Mahakam River Tours

Day 01: BALIKPAPAN, SAMARINDA, MAHAKAM (-LD)

Upon arrival at Balikpapan airport, meet and great with your tour guide before you head up to Samarinda harbor, to board houseboat, which mark the begin of your adventure Mahakam cruise into the interior of Borneo. Lunch, Dinner prepared and overnight on houseboat.

Day 02: MUARA MUNTAI, MANCONG, TANJUNG ISUY, MELAK (BLD)

Breakfast while we arrive at Muara Muntai Wooden stilt village at the Mahakam river bank, short sightseeing to experience the river life of the locals, before we cross the Jempang Lake by motor canoe to Mancong. During the cruise over the lakes you can enjoy the water birds and stilt fishermen’s villages, to end up your cruise through the rain forest of the Ohong Creek with exotic wildlife along the river banks as kingfisher birds, proboscis monkeys and macaque monkeys. Arrive at the Dayak settlement Mancong, you will be welcomed with a culture ceremony at their artful longhouse designed with statutes, wood crafts as the Kharingan mystic believes, Afternoon continue over the Semayang Lake to Tanjung Isuy village, known of its shamans health Belian ceremony, return by motor canoe to the Houseboat which will cruise us further upstream into the hinterland of Borneo, dinner and overnight on board.

Day 03: MELAK, EHENG, OMBAU ASA (BLD)

Arrive in the morning at Melak, as a small connecting trade town of natural resources of the local community in the interior with the cities of Kalimantan. We will drive by car through the stunning tranquil green forest highlands to Eheng Dayak Tunjung longhouse settlement where the native people live together in the stilt community house. Afterwards we drive to Kersik Luway National park to discover the forest heritage of wild orchid species and pitcher plants, when lucky the rare black orchid can be seen. In the afternoon we drive to Ombau Asa waterfall in a jungle valley, a refreshing alternative of the day, before we return to the houseboat which will cruise downstream to Muara Pahu.

Day 04: MUARA PAHU, KEDANG PAHU RIVER, MOUNT BAYAN, TERBISAK, DOWNSTREAM (BLD)

Arrive at Muara Pahu village along the Mahakam river which connect the Kedang Pahu River, our kayak journey will lead us through jungle slopes of the Mount Bayan to Terbisak Dayak village, where the native people farm dry rice plantations and hunt the forest as the daily activity. Proceed downstream by canoe thru the distinguished nature world, along side of the river banks we can spot otters, proboscis monkeys, and birds, until we reach the black water peat swamp forest of the Belowan river with possibility to spot the Irrawaddy fresh water dolphins, before we return to houseboat for downstream the Mahakam River towards the Sultanate kingdom of Kutai at Tenggarong. Dinner provided on board.

Day 05: TENGGARONG, SAMARINDA, BALIKPAPAN (B--)

Breakfast on board while the boat anchor at Tenggarong Sultan palace harbor, for a sightseeing tour, visit the palace of Sultan of Kutai Kartenegara with an impressive collection of heirlooms, ceramics, and Dayak's art items. We continue cruise downstream to Samarinda, Lunch on board, to continue overland by car to Balikpapan airport where you can catch your onward flight to your next vacation destination.

Include:
Transfer in Balikpapan airport by car/minibus to Samarinda, Boarding Houseboat full Aircondition, cruise up Mahakam River, to the village Muara Muntai, by motor-canoe navigate the Jempang Lake, visit Tanjung Isuy, and Mancong, cruise upstream to Melak, visit Kersik Luway flora park, Eheng Dayak Tunjung Longhouse and Waterfall of Ombau Asa, cruise downstream to Muara Pahu, Mount Bayan, Terbisak village, Kedang Pahu River, sail Bolowan River, downstream Mahakam River to Samarinda, by car/minibus to Balikpapan.
Accommodation 4 Nights at Houseboat
Meals (BLD) Drinks (Aqua, Tea, Coffee)
English Speaking Guide
Entrance fees, parking fees, donations

Exclude :
Airfares
Insurance
Soft & Alcoholic drinks
Personal expenses
Everything which is not mentioned in the itinerary