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Borneo Orangutan Tour in Tanjung Puting

>Home / Indonesia / Borneo Orangutan Tour in Tanjung Puting
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Local-Guides Boat Lounge Couple
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Tanjung Puting - Hanesa Distance_900px
Tanjung Puting - Orangutan with Baby 5_900px
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Tanjung Puting - Orangutans boardwalk_900px
Tanjung Puting - Teguh Performance 2_900px
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Local-Guides Boat Lounge Couple
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Welcome to Borneo

Meet Borneo orangutans as you cruise through a jungle river in the untamed Tanjung Putin National park, where adventure meets wilderness and romance. Join us in our mission to support local businesses and protect the rainforest.

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Our Tours
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Who we are
Klotok Houseboats
What others say
Practical Tips
Accommodation
Refund Policy
Prices & Bookings

Borneo Orangutan Tours

3D2N Orangutan Tour See all highlights!
We cruise with a wooden klotok houseboat in Tanjung Puting, visit all three feeding stations and Camp Leaky, have traditional meals aboard, and see fireflies at night if weather conditions allow.

4D3N Orangutan Tour More jungle time!
Additionally, we do small jungle treks, a night trek, and we visit the reforestation site or the local Sekonyer village.

5D4N Orangutan Tour Off-the-beaten path!
Additionally, we do an all-day trek off-the-beaten-path with local rangers. We return with a canoe through a small jungle river. Prepare for getting a little bit dirty in this untouched part of the jungle.

3D2N Orangutan Tour
3D2N Orangutan Tour
Tanjung Puting Highlights
4D3N Orangutan Tour
4D3N Orangutan Tour
Most Popular Choice
5D4N Orangutan Tour
5D4N Orangutan Tour
off-the-beaten-path deep in the jungle
6D5N Orangutan Tour
LIMITED
6D5N Orangutan Tour
Far away from the crowd with rangers
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Orangutan + Dayak Tours

Visit both the Tanjung Puting National park and a Dayak jungle tribe. Overnight in a traditional longhouse or in a tent in the jungle next to a waterfall.

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Prices & Booking

We’re fun Tanjung Puting Guides:-)

We are born and raised around Tanjung Puting National Park. We know the orangutans by name and the jungle trails by heart, and are eco-minded.

We are experienced, listen carefully to your wishes, and are excited to show our backyard. Whether you want to see orangutans, learn about local situation, or are outdoors, a family or a photographer: You’ll find yourself in great company with us.

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Comfortable Klotok Houseboats

The boat is half the fun! We use comfortable Klotoks with a Western shower (no Mandi) and toilet (no squat toilet) and with fresh water (no river water).

You do not share the boat with anyone. Mineral water is available throughout the day via large barrels.

Hanesa
Hanesa
Milo
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Irene
Irene
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Hanesa
Hanesa
Western Toilet
Western Shower
Fresh Water
Max 8 pax

A large klotok houseboat with 2 lounge areas (in the front and in the back), a dining area (in the middle) and a sleeping area (in the middle). It has a Western shower with fresh water and a Western toilet. Mineral water, coffee and tea available throughout the day. The maximum capacity is 8 people.

Milo
Milo
Western Toilet
Western Shower
Fresh Water
Max 2 pax

A fully renovated klotok houseboat for 2 people with 2 lounge areas: one with bean bags in the front and one with a wooden bench in the back. It has a dining area and a sleeping area (in the middle), and a Western shower with fresh water and a Western toilet. Mineral water, coffee and tea available throughout the day. Perfect for couples.

Irene
Irene
Western Toilet
Western Shower
Fresh Water
Max 8 pax

A large klotok houseboat with 2 lounge areas: one with bean bags in the front and one with a wooden bench in the back. It has a dining area (in the middle) and a sleeping area (in the middle), and a Western shower with fresh water and a Western toilet. Mineral water, coffee and tea available throughout the day. The maximum capacity is 8 people.

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Don't use AC boats for more luxury. AC is not needed in Tanjung Puting because of the fresh breeze and the comfortable night temperatures. Moreover, AC boats have a big environmental footprint, make more noise, create bigger waves (disturbing the wildlife in the river), and lock you behind windows, spoiling the jungle vibe. Also, they're expensive.

Instead, just stay overnight at the Rimba ecolodge, located at the edge of the park. The rooms have AC, WiFi, and hot water. This is cheaper and more comfortable. We can book the ecolodge against local tariffs, and transfer you to/from the lodge during the tour. But for the magical jungle experience you should sleep on the boat deep in the jungle.

TripAdvisor
Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2021
BEST TRIP EVER!
BEST TRIP EVER!

This tour was an amazing surprise. Everything was well organised. We booked with the help of local guides and had Nur has guide. The klokok is really nice and peaceful. You sleep in the jungle with these amazing sounds of the animals and the nature. In october there were not so many people so it ...

Amazing Experience
Amazing Experience

We had a 2N/3D houseboattour and this was the absolute highlight of our holiday in Indonesia! The pick up from the airport was as perfectly organised as the rest of our trip from our friendly manager Nur. The whole crew and our guide Johannes solicitous accomponied us, that we felt absolutely relaxed on that trip. ...

3 Days of WOWWW!
3 Days of WOWWW!

I contacted Sal well before my holiday started, and since the beginning he has been nothing but great, thoughtful and creative to find the best solution for my trip that me and my family wanted. The 3 days tour on a boat in the Borneo jungle have turned out to be the best memories of ...

Best Tour with Local Guides
Best Tour with Local Guides

We had very high expectations of our Tanjung Puting tour, and it still exceeded our expectations! While cruising along the river sekonyer using klotok, we saw many bekantan and birds. The first feeding place there were some orangutans in tanjung harapan station, and then we set out again down the river and staying near the ...

Super 4D/3N Tour!
Super 4D/3N Tour!

We booked a 4D/3N tour quite late into our planning as we had to move our plans following the earthquakes in Indonesia. Both the staff at Local-Guides and our assigned guide Nur were incredibly helpful before the trip began and provided lots of information to us. We stayed a night in Pangkalanbun before we set ...

Incredible Family Trip
Incredible Family Trip

Our family (two adults and two teenagers) did a 3D2N tour in January 2018. We were delighted with our experience. Our individual needs and interests (one keen birdwatcher, allergy to peanuts) were accommodated seamlessly. Our guide Faisal provided additional resources about the birds of the rainforest and was constantly diligent in spotting and helping to ...

Excellent Service, Incredible Experience.
Excellent Service, Incredible Experience.

The tour was wonderful and well organised by our guide Nur. The residence is a boat known as a klotok. It’s basic sleeping and washing, which is fit for purpose, and makes you feel a lot closer to the jungle. We loved every minute. The food and drinks on board are excellent. The walks though ...

Can’t recommend enough! Incredible 5D/4N tour
Can’t recommend enough! Incredible 5D/4N tour

This tour was absolutely fantastic, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience to see orangutans in the wild. Our guide, Nur, went above and beyond to make sure that all our needs/wants were taken care of, and was enthusiastic to explain all about the wildlife and conservation challenges they face. The 5 days/4 nights ...

Onvergetelijke Ervaring
Onvergetelijke Ervaring

Boeken ging heel gemakkelijk. Aanbetaling per paypal. Rest contant er plekke (begin dus tijdig met het pinnen van de max. hoeveelheden die je mag). Communicatie was prima. Alle vragen werden snel en duidelijk beantwoord. Bij aankomst wordt je opgehaald door iemand van Local Guides en bij vertrek ook weer weggebracht (handig!). De boot (One Piece) ...

Wundervolle Boottour!
Wundervolle Boottour!

Wir hatten im voraus die Tour über die Webseite von Local Guides gebucht und unsere Erwartungen wurden mehr als übertroffen. Es war einmalig! Wir wurden von unserem Hotel pünktlich abgeholt und zum Boot gebracht. Alles war sehr gut organisiert. Unser Guide Joe Bowo – ein ehemaliger Ranger des Tanjung Puting National Park (siehe auch den ...

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FAQ on Tanjung Puting

Where to stay in Pangkalan Bun?

It is common for visitors to start the tour upon arrival at the airport, and to fly out on the same day the tour ends. In order to start the tour rested and to accommodate the risk of a delay of your flight, you could consider to start the tour on the day after your arrival and spend the night at a good hotel in Pangkalan Bun.

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.

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

How to get to Tanjung Puting National Park?

Fly to Pangkalan Bun. If you start the tour on the same day of your arrival, we will simply pick you up at the airport and start the tour right away.

There are direct flights between Pangkalan Bun and Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya.

What time does the tour start/end?

Start. We will align the exact pick-up time with you ahead of the tour. Ideally, we pick you up in Pangkalan Bun between 9 am and 10 am, although we could also start a little bit later. 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 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 in the afternoon, 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 10 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.

What is the best period to visit Tanjung Puting National Park?

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 more 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, besides the weather advantages of this period, there are several downside of doing your tour in the period July - September:

  • It is very crowded, which obviously spoils for some the experience.
  • It is relatively expensive.
  • 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 September - October and April - 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, you will still have a wonderful experience!

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.

What meals are served 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.

Which animals live in Tanjung Puting National 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.

How much 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 per day and 50.000 IDR per day 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!

Recommended Accommodations

Solo Travelers

Are you a solo traveler and looking for others to share the tour with? Check out our Solo Travelers Forum.

Reading Tips

Ultimate Guide to Tanjung Puting Orangutans
Ultimate Guide to Tanjung Puting Orangutans
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Refund Policy
100% refund for any cancellation until 1 week from tour start. No questions asked.

For cancellations within a week from tour start, there is no refund of the deposit, and a 100% refund of the balance.

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Responsible Tourism
We apply the 3 pillars of ecotourism in everything we do.

Conservation

We fight for our rainforest and donate to wildlife rehabilitation programs.

Local Welfare

Our tours and donation campaigns are built on community engagement.

Education

Enhance your cultural and environmental awareness via our tours and eco blog.

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Covid-19 Devastates Indonesians in Tourism & How to Help
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What is Ecotourism & Why is it so important?
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HELP DENA TO COLLEGE

Dena has just finished secondary school and dreams of becoming a police officer.

Because of the modest local salaries, his family is not able to pay the college fee of ± € 8000.

If you want to help, please donate via the booking form below. The entire amount is for Dena.

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Look up the rates and availabilities of any Tanjung Puting tour, and instantly confirm your booking request. The required deposit for the confirmation process is in EUR to keep costs low. The outstanding balance is only to be paid upon arrival in IDR.

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About Us

We are a community of local guides in Indonesia with a passion for the outdoors and our environment. We fight for our rainforests, we support our local communities, and we provide ecotours for local prices to promote responsible travel.

Why you shouldn’t visit Tangkahan Elephant Camp in Sumatra
Environmental Blog
Why you shouldn’t visit Tangkahan Elephant Camp in Sumatra
What is Ecotourism & Why is it so Important?
How Palm Oil Destroys Rainforests and Kills Orangutans
Covid-19 Devastates Indonesians in Tourism & How to Help

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