Mahakam River - Tour Package

Orangutan tour and Mahakam river safari east kalimantan

Borneo Orangutan and mahakam adventure tours

Duration : 10 Days - 9 Nights
Number of peoples : unlimited
Best time to travel : All the years around ( June,July,August are peak season )
Start : Pangkalan Bun
End : Balikpapan
Flight : From and to Semarang, Surabaya, Pontianak,
Conecting Flight : Jakarta, Bali, Makasar
Highlight : River safary, Orangutan feeding time, Proboscis monkey, candlelight dinner. floating market, dayak long ear, dayak long house, enjoying house boat

Program
DAY 1 : PANGKALAN BUN - KUMAI - PARK
Upon arrival at Pangkalan Bun Airport you will be picked up by your guide and take you to Kumai for 20 minutes board on the boat. The boat is a traditional Klotok wooden river boat about 12m by 2.5m with roof upper deck where you can view the rain forest as it glides by. The guide's team includes the boatman, a cook and expert guide. In the peaceful afternoon we will slowly explore the quite river by the klotok while observe the wildlife such as long noses monkey, long tail macaque, birds along the riverside. Dinnert on the boat. Overnight on the baot with mattress, pillow, fine meals, bottled "mineral" water, mosquito net, kitchen, simple toilet available on boat besides the familiar - helpful guides and boatmen (L, D).

DAY 2 : PARK - PONDOK TANGGUY - CAMP LEAKEY - BOAT
After breakfast board the klotok to travel up the river for Pondok Tanguy, the third rehabilitation center for orangutans, see feeding time at 09.00am. Afterward continuing by 1 ½ hours boating and then up a side creek through tea colored water where you will see the the magnificent reflection from the vegetation along the river, when lucky with us, the fresh water crocodile and other wildlife attraction could find a long river bank. Depart at Camp Leakey where the older orangutans  are reintroduced into the rain forest and also known as research center for Orangutan. Trekking through tropical rainforest searching for wildlife, wild orangutan, birds and other rainforest animals as well as tropical jungle plant. Back to the boat for lunch then witness feeding time at 14.00 pm for old rehabilitation orangutan given additional foods. Dinner on the boat. Overnight on the boat. (B,L,D).

DAY 3 : CAMP LEAKEY 2ND VISIT.
Today, we will take other different trek and hike deeper in to the jungle at camp leakey, as the previous day, we will observing and searching wildlife surounding Camp Leakey area. Dinner on the boat, overnight on the boat B L D

DAY 4 : BOAT - PONDOK TANGUY- TANJUNG HARAPAN - BOAT.
After breakfast board the klotok to travel up the river for Pondok Tanguy, the rehabilitation center for ex-captive orangutans, see feeding time at 09.00am. Hike through the forest of Pondok Tanggui searching for wildlife including wild orangutan, birds and others. Afterward continuing the trip to Pesalat reforestation camp, See the process of reforestation project. Afternoon visit Tanjung Harapan Rehabilitation center to witness feeding time for rehabilitant orangutan at 15.00. Free afternoon program or visiting the village near by the park, enjoy canoeing around the river. Boating down the river during the night while having dinner you may enjoy observing fire flies a long nipah palm mangrove. ( Depend to the weather, rainy season and full moon are not good to see it ). Dinner on the Boat. overnight on the boat. (B,L,D)

DAY 5 : BOAT - KUMAI - PANGKALAN BUN AIRPORT - BANJARMASIN - BALIKPAPAN.
Free morning program until time transfer to Kumai then to Pangkalan Bun airport fly to Balikpapan via Banjarmasin.Upon arrive meeting service and transfer to Loa Janan, to board houseboat for exciting adventure on Mahakam river. Meals provided and overnight on houseboat. ( B,L, D )

Day 6 :MUARA MUNTAI, TANJUNG ISUY (BLD)
Arrival at Muara Muntai, sightseeing of this wooden village, then cross Jempang Lake to Tanjung Isuy by motor canoe. Arrival at Tanjung Isuy welcomed with a traditional ceremony by the Dayak Benuaq. Overnight at Longhouse.

Day 7: TANJUNG ISUY, MANCONG, MELAK (BLD)
After breakfast a half day excursion by motorized canoe pass Ohong Creek to Mancong, during the cruise you could see wildlife like monkey's and birds. Afternoon return to Muara Muntai and cruise up Mahakam River by houseboat to Melak. Overnight on the boat.

Day 8: MELAK, EHENG, OMBAU ASA (BLD)
Arrive in Melak then drive to Eheng by Jeep / Minibus passing beautiful highland to reach the old longhouse of Dayak Tunjung. Afterwards visit Kersik Luway and explore the forest, if lucky the famous black orchid can be seen. Afternoon to Ombau Asa waterfall, an exciting place for swimming. Return to Melak then board to the houseboat and downstream to Tenggarong.

Day 9: TENGGARONG, SAMARINDA (BLD)
Arrive at Tenggarong, visiting the former palace of Sultan Kutai Kertanegara . Where you will see the Sultan's impressive collection of heirlooms, ceramics, Dayak's art and culture items. Afterwards return to houseboat and downstream to Samarinda, check in at Mesra International hotel.

Day 10: SAMARINDA, BALIKPAPAN (B)
Breakfast, free at leisure, and enjoy the hotel atmosphere, soaking up the pool until departure transfer to Balikpapan airport for your next destination.

Tanjung Puting national Park

Tanjung Puting National Park is Natural Wonder. Home of Orangutan and Wildlife including excotic tropical Jungle plant

You may not believe this after you have been there only one day or two days or, but after the third or forth day something happens. You are captivated completely by the purity of the air, the openness of the night sky with the most remarkable view of the Milky Way, the magnificence and dignity of the gentle orangutans, the thundering downpours that instantly cool the air, and the clarity of the brilliant crimson sunsets.

Tanjung Puting is the largest and most diverse protected example of extensive coastal tropical heath and peat swamp forest which used to cover much of southern Borneo.The area was originally declared as a game reserve in 1935 and a National Park in 1982. While the Park has checkered history of weak protection, nonetheless, it remains substantially wild and natural.

Tanjung Puting is covered by a complex mosaic of diverse lowland habitats. It contains 3,040 sq km2 of low lying swampy terrain punctuated by blackwater rivers which flow into the Java Sea. At the mouth of these rivers and along the sea coast are found Nipa/mangrove swamps. Mangroves teem with animal life. Tanjung Puting also includes tall dry ground tropical rain forest, primarily tropical heath forest, with a canopy of 40 meters (120 feet) with "emergents" exceeding 50 meters (150 ft) in height, seasonally inundated peat swamp forest with peat in layers two meters deep, open depression lakes formed by fire, and open areas of abandoned dry rice fields now covered with elephant grass and ferns. The tropical heath forest which is called "kerangas" in parts of Borneo, is only found on very poor, typically white-sandy soils and is characterized by medium-sized trees.

The best known animals in Tanjung Puting are the orangutans, made famous through the efforts of Orangutan Research and Conservation Program, which is based at the landmark Camp Leakey research station. Tanjung Puting also boasts the bizarre looking proboscis monkey with its "Jimmy Durante" nose as well as seven other primate species. Clouded leopards, civets, and Malaysian sun bears cavort in the park as do mouse deer, barking deer, sambar deer, and the wild cattle known as banteng.

Tanjung Puting hosts over 220 species of birds, including hornbills, deep forest birds and many wetland species. Tanjung Puting is well known for its "bird lakes" seasonal rookeries for a half a dozen species of endangered waterbirds, including the only known Bornean nesting grounds for white egrets. Tanjung Puting also has two species of crocodiles, dozens of snakes and frogs, numerous threatened species, including the fortune-bringing and highly endangered "dragon" fish also known as the Arwana (bony- tongue). Among the most flamboyant of these animals are the many species of colorful birds, butterflies, and moths found in the Park.

Tanjung Puting sits on a peninsula that juts out into the Java Sea . The peninsula is low lying and swampy with a spine of dry ground which rises a few feet above the omnipresent swamp. Towards the north of Tanjung Puting is characterized by gentle hills and gold- bearing alluvial plains. Maps of the region commonly portray a ridge of mountains coming down into Tanjung Puting. This ridge does not exist, in fact, nowhere does the altitude rise above 100 feet in Tanjung Puting.

Tanjung Puting is a veritable hothouse of ecodiversity. The diverse habitat zones shelter slightly different fauna and flora providing a great variety of microhabitats for plants and animals and thus, the opportunity for many species to be present in close proximity. In a Bornean context, tropical heath forest by itself is not representative of the largest trees, the tallest canopy, or the most diverse ecosystem.Tropical swamp ecosystems are little represented in protected areas throughout Southeast Asia but are omnipresent in Tanjung Puting. In the peat swamp forest, many trees have stilt roots or aerial roots as adaptations to frequent flooding.

Aside from its remarkable biological attributes, Tanjung Puting is highly important for the well-being of the surrounding local human population. The wetlands provide vital ecological services such as flood control, stream control regulation, erosion control, natural biological filtration system, and seasonal nurseries for fish which are the major source of local animal protein. Many of these services have an impact well beyond the local area.

For instance, the waters surrounding Tanjung Puting attract fishing vessels from many different parts of Indonesia. In addition, local peoplebenefit from a great variety of forest products including honey, waxes, aromatic woods, fibers for ropes and cloth, medicinal plants, fuel oils, thatching materials, rattan, firewood, incense, wild rubber, edible latexes, resins, natural pesticides, fungicides and possible virocides.

For the above reasons and many other reasons not noted, Tanjung Puting is recognized as one of the most important and outstanding provincial treasures in Kalimantan Tengah. The national government has also made a strong commitment to protect the forest, its wildlife and to manage the park wisely. Tanjung Puting has increasingly gained international prestige and recognition. As a result, more and more visitors from throughout the world are experiencing a fresh new outlook on nature and an appreciation of the tropical rain forest which was humankind's original "Garden of Eden."

The following global information about The Park

Excerpts from A Guidebook to Tanjung Puting National Park , Kalimantan Tengah ( Central Borneo ), Indonesia , by Dr. Biruté M.F. Galdikas and Dr. Gary L. Shapiro, published by PT Gramedia Putaka Utama and the Orangutan Foundation International, 1994. © All Rights Reserved. The book is currently out of print and unavailable.

Area: 3,040 sq km- the largest single protected forest in the province of Kalimantan . It is one of the largest protected area of tropical heath forest and peat swamp forest in Southeast Asia .

Altitude: 0 - 30 meters (0-90 feet)

Temperature: range: 16-35°C (62-95°F); average daytime temperature: 30°C (85°F); average night time temperature [dry season: 26°C (77°F); wet season: 27°C (80°F)]. Rarely falls below 21° C (69°F).

Humidity: average Daily Range: 80-100%

Rainfall: average 2,000-3,000 mm/year

Rainy Season Time of Year: October-April

"Dry" Season: May-September (even during the "dry" season months, some rain usually falls)

Trees: more than 600 species

Orchids: over 200 known species (the most beautiful orchids are often hidden in the canopy of the forest)

Birds: over 220 known species with 5 endemic to Borneo (many more species endemic to the Sunda Islands).

Primates: 9 species including one great ape, the orangutan; one lesser ape, the gibbon; five monkeys, one slow loris and one tarsier.

Mammals: 28 species of large mammals including bears, cats, pigs, and deer. A number of bats are found in the area including the famous "flying foxes."

Tanjung Puting is distinguished by the following:
- blackwater rivers with high acidity (pH 4.0 or less)
- pockets of alluvial gold dust
- major populations of wild orangutans, gibbons, dolphins and dugongs (manatee-like animals that served as the source-material of mermaid stories) in Kumai Bay
- major populations of refuging monkeys, proboscis monkeys and macaques which come to the river to sleep in the trees at night

- large populations of hornbills, primarily including the rhinoceros, pied and black hornbills which are the most commonly seen

- rookeries containing thousands of breeding wetland birds including darters, night herons, white egrets, and lesser adjutant storks
- only known populations of wood ducks in Kalimantan
- major populations of pheasants including the Argus, black, and the crested and crestless fireback pheasants major populations of birds of prey including the crested serpent eagle, Brahminy kites, and falconettes
- major populations of the endangered Dragonfish or Arwana, a "living fossil" which supposedly brings good luck to its owners

East Borneo Place of Interest

GEOGRAPHICALY
East Kalimantan is the widest province in Indonesia, broadly region is about 245237,80 Km2 or about one a half point of Java Island and Madura or 11 % from Indonesia region wide total. This province abuts on direct with neighboring state, that is Sabah and Serawak, East Malaysia.

ADMINISTRATIVE
Based on the government region, this province is divided into 4 municipal administrations, and 9 regencies and 122 Districts, 1347 villages and 191 sub-districts.
East Kalimantan Province has 13 Regencies and Cities

1. Berau Regency
2. Bulungan Regency
3. Kutai West Regency
4. Kutai Kartanegara Regency
5. Kutai East Regency
6. Malinau Regency
7. Nunukan Regency
8. Pasir Regency
9. North Penajam Paser Regency
10. Balikpapan City
11. Bontang City
12. Samarinda City
13. Tarakan City

DEMOGRAPHY
East Kalimantan Resident in 2004 amount to 2.750.369 men in 2005 East Kalimantan residents is predicted amount to 2,8 million men. It is compared to region wide, East Kalimantan Province has low density, that is mean about 11,22 men per Km2.

INVESTMENT
The main result of this province is mining products like oil, natural gas, and stone smoldered. Other sector being grow is agricultural and tourism.
East Kalimantan has some tourism objects such as;

1. Derawan Archipelago in Berau,
2. Kayan Mentarang National Park
3. Batu Lamampu Beach in Nunukan
4. The Crocodile Breeding in Balikpapan
5. The Deer Breeding in Penajam,
6. Dayak Pampang Kampong in Samarinda,
7. Amal Beach in Tarakan city

 

PLACES OF INTEREST

Samarinda  - Samarinda is known for its fine sarong cloth. The city shows some signs of being the capital of a prosperous province. New government offices and public buildings are rising everywhere. Samarinda has a number of modest but comfortable hotels. 
Balikpapan  - Balikpapan, the centre of Kalimantan's oil industry is also the gateway to East Kalimantan with air and sea connections to Jakarta and other major points in Indonesia. Even the trip to Samarinda, begins in Balikpapan. Living up to its importance, Balikpapan has a number of good hotels, including one of international standard, as well as recreation facilities. It has the second busiest airport in the nation after Jakarta, due to its strategic position. 
Berau and Marine Tourism on Derawan island  - Found here are the remains of a king called the Keraton Gunung Tambur and The Keraton Sambaliung. Historic objects can be seen here. Derawan island is about 3 hours by a long boat from Tanjung Redep (The Capital of Berau Regency) or via Tarakan. 
There are many rare animals such as the green turtle, the scarlet turtle, star fruit turtle and sea cow. Also of interest are rare species of marine plants, coral reefs, iguanas, sea birds, crab and the location for pearl diving. 
It is also good for scuba diving, fishing, swimming, and other water sports. 
Bontang  - Located in the regency of Kutai with an area of about 200 000 ha, Bontang has rare flora and fauna. The Kutai National Park near Bontang is worth visiting for the wonderful scenery, especially at Beras Basah. 
Bulungan  - Bulungan is the place for the adventure-seeking visitor. You will also find ancient remains, art collections and traditional ceremonies, with a background of beautiful panoramas of the jungle and mountains. 
Tanah Merah Indah - Lempake 
This is a recreational park called Tanah Merah Indah-Lempake with a waterfall, located about 16 km from downtown Samarinda. It can be reached by car or public transport. 
Tenggarong  - Tenggarong, up the Mahakam river from Samarinda, is the capital of the Kutai regency and was once the seat of the Kutai sultanate. The Sultan's palace on the riverside is now a museum where the old royal paraphernalia are kept, as well as an excellent collection of antique Chinese ceramics. Dayak statues can be admired in the yard. A curious thing about the royal paraphernalia is that they display a strong resemblance with Java's court traditions. 
Each year on 24 September, the former palace becomes a stage of dance and music performances given to celebrate the town's anniversary. 
Tanjung Isuy  - This little settlement around Lake Jempang in the lake-studded East Kalimantan hinterland, has a traditional Dayak longhouse which has been turned into lodges for visitors. The grave of a Benuaq Dayak chief lies aside the hamlet's only road. Visitors are usually given a traditional Benuaq Dayak welcome. The trip to Tanjung Isuy over the Mahakam River is long, but interesting, passing floating villages and forests. With luck, you can watch a belian, or witch doctor, dressed in his skirt of leaves, cure his patients at night by performing the rites prescribed by ancestors, to the frenzied accompaniment of gongs and drums. Many Benuaq Dayaks still prefer the old cures to the modern ones at government public health centres which are nearby. 
Melak - Kersik Luway  - Melak is a little village further upstream on the Mahakam River in the heart of the land of Tanjung Dayak. Not far from the village is the Kersik Luway nature reserve, where the "Black Orchid" grows. 
Muara Ancalong - Muara Wahau  - Dances of the Kenyah Dayak are often performed here for visitors at a traditional longhouse. Also various handicrafts can be viewed and purchased.