Silolona Sojourns and Cookson Adventures have launched a 2027 Raja Ampat expedition giving guests the chance to help protect critically endangered leopard sharks while exploring one of the world's richest marine environments.

Silolona Sojourns has partnered with luxury adventure travel company Cookson Adventures to launch a conservation-focused expedition in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, that will allow guests to take part in efforts to protect critically endangered leopard sharks.

The ten-night Raja Ampat itinerary, departing from March 25 to April 4, 2027, will be available exclusively through Cookson Adventures. Guests will travel aboard the traditional phinisi yachts Silolona and Si Datu Bua, with the programme combining marine conservation activities with diving, snorkelling, kayaking, trekking and cultural experiences.

The expedition will be led by Dr Mark Erdmann, executive director of ReShark, and program manager Nesha Ichida. ReShark is an Indonesian conservation collective working to restore shark and ray populations through breeding and reintroduction programmes.

A central part of the Raja Ampat expedition will focus on the region's endangered leopard sharks. Once heavily targeted for their fins, the population was thought to have fallen to around 20 individuals in 2020. Guests will help conservationists locate juvenile sharks using satellite tagging technology introduced by ReShark this year.

Participants will visit shark nurseries on Kri Island and Misool, where they will learn about the rewilding programme, help release leopard shark pups into the wild and take part in the tagging process. The group will then spend several days attempting to relocate the sharks after their release, contributing valuable data to the ongoing research project.

Beyond the conservation programme, the itinerary includes visits to some of Raja Ampat's best-known islands, including the Fam Islands, Balbulol, Wagmab and Mesempta. Alongside daily scientific activities, guests will have opportunities to explore coral reefs, hike to viewpoints, visit caves and enjoy the onboard facilities of the two sailing yachts.

The Raja Ampat expedition will also be documented by Cookson Productions. A professional film crew will accompany guests throughout the journey, producing a short documentary about the conservation project for public release. Travellers will receive their own professionally edited version as a keepsake and can choose to feature in the film or help fund its production. The aim is to raise awareness of the work being carried out to restore leopard shark populations in Indonesia.

Sarah Seery, director of Silolona Sojourns, says: "It has always been a core goal of our company to create ambassadors of the ocean via our guests and guest experiences, and we are thrilled to be working exclusively with longtime partners and friends Cookson Adventures to launch this very special trip. We have worked with Dr. Erdmann, Nesha Ichida and the whole ReShark team for over two decades, so partnering with them on this project and participating in their work felt natural. This expedition represents a very rare opportunity to be hosted by both of them, and actively contribute to conservation efforts, while gaining insight into their decades of experience playing a pivotal role in these efforts across Indonesia and beyond."

Dr Mark Erdmann says: "This is a rare opportunity to participate in an active and ongoing marine conservation project, and we are so grateful to Silolona and Cookson Adventures for the opportunity to work with clients who want to make a positive impact to help us fund and therefore prolong this important work. It’s not every day that non-scientists can make a real difference in the live evolution of wildlife projects, and we’re very proud to be hosting guests onboard to share our passion for Raja Ampat’s marine life with them."

The Raja Ampat expedition is priced from £368,000 (US$485,000) for up to 14 guests sharing the two yachts. The cost includes a conservation donation to ReShark to support the adoption of two leopard shark pups, covering egg transport, nursery care and satellite and acoustic tags. Guests will also be able to name the sharks and receive photo and video updates tracking their development during the six months before their release.