Conservation: Flores & Rinca Island, INDONESIA
If you are interested to learn about the largest living species of lizard, snorkel on some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs & immerse yourself in Indonesian culture…you may want to start packing your bags for the Komodo – Flores island trip!
On Day 1 we’ll be spending the night in Jakarta, before an early transfer to Flores Island the next day, where we will conduct a snorkel training session & start work on our coral reef restoration project. On Day 3 we will visit Sdi Nanga Nae - a local school which is severely underfunded in the area and welcomes any help in the form of supplies or voluntary work. You will design & lead fun and educational activities with the local students – an incredibly rewarding experience for everyone involved! The afternoon sees us visit the Batu Cermin Limstone Caves, an incredible place to explore and be introduced to geologic concepts. The sun shines through a gap in the rock and bounces light to areas deep inside the cave, hence the name Batu Cermin which translates as ‘Mirror Rock’ in Indonesian. On Day 4 we start our adventurous mountain trek in Mbeliling Rainforest Reserve, with stunning views (600m above sea level!) and incredible wildlife to spot along the way. Key species to spot include the endemic orange hooded guinea Fowl, downy woodpecker, zebra dove, wild pigs and long-tailed macaques. The morning of Day 5 sees us complete our coral reef restoration project, where we deploy our artificial structures in an area of damaged reef in the water. We will then transfer by boat to a more pristine coral reef for an afternoon snorkelling & exploring Kanawa Island. Perhaps the highlight of the trip is the full boat day on Day 6, where we head to Rinca Island to see the Komodo Dragons! You’ll learn how to steer & navigate the boat, as well as keeping a lookout for the Bottlenose Dolphins & Manta-rays. There are also some of the world’s most pristine coral reef sites to snorkel at en-route to Rinca, where we can spot species such as the Green Sea Turtle. On our final morning we will explore the mangrove ecosystem & conduct a coastal clean-up, before departing back home in the afternoon. We hope to see you in Flores-Komodo island! NB: Students must be able to swim for this trip. Leader: Ms Lau
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