Overview

Day 1: Pangkalan Bun – Kumai Port – Tanjung Harapan Trekking
Arrive at Pangkalan Bun Airport on the island of Borneo, also known as Kalimantan in Indonesia. Upon your arrival, your guide will be waiting to greet you. After a 15-20 minute drive, you’ll be transferred to the port of Kumai, where your exciting adventure begins! You'll board a traditional wooden boat called a klotok. Your guide will check with the crew to ensure everything is set before starting your cruise up the famous Sekonyer River aboard the klotok. If your flight arrives early (before 11:30 AM), you’ll have time to visit the Tanjung Harapan Rehabilitation Center, where at 3:00 PM, the park rangers feed the orangutans, giving you the chance to have your first close encounter with these amazing creatures. Tanjung Harapan, meaning "Cape of Hope," is known for its wetlands, so be sure to apply plenty of mosquito repellent, especially in the afternoon. After the feeding session, you’ll participate in tree planting activities before trekking through the jungle for about an hour. This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the local wildlife, enjoy the sounds of nature, and experience the unique vegetation. Once back at Camp, you’ll have dinner, and if you're interested, you can join a night hike with your guide to discover the nocturnal fauna.

Day 2: Tanjung Harapan Village – Camp Leakey Trekking
After packing up the tent, you’ll continue your trek to the river, where a motor canoe will pick you up and take you to the boat. Once aboard, you’ll enjoy a leisurely cruise along the river, have breakfast, and freshen up on the boat. After some rest, you’ll visit Tanjung Harapan Village, located within the national park, where you can observe the daily activities of the local community. Following the visit, your journey continues to the Camp Leakey feeding camp.

Camp Leakey, the renowned orangutan research and rehabilitation center, has been operating since 1971 when UCLA student Biruté Galdikas began studying orangutans there. The camp is named after Biruté's mentor, paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey. Over the years, the center has successfully rehabilitated and released over 200 orangutans back into the wild. Since 1995, however, the Indonesian government has stopped introducing new orangutans to the camp, allowing the current residents to become more independent and adapt to life in the wild. Today, Camp Leakey continues to serve as a center for studying the behavior and feeding patterns of orangutans. You’ll have the chance to explore the jungle with your guide, searching for wild orangutans and other animals. At 2:00 PM, you’ll witness the orangutan feeding session. You can also visit the small museum created by Dr. Biruté Galdikas, showcasing her groundbreaking work.

Afterward, if the weather permits, you’ll embark on a short jungle trek on your way back to the boat, looking for wild orangutans and other wildlife. Along the way, you’ll learn from local guides—many of whom were born in the jungle—about how to spot animals and plants, and listen to their stories of life in the rainforest. The jungles of Borneo have sustained its settlers for generations, providing food, water, medicine, and more. Please remember, never put anything in your mouth without your guide’s recommendation. You will rest in Klotok Boat.

Note: The Birute Galdikas Museum at Camp Leaky is currently closed for maintenance purposes. Regrettably, visits to this site will not be possible until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will keep you updated on the reopening of the museum.

Day 3: Pondok Tanggui Trekking – Proboscis Tour
After a wonderful breakfast, you’ll head to Pondok Tanggui Camp in time for the 9 AM orangutan feeding session. As you observe, the branches in the treetops will begin to sway, and soon, you’ll spot the silhouettes of orangutans making their way to the feeding platform. Pondok Tanggui was once a release camp for young orangutans undergoing rehabilitation. Food is provided daily to encourage them to stay within the park, as without it, they might venture outside, risking encounters with traps set by settlers or wandering into palm oil plantations. Once the orangutans have finished feeding and returned to the jungle, you’ll continue your cruise up the Sekonyer River aboard the klotok. Along the riverbanks, you’ll see lush vegetation, including Nipa palms, Pandanus, and various tree species. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as birds, macaques, proboscis monkeys, and even orangutans. In the afternoon, if the weather is clear, the boat will anchor near a congregation of fireflies, where you can enjoy their mesmerizing luminescent display. You will rest in Klotok Boat.

Day 4: Kumai Port – Pangkalan Bun
In the early morning, you’ll savor the final sounds of the jungle before heading to the port for your transfer to the airport.