Primates & Dragons of Indonesia

Come face to face with two of Indonesia's most mesmerising inhabitants, Orang-utans and Komodo dragons

‘Here there be dragons’ goes the old cartographer’s adage, and in Indonesia there are, with forked tongues, poisonous saliva and scaly bodies. Tracking Komodo dragons in the archipelago of the same name is just one of the experiences this vast country offers us on this two week trip through Sumatra, Bali and Komodo. We explore the jungles around Bukit Lawang looking for Orang-utans and various monkeys, take to the seas as we snorkel with a myriad of colourful fish and possibly swim with Manta rays and uncover the culture and natural beauty of central Bali.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips which improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• At Rinca and Komodo, local villagers make and sell wood carvings for visitors who wish to purchase, which financially supports these fishing dependent villages.
• For example, we often use Bukit Lawang Ecolodge, which is a not-for-profit organisation run by ‘Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari’, which means the Foundation for a Sustainable Ecosystem. Money spent here goes directly back into community development and nature conservation.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
  
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• The Exodus Travels Foundation has launched the Community Kickstart Project to help our destination communities recover and rebuild following the impact of COVID-19. In Indonesia, we’ve contributed to the Eco-brick Building initiative, more details can be found here.

 Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about Exodus Travels’ Planet Promise here, including our rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at some accommodation and restaurants.
• This trip favours locally-owned and run accommodation including the Bukit Lawang Ecolodge.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Cultural respect:
  • Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country so modest dress is required on this trip when visiting holy sites (i.e. legs, shoulders, and upper arms to be covered as well as a headscarf for women).
  • One should not show the soles of their feet or touch someone’s head, both are considered disrespectful.

Visa

Indonesia

Many nationalities can apply for a 30-day visa on arrival at Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Batam, Bali and Yogyakarta at a cost of 500,000 Indonesian rupiah (approximately US$33). Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/indonesia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/indonesia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/indonesia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Indonesia.html

Vaccination

Indonesia

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, polio, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. There is also a high risk of malaria in Irian Jaya (Papua) and low risk in Bali, Lombok, Java and Sumatra. Please speak to your doctor or travel clinic for the best course of action on all the above.

You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Additionally, dengue and zika fevers are known risks in places visited. Both are spread by mosquitoes. There are currently no vaccines or prophylaxes available; therefore, we recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners are included.

Food is cheap in Indonesia and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Western food is available in Ubud and Sanur though it is well worth trying the local cuisine. In more touristy areas, especially Ubud, there is a lot of food options and some fantastic restaurants and coffee shops catering for all tastes and requirements.

Indonesian cuisine is generally fairly simple, with rice as the main staple, though noodles are also common, accompanied by dishes created with various spices including coriander, cloves and chilies as well as coconut and lemon grass. Fish, unsurprisingly is popular but other meats are also common. 

Peanuts are a popular ingredient especially in dishes such as sate or gado gado and you should inform Exodus and your tour leader if you have a peanut allergy. Nasi (rice) and Mie (noodles) are very popular, especially the staple dish Nasi Goreng (fried rice). Quite often tea or water (aqua) is drunk with a meal. Beer is not always cold and coffee is unfiltered and usually very sugary.

Vegetarian food is available in Indonesia, however the concept of vegetarianism can be misunderstood so if you are a vegetarian please be clear and state that you don't eat meat, chicken or fish. Please advise at time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

Weather

Indonesia has an equatorial monsoon climate with the weather remaining similar throughout the year. It is hot and humid; temperatures range from 23-33ºC during the day and rarely drop below 20ºC at night. In the mountains temperatures are much cooler and on the coast sea breezes usually keep temperatures comfortable. In most parts of Indonesia the long rainy season falls between late October and early May, though rain occurs throughout the year. Rain tends to come in sudden tropical downpours.

Weather Charts

Medan

Denpasar

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 2- Leisurely/Moderate

This holiday is designed so that you can see the two main wildlife highlights of Indonesia in a relatively short period of time. There is plenty to see in the time you are there, and although there is a lot of travelling involved, everything is scheduled so that it doesn't feel too rushed. On most travel days the average travelling time is between 4-6 hours though traffic is, often, the determining factor into how long journeys take. There is plenty of time for sightseeing and the trip has stops where we spend two or more nights. Due to the vagaries of internal flight schedules in Indonesia, travelling from Medan to Labuan Bajo normally requires two days so we have broken up the journey with a stop-over in Sanur to make the journey less stressful and allowing us to see a different side of Bali to the region of Ubud we visit at the end of the trip.

The wildlife tracking is fairly accessible and should not be too hard for anyone with reasonable fitness, though the jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang, especially the longer optional hike, should not be underestimated. This takes place in hot and humid conditions along, potentially slippery, mountainous terrain littered with roots and good walking shoes/boots are highly recommended, especially if it has been raining. There are local young men who can assist you for a small fee should you wish it. The walks on the islands of Komodo and Rinca are not too strenuous.

When we visit Komodo National Park we spend two nights on the boat where the sleeping arrangements are basic. There is a mix of bunk beds and mattresses on deck. Many people, however, enjoy sleeping on the deck under the stars. Spending 2 nights onboard the boat allows us to maximise wildlife viewing around the islands and to try and see as much as possible.

During the time spent on the boat, please be advised that there could be a possibility of a changed itinerary/route according to weather conditions at the time to ensure overall group safety and enjoyment.

When travelling in some areas of the country, service may not be as fast or reliable as you are used to in other countries and Indonesian attitudes towards certain things such as animal welfare and food may differ from your own.

That said, if you come ready for an experience, the country's reward's will not fail to deliver. Local guides in Komodo warn that women who are experiencing their period should avoid visiting as the smell of blood may attract the dragons. We have consulted with various people who have years of experience with the islands and the dragons and as long as normal precautions are taken, and that you stay with the group (which people should do in all cases anyway), the risk is negligible.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.