- Seeing orang-utans in the wild in Gunung Leuser N.P.
- Track Komodo dragons on Komodo and Rinca islands
- Snorkel with colourful fish and possibly even Manta rays and turtles
- Ubud, the heart of Bali's artistic community

Primates & Dragons of Indonesia
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- Primates & Dragons of Indonesia
Reviews
Add your own reviewMismanaged, poorly prepared and mis-sold
If you are considering booking this trip, please do be aware of the following: – The “hike” on “local trails” on day two of the trip is, in actuality, a walk down the town’s high street past all of the local tourist hotels and restaurants. – Exodus do not check the internal flights with the airline. As such, you may miss multiple days of your trip should the airline reschedule flights as Exodus will not be aware. – Exodus do not check whether Rinca Island is open. Therefore, should the island close for construction works, as it did for two years during the pandemic, you will lose out on the dragons part of the Primates and Dragons trip. – Manta Rays, are not regularly seen at Manta Point, they are instead seasonal visitors to the area with sightings outside a few months exceedingly rare due to the roughness of the sea Unfortunately, our trip encountered all of these issues and more. Exodus utterly failed to deliver nearly any part of this trip as advertised and in the aftermath have deliberately misinterpreted our complaints, refused to take responsibility for their failings and refused to make adequate amends. This was our fourth trip with Exodus. After thoroughly enjoying the first three, we never want to travel with Exodus again.
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, although we are genuinely sorry that you were disappointed with several aspects of your trip to Indonesia and that this has discouraged you from travelling with Exodus again. The regrettable issues your group encountered were the result of flight schedule changes, which affected the planned itinerary, and the unexpected closure of Rinca Island, both of which were outside Exodus’ control. We understand that our customer services team have been in contact since your return and I hope that they are able to resolve your concerns as we wish that, in time, you might consider travelling with us again. We, nevertheless, remain apologetic that your recent experience did not meet your expectations.
Kelly Reid, Product Manager
Excellent trip - full of variety
I loved the variety in this trip, it’s three different holidays in two weeks ! From jungle hiking in Sumatra to seas and sunsets in Flores and finally Bali for temples, the beach and chilling.
Despite the distances covered and three flights, it doesn’t feel like you are always on the move as when you get to a location you stay for several days. All the accommodation was good and well located and the Indonesian people are lovely and welcoming. Food on the boat is exceptional and sleeping on deck is an experience.
An excellent guide and fantastic travel companions made this a highly memorable trip
Most Inspirational Moment
The main highlights were obviously seeing the orangutans and Komodo dragons and we saw both. We were lucky to have the opportunity to watch several orangutan mothers with their babies in close proximity and we saw plenty of dragons on both Rinca and Komodo islands. Other highlights were watching the fruit bats fly at sunset and watching the playful monkeys in Ubud. I also did an optional horse riding excursion (from Sanur) which unexpectedly included a visit to a turtle conservation area where we saw just hatched baby turtles.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Wira was an excellent guide. He usually does the activity based trips in Bali, but had stepped in to take this tour as Elly was unavailable. Wira was always laughing, approachable, organised, practical, knowledgeable and sociable, he was always prepared to go the extra mile for you. Additionally, the local guides that accompany you in Sumatra and Flores are excellent. Wira had to deal with a couple of situations which he did quickly and effectively and he couldn't apologise enough for a couple of issues that were completely beyond his control. He helped to arrange some optional excursions that were "not on the list" and even joined a few of us on one of them.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take decent walking boots, I'm glad I did especially for the 2nd day "long" walk in Gunang Leuser National Park. They provide walking sticks (no need to pack one)- I was grateful for the one I used though it does become a liability when trying to take photos ! If you are offered the opportunity to visit the Bat Cave - it's not for the faint-hearted, lots of rocks and scrambling (I had to bail part way through) A few of us wanted to do different excursions to those presented to us on the list. So from Sanur, 5 of us went horse riding on the beach with Bali Horse Riding who were very professional, taking time to assess your ability and matching you with one of their well looked after horses. Most of us slept on the boat deck for both nights. If you go July, I recommend taking something warm to sleep in. I wore my jacket and leggings both nights and many of us added socks for night two ! Some of our group got the chance to see Manta Rays at Manta Point, so make sure you are "snorkel ready" with your underwater camera when the boat gets there. Some of us also wanted to visit Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, so Wira arranged a driver for us and actually came with us. He even arranged the hotel to do breakfast e=half and hour earlier so we could leave and get there before any of the tourist buses. We watched the locals go about their prayers, saw a cremation purification ceremony and got "classic" photos of the temple (minus hoards of tourists). We then went onto the Jatiluwih rice terraces which were beautiful and so much less touristy than the ones we'd seen the previous day on the itinerary trip. We left at 7.15am and we were back for 1.15pm and it cost us about £7/8 each (including driver's trip) well worth it. If you want to do the optional half day trip to Tanah Lot temple from Sanur, I would ask your guide if you could arrange to leave earlier than scheduled, we left at 8.15am and got stuck in the dreadful traffic and consequently we were rushed around the temple.
Suggestions
As with any trip, it depends on your interests and attitude as to whether it's the one for you. But if you like some variety in a trip, I highly recommend this one.
Primates and Dragons May 2019
A well organised trip. The chief guide was excellent as were all the additional guides.
The accommodation was first class with a variety from Eco Lodges to top hotels.
The tour was arranged to see the maximum sights during the 3 week period – but at times there seemed too many options and a slower pace would have improved the trip. Of necessity there were lots of internal flights that had to be endured!
As a group we all mixed in -we varied from 3 couples and 6 singles but all meals etc. went well.
An enjoyable trip that ticked all the photo opportunities with a blend of local culture for interest.
Most Inspirational Moment
The most hilarious moment was during our watch of the Orang-utangs when another visitor had left his back-pack open and this was spotted by a sharp-eyed male who shot down from his tree, snatched a crisp -packet from the bag and shot up another tree where he ripped open the packet and starting eating the crisps - never underestimate the intelligence of a primate!! My other memory is of the traffic and the number of mopeds all overtaking cars and lorries with abandon and with no overt action from the car,etc. being overtaken - a lesson in politeness for Westerners!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elly our group leader was very efficient and got us in a group to the right place at the right time - no mean feat considering all the different ways of travel.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a poncho as it can rain heavily.
Amazing wildlife
A fantastic holiday, you see and do a lot including the two main highlights of the trip (Orangutans & Komodo Dragons) in a beautiful country. The trip is very well organised so it’s not too hectic or tiring but full of great experiences.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the Orangutans. There was a moment when a baby was one tree away from it's mother and the mother reached her hand out for the baby to take before helping her swing into the other tree. It was such a human-like moment between a mother and child, wonderful to spend time with such a beautiful species.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elly was brilliant, every things she did was to ensure we enjoyed the trip and made fantastic memories. She kept an eye on us all when snorkelling, ensured we had the best photo opportunities and gave us ointments to put on sunburn when needed!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring a t-shirt / rash vest for snorkelling, the sun is incredibly strong and it's very easy to get burnt.
A wonderful guide and very well organised trip
The trip was very well organised and the local guides were incredible. Although the trip is only 2 weeks long we were able to pack a huge amount and sample the diversity of Indonesia, with some level of flexibility. From the Orangutans in the North to the Komodo dragons and Manta rays in the south. This trip has it all and so much more. It was amazing to respectively see these creatures in the wild.
Elly, our guide, is filled with so much joy and enthusiasm. It was lovely that although she has done this trip many times, she is filled with just as much awe as us tourists at Indonesia’s natural world.
We could have perhaps done with a little less time in Bali but other than that I have no complaints! I hope one day I will be back and be able to visit the local people I can now proudly call friends.
Most Inspirational Moment
Swimming with the manta rays was extraordinary.
Amazing adventures
This trip packs in so much. Close encounters with orangutans, Komodo dragons and an amazing amount of marine life on the best coral we have ever seen. All the hotels used were lovely with nice pools to relax by. Our guide Elly was lovely and local guides on trips couldn’t have been nicer. Wonderful food including an amazing jungle picnic. Really felt well looked after on this trip. Wish I could go back right now!
Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to select one....there were so many! Being so close to a huge but very placid male orangutan and his family. Especially when he stood up and wanderered about on two legs so close to us.
Thoughts on Group Leader
She was lovely. Very caring to the whole group
Advice for Potential Travellers
Volunteer to sleep on the deck of the boat. Cabins are a bit stuffy in the heat. Take your own towels on board. Jungle treck needs a reasonable level of fitness but you can go as slow as you want. Plenty of guides around to help.
Suggestions
On Summatra we had a lovely village walk including time spent talking to the schoolchildren. It would have been nice if we could have helped the local environment as we walked round e.g a voluntary litter collection .
what an amazing trip
This was an exceptional trip. Our guide Elly was very caring, had a great sense of humour,was incredibly well organised and ensured everything went smoothly.The itinerary was extremely varied but the pace of the trip was not too frenetic. The hotels were all very comfortable with lots of character.Seeing orang utans in the wild was a real highlight( saw 6 in total) in the jungles of Sumatra. What I particularly enjoyed was snorkelling in the seas off Rinca and Komodo.Whilst I primarily booked the trip to see the Komodo dragons the quality of the coral and abundance and variety of fish was magical.I have snorkelled and dived all over the world and this is the best I have ever seen.Swimming with 10 Manta rays was absolutely incredible.I would definitely recommend this trip
Most Inspirational Moment
Swimming with manta rays
Thoughts on Group Leader
excellent
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you have suitable sun protection for snorkelling .Buy an underwater camera
Suggestions
I would recommend extending your trip to include Mt Bromo and Borobudur in Java and booking the rafting trips in Bali.
Superb wildlife and varied itinerary
This is a highly varied trip which includes a number of iconic species (Orangutans, Thomas Leaf Monkeys, Macaques, Komodo Dragons) and great scenery alongside local culture and beaches. I was initially worried about the amount of internal travelling, but it was broken up quite nicely and didn’t make things tiring at all. The leaders make a point of saying animal sightings aren’t guaranteed, but we saw lots.
Most Inspirational Moment
The jungle walks in North Sumatra were the true highlight of the trip for me, meeting the Orangutans and Thomas Leaf Monkeys. The people of N Sumatra are also extremely friendly, and clearly enjoyed meeting us as much as we did they; that was really inspirational.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elly was superb, nothing was too much trouble for her, and she always went the extra mile to make our holiday special and share her knowledge and information. In each area we used local specialist guides, who were without exception ultra friendly and helpful.
Amazing wildlife
I really enjoyed this trip and I was very lucky with all the wild life I saw. The people of Indonesia are really friendly and it was great to see so much of the country
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the wild orangutans and komodo dragons in there natural environment was unforgettable
Thoughts on Group Leader
My group leader was Elly. She's great, very passionate about Indonesia and its wildlife. She was always happy to help with any thing.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If your into photography but want to travel light this may help. I took my DSLR with just a zoom lens 300m for the wildlife, my compact for everything else and my gopro for a few videos. On one of my free days I went on a quad bike tour in Bali. It wasn't on the list of things but Elly sorted it out for me. I definitely recommend doing this.
Suggestions
This is a great trip, You will love it 😁
Hectic but very rewarding trip
This trip fits a lot in to the two weeks but delivers some very special experiences with both the orangutans and the komodo dragons so it is well worth the hardship of some early starts and long travel days. The accommodation is generally good although the boat is rather basic, but this is a small price to pay for the excellent snorkelling and komodo dragon sightings that the boat makes possible. The food on the boat is both tasty and plentiful and the crew very obliging.
Overall this is an excellent trip and a rare opportunity to see both orangutans and komodo dragons as well as experiencing life in three areas of Indonesia.
Most Inspirational Moment
The first sighting of the orangutans was soon after we started our first jungle trek and was a special moment, especially as they seemed so comfortable with us being so close. This was just the beginning of our trek and was followed by many more sightings including some very playful infants and an impressive mature male. The komodo dragons were no less impressive and watching a female dragon who was guarding her nest full of eggs erupt in to action to chase off another dragon who was looking to eat the eggs is a moment that I will not forget.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elly was an excellent leader. Good company, very professional and a capable problem solver as well as being around when ever she was needed, including some late nights when the group went on from the evening meal for some music and beers and Elly made sure we all got home safely!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Its generally hot and humid and we had nightly heavy rain when in the Sumatra jungle so a light weight waterproof jacket/poncho is useful. Pack light and get laundry done half way through the trip in Sanur, the Swastika bungalows did a good job with our laundry (24 hour turn around) for very small cost. Take a t shirt or rash vest for the snorkelling to avoid sun burnt shoulders and a torch or head lamp for the boat at night (generator off at night by group decision to enjoy the silence) and in case of power cuts in the other hotels.
Start
Finish
Availability
Adult Price From
Optional Single Supplement
Sunday Saturday
11 Jun 2023 10 Jun 2023
Saturday Sunday
24 Jun 2023 25 Jun 2023
Availability Sold Out
Adult Price From CAD 5,695
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 542
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
25 Jun 2023 24 Jun 2023
Saturday Sunday
08 Jul 2023 09 Jul 2023
Availability Guaranteed (On Request)
Adult Price From Usually CAD 5,699Now CAD 5,145Saving CAD 554 Usually CAD 8,074Now Saving CAD 554
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 542
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and can be booked, although some components will need to be requested. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
03 Sep 2023 02 Sep 2023
Saturday Sunday
16 Sep 2023 17 Sep 2023
Availability Sold Out
Adult Price From CAD 5,695
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 542
Available upon Request
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
01 Oct 2023 30 Sep 2023
Saturday Sunday
14 Oct 2023 15 Oct 2023
Availability Guaranteed (Limited) Only 4 spaces left!
Adult Price From CAD 5,695
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 542
Available upon Request
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
09 Jun 2024 08 Jun 2024
Saturday Sunday
22 Jun 2024 23 Jun 2024
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From CAD 6,095
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 570
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
23 Jun 2024 22 Jun 2024
Saturday Sunday
06 Jul 2024 07 Jul 2024
Availability Available
Adult Price From CAD 6,095
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 570
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
01 Sep 2024 31 Aug 2024
Saturday Sunday
14 Sep 2024 15 Sep 2024
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From CAD 6,175
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 570
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
29 Sep 2024 28 Sep 2024
Saturday Sunday
12 Oct 2024 13 Oct 2024
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From CAD 6,095
Optional Single Supplement +CAD 570
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesWould you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
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