We have people trek with us from every corner of the world and recently we were excited to host El Rowland (@elerowland_) and Lee Carseldine (@leecarseldine) on a 5 day tour!

Remember El and Lee from Survivor AU ’17?

Lee and El Survivor

From their time competing for the title of Survivor in the rainforests of Samoa (El finishing 3rd and Lee runner up!) the pair have kept travelling, choosing destinations that satisfy their common love for the road less travelled.

And so, Travelee was born. El and Lee created Travelee to bring ecotourism to their audience, through the ‘Travel Deeper’ series. Their first stop? Borneo, with Bain and our team at OTT, as part of the Travelee Orangutan Project.

We spoke to El about her experience with our team, and Travelee’s plans for the future.

El and Lee in Borneo

Hi El! First question, why did you choose Borneo to be the first leg of your Go Deeper series, instead of somewhere more popular like Bali?

El: It’s been a dream of mine since I was little to see orangutans. Both Lee and I love animals and nature, so Borneo fit in perfectly with what we were trying to achieve with the visit.

What did you learn from Bain and the Green Team about the situation in Borneo's rainforest?

During our trek, we quickly learnt how serious the situation is. Bain told us how important it is to act now, before palm oil plantations take over the majority of Borneo.

Once that happens, the orangutans and other animals that rely on the rainforests will become extinct.

El And Lee Survivor Orangutan

What was both of your favourite parts of the trekking experience?

El: Travelling by klotok and having the boat to ourselves a lot of the time was really special, especially when we spotted wildlife along the way. It felt very personal and gave me the chance to get back to nature and really take it all in. Watching the stars by night and seeing the fireflies light up the surrounding forests was a surreal experience.

Lee: I have never been so up and close with wildlife as I was on this trip. To capture it all in their natural habitat was incredible. I loved learning about the Green Team and what they do, and now feel really drawn to this cause. Overall the whole experience blew me away and I’ll definitely be coming back to help again.

What's the most important thing you want people to know about Borneo, its people and its wildlife?

Borneo is filled with all things beautiful. The people are incredibly loving, the nature breathes life into you and the wildlife leaves you speechless. If you get the chance to experience it yourself, it will change your life.

Unfortunately, money is taking over and destroying everything I mentioned above. It needs our help to preserve it, but we can’t do it alone.

orangutan camp leakey

How are you going to take what you learnt home and spread the message about the situation in Borneo?

We’re going to do what we can to ensure everyone makes going to Borneo and seeing the country, people and wildlife part of their bucket list – like it was ours! We definitely plan to talk about it to everyone we know and spread the word!

What's next for Travelee? Will all of your travel be conservation based?

We have a plan but we aren’t giving away anything just yet! Travelee is all about conservation, whether that’s towards our beautiful earth, our innocent wildlife or the souls that walk on it. Stay tuned! You can follow our adventures on our personal Instagrams, or on Travelee’s: instagram.com/travelee_au.

El Rowland Borneo

El and Lee made Borneo the first part of their Orangutan Project, and their first ever Travelee experience. Their trek changed their lives, and added another cause to their mission. 

Are you ready for your life changing experience in

Borneo’s rainforest?

Make sure you check out our tours and join us!

Watch Travelee’s incredible video of their trek!

EXPLORE OUR GROUP TREKKING TOURS!