Pure and Natural – Katingan River – Sebangau National Park

This was an exciting destination – the Sebangau Nat Park, Kalimantan. I was part of a group exploring the Katingan River area for the first time ever, with WOW Borneo, who is the first commercial tourist boat operator allowed to venture commercially on this river. Hail to WOW Borneo for being such pioneers. What explorers we were! This was a unique trip into nature. The boat cruise will now be on the regular WOW schedule. It’s a an adventurous cultural trip – you simply must go. Setting camera traps for the clouded leopards in the Sebangau National park with the park ranger was the highlight for me, treking at night in the forest was a first for me, sleeping in homestays in the traditional Dayak villages – wonderful, discovering the black water lakes- beautiful, having the hornbills swooping across the wide Katingan River was a delight indeed and sleeping in forest cabins by special permission – well, that was very special. I have so much to say about this trip. We traversed the smaller rivers by canoe which allowed us to get really close to wildlife and we saw orangutans and proboscis monkeys in their natural setting. Scrumptious lunches were served on board every day, and the cooks produced the most exquisite dishes. The food is a big plus on a WOW Borneo trip. I have been on 5 trips now. What I loved about this NEW Katingan River Sebangau National Park trip is the combination of meeting local families and sleeping in villages, which allows you the chance to talk with local Dayak people. Added to this you have the comfort and luxury of the boat every day. A magical trip into a magical part of Indonesia. Should you go? Yes, most definitely. What you come back with is memories of a truly peaceful place, with silence and beauty that is untouched and not commercialized. Our side trip to the Borneo Orangutan facility BOS, was a great bonus, as we got to hear about orangutans from the experts. In all my travels of Indonesia, for me, this was the most significant trip ever – from a standpoint of solitude, natural beauty and a new discovery into protected lands.