Betung Kerihun National Park

Welcome, intrepid explorer, to the absolute edge of the untamed wilderness: the Betung Kerihun National Park. Located in the Kapuas Hulu regency of West Kalimantan, you are currently standing on the threshold of what is globally…

Our penetration into the park begins on the turbulent waters of the Kapuas River, the longest river in Indonesia and the primary hydrological artery of the forest. Analytically, a river journey here is not merely transportation;…

Disembarking from the longboat, we step onto the damp earth and plunge directly into the lowland dipterocarp forest, the most extensive and vital ecosystem within Betung Kerihun. Analytically, dipterocarp forests are the pinnacle…

While the towering giants command the skyline, we must now shift our analytical focus to the micro-world that thrives in their shadows. The botanical diversity of Betung Kerihun is staggering, boasting over one thousand two…

We now turn our eyes upward toward the swaying branches, entering the domain of the park's most famous and critically endangered resident: the Bornean Orangutan. Betung Kerihun is a vital sanctuary for forty-eight species of…

As we make our way back toward the riverbanks, the acoustic landscape shifts dramatically. We are now entering the premier avian habitat of the park. …

Our final stop within the deep interior brings us to a small clearing, revealing a human element that is inextricably linked to the survival of this forest. This is a settlement of the Dayak Bukat people, an indigenous group…

As our longboat powers back down the Kapuas River, carrying us away from the dense, emerald walls of the jungle, it is time to reflect on the immense gravity of Betung Kerihun National Park. We have navigated the treacherous…