Batang Toru forest of North Sumatra. With fewer than 800 individuals, it is the rarest great ape. Tourism here is minimal and research-focused.
When to go
Orangutans can be seen all year. The drier months, roughly March to October, make trails and rivers easier. Wetter months bring more fruiting trees in some areas, which can make feeding stations quieter as orangutans find food in the forest.
Ethical guidelines
- Stay at least 10 metres away. Orangutans are susceptible to human diseases such as colds and flu. Do not visit if you are ill.
- Never feed or touch orangutans, even if they approach you.
- No flash photography, and keep your voice low.
- Avoid attractions that offer photos with orangutans or keep them in cages for entertainment.
- Choose certified sustainable palm oil products at home, and support organisations working on forest protection and restoration.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to see wild orangutans in Borneo? Danum Valley and the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, and Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, offer some of the best chances.
Is Sepilok ethical? Sepilok is a genuine rehabilitation centre that cares for orphaned orangutans and prepares them for release. Visitors watch from platforms and do not touch the animals.
Can I see orangutans in Sumatra? Yes. Bukit Lawang, on the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park, is the most popular place to see Sumatran orangutans on guided treks.
How long do I need? Plan at least four to six days in Sabah to combine Sepilok, the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley, or three to four days on a klotok in Tanjung Puting.
Related guides
- Wildlife of Asia
- Responsible wildlife tourism
- Komodo National Park guide
- Animal profiles: Bornean Orangutan, Sunda Pangolin, Saltwater Crocodile
Cover photo: Nanosanchez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons