WILD INDONESIA!

Orangutans & Komodo Dragons


Experience Highlights
  • Photograph endangered orangutans and other tropical wildlife in their natural environment, away from the crowds.s & Other Wildlife

  • Go beyond-the-beaten-path on Komodo Island to photograph Komodo dragons in private photo sessions not available to regular tourists.

  • Capture golden hour seascapes and landscapes of remote tropical islands

  • Enjoy the beautiful beaches, fantastic reefs and amazing snorkeling of Komodo National Park. We may encounter manta rays and other marine wildlife with a bit of luck.

At A Glance

June 26 - July 5, 2025

Starts/Ends:
Jakarta, Indonesia

$8750 Double Occupancy
Single Lodging Available (additional cost)

$1,500 Deposit

What's Included: Lodging, Most Meals (see itinerary), Internal flights, Transportation, Guides & Photography Instruction

What's Not Included: International Airfare to/from Jakarta, Tourist Visa, Travel Insurance, Personal Expenses (including alcohol), Meals not specified in itinerary, Gratuities. Anything not specifically listed as included

Man of the Forest
We begin our photography adventure on the Indonesian island of Borneo, home of the mythical Man of the Forest, also known as the Red Ape or Borneo Orangutan. We will spend multiple days photographing orangutans in their natural environment. We will also travel the river by boat in search of other wildlife such as birds, proboscis monkeys, and if we are really lucky, a clouded leopard.

Land of Dragons
After we finish in the forests of Borneo, we will travel to a completely different environment to a series of islands that is home to the World’s largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, where we will spend multiple days photographing them in their natural environment.

Night Photo Safaris and Macro Photography
The nightlife in Indonesia is stunning! This is a great opportunity to learn about macro photography and “herping.” For those not familiar with herping, our target will be to find beautiful snake species such as the Borneo pit viper and the Indonesian pit viper. A blue variant of the Indonesian pit viper exists only in Komodo and is a rare species that’s considered a holy grail sighting among herpetologists.

Beautiful Beaches & Reefs
Komodo National Park boasts some of the richest reefs on the planet! With beautiful pink sand beaches and crystal-clear blue waters, it’s hard not to dive in!

Ready to Join the Adventure?

  • Leighton Lum

    Hawaii native Leighton Lum’s jaw-dropping images simply speak for themselves. Led by his creative eye and passion for adventure, Leighton has traveled the globe to destinations like Africa, South America, Iceland, Indonesia, and Antarctica, leading photography workshops and making his own award-winning photographs. Leighton hopes his photography inspires others and raises awareness about conservation to ensure future generations can enjoy the natural world he cherishes. In addition to his on-land photography skills, Leighton is also an avid scuba diver and drone pilot. Check out a selection of Leighton’s images here.

    Ken Lee

    Ken Lee, the founder Art of Seeing Photography Adventures is as passionate about helping others grow as photographers as he is about creating his own images. Ken’s Whole Brain approach to teaching photography addresses both the Craft (gear, technique, post-processing) and Creative (Composition & the Photographer’s Eye) aspects of image-making – and the completely different approaches needed to master both. Click the links to read more about Ken Lee and The Art of Seeing, what you can expect from an Art of Seeing workshop, or to see examples of Ken’s photography.

  • We understand life happens and plans may change. If you need to cancel your reservation, the following policies apply to this workshop:

    Deposits are NOT refundable but may be transferrable to another Art of Seeing workshop for up to 24 months from date of cancellation in accordance with the following schedule:

    Regardless of when you cancel, if we fill your spot*, you will receive a refund of all fees paid less your deposit and $150 processing fee. If we cannot fill your spot, the amount of your refund is based upon the cancellation date:

    • Cancellation 120 days or more from workshop start date: 100% refund of fees paid less deposit and $150 processing fee. Deposit transferrable up to 24 mos.

    • Cancellation 90 – 120 days from workshop start date: 50% refund of fees paid less deposit and $150 processing fee. Deposit forfeit.

    • Cancellation less than 90 days from workshop start date: No refunds.

    *canceled spots are filled after the workshop reaches full capacity

    Click here to read our complete Terms & Conditions

    We highly encourage participants to purchase travel insurance to recover expenses not covered by our Cancellations & Refunds policy in case you need to cancel your reservation. 

  • If  you’ve traveled with us before, we want to thank you with discounts of future trips. View details of our Alumni Rewards program 

  • FAQs

    Q: Are domestic flights included

    A: Yes all domestic flights are included. You must get to and from Jakarta (CGK)

    Q: What is the weather like?

    A: Expect hot weather and medium to high humidity). Typical daytime temperatures are in the high 80’s F with roughly 80 percent humidity. Borneo (orangutans) can be especially humid. Borneo is also a rain forest so expect some rain, which can be heavy at times but usually short-lived in duration. The seas around Komodo island are typically calm with beautiful weather, warm but a nice breeze.

    Q: What sort of equipment do we need for macro photography?

    We will be working with off-camera flashes, which usually involves a wireless trigger and flash units. Each participant will have to take turns when photographing a subject as we do not want to stress an animal out.

Day Date Itinerary Overnight Meals Included
1 June 26 Jakarta – upon arrival at Jakarta (CGK) airport, proceed through Passport Control, collect your luggage, and then board a free shuttle to our nearby hotel where you can relax after your long flight.

At 4pm the group will gather for a Workshop Overview meeting followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at FM7 airport hotel.
Jakarta Hotel D
2 June 27 Jakarta – Borneo - after an early breakfast, we’ll catch our flight to Palangkaraya airport (PKY) on the island of Borneo.

Our guides will be waiting to transport us to our home in the jungle for the next 3 nights. After getting settled, we’ll head out by boat to Orangutan Island for our first photo session with the orangutans. Overnight at Borneo Jungle Lodge.
Borneo Jungle Lodge B, L, D
3 June 28 Borneo – morning shoot with the orangutans following an early breakfast. Then we board our river boat to explore, looking for other wildlife. Return to the lodge for lunch and a break before heading out for our afternoon shoot at a different location that the orangutans frequent. After dinner, we may also go back into the forest to see Borneo’s night activity. Overnight at Borneo Jungle Lodge. Borneo Jungle Lodge B, L, D
4 June 29 Borneo – Our schedule today is the same as the previous day. Depending on the group’s preference, we may add a Lightroom post-processing session after lunch. Borneo Jungle Lodge B, L, D
5 June 30 Borneo-Jakarta – Another early start, but this time we travel back to the airport after breakfast to catch our morning flight back to Jakarta. Remainder of the day at your leisure. We will have an optional editing session and photography presentations at our hotel. Jakarta Hotel B
6 July 1 Jakarta – At Sea (Private Charter boat) – Back to the airport in the morning for our flight to Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park. Our wonderful guides will be waiting to transport us to our private charter boat, our home for the next 4 days. Once on board, we’ll set sail for Rinca Island and our first encounter with the legendary Komodo Dragons. Komodo Private Charter Boat B, L, D
7 July 2 At Sea (Private Charter boat) – early morning shoot with Komodo dragons on Rinca island. We return to our boat for breakfast and then set sail for Padar island. Work on organizing and editing your images by yourself or one-on-one with Ken or Leighton along the way. Or just relax and enjoy the scenery and warm ocean breeze.

In the afternoon we will depart the boat and take a short hike on Padar Island. This hike offers the best view in Komodo National Park! After dinner, we will go back out to check out the nightlife and do some macro photography. Great chance for pit viper photography.
Komodo Private Charter Boat B, L, D
8 July 3 At Sea (Private Charter boat) – optional sunrise shoot on Padar Island. This is an amazing place for drone photography. Back to our boat for breakfast and then sail onward to Komodo Island. If time permits, we will do some snorkeling around the famous Pink sand beach. We conclude the day with a sunset shoot with the Komodo dragons. Komodo Private Charter Boat B, L, D
9 July 4 At Sea – Jakarta – the boat will start moving early in the morning as we make our way back to Labuan Bajo. We will check out Manta Point to see if the manta rays are in the area. After some snorkeling, we make our way back to port for our flight back to Jakarta. Komodo Private Charter Boat B, L
10 July 5 Jakarta – Home – catch the free shuttle to the airport at your convenience for your trip home. Jakarta Hotel B

Note: this itinerary describes our general plan but is subject to change without notice due to weather, logistical considerations or other reasons.

More Photography Adventures!

Whether your passion is wildlife, landscape or cultural photography (or all of the above), we’ve got you covered. Click here to view all of Art of Seeing’s Photography Adventures!