Indonesia Expedition: Orangutans of Kalimantan

Selamat datang! Welcome to Jakarta, Indonesia. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. If you happen to arrive early, check out some of Jakarta's interesting museums such as the Wayang Museum (full of traditional puppets), Balai Seni Rupa Museum (fine arts and ceramics) or the National Museum. If you don’t have a lot of time today, do not fear! You’ll have time at the end of your expedition to explore the city some more. After your important meeting, why not gather a few of your travel pals for a local meal – your group leader will know of some great spots to go.

Time to begin your Kalimantan adventure! In the morning, transfer to the airport for a flight bound for Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. Once arrived, take a taxi to the port where you'll board a traditional klotok river boat. These boats are named after the sound the engines make: ‘klo-tok’. On your way to the eco-lodge – your accommodation in the national park – keep an eye out for the elusive proboscis monkeys, endemic to the island of Borneo. On arrival, check into your accommodation right in the heart of the jungle and enjoy a welcome lunch. Later visit the Tanjung Harapan feeding station at the park headquarters, where large alpha male can often be spotted. Dinner is included at the ecolodge, where your leader will fill you in on the program for the next few days.

Head off for an early morning aboard your klotok and cruise upriver in search of the local wildlife. Your first stop is the renowned Camp Leakey – possibly the most famous place for orangutan research in the world. At Leakey, visit the education centre to learn a little bit more about the region, and keep an eye out for agile gibbons and wild pigs. You’ll visit the feeding centre for an up close look at the orangutans – a truly special experience. Afterwards, cruise down the river in search of proboscis monkeys and wild orangutans socialising along the riverbank, then return to your ecolodge accommodation for dinner.

After breakfast, leave for the feeding station of Pondok Tanggui, 1 hour upstream for morning feeding time. Look out for giant squirrels, pigs, and many butterflies on the walk in. As at most of the stations, you are likely to spot another large alpha male here too. After viewing the orangutans, spend some time exploring the area before getting back on the boat. Lunch today will be on board before travelling to the Tanjung Harapan feeding Station for the afternoon feeding. Visit the nearby Tanjung Harapan village across the river and then return back to your ecolodge for the evening.

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to Tanjung Puting National Park, boarding your klotok once more and taking a leisurely boat ride to the port city of Kumai. Stop for lunch in the city, a good chance to reflect on your special time in the national park, then drive on to Sampit. This port city is famous for its fresh seafood, so be sure to ask your leader for some tips on where to pick up local specialties for dinner this evening.

Your journey continues as you drive on to the city of Palangka Raya, the capital of the Central Kalimantan Province. This low-key city is pretty new, having grown from a small Dayak village in 1957. On arrival, your leader will let you know the best spots to sample some local dishes for lunch, then in the afternoon you’ll pay a visit to the Balanga Museum where you’ll find fascinating Indonesian artifacts that provide an insight into Kalimantan's indigenous cultures. The evening is free for your own discoveries.

Time to head off for some more wildlife adventures! Depart early for Sebangau National Park this morning for the best chance to see wildlife seeking out food and water near the riverside. There is the possibility of seeing orangutans, proboscis monkeys, macaques, monitor lizards, hornbills, kingfishers and (if you’re extra lucky) clouded leopards. Sebangau National Park is a place where wild animals have begun to repopulate after the area was affected by illegal logging and wildfires for many years. You’ll be able to explore by canoe and on foot with a local ranger for a few hours. After lunch, there is some free time to relax or take a swim, before heading back to Palangka Raya and the hotel for the evening.

After breakfast, travel around 40 minutes to the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF). Here, you’ll get to learn all about the foundation and its work in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing critically endangered orangutans back into the wild. You’ll see a series of presentations and videos at the visitor centre explaining their work, and you’ll also have a chance to ask questions of the staff. Behind the centre, you can view  the pre-release orangutan section through a glass wall, where some primates will be living until they are returned to their jungle homes. Enjoy a local lunch nearby before taking a drive to your longhouse stay tonight. Longhouses are the traditional dwellings of people in this area, and your accommodation is located right in the centre of Tumbang Malahoi village. On arrival there will be a Tumpang Tawar (blessing ceremony) to welcome you into the village and the longhouse. After dinner, why not join in on the fun with a family dance in the longhouse’s hallways.

After a simple local breakfast, take a walk around to learn about how the people of this village live. The majority of the villagers here work as carpenters, gold miners or fishermen. Later, explore the nearby jungle with some of the locals. After lunch in the jungle, return to the longhouse to say your farewells before heading back to Palangka Raya. Sit back and relax with a chilled-out afternoon at the hotel with your travel crew.

After a pretty jam-packed week, today is free for you to do as you please. There are a range of optional activities on offer, including a canoe trip to see the islands where Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation’s pre-release program takes place. Also on offer is a trip to Tangkiling Hill – about a 30-minute drive away from the accommodation. Here, you can climb up the steps for 200 metres to the top of one of the seven hills and get a 360-degree view of the city and surrounds. On the way back, you might like to stop at the Dayak spiritual site of Batu Banama. Otherwise, there’s a range of walks to local villages or bikes for hire to explore further afield.

Transfer to the airport today for your flight back to Jakarta. After checking into the hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to spend as you wish, and with a range of things to see and do in Jakarta, such as visiting the Grand Mosque or the Catholic Cathedral – you’ll be kept occupied by this lively city.

With no activities planned for today, your adventure comes to an end, and you are free to leave the accommodation at any time.