Visit
The Fresh Water Dolphins Mahakam
River
Pesut
Mahakam ( Fresh Water dolphin )
If
one is lucky, one might see a pesut Mahakam (orcela
fluminalis), fresh water dolphin, during the trip. The species
are also found in the Mahakam River, Sesayap River at East Kalimantan,
Mekhong river in Cambodja and in the Amazon. In
the Mahakam it usually surfaces towards sunset in the vicinity of
Loangkang. The RASI Information and Rehabilitation Center at Muara Pahu
can tell you more.
MAHAKAM
DOLPHIN TRIP
Day
01 :
BALIKPAPAN, KOTA BANGUN (BLD)
Go
by car or bus from Balikpapan (4-5hrs) or Samarinda (2.5-3hrs) to Kota
Bangun,
where
you can lunch in one of the river restaurants. Afterwards, take a
motorized canoe
and
go to Tanjung Isuy village via the Lakes Semayang, Melintang and
Jempang, during
which
you will have the opportunity to spot many migratory waterbird species
and floating
fishermen
villages (c. 4 hours). Arrive late afternoon and check in one of the
losmen at the
longhouse.
Possibility to buy handicraft souvenirs and to see the Dayak tribal
dance
ceremony
(this can be arranged upon request or if you are lucky, there is
already a dance
scheduled)
Day
02 :
KOTA BANGUN, MUARA PAHU (BLD)
After
breakfast, transfer to motorized canoes (max. 3-4 persons per canoe) to
Muara
Pahu
via the beautiful Baroh tributary (2-3 hrs, only at medium-high
waterlevels), or via
Penyinggahan
(3-4hrs) if water levels are not too extreme low) or via Muara Muntai
(4-5hrs)
if
water levels are too low). An optional stop will be made at Minta
village to visit the people
making
palm sugar. Arrival in the afternoon at Muara Pahu at the floating
Mahakam
Information
Center, where during the day you may often see, and at night hear, the
dolphins
feeding and playing in the confluence area. Lunch at floating
restaurant.
Afterwards,
board small motorized canoes (available through our Information Center
contact
person) and, if the dolphins are in the confluence, try to get a closer
look of the
dolphins
by motorists trained in boat-dolphin observations (not more than two
boats at one
time
and maintaining a 30m distance if motor is running). Afterwards or if
the dolphins are
not
there a trip can be made on the Bolowan River, where proboscis monkeys
can be seen
in
high densities and many nice bird species or the blackwater river of
Jintan (medium-high
water
levels). At high water levels there is the possibility to cross through
peat swamp forest
upstream
of Bolowan River and join the Kedang Pahu River to make a nice
roundtrip. If you
like
you can check in to stay overnight in one of the local losmen (cleanest
is Anna) but the
other
is overlooking the river. Continue trip Day 3a. You may also decide to
join the public
boat
to Melak in the evening (c. 3 hrs), where you will arrive around 23h00
or later.
However
there are still possibilities to check in losmen (recommended is
Flamboyan).
Continue
trip Day 3b.
Day
03a :
MUARA PAHU, MELAK, KERSIK LUWAI, WATERFALL (BLD)
If
you decided to stay overnight in Muara Pahu, you can have an optional
stroll in
the
village and visit a traditional rattan handy craft workplace after
breakfast. Then, we
leave
for Melak by motorized canoe (c. 3hrs) and have a lookout for the
dolphins, which like
to
hangout in the many river bends in this section. Upon arrival have
lunch and afterwards
go
by jeep (quite expensive) or motorcycle (cheaper) through rural areas
and villages and
see
the famous black orchids in Kersik Luway and refresh at the Gemuruh
waterfall. Then
go
back to Melak and stay overnight. Continue trip 4a.
Day
3b :
MELAK, EHENG, KERSIK LUWAI, WATERFALL (BLD)
After
breakfast we go by jeep (quite expensive) or motorcycle (cheaper)
through
rural
areas and villages and see the famous black orchids in Kersik Luway,
refresh at the
Gemuruh
waterfall and have a picnic, visit the Dayak Longhouse in Eheng, where
people
still
live communally and wear traditional clothes, here we will also have
the opportunity for
a
short trip in the forest. If the guide has acquaintances in this area,
maybe you can stay
overnight
in one of the villages. Otherwise return to Melak. If you like, you can
go further
upstream
to Data Bilang (Dayak Kenyah) village or Long Bagun (mixed Dayak
community)
at
the rapid streams (take public boat late at night (23h00 or later)*.
You may also decide to
move
downstream by taking the public boat to Samarinda at the end of the day
and arrive
in
Samarinda the next morning.
Day
4a.
MELAK, DOWNSTREAM SAMARINDA (BLD)
Again
tour in several Dayak villages by jeep or motorcycle, where a.o. you
can visit
the
Dayak Longhouse in Eheng, where people still live communally and wear
traditional
clothes,
here you will also have the opportunity for a short trip in the forest.
If the guide
has
acquaintances in this area, maybe you can stay overnight in one of the
villages.
Otherwise
return to Melak and if you like you can go further upstream to Data
Bilang
(Dayak
Kenyah) village or Long Bagun (mixed Dayak community) at the rapid
streams (take
public
boat late at night (23h00 or later). You may also decide to move
downstream by
taking
the public boat to Samarinda at the end of the day and arrive in
Samarinda the next
morning.
MAHAKAM
RIVER
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The
Mahakam River is the most important traffic route in
East-Kalimantan. Between the spring in the mountains and the delta
along the coast, the river measures somewhere 1.000 kilometers. In
between several big rivers mouth in the Mahakam River. Big ships use
the big river system until the highlands, where rapids eventually make
any progress impossible; from there “longboats”
(big canoos with
motors) are used.
......read
more
___________________________________________
4 Days Myghty Mahakam River
Cruising
the
Mahakam
River, with exotic scenary at both sides of the River. Visit Muara
Muntai
wooden village, crossing jempang lake, during the cruise you
could see rainforest wild life at Ohong
Creek like
several species of monkey's and birds. At Mancong village one of the
Oldest Dayak
Longhouse of East
Kalimantan
can be found,
a
Dayak Welcome
Ceremony could be held. At Muara Pahu a visit to the Fresh
Water Dolphins Information center, and when
lucky spotting can be done at the Delta of
the Bolowan River.....full
itinerary
___________________________
5
Days Cascade Mahakam River
Mahakam
River cruise Safari, passing villages along the river. Visit Muara
Muntai
wooden village, crossing jempang lake, during
the cruise you
could see rainforest wild life along
Ohong
Creek like
monkey's and birds species. Mancong village one of the
Oldest Dayak
Longhouse of East Kalimantan can be
found,
a Dayak Welcome Ceremony could be held. At Muara Pahu a visit to the
Fresh Water Dolphins Information center, and when
lucky spotting can be done at the Delta of
the Bolowan River. In
Melak village short sight seeing and visit
the Dayak Tunjung Longhouse at Eheng and
the National Park
Kersik Luwai where you can
find wild orchids, and when lucky you can see the "Black Orchid". ....full itinerary
___________________________________________
Cruising
the exotic Mahakam
River, Visit Muara
Muntai
wooden village, crossing jempang lake, during the trip you
could see rainforest wild life while passing Ohong
Creek like
several kinds of monkey's and birds species, arrival at Mancong
Dayak
village with one of the Oldest Dayak
Longhouse of East Kalimantan. Dayak
Welcome
Ceremony could be held here. At Muara Pahu a visit to
the Fresh Water Dolphins Information center, and when
lucky spotting can be done at the Delta of
the Bolowan River. A
Jungle trek with Wild Life spotting at Kutai National Park
with Orangutans and
Sun Bears, and exotic Fauna.....full
itinerary
___________________________________________
A trip up the Mahakam River, with
exotic scenary of the ecological wealth and daily activities of the
citizen at both sides of the River. Sight seeing at Muara
Muntai wooden village, crossing jempang lake,
passing rainforest wild life at Ohong Creek like
Long Nose monkey's and several birds species. Visit Mancong Dayak village,
with one of the Oldest Dayak
Longhouse of East Kalimantan. a Dayak Welcome
Ceremony could be held. At Muara Pahu a visit to the Fresh
Water Dolphins Information center, and when lucky spotting can
be done at the Delta of the Bolowan River. In Melak
village
visit the Dayak Tunjung
Longhouse at Eheng
and the National
Park Kersik Luwai where
you can find wild orchids, and when lucky you can see the "Black
Orchid".At
Data Bilang and Rukun Damai the Dayak Kenyah with the Long Ears and art
full Longhouses can be found, before we continue to the Upper
Mahakam, for a forest trek in the virgin prime jungle....full itinerary
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