1 Day 1: Arrive Palangkaraya - Cruise (L,D)

Meet your driver at Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangkaraya and transfer to Palangkaraya harbor (app. 30 min.) to board the river cruise boat, a refurbished traditional ‘rungkan’ boat with large viewing decks. All meals are included and served on deck. 

Recommended flight: Garuda Indoneisa from Jakarta to Palangkaraya GA550, departing at 0550 and arriving at 0740 (airfares not included and quoted separately). Schedules are subject to notice without prior notice.

The sightseeing is spread out over 2 days to give you enough time to see everything there and to still enjoy the trip. To enjoy the beauty of the animals but also the nature, the relaxing views over the river. 

Cruise the Kahayan River, the largest river in Central Kalimantan, with stilted and floating riverside villages as you head out of the provincial capital and continue upriver. The scenery changes as you head into the tributary Rungan River, lined with peat forest and sparse villages dotting the river, until we reach the orangutan pre-release islands.  The river cruise boat will serve as your base where you will sleep and have meals and spend most of the time sightseeing. Sometimes, we will board a smaller boat (Alkon or Klotok) to cruise through narrow canals to spot proboscis and macaque monkeys, hornbills, and Brahmini kites on the banks of black water lakes.

We also see the orangutans from these small boats so as not disturb them too much, and the larger boat has to keep its distance. 

The orangutans live on different islands and can be seen on several occasions. Your tour guide will explain to you the different programs and stages for rehabilitating these beautiful primates and give you a lot of information about the local community and the life of the people in these remote areas. 

We will visit river villages where you will see activities such as a local welcome dance, drying fish, hulling rice and weaving rattan mats and bags.  All meals are served on board. 

Note: All meals are included. Also fresh juices, coffee & tea and water are included. Other, branded, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages need to be purchased before boarding by the guests themselves would they wish to have these on the trip. 

Overnight onboard your riverboat.

2 Day 2: Cruise - Palangkaraya (B,L,D)

Today after a good night sleep onboard the boat anchored on the river, the early risers will see and hear the jungle come to life. Have a nice warm cup of freshly brewed coffee while you watch the local people in their small klotok go to work in the jungle or start fishing. 

Today we visit more islands where the orangutans roam, villages where we see the daily life and so much more for you to enjoy. 

All meals are served on board the boat. 

Note: All meals are included. Also fresh juices, coffee & tea and water are included. Other, branded, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages need to be purchased before boarding by the guests themselves would they wish to have these on the trip. Important to have mosquito repellant as there are many mosquito’s in the jungle.

3 Day 3: Palangkaraya - Tumbang Malahoi Longhouse (B,L,D)

After another delicious breakfast onboard, relax on the viewing decks as the boat cruises along the winding river through the upper reaches of the Rungan River before disembarking the boat for your onward trip to the longhouse. 

We first pass by the local market to buy some food which we will give to the family of the longhouse where we will spend the night. Have a look around at the tropical fruits and vegetables they sell here, ask your guide if you can try some. 

After a drive through plantations and jungle we arrive at Tumbang Malahoi where you are welcomed by the family. You will first go through a ritual cleansing to make sure no bad spirits followed you to the house and after that you are welcome to consider the house as your home. Lunch is served after you had some time to get settled in your basic accommodation.

This iron wooden longhouse was originally built in 1869 and has had some renovations since but it is in general still the same as when it was built. 

This afternoon, your tour guide, under the guidance of one of the family members will show you proudly around their village. Marvel at the traditional sandung an ornately designed small wooden building that houses the bones of long dead family members – the bigger the sandung, the more important the family in the village.

There may also be the opportunity to witness the 30-day Tiwah ceremony, part of the unique Dayak funeral ceremony honoring the dead and the local nature spirits.

In this village they also have a rare animist temple which you will see during this tour. You will also see some people at work on their normal daily activities, such as making knives or weaving. 

Dinner is cooked by the old mother of the family on a traditional wooden fire which certainly adds to the flavors of this authentic home cooked meal. 

After dinner you will enjoy the performance organized by the inhabitants and other family members from around the village (children and adults). They play very rhythmic music on homemade instruments while others perform ritual dances which they proudly show as they are an important part of their culture. Afterwards you are invited to take part and join them with their dances. 

Overnight in the longhouse 

Note: The accommodation is basic. For your comfort western toilets have been built right outside of the house. 

Distances and journey time:

Palangkaraya – Tumbang Malahaoi or v.v. (130 km): 3,5 – 4,5 hours

4 Day 4: Tumbang Malahoi - Jungle Trekking - Palangkaraya (B,L,D)

This morning after an early breakfast you will join one of the sons of the family for this soft jungle trekking. He will show you how they harvest latex from the rubber trees which they collect in crates to sell. He will show you a great number of exotic and rare tree and plant species and explain you their medicinal qualities and show you their fruits. Listen to the noisy birds and other animals that live in this ancient jungle.  Afterwards we go back to the longhouse for a change of clothes and we start with our drive back to Palangkaraya. Lunch is served on the way to Palangkaraya in a local restaurant.  After arrival in Palangkaraya, check in your hotel and after refreshing we go for the next part of your discovery of Kalimantan and we visit a “village” of stilt houses where you can see the daily activities of the local people. Watch a man saw wooden planks by hand. Taste some homemade local delicacies. Walk down the boardwalk to the river and enter a floating house with its attached “fishfarm”. Next we take the becak to the handicraft market where you have the opportunity to buy some memorable souvenirs. One more visit to the vibrant night market before we go for dinner in a nearby restaurant. 

Dinner is served in a local restaurant. 

Overnight at hotel in Palangkaraya

5 Day 5: Palangkaraya - Departure(B)

After breakfast and check out the tour guide and driver will be waiting for you for your transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Recommended flights: Garuda Indonesia from Palangkaraya to Jakarta GA551, departing 0820 and arriving 1000 (airfares not included and quoted separately). Schedules are subject to notice without prior notice.