Established in 2004, Sebangau National Park is one of Indonesia’s newest conservation areas. It contains one of the world’s largest known communities of wild orangutans, as well as a massive peat swamp forest.
Located in the southern fringes of Central Kalimantan, Sebangau National Park sits between the Sebangau and Katingan rivers. It contains one of the last remaining peat swamps in all of Borneo, a true rarity in our ever-shrinking natural world. More than 106 species of bird and 35 mammal species live in the peat swamp, which the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is trying desperately to protect.
But Sebangau is perhaps better known for its large population of wild orangutans. Visitors can venture into the park with the help of a guide and have an excellent chance of spotting these amazing orange primates in their natural environment.
Since the park is so new, its infrastructure is still under development. At the same time, the parkland itself is still under threat from poachers, loggers and peat harvesters.
But by visiting the park, travelers can help hasten the speed of protection to preserve what’s left of this amazing area, which is overseen by the WWF.
Getting There & Away
The easiest way to reach Sebangau is by flying into Panarung Airport, which is just outside the provincial capital, Palangkaraya. This airport handles weekly flights from Jakarta that take a couple of hours to reach the city, as well as numerous infrequent flights from regional destinations that take less than an hour to reach Palangkaraya. You can also reach the park by taking a riverboat on one of the many rivers in Central Kalimantan.