Adventure on the Kalimatan River (Borneo)

Borneo – An adventure on the Kalimatan River

Little did I know on that day when my plane touched down in Kota Kinabalu what experiences laid in wait and in particular what I’d experience that day on the river.

We were heading towards Bathu Pitu in western Sabah travelling by motorboat on the Kalimantan River. As the last signs of human life faded off into the distance the jungle began to dominate and awaken the senses.

Monitor lizards and sunbathing crocodiles where on patrol, strutting along the banks and disrupting roosting egrets which took flight, drawing our eyes skyward to where highly coloured Hornbills criss-crossed the skyline. In the trees gangs of Macaque monkeys threw themselves between branches under the watchful eye of the noble Proboscis monkey who sat regally in his tree like a little miniature Julius Caesar with a Dale Winton tan.

It was unbelievable how quickly we went from civilisation to wild jungle. As if our little boat had somehow stumbled upon a Shangri-La abundant with the lost spoils of Eden, a divine deluge of creation which engulfed the banks and buzzed with intensity. This however was only the start of things to come.

 One of the guides on our boat was a deaf mute with exceptional vision who guided the boat to the best spots on the river to view the wildlife. He began to get very excited pointing towards the banks and flailing his arms.

 I didn’t know what this meant or what was to ensue? Did the boat have a leak? Were those massive nests in the trees above home to some prehistoric giant man-eating bird? What was happening was uncertain, but we started heading for the bank turning off the engine as we moored the boat. 

A brave few including myself jumped out in pursuit of the guides who slashed through the foliage with their machetes. We wondered through, quiet and apprehensive wondering what was to come. Our guide came to a halt so we all hushed up stopping in perfect synchronicity and keeping low to the ground. 

He slowly raised his finger to the heavens and we all looked skyward. Above us in the trees looming over us was a female Orangutan and her baby, staring right at us!! It was an exhilarating moment and a great feeling to lock eyes with such a magnificent animal in such a setting. And although anxious about a snake that had just slithered over my foot, we stayed beneath them for a while taking photographs in disbelief before she began pelting us with sticks and we decided to leave

 As we walked back tiger leaches from the jungle floor clambered up our clothing looking for a fresh feed and moving like an alien army of carnivorous super slinkies. 

We got back to the boat and were in a jubilant mood knowing that we rare few had encountered a wild Orangutan in it’s natural setting. The ‘great man’ of the forest that we had heard so much about from the locals had granted us its council. It was an amazing experience and one ill never forget I only hope that when I return that it will be possible to visit the primary forest in the same manner than I did then. 

Borneo will always have its impressive Orangutan sanctuary at Sepilok but the small pockets of wild primary forest left are another matter. 

 To have spent serene nights in the jungle listening to millions of sounds intertwine in infinite symphony. Knowing that one day they’d be replaced by the sounds of chainsaws and diesel engines was upsetting to say the least.

With the great migration of the disenchanted youth to the cities lured by the smoke-screen aspirations of modern culture and the older generation without much option but to sell up their land to the Palm Oil companies. The primary forest of Borneo face an uncertain future

My advice for any travellers wanting to see the true Borneo as it was intended, without having to look in a book or watch a documentary is go and go soon