You can meet orangutans at the zoo anytime. But if you want to see how orangutans live directly in their original area in Kalimantan, the best place to see them is by Klotok in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan.
Orangutans in their natural habitat are clearly different from zoos. Kalimantan’s dense forest is home to orangutans. Tourists are also willing to come to Tanjung Puting to feel the ambiance when orangutans gather, get angry and joke. Well, if you have decided to go to Central Kalimantan, Here are some tips.
How To Get To Pagkalan Bun (Kalimantan)
From Jakarta, flights to Iskandar Airport in Pangkalan Bun, the capital of West Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan are served by two airlines, Trigana and Nam Air. Flight time is about one hour. Besides Jakarta, the two airlines also serve Semarang-Pangkalan Bun and Surabaya-Pangkalan Bun flights. If you come from Bali (Denpasar), you should fly to one of the city above and continue by other flight to Pangkalan Bun.
Liveaboad on a Klotok
To go to Tanjung Puting National Park, a place to see the life of orangutans in their habitat, there are two transportation options, using a speedboat and klotok boat. A speedboat from Kumai Harbor to Camp Leakey in about 1.5 hours. Maximum passengers are about 4 people. If using a klotok boat is better for overnight trip for around 2 or 3 days to maximize the experience of Borneo jungle, feel the wind and song of the nature while the boat moving slowly on the river. One klotok cloud accommodate from 2 until 12 people of passengers . The price for klotok tour varies according to the size and facility of the boat.
Tour Guides
Visiting Tanjung Puting National Park must use a local guide. Legal Tour guides in Pangkalan Bun are in the Indonesian Tour Guide Association (HPI). They will explain you all you need to know about the tour and the animal and make sure you are on the right track while trekking in the jungle.
Mosquito Repellent
If you use a klotok boat, you will eat and stay overnight in the klotok boat. To sleep available mattresses and mosquito nets. But there’s nothing wrong if you bring mosquito repellent, especially to use when trekking to see the Orangutan.
Obey the Rule
Entering Tanjung Puting National Park, you should comply with various existing restrictions. Like keeping a distance from orangutans about 5 meters, don’t stand between male and female orangutans, don’t eat and drink in front of orangutans, and don’t litter. During orangutan feeding, keep looking at the tree. Because orangutans mostly move from tree to tree. If you have the “bad luck”, the orangutan will have to urinate on you, even the shit can fall on your head.
Happy Responsible Travel!
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