Wow Borneo
Wow Borneo
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view
About
Wow Borneo's unique and comfortable orangutan cruise boats take you along meandering forest-lined rivers to see orangutans and other wildlife such as the brilliant splashes of hornbills and kingfishers, the busy communities of proboscis moneys and dazzling firefly displays in their natural habitats on selected cruises. Kahayan and Katingan River cruises stop at riverside villages to meet the inhabitants who are dependent on the jungle and the river for their livelihoods. All cabins are comfortably air-conditioned and have ensuite bathrooms. Fresh, varied local cuisine is served on the spacious viewing deck.
Palangkaraya, Indonesia
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
118 reviews
Excellent
87
Very good
19
Average
7
Poor
3
Terrible
2
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raineranskinewitsch
Wuelfrath, Germany39 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Exploring the jungle of Borneo on a traditional wooden boat, fully equipped with en-suite bathroom and air-conditioning. Local guides take you on motorized canoes and by foot to observe Orang Utans in their national habitat! Juli, our charming tour guide answered any question, our captain made us always feel safe on board and his crew served 3 excellent local meals a day. We also stopped at small villages along the river and were warmly welcomed by the villagers. Can’t imagine any better jungle river cruise.
Written June 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of this soft adventure with Wow Borneo. We love to engage with local villagers on all of our cruises and our guide is there to translate for you, as there are many different local languages spoken in these areas. Join us for a unique experience along these quiet rivers, undiscovered yet by other tourists.
Written November 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
misha c
Bruny Island, Australia18 contributions
Feb 2023
We just had an amazing trip into the Tanjung Puting National park to explore its wildlife and observe some orangutans on the Sekonyer, facilitated by Wow borneo.
The boat was excellent, the crew looked after our every need and the food they prepared each day was amazing.
We headed up the Seykonyer river to Tanjung Puting National park the largest habitat for these incredible animals.
The river got narrower and narrower and the wildlife got thicker and thicker. The rather odd looking but endearing proboscis monkey was plentiful, and then all of a sudden as if he was a sentry to the entry to the park was a large male orangutan perched in the tree. I was enthralled straight away little did i know over the coming days how much better it would get.
There are three feeding areas that you can visit where they supplement the food for the rehabilitated orangutans which are a tiny proportion of the population in this last major strong hold for this species.
The visiting time was limited to two hours at each site and we sat engrossed by these fascinating creatures for the whole time. The interplay between them, the playfulness, the athletic abilities, the expressions, the maternal instincts and so much character.
On a couple of occasions you were reminded of the wildness, the temper and strength of these animals when they were displeased with orangutans encroaching on there territory they would rip branches off and throw them to the ground.
Not an animal to be taken lightly.
We had the great pleasure of Rusty as our guide who was very generous with his knowledge and enthusiasm for the local wildlife and made this trip very special.
The boat was excellent, the crew looked after our every need and the food they prepared each day was amazing.
We headed up the Seykonyer river to Tanjung Puting National park the largest habitat for these incredible animals.
The river got narrower and narrower and the wildlife got thicker and thicker. The rather odd looking but endearing proboscis monkey was plentiful, and then all of a sudden as if he was a sentry to the entry to the park was a large male orangutan perched in the tree. I was enthralled straight away little did i know over the coming days how much better it would get.
There are three feeding areas that you can visit where they supplement the food for the rehabilitated orangutans which are a tiny proportion of the population in this last major strong hold for this species.
The visiting time was limited to two hours at each site and we sat engrossed by these fascinating creatures for the whole time. The interplay between them, the playfulness, the athletic abilities, the expressions, the maternal instincts and so much character.
On a couple of occasions you were reminded of the wildness, the temper and strength of these animals when they were displeased with orangutans encroaching on there territory they would rip branches off and throw them to the ground.
Not an animal to be taken lightly.
We had the great pleasure of Rusty as our guide who was very generous with his knowledge and enthusiasm for the local wildlife and made this trip very special.
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wrmomxg
Florida371 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
WOW; this really was an active trip with each activity something new and interesting. If your thing is a sort of deep dive on culture, wildlife, geography, economic activity in villages and you are alert and easy with the adjustments of travel as needed this “WOW Borneo” is for you. The staff on board executed everything without missing a beat as the food was wholesome and all was kept “ship shape”. Arif, our guide, is a treasure for this company. He has the mind of a steel trap with details and interesting information and goes way beyond to bring the correct amount of immersion needed for you in the activities. He made it seamless and one looked forward to each and every outing. The rooms are tight but adequate. My suggestion is to read their literature and decide if it suits you.
Written May 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Eileen S
Burlington, VT9 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
We just returned from a three day river boat cruise to see orangutans in the national preserve in Borneo. Our trip was excellent. The boat was a classic river boat from the region, well appointed and comfortable with plenty of space for relaxing and viewing wildlife on deck as well as air conditioned cabins for sleeping. The crew did everything possible to make our stay fun, comfortable and enjoyable. The food was plentiful and so very delicious thanks to our wonderful cook. Our guide, Jackie was very knowledgeable and spotted several wild orangutans, monkeys and birds along the shore as we glided by. He was also excellent in teaching us about the orangutans and the work at the feeding stations. We learned so much. We saw many different orangutans at three different feeding stations including several moms with babies of various ages and a large male. It was a very exciting trip and we highly recommend WOW to others who are interested in experiencing orangutans in the wild. Well done WOW!
Written December 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katherine G
Sunbury, Ohio10 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
We had a fabulous time with Wow on the Sekoyoner. Our group had two of the three rooms and we enjoyed becoming friends with the other couple that was also on the trip. We did the 5 days 4 nights in Tanjung Puting National Park. We saw orangutans at the feeding stations everyday, and saw them from the boat as well as proboscis and macaque monkeys as well. The food on the boat was a highlight for us, and we enjoyed every meal, they also did a great job making sure our dietary restriction (gluten free) needs were met. We also enjoyed the hiking excursions and canoe trip we took.
Considerations for those traveling, this is a small boat with small boat bathrooms, meaning the shower is the whole bathroom, and there is no hot water. There was also a fair amount of scrambling between boats that required a moderate level of fitness and balance.
Considerations for those traveling, this is a small boat with small boat bathrooms, meaning the shower is the whole bathroom, and there is no hot water. There was also a fair amount of scrambling between boats that required a moderate level of fitness and balance.
Written September 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
k_kulmi
Gachnang, Switzerland3 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
The river cruise with the Spirit of Kalimantan in the middle of the impressive Sebangau National Park was one of the most beautiful experiences of my 6-week trip to Indonesia. In addition to observing the animals, we learned a lot about these animals and about the lives of the local population from our and local guides during visits to the villages. The food was also varied and tasty... it was amazing what the cook conjured up for us from her small galley! I felt in good hands, well looked after and cared for by the boat crew. A warm "terima kasih" to the boat crew for the unforgettable experience! I can unreservedly recommend this river cruise with the Spirit of Kalimantan. Karin
Written October 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Karin, thank you for writing this wonderful review of your time on the Spirit of Kalimantan. Our crew, cook, and guide work hard to give our guests the best experience possible of this remote destination. Cruising the river in the midst of this grand natural landscape is an unforgettable experience
Written January 30, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jacquelinehp
Barcelona, Spain86 contributions
Sep 2024 • Family
We had a FANTASTIC trip, 3 days 2 nights on the Kumai. The amount of wildlife we saw was overwhelming.
The crew on the Kumai were excellent, very attentive to our needs.
Jackie is an excellent guide and pointed out many animals and birds to usas well as the orangutans. Thanks to his diligence we were able to catch our reurn flight to Jakarta because the airline changed the flight times and we received no notification from them. So, a great thanks to him.
Nur , Ratna , Captain Njoy and the deck hand were very helpful. and the food was EXCELLENT we enjoyed every meal.
The beds were very comfortable. We appreciated having airconditioning in our cabins.
The crew on the Kumai were excellent, very attentive to our needs.
Jackie is an excellent guide and pointed out many animals and birds to usas well as the orangutans. Thanks to his diligence we were able to catch our reurn flight to Jakarta because the airline changed the flight times and we received no notification from them. So, a great thanks to him.
Nur , Ratna , Captain Njoy and the deck hand were very helpful. and the food was EXCELLENT we enjoyed every meal.
The beds were very comfortable. We appreciated having airconditioning in our cabins.
Written September 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James E
39 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Truly a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience to spend time with these magnificent animals in their natural environment. The trip was made even more special by WOW Borneo and our guide Heni. The boat we had was amazingly comfortable (and having see a number of the other boats on the river it was easily the best in my opinion). The food was great, the care and service from the team excellent and the guide super helpful. Everything was really well organised and I couldn’t recommend enough!
Written April 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marc F
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We really enjoyed this tour. It’s a little off the beaten track and probably not ideal if wildlife watching is your primary objective, we only saw Orang Utans when visiting the sanctuary at the beginning of the tour. But if you enjoy going down a beautiful river while having very good home-cooked food and plenty of time to do nothing, this is good. There was a good balance between nature visits and visits to villages where one notices that tourists are not an everyday occasion. At first we thought that all these visits might be very similar but our guide varied them well. Given that the group was small it was easy to adapt visits to our interests. The boat itself was adequate but could do with a bit of a make-over, the bathrooms in particular. Beds were good but small. All in all, very nice tour.
Written August 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful review of the Spirit of Kalimantan experience. We are delighted to tell you that the boat is currently undergoing a major overhaul, in which all facilities will be refurbished. As you can imagine, finding dry docks and specialised workmen is not easy in these remote areas. However, we are committed to working with the villagers to promote the conservation of the forests and ecotourism as an alternative livelihood.
Written January 30, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rebecca S
Hove, UK13 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
What a totally amazing experience for us all. We saw proboscis monkeys, trekked like intrepid adventurers into the jungle, and saw a beautiful adult male. We rescued a water monitor lizard from a fishing trap, saw river otters and caught our own fish. All of this was made completely wonderful by our guide, Made, who bought the adventurer out in us all. The boys absolutely loved him, and he was knowledgeable, entertaining, and very accommodating of all our needs, including getting out beds for us to watch shooting stars. The jungle is hot and sticky and boats are difficult to make luxurious, but the wonderful food, really attentive crew, and endless supply of coffee and freshly squeezed juice made it a wonderful experience. There are lots of really sweet touches like scrubbing our Maddie, checking shoes and bringing breakfast in bed to a teen who wasn’t feeling great. Highly recommend to any family adventurers.
Written September 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write about your cruise adventure on the Spirit of Kalimantan. It is way off the beaten track and with our excellent crew and guide, it is a memorable way to experience the destination!
Written January 30, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Can I ask the price of this trip please
Pat
Written January 26, 2019
Hi, the price of te cruise on board the Rahai'i Pangun varies based on the cabin send and the number of days on board. How long were you interested in?
Written January 27, 2019
Qu’elle est le prix d’une croisière de 3j/2nuit svp?
Written January 13, 2019
Prices on board the Rahai'i Pangun in Palangka Raya start from US$ 570 per person for 3 days and 2 nights. Our scheduled cruises start on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Please write to us via our website for more detailed information and to make a booking. Regards
Written January 15, 2019
I don’t seem to be able to find any prices for the wow Borneo boat trips. Also there is a confusion in the website over which boat goes where and which review goes with which boat.
Can someone who has been there lately enlighten me as to what was the cost and which is a good boat with air-conditioned cabins. Though from the reviews it seems guests had a bad experience at being switched to a worse boat when they arrived.
Thank you for any input.
Written April 28, 2018
i don't know what the boat name was but we had a super time with a/c in the cabins. i do know we had to email several times and depending on the specific time, responses took some time. Our cost was USD $775 for the three day tour (two couples) all included.
Written April 28, 2018
Dear Ernast,
Untuk dapat mengikuti tur kapal Wowborneo, anda bisa melakukan reservasi dengan langsung submit request anda di website kami.
Thanks,
WowBorneo Admin
Written May 2, 2017
Hi, how much is the 3 nights boat tour for a family with 2 kids?
Written April 29, 2017
Thanks for your enquiry!
Which boat trip are you interested in? We have trips from Palangka Raya on board the Rahai'i Pangun, on the Katingan River on board the Ruhui Rahayu or trips from Tanjung Puting on board our boat, the Sekonyer Spirit.
Please get in touch with us at the email address on our website and we can give full details,
Kind regards
Written April 30, 2017
Hi, was kostet denn die Bootstour? mir hat WOW 900 USD pro person angeboten für eine private Bootstour 3 Nächte, das kommt mir total überteuert vor.
Written April 25, 2017
Hi Martin,
as we have different standard boats operating for different times, which cruise were you interested in, and I would be happy to price it for you.
Kind regards from Gaye
Written April 26, 2017
Hi Maximos,
Thanks for your query!
Our 3 day itinerary is on our wowborneo website under the cruises tag on the homepage.
This cruise is run from Palangka Raya every Tuesday. Please send an email to our sales team at info@wowborneo.
With best wishes from Gaye
Written March 11, 2017
VeroRicalde1
Mexico City, Mexico
Hi!
I send you a mail and a message on yur web page 4 days ago... Are you on vacations? Is Wos Borneo still operating? You haven´t answer anything...
This is my message:
My sister and I will go to Indonesia on February, we will arrive to Bali on February the 18th.
We want to take a tour with you: "The Orangutan and Komodo tour"... We are only 2 persons.
Could you tell me please the price of this tour? How can we reserve the tour? Also we want to Know if we can buy the plane tickets to Kalimantan from Bali...
Regards from Mexico
Veronica
Written January 6, 2016
Hi, we are interested in your 3 day trip and are planning on going this summer mid june. Knowing this is dry season, is it enough water to go by boat all the way? Also we could arrive thursday the the 18th of june. Do you have trips starting that day or what day is best to arrive on? Thanks!
Written January 31, 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.