Arkitrek Camp3

24th June- 29th July 2012, Upper Baram, Sarawak.

The deadline for deposit payment to sign up for this Camp is Monday 30th April 2012

The Arkitrek Camps deliver innovative and inspirational design to social and environmental organisations. The program for Arkitrek Camp3 June 2012 is to build a trekking camp in the tropical rainforest of Sarawak for Picnic With The Penan, a tourism program owned and operated by the indigenous Penan community.

The challenge to the Arkitrek Camp3 team is to design and build a contemporary camp which responds to it’s environment, is confortable, durable and images of which can be used to promote responsible community based tourism.

Traditionally the Penan would build a new camp 100% out of forest materials on each occasion that it is used. While this is perfectly adapted to their nomadic or semi-nomadic forest lifestyle, it does not suit trekking tourism which must use the same camp regularly. Forest materials do not last long and the maintenance demands of a fixed camp would quickly denude the surrounding jungle and comprimise the ability of the forest to regenerate.

This trip will be challenging, both physically and mentally and so is best suited to intrepid, open minded and reasonably fit travellers. Rising to the intellectual challenge of the design brief whilst learning how to live in the Jungle from the ‘true forest experts’ will make this Arkitrek Camp especially rewarding.

Contact us for a detailed project brief and itinerary. Leave your number if you would like us to contact you by phone.

INCLUDED
• Arrival and Departure transfers
• Orientation & Safety briefs
• Fully staffed camps and local guides
• All course material and facilitation by experienced staff
• Full board accommodation throughout (traditional style buildings and hammocks)
• Unlimited Drinking water in camps
• Logistical support for construction
• Emergency management plan
• Risk assessments for all activities and locations
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NOT INCLUDED
• International and domestic flights
• Personal spending money
• Arrival and departure fees into Malaysia (Normally free but can depend on nationality/passport held)
• Insurance
• Vaccinations
• Personal equipment
• Drinks other than drinking water provided
• Personal laundry
• Tips or gratuities
• Meals other than those provided
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COST The cost per person for this trip is GBP £1650 per person. This is based on a minimum team size of 8 and a maximum of 15.

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Sample Itinerary

The program itinerary is designed to provide an appropriate balance between teambuilding, design, research and construction.

Teambuilding stage

Arrive in the coastal city of Miri and check into Hotel for the night. Spend the day getting supplies, welcome briefing, and adjusting to heat and humidity. This will give you an oppurtunity to buy adidas kampung (an absolute necessity for your jungle adventure), batteries, eat some local cuisine, etc.

From Miri the team will fly to Long Akah where we will get 4×4 transport to Long Lamam. We will walk 2 ½ hours from logging road to Long Ajeng where we will settle in for 2 nights to be immersed in Penan culture and experience the village lifestyle. Group will sleep in a longhouse, that is a common living space for the Penan community.

By now you will be getting to know your fellow participants and will begin to absorb local culture and tradition. This process will be helped along by the Arkitrek facilitation team and local experts.

Site Analysis and Design Brief

The group will walk for 3 ½ hours to the Arkitrek Camp3 project site below Batu Siman, where an awesome limestone pinnacle know as Batu Kuhyat (monkey rock) rises out of the forest. There is an extensive cave system that wraps through the pinnacle and a large troop of Long-Tailed Macaques living around it. Sleeping at the site will be in expedition hammocks. There will be a temporary camp already built on arrival that will have an area for resting and cooking. Expect to live in a basic envirmonment during the building process. Penan people will be there to do cooking, collecting forest vegetables, help build the camp, and teach you about the forest. Keep in mind that none of them speak english so body language is very important. The leader of the trip will be able to translate questions and ideas. Food during the duration of the trip will be basic, but delicious. A normal meal consists of rice, vegetables, meat (boar, deer, fish), and sago. Sago is a food staple of the Penan, and it is a high starch paste.

During this site recce, project volunteers from Picnic With The Penan will be on hand to set the background to the community tourism operation and communicate the requirements of the design brief.

Design Stage

Equipped with the design brief and site analysis the team will return to Long Ajeng to put creative minds together to begin the design stage. This stage is characterised by a series of workshops to explore the design brief and concept design ideas for the Arkitrek Camp project work. The workshops will be facilitated to encourage participants to link and connect ideas and build on each other’s contributions. The process will be guided by Arkitrek staff and guest facilitators. During this time it will also be important to ask the local people what is important to them to have at the camp.

A final Bill of Quantities will be produced as early as possible in order to permit delivery of additional materials if required in good time prior to construction. Final construction sequencing, risk assessments and method statements will be produced prior to construction

Construction Stage

This is the meat of the program, during which the team will work hand in hand with the locals to create an outstanding forest camp. During this time, everyone will have hands on work building, designing, and problem solving for the camp. The design will constantly have to be reviewed against progress and reality. Time is short for the construction so everyone will be expected to muck in with the aim of completing the project before their departure. By the end of the project, if all has gone to plan then there will be small jobs to finish off before an opening ceremony involving the camp and community with an official commissioning of the structure. Before the final party the team need to ensure that any outstanding work or future plans are clearly outlined and recorded for future teams to pick up and carry on where necessary.

During the construction phase the group will have oppurtunities to take walks and explore the surrounding forest. There are 3 limestone pinnacles within a 2 hour walk of the camp that are great sites to explore. The team will decide at what time they want to go jungle trekking for several nights and see the forest upstream. There is a large pinnacle to climb Batu Kuhyat Dua near a village called Long Maroong which is one of the possible destinations of the jungle trek. There will also be an opportunity to return to Long Ajeng for further design / documentation work or just to take a break from the forest and spend some time in a Penan community.

Close

On the last morning the team will bid farewell to the project site and their new Penan friends an walk from project site to Long Lamam (5 hours) to sleep in village for the night. Spend the afternoon/evening relaxing and exploring the village. Long Lamam is an idealic village, set on a beautiful jungle river. The people are welcoming, and it is a great place to spend some more time with the Penan before departing the Upper Baram. The Penan also make beautiful handicrafts out of rattan that you can pick up as souvenirs.

A last 30 minute walk will take the team from Long Lamam to the logging road to catch transport to the airport for the return flight to Miri. There will be a final farewell celebration dinner in Miri during which the team will be able to reflect on their achievement and look forward to new challenges.