Borneo Wildlife Safari and Komodo Yacht Expedition

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A Joint Expedition: Borneo’s Orangutans & SEQUOIA in Komodo

This journey brings together two of Indonesia’s richest wilderness areas. You begin with a Borneo Orangutan safari deep inside Tanjung Puting National Park. Following your safari, you fly onward to begin your Komodo yacht expedition aboard SEQUOIA, a handcrafted 30.5M yacht built for purposeful exploration through the Coral Triangle.

Across rainforest, river, reef and remote islands, this combined experience offers a rare opportunity to encounter Indonesia’s “Big Five”: Orangutans, Komodo dragons, Manta rays, Whale sharks, Flying foxes and Pygmy seahorses.

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Experience Highlights

Wild orangutan encounters in Tanjung Puting National Park
Private riverboat journey along the Sekonyer River
Guided visit to Camp Leakey, the region’s leading orangutan rehabilitation and research site
Firefly-lit mangrove evenings in remote jungle waterways
Expertly managed transition by air from Borneo to SEQUOIA for your luxury Komodo voyage
Access to manta sites, castaway beaches, and hidden coves
Sustainable travel supporting orangutan and marine conservation
Optional diving and snorkelling with a PADI-certified crew in one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems

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

Your Borneo orangutan safari begins in Pangkalan Bun, where you board a well-appointed klotok riverboat. The vessel is simple by design, yet comfortable and welcoming, with air-conditioned cabins and a generous viewing deck that keeps you close to the environment you’ve come to experience.

As you travel along the Sekonyer River, the forest rises sharply from the water, thick with macaques, hornbills, proboscis monkeys and countless bird species. The pace is unhurried and the setting feels remote, with the rainforest gradually revealing itself as you move deeper into Tanjung Puting. The riverboat provides an ideal vantage point, quiet, steady and perfectly suited to observing life along the banks without intrusion.

Discovering Camp Leakey on Your Orangutan River Cruise

The heart of your orangutan river cruise unfolds at Tanjung Harapan, Pondok Tanggui and Camp Leakey. Guided by experienced naturalists, you visit each site at feeding times, when semi-wild orangutans return from the forest to the platforms. These visits offer a close, respectful perspective on orangutan behaviour, from mothers carrying young to large males making careful, deliberate movements through the trees.

Camp Leakey remains the most recognised centre for orangutan rehabilitation, with decades of conservation research shaping the work done here. Time spent walking through the forest, listening to your guide and observing the animals offers depth and context to the experience, distinguishing this journey from a typical wildlife encounter.

Fireflies and Forest Atmosphere During Borneo Orangutan Safari Evenings

Evenings on the river are among the most memorable moments of the Borneo orangutan safari. As daylight fades, the mangroves glow with fireflies drifting above the water and the forest settles into its nighttime rhythm. Dinners onboard are freshly prepared and enjoyed in open air, complemented by the sounds of the surrounding jungle. It feels remote, calm and markedly different from the world you’ve left behind.

An Elevated Alternative to the Riverboat at The Datai Langkawi

For travellers who prefer not to stay on the riverboat during the Borneo orangutan safari, or those seeking an extension to the trip before or after the journey, The Datai Langkawi offers a refined alternative. Set between ancient rainforest and a pristine crescent of white-sand beach, this property combines nature, space and serenity with understated elegance.

The resort blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, with treetop canopy rooms, rainforest suites and beach villas designed to bring the outside in. Five acclaimed dining venues showcase regional flavours, while facilities including three pools, a spa, a health club, a boutique atelier and an 18-hole golf course create a complete island retreat. Through The Datai Pledge, the property supports meaningful conservation initiatives, from marine mammal research to sustainable fishing and reef rehabilitation.

SEQUIOA wooden schooner with standard cabin size yacht charter in Indonesia

Komodo Yacht Expedition Aboard SEQUOIA

After your time in Borneo, you fly via Jakarta or Surabaya to Labuan Bajo or Sorong, where SEQUOIA, a handcrafted 30.5-metre wooden yacht designed for purposeful exploration of the Coral Triangle, awaits. This marks a distinct shift from river to sea: wide horizons, volcanic islands and biodiverse waters replace the jungle canopy. Life onboard SEQUOIA is calm and unhurried, guided by an expert all-Indonesian crew whose warmth and deep regional knowledge shape each day, whether you’re exploring remote Komodo bays, snorkelling vibrant coral reefs, diving with manta rays, or dining barefoot on deck beneath the open sky. This is the beginning of your Komodo yacht expedition, a journey defined by marine life, secluded anchorages and the quiet luxury of travelling Indonesia by private yacht.

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

Your Komodo National Park yacht charter opens the door to an entirely different calibre of encounters. With a certified PADI instructor onboard, you can dive or snorkel manta cleaning stations, coral gardens and shallow, technicolour reefs alive with movement. For guests looking to develop new skills, SEQUOIA offers PADI Open Water and Advanced courses, freediving, and the distinctive PADI Mermaid course, a playful yet disciplined programme that blends underwater performance, breath control and graceful finning techniques, all set within one of the planet’s most vibrant marine ecosystems.

On land, guided walks reveal Komodo dragons moving through their natural habitat, and late afternoons often deliver the dramatic sight of flying foxes sweeping across the sky in their thousands as the sun drops behind the islands. Between anchorages, you reach hidden beaches, ridge-line lookouts and quiet coves accessible only to small vessels. This experience-driven approach sits at the heart of the Komodo yacht expedition: insight-rich, wildlife-focused, and rooted in the quiet thrill of exploring Indonesia’s wild seascapes by boat.