Kutai National Park, East Kalimantan
- 4 Days
- Culture & Nature, Wildlife
Easy
Kutai National Park is a 198,629-hectare protected area located in the province of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is known for its rich biodiversity, particularly its diverse flora and fauna. The park is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Bornean orangutan, clouded leopard, and proboscis monkey. It also boasts a wide range of ecosystems, including mangrove forests, lowland and hill rainforests, and freshwater swamp forests. The park is a popular destination for nature lovers who come to explore its scenic landscapes and observe its unique wildlife. In addition to preserving wildlife, the park also offers opportunities for eco-tourism and sustainable development in the region.
Visitors can go on a guided tour of the park, which includes trekking, bird watching, and river cruising. The park is also significant for its cultural heritage, with several Dayak tribes living in the area. These tribes have a rich history and culture, and visitors can learn about their traditional customs and practices. The indigenous Dayak people have lived in the area for centuries and have a strong connection to the land and its natural resources. These tribes have a rich history and culture, and visitors can learn about their traditional customs and practices.
In recent years, the park has faced numerous challenges, including illegal logging, and mining, which have threatened the park’s biodiversity and the well-being of the local communities. However, efforts are being made to protect the park and its inhabitants, including the establishment of community-based conservation initiatives and the implementation of sustainable tourism practices
Kutai National Park is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring one of the best of Indonesia’s natural and cultural heritage.
- Upon your morning flight in Balikpapan pick up service by our guide.
- then drive to Bukit Bangkirai, a conservation area of endemic tropical trees of Borneo. It’s located about 58 km from Balikpapan about 1 ½ hour or 20 km away from Samboja Lodge with some bumpy road.
- The canopy bridges in Bukit Bangkirai built at 30 meters above the ground for observation tower, its made from 64 meters of the steel connecting 5 huge trees. You will spot gibbon, hornbill, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, red leaf-eating monkey and other endemic wildlife of Borneo.
- After having lunch, we drive about 150 km away or about 2,5 hours to Samarinda.
- Overnight at Samarinda hotel.
Meals included : Lunch, Dinner
- After breakfast then we check out
- drive about 30' – 1 hour to Pampang Village, a cultural site. At present, not less than 800 members of the Dayak Kenyah community live here. Pampang is without any doubt it is the most impressive in terms of color and intricacy of Kenyah art. The external & internal beauty of this longhouse is extraordinary and deserves every tourist’s visit.
- Enjoy Dayak Kenyah art performance every Sunday from 2 pm to 3 pm. No show is held other than Sunday.
- Continue to Sangatta for about 3 – 4 hours drive. Lunch on the way to a local restaurant.
- Dinner at a local restaurant or hotel in Sangatta.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Early breakfast at Sangatta hotel.
- Drive about 30 minutes away to the harbor to boarding the long motorized canoe for about 30 minutes to Prevab Orangutan Station.
- Explore Prevab Orangutan Station, part of Kutai National Park that more accessible compared with other stations. Accompany by the ranger we search for wild orangutan, birds, gibbon and other endemic wildlife of Borneo living in Kutai National Park.
- Back to the Ranger Station for having lunch.
- In the late afternoon, we will slowly explore the Sangatta River for spotting Crocodile and Proboscis Monkey.
- Then we will back the pier again.
- Drive to the hotel in Sangatta for overnight.
- Dinner at a local restaurant.
- After breakfast packing
- then we will have a long drive from Sangatta to Balikpapan. It’s about 207 km away or 6 – 7 hours drive.
- You could add one more day to explore Sungai Wain, the nearest protected tropical rain forest from Balikpapan. In 1992 and 1996, Sungai Wain used for releasing 80 rehabilitated Orangutan from the effort of BOSF. Since this period Sungai Wain also uses for flora and fauna laboratory as well as for conservation education center.
- In Sungai Wain, the local team and ranger will bring us to the jungle searching for all those beautiful creatures. This is one of the preserve jungle close to Balikpapan City. The trek is easy and some part a little bit muddy but rich in exotic wildlife.
- Transfer to the airport to catch your flight back to your country.
TOURS END – END OF SERVICE
Sungai Wain flows until reaching the length of 18.300 meter; become the natural habitat for crocodile, many species of fish and of course Long Nosed Monkey the endemic primate in Borneo along the nipah palm mangrove tree. Sungai Wain covered 10.025 Ha consist of Lowland Dipterocarpa , Hilly Dipterocarpa Forest, and Open Air Swamp Forest, Sungai Wain is the natural habitat for endangered species such as Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), 80 rehabilitant Orang Utan (Pongo Pygmaeus), 60 Malayan Bear (Helarctos Malayanus), Red Lead Eating Monkey, Gibbon, Squirrel and some others.
Bukit Bangkirai covers the area of 1500 hectares to protect Bangkirai trees (Shorea laevis), Keruing trees (Dipterocarpus Comutus), Jelutung trees (Dyera Constulata), Kempas trees (Koompassia malaccensis), rattan (Calamus sp.), and other tropical trees endemic to Borneo/Kalimantan Island. Bangkirai Hill covered protected tropical rain forest dominated by Bengkirai Tree with about 40 – 50 m high and diameter 2,3 meter with average age of the tree about 150 years old
