Our Kalimantan vacations & tours
Our Kalimantan vacations are your window on to the Indonesian portion of Borneo, much less-visited and developed than the Malaysian states to the north, and so particularly enticing to the adventurous traveler. Kalimantan’s orangutans are on the verge of extinction, but conservation efforts persist, and you can visit a sanctuary, trek to see them in the wild, or even get hands-on with one of our volunteering vacations. On our Kalimantan tours you can also travel to remote Dayak villages either on foot or by river, perhaps even staying in their longhouses. Responsible tourism in these small communities is essential so as not to disturb traditional ways of life, which is why our brilliant local guides are so integral to cultural exchange.
Indonesia highlights vacation
Experience the diversity of the Indonesian islands
From
£4290
17 days
ex flights
Orangutan conservation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Work with orangutans & sun bears
From
£1495 to £2495
13 days
ex flights
Tanjung Puting orangutan vacation, Borneo
Orangutan Adventure Vacation, Tanjung Puting, Borneo
From
US $2295 to US $2450
7 days
ex flights
Kutai National Park orangutan vacation, Borneo
Orangutan & wildlife adventure in East Borneo
From
AU $2495
8 days
ex flights
Indonesia tour, Kalimantan, Komodo & Bali
Explore Borneo's jungles, Bali's temples & Komodo's beaches
From
£5355
12 days
ex flights
Highlights of Indonesia vacation
Take in the highlights of 3 of Indonesia's beautiful islands
From
£2895
15 days
ex flights
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Kalimantan vacation highlights
Making up the majority of Borneo, Kalimantan sees fewer visitors than the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak that make up the northern third of the island. Most Kalimantan vacations concentrate on one or two areas: Tanjung Puting National Park, Samboja Lestari, both of which are renowned for orangutan-watching, the Derawan archipelago off the east coast for diving, with internal flights used due to a pretty basic infrastructure. Depending on your itinerary there are various points of entry such as those in Balikpapan or Palangka Raya served by other Indonesian islands with international airports. On trips where you do explore a little overland, expect to move around by 4x4 vehicle to cope with roads that are often unpaved.
1.
Derawan Archipelago
2. Palangka Raya
3. Samboja Lestari
4. Sabangau National Park
5. Tanjung Puting National Park
6. Village visits
2. Palangka Raya
3. Samboja Lestari
4. Sabangau National Park
5. Tanjung Puting National Park
6. Village visits
Derawan Archipelago
1. Derawan Archipelago
Highly regarded among the diving community for its warm, clear waters, reefs and diverse marine life, the Derawan Archipelago that lies off Kalimantan’s east coast is part of the Coral Triangle that includes neighbouring Sulawesi. Expect to encounter sea turtles, rays, passing sharks and countless species of colourful tropical fish on Kalimantan diving vacations that skip between islands and resorts.
Palangka Raya
2. Palangka Raya
The capital of the Central Kalimantan province makes an excellent base for river wildlife cruising and visits to nearby Dayak villages. The city is a likely favorite in the long-mooted plan to replace Jakarta as capital of Indonesia. While here you can tour the old town (a floating, stilted village), take a ride in a three-wheeled becak, and visit the markets to source some traditional handicrafts.
Samboja Lestari
3. Samboja Lestari
Samboja Lestari is an area of restored rainforest close to Balikpapan that serves as a sanctuary for rehabilitated orangutans and sun bears, established by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. Stay in a lodge on-site to explore the center’s manmade orangutan islands, watching as feeding and enrichment take place, take nature walks and more challenging hikes, or jump aboard a boat up the ‘Black River’.
Sabangau National Park
4. Sabangau National Park
Massively degraded by illegal logging, Sabangau National Park is also home to most of Kalimantan’s wild orangutan population. Explore it by motorised river canoes and on foot, guided by park rangers. Beyond the great orange apes, you may see hornbills, monitor lizards and proboscis monkeys – plus every visit here will hopefully encourage conservation and reforestation efforts.
Tanjung Puting National Park
5. Tanjung Puting National Park
Tanjung Puting National Park provides habitat for a diverse range of wildlife. Its most famous residents are the orangutans that are studied and often rehabilitated at four research sites here, including Camp Leakey. Boat trips and trekking in the park will also reveal everything from crocodiles to hornbills, and – more rarely, but you never know – sun bears and clouded leopards.
Village visits
6. Village visits
Away from the wildlife on Kalimantan there is huge potential for cultural interaction. You can stay in a Dayak longhouse, meeting with village elders; see ancient sandungs (part of ceremonial burial rites); walk in the forest with a Ngaju expert to look for traditional medicinal plants; and learn about the process of tapping rubber from trees.
Our Kalimantan vacations reviews
4.9
9Kalimantan vacations reviews
Jennifer Sloots27 Jun 2026
Absolutely amazing experience. I feel like we supported the conservation efforts, though briefly, and benefitted local people as staying in the lodge offers work. 5 stars.read more
Eliza Snow11 Jun 2026
Fabulous and memorable. Very well paced, very well organized, someone always there to pick us up or guide us as needed. So FUN!read more
Elizabeth Gillam11 Jul 2025
My vacation was one of the best I have had and I would have no hesitation in recommending this operator to anyone looking to explore this part of the world.read more
Mary Morgan-Stanhope25 Jun 2025
Loved it all, especially Menjangen staying in the national park immersed in nature yet still living in luxury. Wonderful, inspiring, win win.read more
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