Kersik Luwai Orchid & Pitcher Plants Park
Kersik Luwai is nature reserve between Melak and Barong Tongkok, 18 kilometers to the south. The "Black Orchid" (Coelogyne pandurata) whichblossoms between April and December, grow on shrubs in this 5,000 hectare reserve. Many hundred of other orchid species also grow in thisforest. The reserve is located 170 kilometers from Samarinda and can bereached in 32 hours by boat. Other tourist spots in this regions include Jentur Gemuruh waterfall and Kersik Kerbangan, a forest knownfor is wild orchids. Visitors usually stay at Sekolag Darat village. Pepas Eheng village belongs to the Barong Tongkok district, 209kilometers from Samarinda . Plait work, rattan furniture and Tunjung Dayak statues are made here. The village can be reached from Melak in one hour by car. Muara Oahu is a district town at the meeting point of the Kedang Pahu and Lawa river, in the Mahakam hinterland. Twenty-eight villages, with a total population a bout 11,000 are found in this area. The cultural heritage of the Dayak people is very much evident at Tolan village. There are two traditional houses and a graveyard which are worth seeing. The people here live from panning for gold, looking for bird nests and tilling the dry fields.
Kersik Luwai Park Travel information
Tour Destination :
Kersik Luwai Reserve and National Park, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Main Interest & Things to do :
Jungle Trek, orchid and fauna reserve and Dayak Tunjung Culture
Dayak Tunjung and Dayak Bahau are the major tribes in this region of West Kutai.The area along is filled with Rubber plantations, and lowland rainforesta Traditional longhouse with 35 Dayak Tunjung families can be found at Eheng village about 35 km from Kersik Luwai Reserve.
Black and other wild orchids at Kersik Luwai Reserve.
Ombau Asa waterfall about 40 km from Kersik Luwai Reserve along the way to Eheng.
Tering Lama is the place where Dayak Bahau and Hudoq ceremonies can be found, it's about 50 km from Kersik Luwai.
Melak and Tering villages are jump off points to the hinterland of the Mahakam river if public ferries can't cruise further up the Mahakam river.Jungle Trek can be done between villages.
Culture :
Dayak Tunjung & Bahau
Flora & Fauna :
Tropical Rainforest and Wildlife
Tour Starting Point :
Balikpapan, or Samarinda East Kalimantan, IndonesiaTour Transport Possibilities :
by car or public bus from Balikpapan to Samarinda, continue by public bus or car, or either public ferry, or houseboat to Melak or Tering, estimated travel time is 1 day to Reach Kersik Luwai Reserve.
Tour Ending Point :
Balikpapan, or Samarinda East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Travel Distance to entry point :
450 Km from Balikpapan Airport East Kalimantan Indonesia
Tour Duration :
Short Get Through Visit 3 to 5 Days
Accommodation & Hotels :
Hotels
Tour Grade :
Moderate / all ages