Life on the Equator

We meet this morning at Ngurah Rai Airport for our flight to the island of Flores, gateway to the Komodo National Park. Upon arrival we transfer to our luxury phinisi (traditional Sulawesi hand-built wooden sailing vessel) and settle into our home for the next three nights. Our plan today is to sail directly to the island of Rinca to photograph Komodo dragons. While looking for dragons we may also encounter buffalo, deer, and other local wildlife. We then return to our ship for a delicious, relaxed Indonesian welcome dinner.

Komodo National Park was established in 1980 with UNESCO World Heritage status given in 1991. Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are the world’s largest monitor lizard. They can grow to lengths of up to 10ft and typically weigh 150lbs. As the apex predator in the Komodo National Park the dragons are an exciting and formidable reptile to witness in the flesh. Expert Park Rangers will guide us as we capture powerful images of dragons on Rinca and Komodo islands. Komodo National Park is also known for its spectacular volcanic islands which we will spend time photographing. In between the photography there is time to relax and soak in the idyllic views as we sail through the azure waters of the Flores Sea in style and comfort.

This morning we begin the return cruise to Labuan Bajo and transfer to the airport for our return flight to Bali. We arrive at Bali in the afternoon and check in to the airport hotel. The rest of the day is yours to refresh and prepare for our travel to Borneo/Kalimantan.

Today we take the short domestic flight to Surabaya and transfer to our connecting flight to the southern area of Central Kalimantan. We will overnight at a hotel in the township.

Tanjung Puting National Park was originally established as a reserve in the 1930s by the local Dutch government to protect the orangutans and proboscis monkey found here. In 1977 it was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and was given National Park status in 1982. There are three orangutan rehabilitation centres found within the park.

We will make our base for four days at a simple yet comfortable jungle lodge located inside the National Park. To access the park we transfer to the river port of Kumai and then travel by private riverboat (klotok) to our lodge. During our stay we will explore the national park’s main river by klotok as we search for orangutans. We will also visit orangutan rehabilitation centres and photograph at the feeding platforms, which have been set up in the jungle to support released orangutans. In addition to orangutan, wildlife which we may encounter as we cruise the river includes proboscis monkeys, langurs, macaques, hornbills and kingfishers. We return to the township in the evening on Day 9 and transfer to our hotel.

After breakfast we fly back to Surabaya and transfer by private vehicle to our mountain hotel situated on the fringe of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. We will arrive in the late afternoon.

The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is home to Indonesia’s most spectacular volcanic landscape and covers an area of 800 square kilometres. While Mount Bromo receives most of the attention it is actually the smallest of the five volcanoes found inside the Tengger caldera. On a clear morning Java’s highest volcano, Semeru (3676 metres), can be seen in the distance. This morning we depart the hotel at 3am and drive to the National Park for sunrise photography. We return to the hotel for a late breakfast. After lunch we return to the National Park and explore the expansive Sea of Sand in private hardtop jeeps. If conditions are favourable we will photograph the late afternoon light on the volcanoes.

Another early start to photograph first light over the volcanic plateau. After breakfast we travel to the nearby city of Malang, arriving in the early afternoon. The remainder of the day is yours to relax, experience the delicious traditional Javanese afternoon tea served in the hotel, or stroll around the hotel to view the collection of memorabilia on display.

Malang has an extensive history which dates back to the 8th century. During the Dutch period this city became very popular as its elevation offered a welcome respite from the heat of Surabaya. The city centre has retained many of the traditional buildings and was built around the central market, where you can find everything from bananas to bandanas. Today we will explore the markets of central Malang. As this city sees very few foreign tourists we will be the curiosity as we wander through this vibrant area. The Javanese people graciously welcome having their photo taken and the opportunity for us to be a part of their everyday life is an experience not to be missed.

We have one more opportunity to explore the central traditional market this morning before we transfer back to Juanda International Airport.