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From dawn the singsong of jungle birds and sharp white noise of cicadas break the silence. The river is as still as glass. The morning air is free of the humidity and sweltering heat that will inevitably come later. We woke to the cheeky macaques knawing holes into all the hot sauce bottles left table sideon the open-air deck of our Klotok boat.
The first day we saw no less than 8 orangutans. Drawn to the feeding platform when the 3 PM sugarcane and fruit dump is made, we saw 3 mothers with their infants clinging to their chest. They stuff their faces with goodies and climb back to the treetops with arms and mouths full.
Indonesian Borneo is the best place in the world to see Orangutans in the wild. Full Stop. There are a handful of other places around the globe where you’re tantalized by the possibility of seeing the bright orange ape, but sightings are fleeting and rare. Here, in Tanjung Puting National Park, the great apes are abundant. Well, not really, they are still a critically endangered species, but your chance of seeing one here is very nearly 100%. And up close too. This is because of the numerous rehabilitation and research centers inside Tanjung Puting National Park.
Here are the details you need to know to plan your trip to Tanjung Puting National Park and see Orangutans in Indonesian Borneo.
I’m not going to bury the lead. We used Orangutan Trekking Tours in the small Indonesian town of Pangkalan Bun for our 4-day/3-night expedition into Tanjung Puting National Park. This is a luxury (ish) bucketlist-worthy travel experience and there aren’t any budget-friendly alternatives to visiting the park and seeing the orangutans. We cannot recommend Orangutan Trekking Tours highly enough. Not only is the company locally owned but it works in conjunction with the Orangutan Foundation International meaning you won’t find a more ethical agency or one more dedicated to conservation. That’s the gist of this article. You can book your tour with them off this information alone or you can continue reading for all the nitty-gritty details of what to expect in the jungle and what makes Orangutan Trekking Tours so special.
All the remaining Orangutans of the world are divided between two islands — Sumatra & Borneo.
There are three species of Orangutan. The Bornean Orangutan (found in both Malaysian + Indonesian Borneo), the Sumatran Orangutan found in North Sumatra in and around Gunung Leuser National Park, and the Tapanuli Orangutan also found in Sumatra but near the central Lake Toba region.
The Borneo Orangutan is the most populous with around 50,000-90,000 individuals left in the wild.
The Sumatran species has around 13,000 left and the very rare Tapanuli (also on Sumatra) has only around 800.
So, Sumatra or Borneo for Orangutans?
Both these experiences have their pros and cons. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting both islands and seeing Orangutans in both destinations.
But I wrote an entire blog post dedicated to weighing the pros and cons of Sumatra vs. Borneo and which Orangutan destination is right for you. This guide will help you to decide.
Should You Visit Malaysian or Indonesian Borneo to see Orangutans?
If you have decided to visit Borneo for Orangutans, you’re not quite done narrowing down your vacation destination yet.
Borneo is a large heavily forested island divided between 3 countries. Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Photo from Wikimedia
Brunei has no Orangutans. Malaysia has relatively few orangutans with about 3,000 of them in the Sabah area. This is because the habitat in Malaysia is not as good as in Indonesia for Orangutans.
If it’s Orangutans you are after, it’s Indonesian Borneo that is a clear winner.
Where in Indonesian Borneo is Best for Orangutans?
There is no better place to see Orangutans in Borneo than in Tanjung Puting National Park near the small town of Pangkalan Bun. You probably could have surmised this from the title of this blog post.
This is because of Camp Leakey. Camp Leakey is a small research camp founded by Archeologist Louis Leakey in 1971. He sent now conservationist and primatologist Dr. Birute Galdikas into the jungle to embark on the longest-ever continuous study of an orangutan population. He’s the same guy who funded Jane Goodall with the Chimpanzees and Dian Fossey with the mountain gorillas.
Anyways, today these rehabilitation camps take ex-captive or orphaned orangutans and reintroduce them into the wild. This means there are TONS of orangutans inhabiting the jungle around the rehab centers. AKA a great place to see the Orangutans in the wild.
When is the Best Time of Year to See Orangutans in Borneo?
You can see Orangutans year-round in Indonesian Borneo! The best time is from May-September because this is considered the dry season in Borneo. This will make your journey more comfortable as well as the Orangutans more active.
Orangutan International is the organization run by Dr. Galdikas to save the Orangutans. It’s the leading charity for protecting the orangutans.
They focus on the rescue and rehabilitation of orangutan infants, making the lives of orangutans easier in the Bornean jungle, and protecting the remaining Bornean rainforest from deforestation.
There are TONS of ways that they go about doing this.
They have programs to involve and educate the local populations so that they grow a deep respect for the orangutans and are therefore less likely to engage in poaching, illegal logging, illegal mining, or work in the wildlife trade.
Orangutan International purchases huge swathes of the untouched rainforest surrounding the park to expand the habitat and prevent the Indonesian government from one day selling it to Palm Oil plantations.
They also run three feeding and rehabilitation centers inside the jungle where injured, aging, or once-captive orangutans can come to get a free meal once per day. This is vital to the survival of Orangutans as a species today.
Inspired to Donate? Here’s How to Help the Orangutans from Home.
Head to the Orangutan International website and donate directly to a cause like purchasing land for the Orangutans or sponsoring a recently rescued baby orangutan.
Infant orangutans need to be with their mothers learning the ins and outs of the jungle for 8-9 years which means the money to raise one rescued from the wildlife trade or orphaned in the jungle is substantial. Even just $5 helps.
What Does a Typical Tour of Tanjung Puting NP Look Like?
So, how do you see the orangutans inside the park?
By boat.
This is one of the unique parts of spotting orangutans in Indonesia. Borneo is a flooded rainforest landscape. The Sekonyer River cuts from Pangkalan Bun through the jungle to Camp Leakey. Here along the sides of the river, you’ll spot wild orangutans coming in for a drink (if you’re lucky) and then once you reach the rehab camps you’ll trek through the jungle to the feeding platforms.
Sample LunchOn deck sleeping arrangementSnapping photos of our first Orangutan
You’ll spend 80% of your time on the boat. Sleeping and eating included. The rest will be spent exploring the non-flooded regions of the jungle.
This is why it’s more expensive than other safari or trekking tours in Indonesia. It’s a more luxurious experience than camping in Sumatra for sure.
When you enter the canal the river becomes brown with silt from illegal gold mining and framed by rows and rows of coconut palms on each side. The left side of the river is unprotected land. Every now and again you happen upon a faded splintered wooden dock. These are the local villages. In the 1970s the people who had lived within the park boundaries for generations were relocated to these small carefully constructed pieces of land to minimize the human impact within the park. Today, these villages are little more than a handful of traditional longhouses, a primary school, and a hospital. The 500 residents make a living by farming or selling hand-carved trinkets to travelers passing through on their way to Camp Leakey.
But the town doesn’t feel like a tourist trap. There’s one single shop by the dock advertising souvenirs. The rest are causally displayed on the front porches of their creator’s homes throughout the village. No one actively tried to sell us anything. It was simply a look at how the indigenous people now live surrounding Tanjung Puting. It’s a hard life and although the trinkets (like this hand-carved orangutan) are rather expensive considering Indonesian standards it helps make their way of life easier.
Why You Should Choose Orangutan Trekking Tour for Your Trip
Orangutan Trekking Tour is incredible. There are so many reasons to choose them over the competitors in Pangkalan Bun. After spending 4 days in the jungle with them and doing countless hours of research, these were the main deciding factors.
“We have spent most of our life in the deep jungle and rivers of Borneo and we grew up in the fields learning the skills to be wildlife and culture tour guides. We are also supported by the impressive and solid background of our families who have a deep knowledge of the land.”
– Orangutan Trekking Tours
As I mentioned before, because of the park permits the costs of all multi-day ETHICAL safari-style tours are comparable so that wasn’t really a factor in our decision-making. Check out the cost breakdown below to see what you should budget for this adventure.
1. Bain (the owner/boat captain) is an incredible guide + photographer
Bain runs each and every tour with Orangutan Trekking. Not only is he an exceptional photographer who helped us get some cool photos– he also clearly cares deeply for the jungle environment and its inhabitants. He personally worked as a ranger within the park for nearly a decade before moving on to guide. He works closely with Orangutan International through the Green Team (more on that below).
Our fearless leader– Bain.
Bain has seen (and photographed) nearly every animal in the national park. He’s an expert tracker and is respectful of the animal’s space always.
2. They Work With Orangutan International’s Green Team
The Green Team is a group of local residents who work to change the community’s opinions on the rainforest and Orangutans and show them it’s worth protecting. You can’t save the rainforest without educating the locals and giving them better opportunities for work than the palm oil plantations can. They also purchase land to add to the Tanjung Puting National Park.
Orangutans are solitary (aside from infants) so at the feeding platform most gather food quickly & leave.
It’s important that no matter which tour operator you book with that they are contributing something back to the local community or one of the numerous organizations protecting the jungle. If you decide to go with a different tour operator, do your research.
3. The Jungle Papa Boat is Super Comfortable
Some of the boats on the river looked a little dilapidated and crowded. Jungle Papa was downright comfy. The boat has a rooftop, two massive open-air deck areas for wildlife viewing, an A/C master bedroom (yes, the boat has electricity), lots of space on the deck for more beds depending on the size of the group, a full toilet and shower in the bathroom, beanbag chairs for lounging, and a dinner table usually filled with excellent meals or snacks.
Jungle Papa On Deck.
4. The Company is Locally-Owned
This is super important to me specifically. Supporting local small businesses is one of the best things you can do as a traveler. It helps to employ locals, protect the environment, and keep the unique Borneo culture alive.
5. You can Tailor the Tour to Your Interests
There are both traditional and photography-focused tours offered by Orangutan Trekking Tours. Both tours have a similar set-up and activities but the photography tour is typically longer and goes to more remote destinations than the typical tour. It also includes photography coaching (if you want) from Bain who is an INCREDIBLE photographer and will make sure you get the best wildlife shots.
You can take a 2-night tour, 3-night tour, 4-night tour, or longer. Ask to have more trekking time and less time at the feeding platforms. You can take a night safari or not. It’s all up to you. Just be sure to be upfront about what you want with Bain and he will make sure it happens.
As I mentioned, it’s all up to you what you want to focus on during your tour. The rough outline of my tour (traditional 4-day/3-night) was this…
Quick Packing List for an Orangutan Trekking Tour
Fortunately, you don’t need a ton of equipment to make this trip a success. Orangutan Trekking Tours takes care of 90% of the things you need on board. Here’s a list of items that would make your stay more comfortable.
Lightweight long sleeve shirts for hot weather. This keeps mosquitos at bay and keeps you from overheating.
Loose long pants or trekking pants. Again mosquitos.
Comfy boat clothes. When you’re on the boat you’ll probably want shorts and tank tops.
Note on Drones: Drones are prohibited within the park except for those who pay a $600 drone permit fee in advance. They only sell so many per year so it’s important to arrange far in advance. But honestly, I don’t see the benefit of using the drone IN the park. You can ask Bain on the first or last day once you have left the park boundaries and get some good drone shots of the river twisting and winding through the rainforest.
You do not need…
Intense trekking clothes or trekking poles. It’s not really that kind of park.
A swimsuit. Unless you want to sunbathe in one. There are crocs in the water so swimming is a no-go.
Headlamp or flashlight. Unless you want to use your own.
Mosquito net. One will be provided for you.
Snacks. They feed you SO often on the boat I was stuffed the entire time.
Other Indonesian Rainforest Animals You Can See
Okay, obviously we are here for the Orangutans. But that’s not the only thing to see in Indonesian Borneo.
You can expect to see the Proboscis Monkey and rainbow-hued Stork-Billed Kingfisher on your trip.
Lucky guests are also likely to see Gibbons, Crocodiles, Tarsier, and a slew of nighttime insects and colorful daytime birds.
Super lucky guests who opt to trek into the forest more than the average tour goer (just ask Bain) might be able to see Bornean Clouded Leopards, civets, Malaysian sun bears, mouse deer, barking deer, sambar deer, and the wild cattle known as banteng.
How Much Does it Cost to See the Orangutans in Borneo?
There are a handful of different tours offered by Orangutan Trekking Tours.
The tour we took was their 4-day/3-night excursion. For this trip, it costs $2,250 for two people.
The 4-day/ 3-night photography tour is $2,825 for 2 people.
Here’s a little breakdown of the costs…
$250 per person on board is donated to the green team. This goes directly to rainforest preservation.
$12 per day Tanjung Puting National Park fee. $17 on a holiday.
$30 per night boat docking fee charged by the National Park (this is to sleep in the park which is necessary)
$90 per day photography permit for the boat. This allows you to take cell phone photos and videos as well as DSLR.
This is why tours to Tanjung Puting in Indonesian Borneo to see the Orangutans are so expensive. The area is highly regulated and there are many fees required by the park to hold a tour within the boundaries.
Please be careful and do your research before you book a cheap Orangutan excursion (if you happen to find one). In Borneo specifically, the preservation of the Orangutans is the highest priority and most reputable companies make a donation to Orangutan International, the rangers, or other environmental conservation groups to help preserve and protect the jungle. Companies operating for far cheaper prices could be giving nothing back to the park and cutting corners in other ways that are harmful to the environment.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly excursion to see Orangutans you should plan a visit to Sumatra instead.
Donate to Save the Orangutans Here!
Head to the Orangutan International website and donate directly to a cause like purchasing land for the Orangutans or sponsoring a recently rescued baby orangutan. Trust me, the moment you see their cute little faces you’ll want to sponsor a baby for sure.
If you’re looking for the best Borneo Orangutan tour or the best place to interact with Orangutans…look no further. Orangutan Trekking Tours offered us the experience of a lifetime and we got to see countless Orangutans in their natural habitat. This is NOT an Orangutan sanctuary– it’s a wild raw jungle experience. I hope you get a chance to see the mighty Orangutan one day. Either in Indonesian Borneo or the island of Sumatra!
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