Isolated Apokayan Highlands
The Highlands of the Apokayan are remote located, till today, the area is only possible to reach by the small aircrafts, which fly regular from Samarinda, either Malinau, to obtain a seat, is another hassle, as locals have the first right, and last minutes reservations are seldom successful, due of the limits of availability. Due of its remote condition, the Apokayan kept away loggers, miners, and tourists from the area. Apokayan is cut off from the downstream part of the Kayan river due of rough water rapids, and therefor a dream destination for those who are adventures with patience.
The fundamentalist missions have influenced a part of the traditional Dayak culture, while most still belief in their animism beliefs. The ecology of the Apokayan region is still in tact. Who wants to watch wildlife in the pristine forest, can best visit one of the side rivers of the Kayan downstream of Data Dian, plenty of wild pigs and deer including the barking deer are often seen here.
Due the isolation, and limits in lifehood, Lots of the Dayak Kenyah and Kayan Tribe has spread to more downstream locations searching for better life. The population of Apokayan decreased dramatically over the last 20th years and settled in the villages along the Kayan River as Long Betaoh and Long Musang, others migrated to villages along the Mahakam River as Ritan Baru, Bila Tabang, Muara Wahau, Long Segar, Muara Ancalong, Rukun Damai, and Data Bilang, And about 200 families migrated to Pampang, a village about 40km north of Samarinda.
Apokayan now-a-days, is the most south-west region of the youngest North Kalimantan province, The region is part of Indonesian Borneo Island. The region is a forest plateau, of between the 500 - 1700 meters above sea level, bordering Malaysia Borneo, where the Kayan River springs, and streams to the Apokayan to the North Kalimantan capital city Tanjung Selor at the coastal line.
Apokayan is inhabited by the Dayak Kenyah and Dayak Kayan Tribe. To travel to the Apokayan, one have to cruise upstream one of the Major Rivers, as the Mahakam River in East Kalimantan, or the Kayan River and Bahau River in North Kalimantan, from here by foot trekking the jungle trails, into the Apokayan, the trails, and trekking time will be from 3 to 10 days. Once in the Apokayan area, trekking or by expensive motor-canoe tourist can move in between the villages. The biggest villages in the area of 200 inhabitants or more are Long Apung, Long Sungai Barang, Lidung Payau, Long Nawang, and Data Dian
Apokayan now-a-days, is the most south-west region of the youngest North Kalimantan province, The region is part of Indonesian Borneo Island. The region is a forest plateau, of between the 500 - 1700 meters above sea level, bordering Malaysia Borneo, where the Kayan River springs, and streams to the Apokayan to the North Kalimantan capital city Tanjung Selor at the coastal line.
If you wish to bring a visit to the area, it is recomended to take some canned food with you, to give away to the locals for their hospitality. Overnights can be done at the villager houses, the best is to meet the chief of the village, which will arrange your accommodation.
The Apokayan region is an isolated area, with all it's limits in available stuff, which make expenses for food, fuel, and anything else quite expensive.
No drinkable water in the area as Aqua bottles available, while the river is clean, still not recommended to drink from, highly recommend to take purifying pills or water sterilization equipment with you.
The houses in the Apokayan are from wood, with longhouses in most villages, no mattresses, bring your blanket and sleeping bag with you, as you will sleep on the wooden floor.
The Dayak in the Apokayan live from hunt in the forest, with dry rice planting, also sago from the jungle sago palms are exploited. Apokayan export some of it's products, as the Harvest from Plantations of pepper, also the forest damar raisin, the aromatic aloe wood, and local digged gold from the rivers. For the other forest products as wood, ratten, the problems of transport are the case, while a road connects to the Sarawak Malaysian province.
Tour Destination :
Apokayan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia
Main Interest & Things to do :
Dayak Culture Safari Tours and Jungle Trek Expeditions
Jungle Trek can be done in the whole Apokayan area, recommended visit time is 4 or 5 days Dayak Kayan, and Dayak Kenyah Culture are still intact, Rainforest and traditional farming can be found around almost each village the area of Apokayan
Jungle Trek Expedition Tours can be done between villages
Culture :
Dayak Kayan, Dayak Kenyah, Dayak Punan
Flora & Fauna :
Rainforest & excotic tropical wild life
Starting Point :
Balikpapan East Kalimantan, or Tarakan North Kalimantan, Indonesia
Tour Transport Possibilities :
by Public Bus from Balikpapan to Samarinda airport, continue by flight ( booking has to be done one month in advance, for reservation or schedules please contact us, or see the "How To Get There" site) to Long Apung. By speedboat from Tarakan to Malinau, continue by flight ( booking has to be done one month in advance )to Long Apung.
To Reach Apokayan Overland, from Samarinda, cruise up Mahakam River by public ferry or chartered houseboat till Long Bagun, from here chartered long boats have to be used to get to the Boh River, and cruise up as far as possible, another 3 to 4 days trekking through tropical rainforest and mountains to Sungai Barang, from where you can navigate by chartered motor canoes or hikking to villages in the Apokayan area, estimated travel time to reach Apokayan overland is 8 to 10 days from entry point Balikpapan.
Tour Ending Point :
Malinau, Tarakan or Balikpapan, also possible to Trek via Long Nawang to the area of Kayan River and Long Bawan, trekking time is between 1 and 2 weeks upon weather conditions and destination
Travel Distance to entry point :
1200 Km to from Balikpapan Airport East Kalimantan Indonesia
1400 km from Tarakan Airport North Kalimantan Indonesia
Area Information :
Kayan River The Kayan river with its tributaries stretches from the border area between Indonesia and Malaysia along the Muller mountain range to its estuary on the south coast of north Kalimantan. Tanjung Selor, at the estuary of the Kayan river, is the capital of the Bulungan regency and Youngest province North Kalimantan. The Kayan river has a tributary called the Bahau river.
The upstream region of the Kayan river, especially the plateau (400-1,700 meters above sea level), is called Apo Kayan, inhabited by Kenyah Dayaks, who live in the villages of Long Sungai Barang, Lindung Payau, Long Uro, and Long Apung. The plateau is covered with forest and dry rice fields, pepper plantations. The Dayak settlements are found in areas 400 to 800 meters above sea level.
Generally, the Kenyah live in longhouses and are divided into several sub-tribes or umaks. The Tukung occupy the furthest upstream village on the Kayan river, Long Sungai Barang. The Tao live in Lindung Payau and Lonh Uro, and Jalan in Long Apung village.
The umak, or longhouse, has many compartments. Each is called a lamin, used by one family. The length of a lamin is five meters. The length of longhouse is between 100 and 300 meters. In the past, there were longhouses 400 meters long. There are flights from the Long Apung airstrip to Samarinda, a 75 minutes flying distance away. Nawang Baru and the umak dado longhouse are not far from Long Nawang, about three kilometres away. The original arts and culture of the Kenyah, and rattan handicraft items, can still be found here. Besides beautiful jungle and mountain scenery, the Apo Kayan region has a refreshingly cool climate and spring.
Long Bawang and Long Berini, in the upstream regions of the Bahau river, a tributary of the Kayan river, can also by reached by plane from Tarakan, or by motorboat from Tanjung Selor to Apau Ping from where it is a seven days Trek through the most dense forest found at Borneo Island into the Krayan Hulu area before reaching Long Layu.
The river journey up the Kayan river from Tanjung Selor is a rather lengthy one, as it must go through the villages of Tanjung Palas, Long Penjalin, Muara Hilir, Antutan, Mara, Long Beluah, Long Pesok and Long Bia. Giram Raya is a big rapid near Long Pasok, with a length of 275 meters and a width of 55 meters, and gorge with whirlpools and granite rocks. Boats must be carried over land, to avoid the rapid.
There is a row of old graves in the shape of houses with statues serving as pillars in Long Panjungan. The roofs are decorated with wooden figure dragons. Sometimes dances are performed around the village. The people wear masks during the rice planting.
Tour Duration :
Short Get Through Visit 5 to 6 Days by Flight and 14-18 days trekking Overland
Tour Grade :
Challenging