Return to the jungle lands of the great island of Borneo. A forgotten journey from the world of adventure to the heart of the Indonesian territory of Kalimantan, island of ancient head cutters, legendary stories and fratricidal wars. What about today ?
Going up the course of the rivers which play a vital role in the communication and economy of the island, the jungle is disproportionate. The foothills of the Muller Mountains near the border with Malaysian Sarawak are rarely visited. Karst peaks,...
Welcome at Kalimantan airport by your English-speaking guide and transfer to Samarinda. The rest of the day is free.
This morning, you board a public wooden boat and slowly begin the journey up the Mahakam River. This 3-day cruise allows you to contemplate the way of life of the local populations and the banks of the Mahakam. Comfort on board your traditional wooden barge is relatively basic: two decks for a maximum capacity of 175 passengers. On board, a small restaurant offering Indonesian food is at your disposal.
Today you are taking a speed boat to cross big rapids. This passage offers magnificent views of the surrounding jungle and the villages bordering the Mahakam. Arrival at Tiong Ohang at the end of the day.
Today you begin the most “adventurous” part of the trip. A motorboat will take you to the place where the Mahakam is almost nothing more than a torrent and where you will then begin a 7-day trek (4-7 hours of walking per day) towards West Kalimantan. You walk through a primary tropical forest and cross the Müller Mountains. During these 7 days, you will fish and explore the jungle with your Dayak travel companions.
Breakfast: Included
Lunch: Included
Dinner: Included
Accommodation: Tent camping
Today is a day dedicated to going up the Bongan River, located in the upper part of the Kapuas River, the longest in Indonesia with its 1143 km. The first beautiful rapids mark the route of the gold prospectors on the banks. Then the river narrows and you have to go down and help push or pull the canoes. The Dayaks are experts in this field, jumping from rock to rock. In certain places, where the water is shallow, you have to carry the canoe along the cliffs in the middle of an exuberant jungle. On our way, we will see the Kalimantan rainforest, small farmlands, hills and huts.
Finally, we arrive at Tanjung Lokang at the end of the day, it is the last Dayak Bahan village before the big jungle and the Betung Kerihun National Park. Here, craft lovers will be served: woven rattan baskets, Dayak machetes, blowguns, etc.
Night and dinner in a local house.
You continue down the Bongan River in a “long boat” to Putusibau.
Morning visit to Putusibau, then transfer to Sintang and Pontianak. You leave for an 8-hour journey per day aboard public transport, which allows you total immersion in the local culture.
Free time until transfer to the airport.