Embark on an unforgettable journey deep into Borneo’s pristine rainforest with Bukit Raya Tours & Travel. Starting in Palangka Raya, the adventure involves a full day of travel by car, speedboat, and 4×4 to reach the remote upper Joloi River Valley.
Hike through untouched jungle, cross streams, and explore towering Dipterocarpaceae forests before reaching “Villa Corona”, a secluded hut hidden among dramatic karst formations. Travel downstream by canoe, visit riverside villages, and immerse yourself in Dayak culture.
For those seeking a true wilderness experience, this adventure requires endurance but rewards with breathtaking nature, cultural encounters, and the chance to give back through community activities. Are you ready for the challenge? Then please read on…
Bukit Raya Tours & Travel is one of the very few tour operators that venture deep into the heart of Borneo. The journey begins in Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, and takes one full day by car (7h), by speed boat (3h) and 4×4 jeep (2h) to reach the upper Joloi River Valley.
The upper Joloi River Valley is a kind of huge “bowel”, surrounded by significant mountains. It covers approximately 5,000 km2 of mostly pristine tropical rainforest, 3 villages with around 1’500 inhabitants and one main river. The canyon leading out of this huge “bowel” has 5 major rapids, which have never been conquered by the local Dayak community. Therefore, the development of this special valley was totally different from most other remote areas in Central Kalimantan, because all kinds of human activities and trade had to be done crossing the mountains surrounding the valley.
The journey to the Joloi Valley is already an unforgettable experience. But the real jungle tour begins on the second day. Motorcycle taxis take us deep into the jungle on former logging roads. From there, the trek begins. In five to seven hours, we hike through untouched jungle, crossing streams and creeks, through ditches, and over hills, always in the shade of the giant trees of Borneo’s Dipterocarpaceae forest. We cross the equator from south to north, soon reaching Villa Corona.
This small hut got its name when Thomas and Beatrice waited out the first COVID-19 lockdown there for two months in 2020. The hut is located in a small forest clearing, surrounded by bizarre karst rocks that protrude from the jungle. Small but beautiful. The next day, we can recover from the long jungle trek and explore the surrounding area as we please. We can climb up to one of these stunning karst needles to get a all-around view of the never ending primary forest of upper Joloi River basin. We’ll stay at Villa Corona for two nights.
Depending on the water level, the canoe trip downstream to the mouth of the Tohan River can take between 4 and 12 hours. Either way, we’ll set up a bivouac somewhere along the shore. Depending on the guests’ wishes, strength, and stamina, this peaceful and leisurely river trip can be continued for another 2 days, or alternative programs can be incorporated. In the villages where the river flows, we’ll go ashore, visit people, have tea or coffee with the locals, and gain insight into life in the riverside village.
If time permits, we offer our tour participants the opportunity to visit the local elementary school on every tour. There, our guests are always very welcome to teach a few words of English to the local children, show them a few pictures of their hometown, make some social games with the children or help out with repairs somewhere in the village.
Jln. Batu Suli 5D,
Gang Bersama no. 2,
Palangka Raya 73112,
Central Kalimantan,
Indonesia
