Kutai National Park is a 200,000-hectare protected area in lower East Kalimantan, Borneo. The park features primary and secondary rainforest and is home to many primates and birds.
Kutai National Park sits in the south of East Kalimantan not far from the town of Samarinda and was set up in 1982 to stop the incessant degradation of the primary rainforest. Unfortunately, at about the same time, huge forest fires wiped out great swathes of these early forests, although they are making a comeback.
The park encompasses land all the way to the sea where mangrove swamps reside, while several lakes are also within the realm of the park. Many species of primate inhabit Kutai National Park, including orangutans, the Bornean gibbon, and many types of monkey. In addition, the park has around 80 percent of the bird species of Borneo including several types of hornbill.
Needless to say, trekking and touring options in Kutai National Park are excellent, along with caving. Permits to visit Kutai National Park are available at PHPA offices in Bontang and Samarinda, where you can also pick up trek guides.
Getting There & Away
Kutai National Park is one of the most accessible parks in the province, being within reach of the town of Bontang. Buses and boats both run to Bontang from Samarinda, where there is an airport. Balikpapan has the main airport in East Kalimantan and lies 170kms to the south. Connections to Jakarta, host to Indonesia’s main international airport, are available at both airports.