7 Tips for an Extraordinary Tanjung Puting Orangutan Tour

Tanjung Puting is quite a detour from most people’s holiday itinerary, because there is not much else to do around Pangkalan Bun. So you want to make sure that the Borneo Orangutan Tour is worth the hassle to get here.

Reading Tip:
The Ultimate Guide to Tanjung Puting Orangutans

Here a few tips to help you choose a reliable tour operator and get a high-quality boat, and some thoughts on useful things to bring beyond the obvious (e.g. insect repellent, good shoes, long sleeves and sun cream) that will make your Orangutan Tour even more special:

Do these boat checks. Ask the tour operator whether their boats have Western showers (as opposed to a Mandi) and Western toilets (as opposed to a squat toilet). Check that they use fresh water in the boat and not river water (toilets are flushed into the river).
Ask for a Licensed Guide. Make sure that the tour operator only works with licensed guides, because these do not only know about the animals and flora and safety rules, but they are also trained in the English language.
Do a Night Trek. If you book a 3D2N Orangutan Tour, usually a night trek is not in the default itinerary, but chances are the tour operator provides this for free on demand. Night walks are very special and you may witness beautiful glowing mushrooms. Let your guide know even before you arrive in Pangkalan Bun that you wish to do a night trek.
Be the first to leave the feeding station. You will visit 3 feeding stations where you will see orangutans been fed on a platform. The feeding typically takes an hour or so, and the highlight is usually the beginning when orangutans arrive swinging from tree to tree. If you leave just before the crowd does, you will have no other boat in front of you as you cruise to the next stop and will enjoy the serenity of the river and jungle even more.
Bring Coffee & Beer. As part of the orangutan tour, you will be served with standard, local coffee, which is basically hot water with filter coffee, but then unfiltered. You may want to consider bringing your own instant coffee (or French Press) if you are sensitive for a good coffee. You may also want to consider bringing your own white wine or alcohol beverage to optimally enjoy the beautiful and romantic setting from the Klotok. You cannot buy alcohol in Pangkalan Bun because of the muslim customs, but you can bring it with you to Pangkalan Bun and consume it during the tour.
Mobile Charger. Although there are sockets aboard, we do not recommend to use these to charge electronic devices because the power engine of the boat does not supply a constant voltage (this holds for ALL boats). Please consider to bring an external battery charger, which can be bought at any outdoor store.
Hammock. If you have a hammock, bring it! The ultimate chill experience is to lay down in your hammock in the klotok as you cruise through the lush jungle.

More information about the Borneo Orangutan Tours by Local Guides

We are obviously biased, but we believe that our Tanjung Puting Orangutan Tours are among the best. We use boats with Western facilities, we are known for working with licensed guides that have a terrific track record, we have a user-friendly booking system and require a relatively small deposit. Check out traveller’s reviews about our Orangutan Tours in Borneo.

However, also if you book your tour with anyone else, feel still free to ask us for free advice so that we can make sure you leave Tanjung Puting National Park with a smile on your face:-)

In case there is anything we can help you with or you have to share, just contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best period to visit?

You can visit Tanjung Puting throughout the year. The temperature is rather constant and while it is often raining in Kalimantan, historically the most dry period has been July-September and the most wet period has been January and February. However, in recent years the rainfall has been unpredictable, so the above should not be delt with too strictly.

Partly for the above reason, the most popular period to visit Tanjung Puting among travelers is July and August. However, we want to emphasize that besides the weather advantages of this period, there are several downside of doing your tour during July - September:

It is very crowded, which obviously spoils for some the experience.
It is relatively expensive.
Although it is called a 3D2N tour, all boats (for any operator) will leave the national park on the last day already in the morning.
Under the event of a force majeure (such as a break-down of the boat engine) it becomes difficult for any tour operator to hire another boat (which can easily be done for months outside July-September). We will then hire a quite expensive speedboat and let clients stay overnight in the Rimba Lodge. Despite the high cost of this scenario (which we take on us), it also not a satisfactory experience for clients, which makes it a lose/lose situation.

Considering the crowds and the value for money, in our opinion the best time to visit Tanjung Puting is in the shoulder months October - December and March - June.

Most travelers however do not have much flexibility and are restricted to the high season period. As long as you manage your expecations that it will be crowded and that you return early on the last day, you will still have a wonderful experience!

What time does the tour start/end?

Start. In order to see the feeding at Tanjung Harapan - which starts at 3pm - we need to leave Pangkalan Bun latest at 11:30 am.

In case you stay overnight in Pangkalan Bun (recommended), the tour usually starts after your breakfast but no later than 11:30 am in order to arrive at the first feeding station before 3pm. Our guide will align the exact pick-up time with you ahead of the tour.

In case you arrive in Pangkalan Bun on the same day that your tour starts, we pick you up at the airport and start the tour immediately. Any arrival time in the morning is fine. We can also accommodate (but not advice) an arrival after noon, but then you obviously will have less time in the park.

End. The tour ends after breakfast on the last day. We will leave Tanjung Puting national park around 9 am, and you will be dropped at your hotel or at the airport latest around 11 am. In case you have an early flight to catch, no worries, we will make sure that you will arrive at the airport on time. In case you have a later flight, we will always try to stretch the tour but cannot guarantee this.

Should I take the 3D, 4D or 5D tour?

3D2N. We advice to take the 3D2N tour if you want to see as much as possible in as little time as possible. It is fantastic value for money as you get to see all feeding stations in Tanjung Puting. Unfortunately, you will not have any time for a short trek, or a night trek.

4D3N. The 4D3N tour we advice to anyone who would like to take the time in Tanjung Puting and is especially interested to combine visiting the feeding stations with short jungle treks, a night trek, and visiting a reforestration site as well as the Sekonyer village.

5D4N. The 5D4N tour we advice to anyone that is more adventurous, is into a long jungle trek, together with rangers in a very remote and untouched jungle. At the end of the jungle trek, we return to our boat by a canoe through a small river in the dense jungle. There are no other activities in Tanjung Puting that will take you further away from the crowd than this trek, but be prepared to get a little bit dirty. With this tour, you will also have the option to visit a palm oil factory.

Should I book a hotel in Pangkalan Bun?

We advise to at least book a hotel before the start of your tour. Not only because this allows you to start your tour rested, or spend more time in Tanjung Puting but also because of the risk of delayed flights.

Because the tour ends early on the last day, there is no need to stay overnight at the end of the tour, except if you would like to rest and enjoy a hot shower before flying to your next destination.

Don't worry if you don't have the possibility to stay before or after the tour in Pangkalan Bun (we are used to this anyways!), but then please make sure that your flight arrives in the morning.

Recommended hotels in the top, middle and budget segment are the Grand Kecubung Hotel , Arsela Hotel and Hotel Bahagia , respectively.

How is the food during the tour?

This is one of the things we try to stand out with!

Our goal is to spoil our guests with mouthwatering, delicious meals. Every meal should be another bombshell of creativity, because we realize that nothing is as good as having a delicious meal in the heart of the jungle after an exciting trek.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are served in the top deck on the dining area, while the fingerfood, snacks and drinks are served throughout the day, typically in the lounge area where you sit. You’ll have access all day to tea and coffee.

Do you have any dietary wishes? No worries, we have that all the time. Just let know about it and we'll take care of it!

What are the facilities on the boat?

The boat is a traditional Klotok wooden river boat.

We use only very comfortable Klotoks, with Western toilets and a shower, as opposed to an Indonesian toilet or a basket of water to shower in.

There is a top deck exclusively for you, with a dining table in the back, a lounge area in the front and mattrasses under a mosquito net that will be prepared for you in the evening. The crew is in the bottom deck.

For individuals and couples the classical Klotok dimension of 12m (long) x 2m (wide) is used. For group sizes from 3 to 6 people, the very comfortable boats with the dimensions 17m x 3m boats are used.

Can I get seasick on the boat?

That is highly unlikely.

The river is quite still, and small waves are only occasionally created by passing boats.

We have never had sea sick clients on our boats. But in case you are concerned about it, we advice you to book the big boats as these are even more steady than the smaller ones. Please notice that this comes with a surcharge; send us an email for more information.

Will I get wet on the boat when it rains?

No. Although the boats are on default open on the sides to allow visibility towards the forest, in case of rain they will be closed completely with removable tarps.

Can I do a night trek in the jungle?

With the 4D3N and 5D4N tours we offer night treks! Usually, we do this around Pondok Ambung.

In case you do a 3D2N tour, a night trek is not part of our itinerary because of the little time. However, please do express your wish for a night trek so that we can try to accommodate this, but cannot guarantee. Please discuss this wish also upon your arrival in Pangkalan Bun directly with your guide to discuss the possibilities on the spot.

Wat animals are there in the park?

The main reason people visit Tanjung Puting is because of the Orangutans, the park is also home to the bizarre looking proboscis monkey with its “Jimmy Durante” nose as well as seven other primate species. Clouded leopards, civets, and Malaysian sun bears cavort in the park, as do mouse deer, barking deer, sambar deer, and the wild cattle known as banteng.

There are over 230 species of birds, including hornbills, deep forest birds, and many wetland species. Tanjung Puting is well known for its “bird lakes,” seasonal rookeries for a half a dozen species of endangered waterbirds, including the only known Bornean nesting grounds for white egrets.

There are two species of crocodiles (you may spot one while cruising!), dozens of snakes and frogs, numerous threatened species, including the fortune-bringing and highly endangered “dragon” fish also known as the Arwana (bony-tongue).

Among the most flamboyant of these animals are the many species of colorful birds, butterflies, and moths found in the Park.

Should I tip the staff?

Tipping is common in Indonesia, and the staff will be extremely happy and flattered if you decide to do so, but it is of course voluntary and not expected.

There is no rule for how much to tip, as it really depends on how satisfied you are with the service and on your budget. Some clients really insist to get an indication, so we will give the rule of thumb that for every day you may consider tipping your guide 100.000 IDR and 50.000 IDR to your cook, captain and boat helper.

Please consider this very indicative, and deviate from it as you wish or depending on your budget. In the end, any amount is really appreciated.

Orangutan tours in Borneo vs Sumatra

Among the best places in the world to see orangutans, are Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra) and Tanjung Puting National Park (Kalimantan). We offer tours in both places with certified, local guides.

Both are quite well accessible by air from Jakarta. Which of the two is better, depends on your personal interests and on your budget.

Generally speaking, orangutan tours in Bukit Lawang are suitable for adventurous travelers that like relatively long treks, are in shape, would like to combine it with other activities (volcanoe treks, relaxing at Lake Toba, visiting villages, etc.) and/or have a lower budget. The transportation is by foot and the accommodation is typically in basic jungle camps.

In contrast, the orangutan tours in Tanjung Puting are by boat as you cruise through the river, and the occassional treks are very easy and short, and the accommodation is typically on the boat. Although this cruise is still relatively cheap for Western standards, it is 2 to 3 times more expensive than the jungle treks in Bukit Lawang. Also, there are fewer activities around Tanjung Puting National Park, than around Gunung Leuser National Park.

For more information about the jungle treks in Bukit Lawang as well as the tour packages we offer there, click here

Are there any general tips?

Here are a few additional tips that you may enhance your tour experience:

1. Although Indonesia is famous for its coffee, in our experience, tourists do not like the standard coffee served at homes or in the boat, which is basically hot water with filter coffee, but then unfiltered. So if you drink coffee, we recommend to bring your own instant coffee (or French Press).

2. You may want to consider to bring your own alcoholic drink to optimally enjoy the beautiful and romantic setting from the Klotok. If you are lucky, you can store these in the fridge of the staff, but chances are that you can only drink it warm. Alcoholic beverage is not sold in Pangkalan Bun and therefore needs to be bought before arriving here.

3. In case you have time, you will appreciate staying overnight in Pangkalan Bun before (and/or after your) tour. You'll start your tour all rested, finish your tour with a hot shower, stay longer in Tanjung Puting National Park, and don't need to stress about flight delays. The best hotel in town is the Grand Kecubung Hotel .

4. Although there are plug sockets aboard, we do not recommend to use these to charge expensive gadgets (smartphones, tablets, etc.) because the power engine of the boat does not supply a constant voltage (this holds for ALL boats). Please consider to bring an external battery charger, which can be bought at any outdoor store.

5. If you have a hammock, bring it! The ultimate chill experience is to lay down in your hammock in the klotok as you cruise through the lush jungle!

Tips for Tanjung Puting Orangutan Tour