We will meet you either on arrival at the airport or in your hotel lobby. At 8 am we transfer you 40 minutes to the tiny village of Sei Gohong where we board local canoes to observe orangutans on the beautiful forested island of Pulau Kaja. The island is managed by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation or BOS and may be closed at times. Returning to Palangka Raya harbour, we board the Rahai’i Pangun for lunch and a short cruise through the city upstream. Boarding vehicles, we travel 30 minutes to the historic towns of Bukit Rawi and Sigi to see the magnificent painted sandungs, receive a Dayak welcome and learn about the history. We then return to the boat to start the cruise downstream to moor overnight in a quiet location.

In the early morning, we will use motorised canoes to visit the extensive blackwater Lake Bagantung,. This is a unique peatland swamp ecosystem where we have the opportunity to spot birds, the other wildlife and fishing activities by the villagers. Returning to the village of Pusaka, we learn the local self-defence or shadow boxing exercise. Try it yourself! Returning to the boat, we continue the cruise downstream to Tumbang Nusa village. On arrival, we will have a walking tour in the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods.  First the grey sedge or ‘purun’ weaving and handmade straw cooperative, made from rushes growing naturally in the canals and lakes. Later the local honey farm is visited. The boat will continue to cruise downstream, passing the large forested Selat and Badak Islands, where it may be possible to spot orangutans. We then find a quiet place to tie up overnight.

Early morning, the boat continues downstream to the village of Pilang where we take a short walk in the forest area near the village to see the process of rubber tapping (Mamantat) and rattan harvesting (Manetes). Our village guide will also point out some local medicinal plants growing in the forest. We then have a walking tour in the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods. Watch the local ladies at their rattan weaving process and meet the villagers. Over a special tea and coffee, with traditional Dayak cakes such as apam and untuk-untuk, we will be entertained with a Kacapi (two stringed instrument) performance. Escaping the heat of the midday sun, we will return to the boat for lunch. As the heat cools down, we offer a canoe tour to the local mangrove forests which densely line the riverbanks. The boat will cruise downstream to find a quiet mooring place for overnight.

We have a relaxed breakfast before our very special visit to the Sebangau National Park. For this adventure, we pack our bags, farewell the boat crew, and transfer to the car for the journey to Kereng Bangkirai village (40 minutes). Here we join a canoe to travel a half hour across the amazing reflections of Lake Sebangau to the tiny Koran River. Here we explore the boardwalks and forests on the eastern boundary of the park. We will visit the information centre established there and walk along boardwalks provided for visitors to more easily explore the area to catch sight of birds and perhaps wild orangutans. We will take a picnic lunch with us. We return to the village of Kering Bangkirai for a cool drink for transfer to the vehicle and return to the airport or your hotel.