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KalimantanCentral Kalimantan, Borneo
A slow river journey into the rainforest of Indonesian Borneo to see orangutans in Tanjung Puting National Park. Here is how the boat trips work, what to expect and when to go.
Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. For most travellers it means one unforgettable experience: Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, a vast area of peat swamp and lowland forest that is home to one of the largest populations of orangutans in the wild.
You explore it from a klotok, a simple wooden river boat that becomes your home for two or three days. It chugs slowly up the Sekonyer River from the port of Kumai, past nipa palms and tall forest, stopping at ranger stations where orangutans come in for supplementary feeding. The best known is Camp Leakey, a research station founded in 1971 by primatologist Biruté Galdikas.
At night the boat moors in the forest, you eat on deck and sleep under a mosquito net to the sound of insects and, if you are lucky, the call of gibbons at dawn. It is basic, hot and humid, and for animal lovers it is one of the great wildlife journeys in Asia.
Every journey below is private and tailor-made, so your klotok, guide and river route are arranged around your dates and comfort.
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The experiences our travellers enjoy most, in order of what we would not miss.
The famous research station where orangutans gather at the afternoon feeding platform. Rangers and guides explain the rehabilitation story and the individuals you meet.
Two other feeding stations along the river, often visited on the first day. Each has its own resident orangutans and a short forest walk.
Watch the forest drift by from the upper deck, eat freshly cooked Indonesian meals and sleep under a net with the jungle around you.
Troops gather in the riverside trees in the late afternoon, easy to spot from the boat with their long noses and pot bellies.
After dark, trees along the river can glow with fireflies, and the forest comes alive with insects and frogs.
Short guided walks into the forest for birds, insects, gibbons and pitcher plants. Wear long trousers and good shoes.
The port town where boats depart, with swiftlet houses, fishing boats and a glimpse of everyday life on the river.
As the heat fades the boat drifts past nipa palms and tall trees, hornbills and kingfishers fly over, and the forest turns gold. A favourite moment for many travellers.
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Customise My TripPangkalan Bun has flights from Jakarta and from Semarang and Surabaya on Java, though schedules change and are not always daily. From the airport it is a short drive to Kumai harbour, where your klotok and crew are waiting.
Your private river boat is transport, restaurant and bedroom for the trip.
Best for: The riverForest trails lead from the river to the feeding stations.
Best for: Feeding stationsIncluded for the transfer between the airport and Kumai.
Best for: TransfersPlaces that pair well with Borneo (Kalimantan), with approximate travel times.
The drier months from about June to September are the most comfortable, with fewer downpours. The wetter season from roughly November to March brings heavy rain, but the river runs higher and the forest is lush. Orangutan sightings at the feeding stations depend more on how much wild fruit there is than on the calendar.
A general guide. Weather varies from year to year, and we plan each route around the season.
Quick answers from our local team. Anything else, just ask your travel specialist.
Ask us on WhatsAppSightings are very likely, especially at Camp Leakey and the other feeding stations, but they are wild or semi-wild animals and never guaranteed. In fruiting seasons fewer come to the platforms because food is plentiful in the forest.
A wooden river boat with an open upper deck where you eat, relax and sleep on mattresses under mosquito nets. The crew cooks on board. Bathrooms are simple, and there is limited power and no air conditioning.
Two nights, three days is ideal for visiting all the main feeding stations at a relaxed pace. One night is possible if time is short, but it feels rushed.
Light long-sleeved clothes and trousers, insect repellent, a hat, a rain jacket, a torch, sandals and walking shoes, and any personal medication. Keep electronics in dry bags.
Fly to Pangkalan Bun, usually from Jakarta, Semarang or Surabaya, then drive about half an hour to Kumai, where the boat trip begins. We plan the flights around the schedules.
Tell us what you have in mind and a local travel specialist will design a private itinerary around you. Free, with no obligation.
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