Travel into the rain forests of Borneo aboard houseboats and motorized canoes. Mix with the locals in the daily barter of the Bajarmasin floating market. The expedition continues through the Mahakam River and the Kutai Reserve, where you will explore first-hand the incredible endemic fauna of this area so close to the equator as well as the opportunity to meet the Borneo Orangutans and the Dayak tribes. In addition, we will see proboscis monkeys, rare water birds in danger of extension and with a little luck, you will see the famous “fresh water” dolphin.
Welcome to Banjarmasin! A riverside city popular for its floating market where the people trades for all sorts of goods from groceries, household equipment, hot meals to aromatic hot coffee in the morning.
Arrival at the Banjarmasin airport on the island of Borneo. Upon arrival at the airport your guide will be waiting for you and transfer to the Hotel to check in. Then we will use the afternoon to go to the canals and use the canoe to visit the city of Banjarmasin, enjoying the middle of the daily life of the merchants and people by the river. Return to the hotel to spend the night.
Meals:
Accommodation: Hotel in Banjarmasin: Three options across different categories
At 4.30 in the morning you will rise up, your guide will be waiting for you to take you to the Fruit Market that every day is mounted on one of the channels of Banjarmasin. They will take you to the largest one, one hour away, then you will get on a traditional canoe boat, to enter the floating market, one of the most photogenic markets in Indonesia.
This market works every day, and does not depend on tourism at all, since it is a totally local and traditional market. At the appoint time we will transfer you to Airport to take flight to Balikpapan, a port city nowadays but once a fishing village built by Bugis people. You can find jewelry and gemstones sold at many markets, as well as nice white sandy beaches on the coast area. On arrival, transfer to hotel and rest.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Balikpapan: Three options across different categories
After breakfast at the appoint time our representative will transfer to Loa Janan, about 2 and a half hours driving by car, to board houseboat for exciting adventure on Mahakam river. Meals provided and overnight on houseboat.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Standard Houseboat AC
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 we’re lucky, the famous black orchid can be seen. In the afternoon, move to Ombau Asa waterfall, an exciting place for swimming. Return to Melak then board to the houseboat and downstream to Tenggarong.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Standard Houseboat AC
Arrive at Muara Pahu, cruise upstream the Kedang Pahu River for more than one hour by canoe to Mount Bayan to visit Terbisak Dayak village known of its Longhouse of the Benauq Dayak tribe which is still habituated by about 100 Dayak people living in their community house, and traditions of dry rice fielding and hunting.
Continue downstream by canoe, along the river bank, we can see the exotic nature and wildlife such as otters, leave monkeys, endangered proboscis monkeys and birds. We move to the delta of the Belowan river as a black water peat swamp forest land, with opportunities to spot the fresh water dolphins in the colliding stream of the Kedang Pahu and the Bolowan River. In the afternoon, return to houseboat to continue upstream to Melak.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Standard Houseboat AC
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 we’re lucky, the famous black orchid can be seen. In the afternoon, move to Ombau Asa waterfall, an exciting place for swimming. Return to Melak then board to the houseboat and downstream to Tenggarong.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Standard Houseboat AC
Arrive at Tenggarong, visit 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, we go by car of about six hours to Sangatta. Check in at Hotel, for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Sangatta: Three options across different categories
Early in the morning by motor canoe upstream Sangatta River into the jungle of Kutai National Park Reserve. Upon Arrival at Prefab Orangutan Research station, we will drop our stuff and directly start a jungle trek into the forest, looking for wildlife and Orangutans.
In the afternoon, return to Prefab Station for Lunch and rest then later do another forest trekking in search for more wild animals and encounter the beauty of the Rainforest flora. Dinner and overnight at Prefab Research station.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Jungle Lodge Kutai NP
After Breakfast, go by motor canoe to the mangrove forest at the Delta of the Sangatta River to spot Longnose Monkeys, Birds, Crocodiles and other wild in the Mangrove Forest. Return to Sangatta for lunch and continue by car for about 1 and half hour to Sangkima side, where you can find an old big hard wooden tree, and diversity of vegetation.
Continue by car to passing Buginese villages along the road. We will have dinner en route to Samarinda and overnight at Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Samarinda: Three options across different categories
Breakfast, free at leisure, enjoy the hotel atmosphere until departure transfer to Balikpapan airport for your flight to your next destination. Thank you for exploring with Come2Indonesia. Sampai Jumpa!
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation:
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