Sail from Bali and discover Orangutans And Dragons. Cruising the rivers of Kalimantan (Borneo) and the islands of Komodo National Park
12 Nights: Various Dates Available
From $7,990 / £6,650 per person*
*Trips are priced in the operator's local currency. The amount you pay in sterling will change with currency fluctuations.
DAY 1
We will meet you either on arrival at the airport or in your hotel lobby. At 8 am we transfer you 40 minutes to the tiny village of Sei Gohong where we board local canoes to observe orangutans on the beautiful forested island of Pulau Kaja. The island is managed by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation or BOS. After observing orangutans in their island habitat, we then transfer to BOS’s nearby Education Centre in Nyaru Menteng for more information on their activities.
Returning to Palangka Raya harbour, we board the Rahai’i Pangun for lunch and a short cruise through the city upstream. Boarding vehicles, we travel 30 minutes to the historic towns of Bukit Rawi and Sigi to see the magnificently painted sandungs, receive a Dayak welcome and learn about the history.
We then return to the boat to start the cruise downstream to moor overnight in a quiet location.
DAY 2
In the early morning, we will use motorised canoes to visit the extensive Blackwater Lake Bagantung. This is a unique peatland swamp ecosystem where we have the opportunity to spot birds, other wildlife and fishing activities by the villagers.
Returning to the village of Pusaka, we learn the local self-defence or shadow boxing exercise. Try it yourself! Returning to the boat, we continue the cruise downstream to Tumbang Nusa village. On arrival, we will have a walking tour of the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods.
The boat will continue to cruise downstream, passing the large forested Selat and Badak Islands, where it may be possible to spot orangutans. We then find a quiet place to tie up overnight.
DAY 3
The boat continues downstream to the village of Pilang where we take a short walk in the forest area near the village to see the process of rubber tapping (Mamantat) and rattan harvesting (Manetes). Our village guide will also point out some local medicinal plants growing in the forest.
We then have a walking tour of the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods. Watch the local ladies at their rattan weaving process and meet the villagers. Over a special tea and coffee, with traditional Dayak cakes, we will be entertained with a Kacapi (two-stringed instrument) performance.
Escaping the heat of the midday sun, we will return to the boat for lunch. The boat will cruise downstream to find a quiet mooring place for overnight
DAY 4
We have a relaxed breakfast before our very special visit to the Sebangau National Park. For this adventure, we pack our bags and transfer to the car for the journey to Kereng Bangkirai village (40 minutes). Here we join a canoe to travel a half-hour across the amazing reflections of Lake Sebangau to the tiny Koran River.
Explore the boardwalks and forests on the eastern boundary of the park. We will visit the information centre established there and walk along boardwalks provided for visitors to more easily explore the area to catch sight of birds and perhaps wild orangutans.
We return to the village of Kering Bangkirai for a cool drink for transfer to the vehicle and return to the airport. Upon arrival in Bali, you will be escorted to your hotel for the night.
** If making a 14-day journey, you will spend two nights in Bali with the extra day at your leisure.
DAY 5 – 6
Taking the early morning flight from Bali, you will be met at the airport in Komodo by your tour leaders and be taken straight to your boat. And as you settle into your new home, we will head to our first snorkelling spot; a coral restoration project where you will see how the corals and fish populations have grown since they were first transplanted in 2014.
Go ashore on Komodo Island searching for the fearsome Komodo dragons, found only in the Komodo National Park. This is the world’s largest lizard, growing up to a length of three metres and weighing up to approximately 70 kilograms.
Enjoy some magnificent snorkelling on some of Komodo Park’s best reefs.
Swim with manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin.
Snorkel at a favourite hangout of sea turtles, where we will have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as they cruise along the shallow water of the reef.
DAY 7 – 8
Wake up off the coast of a beautiful uninhabited island with a beach of pure white sand with some sparkles of powdered red coral, creating the effect of a “pink beach”. We will spend the morning here, swimming, paddle boarding, and snorkelling on the beautiful coral reef that lies parallel to the beach.
Over lunch, we will cruise to a nearby active volcanic island where we will see a large wooden pinisi boat with the same pedigree and history as our very own ships being built on the beach. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a souvenir.
Spend the day at a strange and mystical volcanic island with a sunken crater lake in its centre that was filled with saltwater when the nearby Mt Tambora catastrophically erupted in 1815. Here we will swim, kayak and paddleboard on the lake, and the more adventurous can go trekking around the crater rim.
Experience one of our famous beach BBQs under a night sky filled with millions of stars as you feast on the amazing local delicacies prepared by our chef, all accompanied by live medical entertainment from our talented crew.
Another highlight of our visit to the island will be the sight of thousands of flying foxes that fly at dusk from the island to feed on the mainland.
DAY 9 – 10
We will have a chance for an early morning swim with whale sharks, the gentle giants of the sea. These massive but harmless animals have long congregated here in the bay but now, thanks to travellers like you, we have formed a mutually beneficial alliance with the local fisherman who have their traditional small floating fishing platforms in the bay that attract the sharks. We can’t make any promises, as we don’t have these wild animals on a leash, but fingers crossed we will see them.
Spend the day on a beach located on a small limestone island nearby, kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, and exploring the local karst formations.
We will cruise to Labuan Aji village on the island of Moyo to visit the village and walk to a scenic waterfall where we can bathe in the refreshingly cool water.
DAY 11 – 12
Enjoy a unique snorkelling experience where volcanic gasses escape in the form of bubbles from the sea floor among the corals, with the metallic black volcanic sand below being home to an abundance of very interesting invertebrates.
Entering the Komodo National Park again we will go drift snorkelling in one of the best and healthiest coral reefs in the park, and for those who want to take the land adventure to another level, you can do a sunset hike up to a gorgeous viewpoint overlooking the other islands in the park.
Visit Rinca Island, which is well known for its diverse wildlife, and maybe spot dragons, monkeys, wild buffaloes and deer as well. From the top of the hills, the scenery is breathtaking.
DAY 13
After breakfast on our last day, we will take you on a scenic drive towards Melo Village, where you will witness the traditional Caci dance performance. Local strongmen perform a ritual whip-fight between two rivals in which the players, each armed with a rattan shield and a whip, will try to hit each other while dancing to the rhythm of traditional acoustic instruments.
After lunch on the boat, we will say farewell to the crew and your fellow shipmates as you disembark and continue to your next destination.
Fly to Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali
Fly from Komodo Airport, Flores
DAY 1
We will meet you either on arrival at the airport or in your hotel lobby. At 8 am we transfer you 40 minutes to the tiny village of Sei Gohong where we board local canoes to observe orangutans on the beautiful forested island of Pulau Kaja. The island is managed by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation or BOS. After observing orangutans in their island habitat, we then transfer to BOS’s nearby Education Centre in Nyaru Menteng for more information on their activities.
Returning to Palangka Raya harbour, we board the Rahai’i Pangun for lunch and a short cruise through the city upstream. Boarding vehicles, we travel 30 minutes to the historic towns of Bukit Rawi and Sigi to see the magnificently painted sandungs, receive a Dayak welcome and learn about the history.
We then return to the boat to start the cruise downstream to moor overnight in a quiet location.
DAY 2
In the early morning, we will use motorised canoes to visit the extensive Blackwater Lake Bagantung. This is a unique peatland swamp ecosystem where we have the opportunity to spot birds, other wildlife and fishing activities by the villagers.
Returning to the village of Pusaka, we learn the local self-defence or shadow boxing exercise. Try it yourself! Returning to the boat, we continue the cruise downstream to Tumbang Nusa village. On arrival, we will have a walking tour of the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods.
The boat will continue to cruise downstream, passing the large forested Selat and Badak Islands, where it may be possible to spot orangutans. We then find a quiet place to tie up overnight.
DAY 3
The boat continues downstream to the village of Pilang where we take a short walk in the forest area near the village to see the process of rubber tapping (Mamantat) and rattan harvesting (Manetes). Our village guide will also point out some local medicinal plants growing in the forest.
We then have a walking tour of the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods. Watch the local ladies at their rattan weaving process and meet the villagers. Over a special tea and coffee, with traditional Dayak cakes, we will be entertained with a Kacapi (two-stringed instrument) performance.
Escaping the heat of the midday sun, we will return to the boat for lunch. The boat will cruise downstream to find a quiet mooring place for overnight
DAY 4
We have a relaxed breakfast before our very special visit to the Sebangau National Park. For this adventure, we pack our bags and transfer to the car for the journey to Kereng Bangkirai village (40 minutes). Here we join a canoe to travel a half-hour across the amazing reflections of Lake Sebangau to the tiny Koran River.
Explore the boardwalks and forests on the eastern boundary of the park. We will visit the information centre established there and walk along boardwalks provided for visitors to more easily explore the area to catch sight of birds and perhaps wild orangutans.
We return to the village of Kering Bangkirai for a cool drink for transfer to the vehicle and return to the airport. Upon arrival in Bali, you will be escorted to your hotel for the night.
** If making a 14-day journey, you will spend two nights in Bali with the extra day at your leisure.
DAY 5 – 6
Taking the early morning flight from Bali, you will be met at the airport in Komodo by your tour leaders and be taken straight to your boat. And as you settle into your new home, we will head to our first snorkelling spot; a coral restoration project where you will see how the corals and fish populations have grown since they were first transplanted in 2014.
Go ashore on Komodo Island searching for the fearsome Komodo dragons, found only in the Komodo National Park. This is the world’s largest lizard, growing up to a length of three metres and weighing up to approximately 70 kilograms.
Enjoy some magnificent snorkelling on some of Komodo Park’s best reefs.
Swim with manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin.
Snorkel at a favourite hangout of sea turtles, where we will have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as they cruise along the shallow water of the reef.
DAY 7 – 8
Wake up off the coast of a beautiful uninhabited island with a beach of pure white sand with some sparkles of powdered red coral, creating the effect of a “pink beach”. We will spend the morning here, swimming, paddle boarding, and snorkelling on the beautiful coral reef that lies parallel to the beach.
Over lunch, we will cruise to a nearby active volcanic island where we will see a large wooden pinisi boat with the same pedigree and history as our very own ships being built on the beach. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a souvenir.
Spend the day at a strange and mystical volcanic island with a sunken crater lake in its centre that was filled with saltwater when the nearby Mt Tambora catastrophically erupted in 1815. Here we will swim, kayak and paddleboard on the lake, and the more adventurous can go trekking around the crater rim.
Experience one of our famous beach BBQs under a night sky filled with millions of stars as you feast on the amazing local delicacies prepared by our chef, all accompanied by live medical entertainment from our talented crew.
Another highlight of our visit to the island will be the sight of thousands of flying foxes that fly at dusk from the island to feed on the mainland.
DAY 9 – 10
We will have a chance for an early morning swim with whale sharks, the gentle giants of the sea. These massive but harmless animals have long congregated here in the bay but now, thanks to travellers like you, we have formed a mutually beneficial alliance with the local fisherman who have their traditional small floating fishing platforms in the bay that attract the sharks. We can’t make any promises, as we don’t have these wild animals on a leash, but fingers crossed we will see them.
Spend the day on a beach located on a small limestone island nearby, kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, and exploring the local karst formations.
We will cruise to Labuan Aji village on the island of Moyo to visit the village and walk to a scenic waterfall where we can bathe in the refreshingly cool water.
DAY 11 – 12
Enjoy a unique snorkelling experience where volcanic gasses escape in the form of bubbles from the sea floor among the corals, with the metallic black volcanic sand below being home to an abundance of very interesting invertebrates.
Entering the Komodo National Park again we will go drift snorkelling in one of the best and healthiest coral reefs in the park, and for those who want to take the land adventure to another level, you can do a sunset hike up to a gorgeous viewpoint overlooking the other islands in the park.
Visit Rinca Island, which is well known for its diverse wildlife, and maybe spot dragons, monkeys, wild buffaloes and deer as well. From the top of the hills, the scenery is breathtaking.
DAY 13
After breakfast on our last day, we will take you on a scenic drive towards Melo Village, where you will witness the traditional Caci dance performance. Local strongmen perform a ritual whip-fight between two rivals in which the players, each armed with a rattan shield and a whip, will try to hit each other while dancing to the rhythm of traditional acoustic instruments.
After lunch on the boat, we will say farewell to the crew and your fellow shipmates as you disembark and continue to your next destination.
Temperature in this sailing area varies little (27° to 33° Celsius year-round) with mostly blue skies and light winds. We suggest you bring the following:
Light cotton/ linen clothes, including a pair of long trousers for visits in the villages
Water shoes (boots or plastic shoes)
Hiking shoes
Camera
A plastic / waterproof bag for your camera when disembarking
High protection suntan lotion
A hat
Insect repellent
Dive/ snorkelling equipment if you have your own (there is plenty on board)
A sweater for cool evenings
