Fascinating
Wealth of
Lost Borneo
The
Fresh Water Dolphins can only be found at Indonesia Borneo Island as a
lost intriguing wealth of
ecological treasures that
survive deep within the rainforest jungle of Indonesia ’s
second largest island. Kalimantan ’s Mahakam River
and her dense jungle and wide
terrain of wetlands along have traditionally kept the region isolated
from
all but the adventurous travelers, at the upper reaches of
the Mahakam and the side rivers, you can discover the rich Dayak
Culture. The
indigenous
Dayak settlements along the Rivers of Kalimantan is an ideal
way
to
experience the incredible culture, where village elders practice
traditional medicine and mark their status with intricate body tattoos
and remarkably heavy ear adornments, we will be warmly
welcomed guests in their traditional longhouses. At Borneo you can
enjoy a sightful experience of traditional culture and grand
diversity of exotic flora and wildlife from black orchids to fresh
water dolphins and orangutans, and venture ashore for captivating
jungle explorations and unforgettable encounters in our village visits.
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime exploration of the Kalimantan Island!
The Dolphin Tour Expeditions are a collection of exploratories and
Indonesia dream
destination journeys
that reflect the particular passions and favorite places. We created
the Borneo adventure tours for those who search the lost world
in the deep dense jungle of Kalimantan with it's exotic flora
and fauna.
Borneo travelers will have an unforgettable
experience trip in Indonesia, however, it is designed
for those who are adventurous in body and spirit.
MAHAKAM DOLPHIN TRIP (economy)
Tour duration 4 days / 3 nights
(high/medium water*: ~October – ~June; low water: ~June
– ~September)
Day 1. Go by car or
bus from Balikpapan (4-5hrs) or Samarinda
(2.5-3hrs) to Kota Bangun,
where
you can lunch in one of the river restaurants. Afterwards, take a
motorized canoe
and
go to Tanjung Isuy village via the Lakes Semayang, Melintang and
Jempang, during
which
you will have the opportunity to spot many migratory waterbird
species and floating
fishermen
villages (c. 4 hours). Arrive late afternoon and check in one
of the losmen at the
longhouse.
Possibility to buy handicraft souvenirs and to see the Dayak
tribal dance
ceremony
(this can be arranged upon request or if you are lucky, there
is already a dance
scheduled)
Day 2. After
breakfast, transfer to motorized canoes (max. 3-4 persons
per canoe) to Muara
Pahu
via the beautiful Baroh tributary (2-3 hrs, only at medium-high
waterlevels), or via
Penyinggahan
(3-4hrs) if water levels are not too extreme low) or via
Muara Muntai (4-5hrs)
if
water levels are too low). An optional stop will be made at Minta
village to visit the people
making
palm sugar. Arrival in the afternoon at Muara Pahu at the
floating Mahakam
Information
Center, where during the day you may often see, and at
night hear, the
dolphins
feeding and playing in the confluence area. Lunch at floating
restaurant.
Afterwards,
board small motorized canoes (available through our
Information Center
contact
person) and, if the dolphins are in the confluence, try to get
a closer look of the
dolphins
by motorists trained in boat-dolphin observations (not more
than two boats at one
time
and maintaining a 30m distance if motor is running). Afterwards or
if the dolphins are
not
there a trip can be made on the Bolowan River, where proboscis
monkeys can be seen
in
high densities and many nice bird species or the blackwater river of
Jintan (medium-high
water
levels). At high water levels there is the possibility to cross
through peat swamp forest
upstream
of Bolowan River and join the Kedang Pahu River to make a nice
roundtrip. If you
like
you can check in to stay overnight in one of the local losmen
(cleanest is Anna) but the
other
is overlooking the river. Continue trip Day 3a. You may also
decide to join the public
boat
to Melak in the evening (c. 3 hrs), where you will arrive around
23h00 or later.
However
there are still possibilities to check in losmen (recommended
is Flamboyan).
Continue
trip Day 3b.
Day 3a. If you
decided to stay overnight in Muara Pahu, you can have an
optional stroll in
the
village and visit a traditional rattan handy craft workplace after
breakfast. Then, we
leave
for Melak by motorized canoe (c. 3hrs) and have a lookout for the
dolphins, which like
to
hangout in the many river bends in this section. Upon arrival have
lunch and afterwards
go
by jeep (quite expensive) or motorcycle (cheaper) through rural
areas and villages and
see
the famous black orchids in Kersik Luway and refresh at the Gemuruh
waterfall. Then
go
back to Melak and stay overnight. Continue trip 4a.
Day 3b. After
breakfast we go by jeep (quite expensive) or motorcycle
(cheaper) through
rural
areas and villages and see the famous black orchids in Kersik
Luway, refresh at the
Gemuruh
waterfall and have a picnic, visit the Dayak Longhouse in
Eheng, where people
still
live communally and wear traditional clothes, here we will also
have the opportunity for
a
short trip in the forest. If the guide has acquaintances in this
area, maybe you can stay
overnight
in one of the villages. Otherwise return to Melak. If you
like, you can go further
upstream
to Data Bilang (Dayak Kenyah) village or Long Bagun (mixed
Dayak community)
at
the rapid streams (take public boat late at night (23h00 or later)*.
You may also decide to
move
downstream by taking the public boat to Samarinda at the end of
the day and arrive
in
Samarinda the next morning.
Day 4a. Again tour
in several Dayak villages by jeep or motorcycle,
where a.o. you can visit
the
Dayak Longhouse in Eheng, where people still live communally and
wear traditional
clothes,
here you will also have the opportunity for a short trip in
the forest. If the guide
has
acquaintances in this area, maybe you can stay overnight in one of
the villages.
Otherwise
return to Melak and if you like you can go further upstream
to Data Bilang
(Dayak
Kenyah) village or Long Bagun (mixed Dayak community) at the
rapid streams (take
public
boat late at night (23h00 or later). You may also decide to move
downstream by
taking
the public boat to Samarinda at the end of the day and arrive in
Samarinda the next
morning.
MAHAKAM
DOLPHIN TRIP ( Houseboat )
Tour duration 6 Days / 5 Nights
(high/medium water*: ~October – ~June; low water: ~June
– ~September)
Day 1. Arrival at
Sepinggan Airport Balikpapan where you will be meeting with your
English speaking
guide.
Further transport by road to Tenggarong where you will check in at
Singasana Hotel to stay
overnight.
Depending on your time of arrival, on the way, a visit will be made to
the sun bear enclosure and
environmental
education exhibition at km23, Balikpapan.
Day 2. Early
morning, board the tourist houseboat in Tenggarong and head for Muara
Muntai, where you will arrive in the evening. Late afternoon stop will
be made in Muara Kaman for dinner and have a brief look at the village.
There is the possibility that the dolphins maybe feeding in the
confluence area with the Kedang Rantau tributary.
Day 3a. After
breakfast, transfer to motorized canoes (3-4 persons per canoe) to
Tanjung Isuy village,
during
which you will have the opportunity to spot many migratory waterbird
species and floating
fishermen
villages. Welcome ceremony with Dayak dance performance and lunch.
Possibility to buy
handicraft
souvenirs. In the afternoon by motorized canoe to Penyinggahan (if
water levels are not too extreme low) or Muara Muntai (if water levels
are too low) and aboard the houseboat again to move to Muara Pahu. A
stop will be made at Minta village to visit the people making palm
sugar. Arrival in the evening at Muara Pahu at the floating Mahakam
Information Center, where during the day you may often see, and at
night hear, the dolphins feeding and playing in the confluence area.
Day 4a. After
breakfast, board small motorized canoes and, if the dolphins are in the
confluence, try to get a closer look of the dolphins by motorists
trained in boat-dolphin observations (not more than two boats at one
time and maintaining a 30m distance if motor is running). Afterwards or
if the dolphins are not there a trip can be made on the Bolowan River,
where proboscis monkeys can be seen in high densities and many nice
bird species or the blackwater river of Jintan (medium-high water
levels). After lunch have a stroll at the village of Muara Pahu and
visit a traditional rattan handy craft workplace. Then, we leave for
Melak by houseboat and have a lookout for the dolphins, which like to
hangout in the many river bends in this section.
Day 5a. After
breakfast we go by jeep through rural areas and villages and see the
famous black orchids in Kersik Luway, refresh at the Gemuruh waterfall
and have a picnic, visit the Dayak Longhouse in Eheng, where people
still live communally and wear traditional clothes, here we will also
have the opportunity for a short trip in the forest to see the huge
trees. Then, we go back to the houseboat and move downstream. Arrival
at Tenggarong early morning.
Day 6. Depending on
your flight schedule, visit the historical museum with Dutch
architecture and
heritage
of the Sultan of Kutai in the morning and leave for Balikpapan Airport
for final destination.
Alternative
schedule:
Day 3b. After
breakfast, transfer to motorized canoes (3-4 persons per canoe) to
Tanjung Isuy village,
during
which you will have the opportunity to spot many migratory waterbird
species and floating
fishermen
villages. Check in the Longhouse, lunch and visit the village of
Mancong by pick-up or forest walk (at low water level) or via the
beautiful Ohong River. Welcome ceremony with Dayak dance performance of
the Benuaq tribe and lunch. Afterwards go back to Tanjung Isuy, enjoy
village life and stay overnight.
Day 4b. After breakfast by motorized canoe to Penyinggahan
(if water levels are not too extreme low) or Muara Muntai (if water
levels are too low) and aboard the houseboat again to move to Muara
Pahu. Arrival in afternoon in Muara Pahu at the floating Mahakam
Information Center, where you may often see) the dolphins feeding and
playing in the confluence area. Here we board small, motorized canoes
and, if the dolphins are in the confluence, try to get a closer look of
the dolphins by motorists trained in boat-dolphin observations (not
more than two boats at one time and maintaining a 30m distance if motor
is running).
Afterwards if there is time left or if the dolphins are not there, a
trip can be made on the Bolowan River, where proboscis monkeys can be
seen in high densities and many nice bird species especially at late
afternoon or the blackwater river of Jintan (medium-high water levels).
Dinner on houseboat and leave for Melak where we arrive around midnight.
Day 5b. After breakfast we go by jeep to through rural
areas and villages and see the famous black orchids in Kersik Luway,
refresh at the Gemuruh waterfall and have a picnic, visit the Dayak
Longhouse in Eheng, where people still live communally and wear
traditional clothes, here we will also have the opportunity for a short
trip in the forest to see the huge trees. Then, we go back to the
houseboat and move downstream. Arrival at Tenggarong early morning.
Continue
day 6.
N. B. at high or medium water levels (October-June) there are extra
tour possibilities:
Day 3. After your stay in Tanjung Isuy, go by motorized canoe to the
small and nice tributary of Baroh,
which directly connects with Muara Pahu. The houseboat will then wait
in Muara Pahu. In this way, you have more time to spent in Muara Pahu.
Day 4. Besides the Bolowan tributary there is the possibility to cross
through peat swamp forest and join the Kedang Pahu River again
If you have any
inquiries or
questions,
please feel free to
contact
us
by Phone or M@il For more Information or a Reservation.
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