The tropical climate of Indonesia makes it an inviting place for unique wildlife. Perhaps the most well known and beloved is the orangutan, meaning "man of the forest" in Bahasa Indonesia. Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to see these creatures in their native habitat.

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Our handpicked wildlife experiences in Indonesia for seeing orangutans and other native animals in their natural habitat, across the country’s rich tropical landscapes.

Animal & Wildlife in Indonesia: Our Top Picks for Orangutan Encounters

Animal & Wildlife in Indonesia

The tropical climate of Indonesia makes it an inviting place for unique wildlife. Perhaps the most well known and beloved is the orangutan, meaning "man of the forest" in Bahasa Indonesia. Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to see these creatures in their native habitat. 

3D2N Tanjung Puting Cruise with Conservationist Guides

Private orangutan cruise + best all-round guides! 

3D2N Tanjung Puting Small Boat Cruise | Perfect for Couples

Small private cruise, perfect for couples! Bonus: supports female guides

3D2N Shared Tanjung Puting Cruise | Perfect For Solo Travellers

Rare join-in Tanjung Puting trip! Great for solo travellers + budget friendly.

4D3N Tanjung Puting Cruise with Conservationist Guides

A slow cruise down the river to spot wild orangutans with experienced guides

3D2N Private Orangutan Trek at Gunung Leuser 

Embark on an Adventure: Spot orangutans, trek in the jungle & swim in hotsprings

6D5N Tanjung Puting Adventure | From Dayak Village to Orangutan Cruise

Live with Dayaks & Cruise Borneo’s Jungles on Houseboat Safari

3D2N Tanjung Puting Orangutan Cruise | Most Comfy Boat with Aircon

3-Day orangutan wildlife safari on a deluxe boat with air-conditioning!

Rice Paddies & Fireflies: A Magical Evening in Balinese Village Life

Immerse in Balinese village magic with farm-to-table dining & firefly stroll.

Private 1 Day Orangutan Safari with Wildlife Biologist 

One-day private speedboat safari to see wild orangutans in Tanjung Puting

3D2N Tanjung Puting River Safari & Cultural Day Trip in Pangkalan Bun

3D2N Orangutan wildlife safari + deep dive into local culture

3D2N Tanjung Puting Cruise with Female-led Guides

3-Day Tanjung Puting orangutan cruise with local women-led guides

7-Day Gunung Leuser Orangutan Trek (w/stay in Roomy Guesthouse & Jungle Camping)

Immerse in rainforest with orangutans, camping, & experienced guide.

Only two words: all perfect, highlighting the kindness, helpfulness and professionalism of the entire team.

Only two words: all perfect, highlighting the kindness, helpfulness and professionalism of the entire team.

Amazing must do experience! We loved every minute of the trip! I booked and was worried about the comfort of the klotok and safety in the jungle, but everything was way above our expectations. The klotok was spotless, bathroom had everything we needed, shower is cool water and refreshing. Food is amazing and varied, our chef Tarmi is so talented. After excursions, we would come back to cold towels, cold cokes and snacks. The bed sheets we changed everyday. Sleeping was comfortable, not too hot and you’re covered with mosquito net. Our captain (Halim) stopped the boat multiple times when wildlife was spotted. Our guide Tiyo was very knowledgeable and fun. He also prioritized safety and was prepared when I wasn’t feeling well, even had an oxygen monitor on board to monitor vitals. Of course the wildlife was the star, it’s very special to see them in their natural habitat and see how much the locals care for them. There were active forest fires in the national park on our last night, the team kept us safe and handled it well. 

- Bring: bug spray, sunscreen, anti-nausea meds (boat rocks), travellers diarrhea meds
 - we went in September: very dry season, no need for leech socks or rain jacket because of el niño. guide said almost no malaria.

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Amazing must do experience! We loved every minute of the trip! I booked and was worried about the comfort of the klotok and safety in the jungle, but everything was way above our expectations. The klotok was spotless, bathroom had everything we needed, shower is cool water and refreshing. Food is amazing and varied, our chef Tarmi is so talented. After excursions, we would come back to cold towels, cold cokes and snacks. The bed sheets we changed everyday. Sleeping was comfortable, not too hot and you’re covered with mosquito net. Our captain (Halim) stopped the boat multiple times when wildlife was spotted. Our guide Tiyo was very knowledgeable and fun. He also prioritized safety and was prepared when I wasn’t feeling well, even had an oxygen monitor on board to monitor vitals. Of course the wildlife was the star, it’s very special to see them in their natural habitat and see how much the locals care for them. There were active forest fires in the national park on our last night, the team kept us safe and handled it well. 

- Bring: bug spray, sunscreen, anti-nausea meds (boat rocks), travellers diarrhea meds
- we went in September: very dry season, no need for leech socks or rain jacket because of el niño. guide said almost no malaria. 

My husband and I booked a private 4D/3N Klotok boat trip in Indonesian Borneo through Seek Sophie. They arranged our tour with Orangutan Applause and we explored Tanjung Puting National Park. This trip exceeded every expectation!

The entire experience was seamlessly organized from booking, pickup, and drop-off thanks to Seek Sophie and Arif &amp; Dessy! Life on the boat was exciting and comfortable. We saw an abundance of wildlife, including spectacular close-up views of orangutans at the feeding platforms (and the cutest babies), and also wild orangutans in the trees along the river (including an alpha male). We also saw countless Proboscis Monkeys and Long-tailed Macaques (they were very entertaining), a few crocodiles, snakes, lizards and a wide variety of birds.

Our guide, Vera, was fantastic! She was knowledgeable, attentive, and passionate about the animals and forest conservation. 
 Even though, as a wildlife guide she sees the animals daily, her enthusiasm remained high, and her excitement was contagious. She’s one of the best wildlife guides we’ve ever had!

The boat crew was equally fantastic! Our captain, Ian (Eyon sp?) and deckhand, Danu kept us safe and always positioned the boat perfectly for wildlife viewing.

Chef Lili prepared delicious local Indonesian meals. We especially loved the whole fish and pumpkin soup! There was literally more food than we could eat!

This was truly an unforgettable trip! Thank you to the entire teams at Seek Sophie &amp; Orangutan Applause for making our trip so special!

My husband and I booked a private 4D/3N Klotok boat trip in Indonesian Borneo through Seek Sophie. They arranged our tour with Orangutan Applause and we explored Tanjung Puting National Park. This trip exceeded every expectation!

The entire experience was seamlessly organized from booking, pickup, and drop-off thanks to Seek Sophie and Arif &amp; Dessy! Life on the boat was exciting and comfortable. We saw an abundance of wildlife, including spectacular close-up views of orangutans at the feeding platforms (and the cutest babies), and also wild orangutans in the trees along the river (including an alpha male). We also saw countless Proboscis Monkeys and Long-tailed Macaques (they were very entertaining), a few crocodiles, snakes, lizards and a wide variety of birds.

Our guide, Vera, was fantastic! She was knowledgeable, attentive, and passionate about the animals and forest conservation. 
Even though, as a wildlife guide she sees the animals daily, her enthusiasm remained high, and her excitement was contagious. She’s one of the best wildlife guides we’ve ever had!

The boat crew was equally fantastic! Our captain, Ian (Eyon sp?) and deckhand, Danu kept us safe and always positioned the boat perfectly for wildlife viewing.

Chef Lili prepared delicious local Indonesian meals. We especially loved the whole fish and pumpkin soup! There was literally more food than we could eat!

This was truly an unforgettable trip! Thank you to the entire teams at Seek Sophie &amp; Orangutan Applause for making our trip so special!

We had the best time ever with Orangutan Applause seeing the wonders the Indonesian Borneo has to offer. Our guide Vera and the whole crew went above and beyond to make sure we are comfortable, well fed, taken care of and most importantly to never miss any animal sightings.

Arif also made sure that our transportation is well organised and was very flexible and responsive when it came to communication.

Since it was a 4-day tour, I felt we were able to take it slower and experience the rainforest the best possible way. I can only hope we will be able to return once.

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We had the best time ever with Orangutan Applause seeing the wonders the Indonesian Borneo has to offer. Our guide Vera and the whole crew went above and beyond to make sure we are comfortable, well fed, taken care of and most importantly to never miss any animal sightings.

Arif also made sure that our transportation is well organised and was very flexible and responsive when it came to communication.

Since it was a 4-day tour, I felt we were able to take it slower and experience the rainforest the best possible way. I can only hope we will be able to return once.

An excellent trip made all the better by Vanessa. Our flight was delayed but the team worked around that and made sure we had as fulfilling trip as possible. Food was excellent. Thanks again Vanessa
 .

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An excellent trip made all the better by Vanessa. Our flight was delayed but the team worked around that and made sure we had as fulfilling trip as possible. Food was excellent. Thanks again Vanessa
. 

The Orangutan Applause tour was the best tour I have ever been on. Arif was very accommodating and flexible with my requests. When I wanted to stay at the Rimba Ecolodge overnight instead of aboard the klotok boat, he worked with my flight schedule and the hotel to ensure a smooth experience. I felt like I barely needed to lift a finger. 

His crew that run the boat during the tour, the cook, deck hand, captain, and tour guide were absolutely outstanding. Above and beyond the amazing scenery and wildlife experiences (i.e. orangutans, monkeys, crocodiles, rare hornbill birds, beautiful insects), I will have lifetime memories of this trip because of the crew. The meals were some of the best of my life, the deckhand and captain were very kind and experienced on the water, and the tour guide was an expert on the national park. I could tell he loved sharing his island, traditions, culture, and knowledge with visitors. He even performed traditional rain forest music from his village. His love for Borneo made me see just how special this place is. 

On top of contributing to the conservation of orangutans and the rain forest, your money is going to the local small business that makes it possible. I already want to go back.

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The Orangutan Applause tour was the best tour I have ever been on. Arif was very accommodating and flexible with my requests. When I wanted to stay at the Rimba Ecolodge overnight instead of aboard the klotok boat, he worked with my flight schedule and the hotel to ensure a smooth experience. I felt like I barely needed to lift a finger. 

His crew that run the boat during the tour, the cook, deck hand, captain, and tour guide were absolutely outstanding. Above and beyond the amazing scenery and wildlife experiences (i.e. orangutans, monkeys, crocodiles, rare hornbill birds, beautiful insects), I will have lifetime memories of this trip because of the crew. The meals were some of the best of my life, the deckhand and captain were very kind and experienced on the water, and the tour guide was an expert on the national park. I could tell he loved sharing his island, traditions, culture, and knowledge with visitors. He even performed traditional rain forest music from his village. His love for Borneo made me see just how special this place is. 

On top of contributing to the conservation of orangutans and the rain forest, your money is going to the local small business that makes it possible. I already want to go back. 



Super cool trip, truly an amazing experience!
 The crew was super kind and welcoming. 
 The only downside is that we would have liked to receive more info from the guide about orangoutangs and other animals and to had the chance to spot more animals with the help of the guide and to do the night tre k that we didn’t had the chance to. 

Overall amazing and everyone should do it once in a lifetime.-

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Super cool trip, truly an amazing experience!
The crew was super kind and welcoming. 
The only downside is that we would have liked to receive more info from the guide about orangoutangs and other animals and to had the chance to spot more animals with the help of the guide and to do the night tre k that we didn’t had the chance to. 

Overall amazing and everyone should do it once in a lifetime.-

A fantastic experience, cruising down the river seeing the wildlife of the national park. The Orangutans are obviously the highlight but you'll see much more too. The guide and on board crew are great and you'll be very well fed throughout. Truly a bucket list trip.

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A fantastic experience, cruising down the river seeing the wildlife of the national park. The Orangutans are obviously the highlight but you'll see much more too. The guide and on board crew are great and you'll be very well fed throughout. Truly a bucket list trip.