Borneo orangutan overview, orang utan jungle trek and camping

Orangutans are large, intelligent great apes with medium long orange-brown fur, large heads and sturdy bodies, long arms, short bowed legs, and no tails. Their hands are similar to human hands with four long fingers and a thumb. Orangutans walk on legs and arms, but are able to stand and walk short distances on two legs. Both types of orangutans live in the tropical rainforest of Asia; one type on the island of Borneo and the other on Sumatra. Both orangutan species are endangered. Orangutans are a special type of primate called a great ape. They stand 1.5m tall at the shoulder (when on two legs). Orangutans, sometimes just called orangs, are the largest arboreal mammals. They love it in the trees, and spend most of their lives high above the floor of the rainforest. Endangered orangutans live in a few isolated lowland tropical rainforests on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. There are between 12-15,000 Bornean orangutans and less than 3,500 of the much rarer Sumatran orangutans. Both live in old tropical rainforests with a lush dense growth of dipterocarp and other tropical trees, at elevations up to 1,000m. Hot temperatures, daily rains, and humid conditions characterize these tropical rainforests throughout much of the year.

Lifestyle
Adult orangutans are generally solitary, but they do communicate using hoots and hollers. Males communicate with a special vocalization called a “long call” (hear them in the MediaViewer). The long call can last up to two minutes and starts with a series of roars, each getting louder, until the last begin fading away like bubbling water. The long call is probably used to warn other males and signal females during mating season. Males are twice the size of females, weighing up to 90kg in the wild. Females rarely reach 40kg. Fruit is the orangutan's favorite food. Adult orangutans will sit and hang from branches high in the tops of trees eating fruits and leaves most of the day. They eat different parts of the plant depending on the time of year. During the rainy season, when there is a lot of rain, orangutans munch mostly on the leaves and new shoots of bamboo. Dry season means little rain and water and a diet of tropical fruits like jackfruit, durian, figs and bark. They will also eat birds’ eggs, insects and small lizards. In captivity, orangutans are fed mostly fruits and leafy plants like lettuce. An orang’s digestive system is more similar to that of a carnivore than an herbivore, and so, much of what is eaten is passed as poop. To make up for the inefficient digestion, an orangutan needs to consume a comparatively large amount of food—up to 12kg of fruit, leaves and bark each day—to get all its nutrients. To obtain this much food means that an orang must spend 6-8 hours a day foraging and eating.

Orangutan Babies
Baby orangutans are similar to human babies – defenseless, cannot walk and need the care and protection of their mother to survive. Female orangutans give birth between 230 and 260 days after mating. Although females may give birth to two young, twins are extremely rare.
Orangutan babies may stay with their mothers for up to eight years before striking out on their own. In her lifetime, a female orangutan may successfully raise only two or three babies. The orangutan’s naturally slow breeding rate prevents a population from recovering quickly from illegal poaching, habitat loss, and other human-related causes of mortality.

Growing Up
In the rainforest, orangutan young rarely see each other. Most young orangutans grow up only knowing the company of their mother. Their mother must teach them everything they need to know about surviving in the tropical rainforest, how to build a day nest, which trees have the best leaves or fruit to eat, and which areas of the forest to avoid.
One lesson is learning to build a nest. Once in the afternoon and once at night, an orangutan will build a nest in the fork of tree branches high above the ground. The nest is a layer of broken branches and is lined with fresh leaves, and just big enough for one orangutan.
Around the age of eight, a young orangutan begins to move away from its mother and create its own life. It will be another six or seven years before it is fully grown. Female orangutans reach breeding maturity around 15 years of age. They may continue reproducing until about age 40. In a lifetime, orangutans live up to 60 years.

5 Days / 4 Nights
Orangutan river safari and Adventurous in the tropical rainforest of Tanjung puting national park – Centre of Borneo, Indonesia
Start / Finish: Pangkalan Bun Airport
Tour Code: KNLR-OBT-5D
Departure: Daily - Year Around

Itinerary
Day 01: Pangkalan Bun Airport - Tanjung Harapan Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Upon arrival at Pangkalan Bun Airport, you will be picked up and meet by our local guide and directly transfer to the small town of Kumai where you will board your boat, called a Kelotok, and meet your crew. The boat is a traditional Klotok wooden river boat about 12m by 2m with a roof which forms the upper deck where you can view the rain forest as it glides by. The guide's team includes the boatman, a cook and expert guide. In the peaceful afternoon we will slowly explore the quite river by the klotok while observe the monkeys along the riverside. Dinner and overnight on the boat. simple mattress, pillow, fine meals, bottled "mineral" water, mosquito net, kitchen, simple western toilet and shower available on boat besides the familiar - helpful guides and boatmen. (D)

Day 02: Tanjung Harapan Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre - Camp Leakey - Croc Lake
After breakfast board the klotok to travel up river for about 2½ hours boating and then up a side creek to Camp Leakey where the older orangutans are reintroduced into the rain forest and also known as research center for Orangutan. Soft trekking surrounding Camp Leakey. Back to the boat for lunch then witness feeding time at 14.00 pm for old rehabilitation orangutan given additional foods. After feeding, back to the boat and relax in the lake while waiting the sun goes down and sometimes you may see birds and primates. Overnight on the boat. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Croc Lake - Pondok Tanggui - Jungle Trekking - Pesalat re-plantation camp
The Breakfast will be served while the boat slowly head up to Pondok Tanggui. Arrived at Pondok Tanggui, we directly do jungle trekking across from Pondok Tanggui to Pesalat re-plantation camp. The experienced Local guide will give you the information during the treks and the 9KM jungle trek trail will be passing through the wilderness of Borneo, you will see big old trees which is still lining very dense. Sometimes you will see many kinds of wild animals of Borneo including Wild Orangutan, Sun Bear, Deer, wild Boar, Hornbill, and other great Borneo creatures. Lunch is already provided before by our cook. Arrived at Pesalat Camping Ground in the afternoon, take a rest and relax while the guide team is preparing Tent and Dinner. Having a dinner under sparkling stars in the wilderness of Borneo, making the night more romantic and natural with wild world known Borneo Jungle as a MEGA BIO-DIVERSITY. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Camping Site - Pesalat re-plantation camp - Rimba Lodge
The morning singing by Gibbon, it will be heard clearly and making the morning more natural and you will get the peaceful of your soul in the tropical rainforest of Borneo which you never get this experience before. After Breakfast, leaving the camping ground to Pesalat jetty. The traditional wooden boat is already waiting in the jetty and escort you to Rimba Lodge. Check in at Rimba Lodge and Rest. Afternoon you will be involved and explore local community. last afternoon optional activities, you may do explore the river by boat to eyewitness the Proboscis monkey. Dinner and overnight at Rimba Lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Rimba Lodge - Pangkalan Bun Airport
After Breakfast, we will be leaving the park, village and especially the great creature of centre of Borneo - Indonesia, you just left and take a few nice memory and wonderful time with us. Hoping you will be back again. Thank you for your participation by taking our tour. (B)

Price: USD 688/Pax Minimum 2 persons - Private trip / groups of your friends or family.

Included:
• Local Speaking English Guide
• River transportation called wooden boat KELOTOK 12M length - 4M width
• 2 nights accommodation on boat
• 1 night in the tent (park jungle)
• 1 night at Rimba Lodge
• Police permit (copy of the first page of passport and visa are required)
• Entrance fee/park permit
• Full boards meals during the trip as per itinerary B, L, D
• Fruits
• Mineral water (aqua)
• Soft drink (2 Cans / Day - each)
• Cook
• Snack
•Tea/coffee
• Local porter who really knows about the trees and some herb for malaria anti-dot

Excluded:
- Domestic Airfare (we can help to book air ticket return)
- Insurance
- Laundry
- Health services
- Alcoholic Beverage & Dinner at Rimba Lodge
- Other personal expenses.

ORANGUTAN BOAT SPECIFICATION:
Most of Wooden boat made in years 90's and Semi Modern Tourism Transportation
Length : 12 meters
Width : 4 meters
Height : 2 meters
Capacity : 4 persons max
Safety : Life Jackets
Facilities : Kitchen, Electricity, Western Toillet, Shower, Matrass, Pillow and Mosquito net.
Propulsion : This boat is powered by Kobota /or Yanmar engine.

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