A Dual Expedition: Borneo’s Orangutans & Indonesia by Private Yacht

This journey brings together two of Indonesia’s wildest and most ecologically rich environments. You begin with a Borneo orangutan safari deep inside Tanjung Puting National Park. After the river expedition, you fly onward to board your chosen Indonesia yacht charter, exploring Komodo and neighbouring islands with expert local crews.

Across rainforest, river, reef and remote islands, this combined route offers a rare chance to encounter the Indonesia Big Five: orangutans, Komodo dragons, manta rays, whale sharks (Saleh Bay), flying foxes and pygmy seahorses, alongside cultural insight into Indonesia’s sea-nomadic Moken/Sama-Bajau communities.

Experience Highlights

  • Reliable orangutan encounters in Tanjung Puting National Park
  • Private river safari Borneo journey along the Sekonyer River
  • Guided access to Camp Leakey and key orangutan research centres
  • Firefly-lit mangrove evenings on quiet stretches of the Borneo river
  • Expertly managed transition by air from Borneo to your private yacht in eastern Indonesia
  • Exploration of remote bays, manta sites and coral reefs across Komodo, Alor or Raja Ampat
  • Opportunity to see whale sharks in Saleh Bay on a short circumnavigation
  • Optional diving and snorkelling with PADI-certified instructors
  • Travel supporting orangutan conservation and Indonesia wildlife protection

Borneo Orangutan Safari Along the Sekonyer River in Tanjung Puting National Park

Your Borneo expedition begins in Pangkalan Bun, where you board a private klotok, an upgraded version of the traditional Indonesian riverboat used for journeys deep into the rainforest. Designed for comfort without detaching you from the environment, the vessel offers air-conditioned cabins, modern facilities and wide viewing decks ideal for wildlife observation.

As you travel along the Sekonyer River, rainforest towers over the banks. Proboscis monkeys gather in the trees, hornbills sweep overhead, macaques appear along the waterline and the atmosphere grows increasingly remote. The pace is unhurried, allowing the landscape to reveal itself naturally.

Borneo yacht expedition and River safari borneo

Discovering Camp Leakey on Your Orangutan River Cruise

The heart of the wildlife experience sits at Tanjung Harapan, Pondok Tanggui and Camp Leakey, three of the region’s leading orangutan conservation and research centres. Guided by specialist naturalists, you visit these sites when orangutans are most active, often emerging from the forest to forage, interact and move through the canopy at close range.

Camp Leakey is the most recognised of these, with decades of research shaping the conservation work carried out today. Time spent walking through the forest, hearing the stories behind ongoing rehabilitation, and witnessing orangutans in semi-wild conditions provides depth far beyond a typical sighting.

Fireflies and Forest Atmosphere During Borneo Orangutan Safari Evenings

Evenings on the river are some of the journey’s most striking moments. As the light fades, fireflies pulse across the mangroves and the forest shifts into its nocturnal rhythm. Dinner on deck is simple, fresh and atmospheric, quiet, remote and entirely dominated by the sounds of the surrounding jungle.

Komodo Yacht Expedition Across Indonesia’s Remote Islands

After your time in Borneo, you fly via Jakarta or Surabaya to join your private yacht, chosen from Indonesia’s leading vessels for purposeful exploration across the Coral Triangle. This marks the transition from river to open sea: volcanic islands, wide horizons and biodiverse waters replace the dense canopy of Borneo.

Life onboard is calm and unhurried. With expert Indonesian crews, days unfold around reef exploration, encounters with manta rays, visits to Komodo dragon habitats, kayaking quiet coves and anchoring in secluded bays far from the crowds. Each yacht offers generous space, barefoot luxury and a focus on low-impact travel.

SEQUIOA wooden schooner with standard cabin size yacht charter in Indonesia

Wildlife, Reefs and Remote Islands on Your Komodo National Park Yacht Charter

Your Komodo yacht charter opens access to some of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. With PADI-certified instructors onboard, you can dive or snorkel manta cleaning stations, coral gardens and colourful shallows alive with movement. For those developing new skills, Open Water and Advanced certifications are available.

A short circumnavigation extension brings you into Saleh Bay, where whale sharks are frequently seen moving through nutrient-rich waters, one of Indonesia’s most impressive marine sightings.

On land, guided walks reveal Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. At dusk, thousands of flying foxes sweep through the sky, silhouetted against the volcanic ridgelines. Routes can allow for insight into the Moken/Sama-Bajau sea communities, whose culture remains deeply tied to the tides and reefs.

This experience-driven approach sits at the core of Pelorus expeditions: authentic, conservation-focused and built around genuine discovery in remote, wildlife-rich environments.

Begin Your Indonesia Expedition

Speak with a Pelorus Yachting Expedition Designer to start shaping your private journey through Borneo and Komodo.