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Enter a world shaped by generations of wisdom during Festival Rimba Sungai Utik, a special gathering celebrating the living heritage of the Dayak Iban and their enduring bond with the rainforest. Experience ancestral traditions, cultural expressions, and meaningful encounters with the community in the setting of this distinctive annual celebration. Journey beyond the festival grounds to discover the traditional rumah panjae, explore customary forest landscapes with local guides, and learn how Indigenous knowledge sustains both cultural identity and the natural world. Available exclusively around the festival dates, this limited-departure experience offers a rare opportunity to encounter Borneo through the people who call it home.
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Itineraries
Day 1
Arrival
A Gentle Arrival in Pontianak
Your journey begins in Pontianak, where your private guide welcomes you and accompanies you to your hotel. Settle into the rhythm of West Kalimantan over a relaxed welcome dinner, discovering the cultural landscape and the experiences that lie ahead. The evening offers time to prepare for the journey inland, with a personal briefing on local customs, community etiquette, and the importance of approaching Indigenous traditions with respect.
note: Overnight in Pontianak
Day 2
Into the Heart of Borneo
Into the Heart of Borneo
Depart Pontianak for Putussibau by domestic flight, then continue overland through the forested landscapes of Kapuas Hulu toward Sungai Utik. As the journey unfolds, the scenery gradually reveals a quieter side of Borneo, far removed from the familiar routes of conventional tourism. Upon arrival, meet your local hosts and settle into your community-arranged accommodation. Your first evening introduces you to the Dayak Iban way of life and the enduring relationship between the community, its longhouse, and its ancestral forest.
note: Overnight in Sungai Utik
Day 3
Festival Rimba: A Living Heritage
Festival Rimba: A Living Heritage
Step into the atmosphere of Festival Rimba, joining the community's confirmed opening activities and cultural gatherings where available. Discover the rumah panjae, the traditional Iban longhouse, where shared spaces reflect generations of kinship and collective life. Through local storytelling, music, ceremonial expressions, and cultural presentations offered by the hosts, begin to understand the traditions that continue to shape the identity of the Dayak Iban.
note: Overnight in Sungai Utik
Day 4
The Stories Behind the Traditions
The Stories Behind the Traditions
Continue your festival experience through scheduled performances, community gatherings, and encounters with local artisans. Discover the meaning behind traditional textiles, handicrafts, and cultural practices through conversations with those who preserve them. Where invited, share a meal with community members and experience the warmth of everyday hospitality. Rather than simply observing a festival, this day offers an opportunity to appreciate the living knowledge, relationships, and values carried from one generation to the next.
note: Overnight in Sungai Utik
Day 5
Guardians of the Forest
Guardians of the Forest
Venture beyond the longhouse into the customary forest that sustains the community's cultural identity and natural environment. Accompanied by a local guide, explore the rainforest and discover how Indigenous knowledge, customary laws, and traditional stewardship inform the protection of ancestral lands. Depending on river conditions and local arrangements, continue with a guided river experience. The day reveals another dimension of Iban heritage: a way of life in which the forest is not simply a landscape to explore, but a living legacy to protect.
note: Overnight in Sungai Utik
Day 6
Life Within the Longhouse
Life Within the Longhouse
Spend a final morning at Sungai Utik, allowing time for a more personal connection with your hosts. Through an agreed cultural workshop or further conversations within the rumah panjae, discover how kinship, shared responsibility, and community belonging shape everyday life. After a farewell, travel back through Kapuas Hulu to Putussibau for an overnight stay. It is a gentle transition from the intimacy of the community to the onward journey, leaving time to reflect on the people and traditions encountered.
note: Overnight in Sungai Utik
Day 7
Returning with a Deeper Connection
Returning with a Deeper Connection
Return by domestic flight from Putussibau to Pontianak, where your private transfer can take you to the airport or your preferred city drop-off point. As the journey concludes, take with you more than memories of Borneo's landscapes: a deeper appreciation of the Dayak Iban's living heritage, the knowledge that sustains their customary forests, and the enduring connection between culture, community, and land.
- Contemplative Guide
- Accommodation during the trip
- Meals
- Private transportation
- Entrance fees
- Local Travel Insurance
- The expedition is supported by experienced local guides and local emergency response networks familiar with the remote forest and river environments of East Kalimantan.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: HARD
IMPORTANT NOTE: Expedition Conditions
This is a remote expedition through rainforest and river environments with limited infrastructure and medical access. Travelers should be comfortable with basic conditions, long travel durations, changing weather, and physically demanding activities.
For safety reasons, this journey may not be suitable for young children, elderly travelers requiring assistance, or travelers with serious medical or mobility conditions.
- International and domestic flights
- Visa fees (if applicable)
- Personal travel insurance
- Specialized expedition, medical evacuation, or high-risk insurance coverage
- Personal expenses and additional beverages
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional activities outside the itinerary
- Medical expenses and emergency evacuation costs
- Expenses caused by weather conditions, river conditions, delays, or unforeseen circumstances beyond organizer control
- Personal trekking or outdoor equipment
- Laundry and telecommunications in remote areas
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: HARD
IMPORTANT NOTE: Expedition Conditions
This is a remote expedition through rainforest and river environments with limited infrastructure and medical access. Travelers should be comfortable with basic conditions, long travel durations, changing weather, and physically demanding activities.
For safety reasons, this journey may not be suitable for young children, elderly travelers requiring assistance, or travelers with serious medical or mobility conditions.
This is a remote expedition through rainforest and river environments with limited infrastructure, unpredictable weather conditions, and basic facilities in certain areas. Flexibility, adaptability, and respect for local customs are essential throughout the journey.
Travelers should be comfortable with long travel durations, boat transfers, humid tropical conditions, uneven terrain, and physically demanding activities in remote environments.
Accommodation during the expedition may include simple guesthouses, longhouses, or community-based stays with limited modern facilities. Electricity, internet access, and mobile signal may be unavailable in certain remote areas.
The expedition is supported by experienced local guides, boat operators, and local emergency response networks familiar with the forest and river environments of East Kalimantan. Due to the remoteness of the region, access to advanced medical facilities may require extended evacuation time.
Travelers are expected to respect local customs, community rules, sacred areas, and cultural practices throughout the journey.
River conditions, weather, and remote travel circumstances may require adjustments to routes, schedules, or activities for safety reasons.
Internet and mobile signal may vary depending on the location, especially in operator, traditional villages and rural areas.
Yes. Ritual schedules, weather conditions, local ceremonies, and community activities may require adjustments to the itinerary in order to respect local traditions and conditions on the ground.
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