Heart of Borneo – Motorbike Tours

We always say, Kalimantan is so vast—you must experience it! The roads here may not be the best, but that’s not really a problem, especially for riders. You just have to be prepared for all kinds of weather because it rains frequently—and sometimes very heavily.

There are plenty of ways to explore Kalimantan by motorcycle. Some of our guests have even taken our bikes on a full tour around Borneo: Palangka Raya, Sampit, Pangkalanbun, Pontianak, Entikong (border crossing to Malaysia), Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Brunei (border crossing into Brunei), Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau (border crossing back to Indonesia), Tarakan, Berau, Samarinda, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, and back to Palangka Raya—5,200 km of adventure. Thirteen years ago, with the road conditions back then, this was a massive undertaking! Two months on the road – riding, snorkeling, mountain climbing, visiting Orang Utans and circling the third biggest island of the world!

But you can also take shorter but not necessarily easier routes. Even just a ride into the upper Busang Valley is one of the great off-road adventures of our time. Mud and slippery roads guaranteed! If you have 1 to 2 weeks in spare – just do it!

Or you could do a round trip through Sampit, Pangkalanbun, Pontianak, and then via Nanga Pinoh over the mountains, along the Bukit Raya National Park to the upper waters of the Katingan River, before heading back to Palangka Raya. This route has already been done twice, and we have experienced guides who can accompany you. But you can also do it on your own—with a few words of Bahasa Indonesia, a good road map on your phone, a few insider tips from us, and off you go! Spending 2 to 3 weeks on your motorbike, visiting orangutans in Tanjung Puting National park, exploring cities, and exploring the wild mountains of Kalimantan on logging roads—that’s quite a challenge. And we’re happy to help make that dream come true! Here is a short movie about this trip

Another option is to explore the southern tip of Kalimantan. Ride from Palangka Raya to Banjarmasin, Martapura, Pelaihari, Satui, and Batu Licin. From there, you can take a ferry to the island of Pulau Laut, explore the island, rest in a nice cottage at the beach and you can even go snorkeling. Back in Batu Licin, you’ll find one of the most beautiful mountain passroads in Kalimantan. Head north towards Loksado and Kandangan, crossing a stunning mountain pass, passing caves and waterfalls, and riding through pristine rainforest—a real rollercoaster through a sparsely populated area with little traffic, almost entirely on asphalt roads. That’s riding like in Heaven! Then, on to Loksado for bamboo rafting, a refreshing swim in fresh and clean water, and further on to Kandangan, Tamyang Layang, Buntok, Timpah, and back to Palangka Raya—a perfect one-week round trip!

We normally ride modified Honda CB150R or the Kawasaki KLX 150. You can drive a good 450 km on one tank of fuel, so you never risk running out of fuel. We recommend riding these lightweight motorcycles as a single rider. These are very reliable bikes, not heavy at all and even if you should fall occasionally on a slippery, muddy road, yet you can easily erect them again. Another advantage is, that you can carry those light bikes on even very small, motorized canoes and just in case of a flood or your too tired to go further on on-road, you can switch to the river and relax a little bit.

We offer full equipment, including motorcycle clothing, full-face helmet with Bluetooth intercom, rain gear, side bags, small and big drybag backpacks and waterproof motorcycle boxes. We can also provide you with bivouac equipment. But you’re welcome to bring your own gear, too.

We’d love to create a tailor-made offer for you, customized to your wishes and needs. Let’s plan your adventure together!