Amandit River Trek

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights; Number of pax: 2, 3-6, 7-10; Type of accommodation: communal house, river side cottage; Type of transportation: Plane, mini bus, bamboo rafting, river boat; Start/end: Jakarta/Banjarmasin; Grade of difficulty: Moderate to challenge

Day 1: Banjarmasin-Loksado     Start from hotel in Banjarmasin or the airport, in the morning, drive to the small town of Kandangan for about 2.5 hours. Few kilometers after leaving Kadangan you will start driving along the winding road on Meratus Mountain range. This is very scenic road passing through rural area and local people plantation. Stop can be made on the way for taking rest and enjoying the landscape. Arrive Loksado in the late afternoon, stay for overnight at simple river-side cottage. Briefing for trekking and proceed by excursion around Loksado..

Day 2: Loksado-Trek to Hujung Communal House   Trekking starts at 07:30. Cross suspension bridge and walk along the rubber and fruit plantation and shifting cultivation rice field. After 1-2 hours you will start trekking on small patch of rain forest which has been protected by the Dayak communities around. You will reach the highest point on this trek of about 1,100 m above sea level. Lunch pack will be en-route. The trek starts to go down until you reach Balai (communal house) Hujung where you will stay for overnight. In the evening when most of communal house members come back from the rice field you might have a little chat with them about living as mountain and forest people.

Day 3: Hujung Communal House-Trek to Haratai   Proceed to the next destination in Haratai. Still trek through plantation, shifting cultivation rice field and part of rain forest on Meratus Mountain Range including to cross the river over suspension bridge. After about 2-3 hours, depending on how fast you walk and how often you stop, you will arrive at Haratai waterfall where you will spend a while to enjoy the beauty of nature, swim and have lunch. From Haratai you will hike along the Amandit river bank that will bring you back to Loksado and then continued by village transport (pick up) to Muara Hatib. You will stay for overnight at a nice lodge situated by side of Amandit river. If time allows in the afternoon you will spend your time exploring the area around Muara Hatib.

Day 4: Muara Hatib-Bamboo Rafting-Bubuih-Kadangan-Banjarmasin   Wrap your camera and other valuables into a plastic bag because you will be on the bamboo rafting wading through rapids on Amandit River. Animals are rather difficult to see. However, with luck you might see Long-tailed Macaque and some birds such as kingfisher (Stork-billed Kingfisher, White-collared Kingfisher), sunbirds, bulbuls and eagles. In some parts of the river water are more wild but your skillful raft-man will help to pass these parts. Bamboo rafting trip will take about 3 hours to Bubuih Village. From Bubuih go by car to Kandangan for having lunch at local restaurant and then proceed to Banjarmasin for about 3.5 hours driving. Stay for overnight at hotel in Banjarmasin. (BLD)

Day 5: Banjarmasin-Floating Market-Airport-Next Destination   Early start at 05:30, go on board a wooden boat from a small pier near the hotel and head to the floating market on Martapura River. Doing selling and buying activities on the boat or canoes is a part of history and life for people in Banjamrmasin because rive has become transportation media for people here since centuries ago. All selling and buying activities at this market are done from the boat and mostly done by women. On the way back to Banjarmasin you can witness morning activities along Martapura River. Transfer to airport and fly back to Jakarta or to the next destination. Your journey ends (BL)

Notes:

* You must give respect and obey rules, laws and customs valid in the area you are visiting.

* This itinerary is subject to change with or without prior notice due to weather condition, flight schedule change and other causes our control (force majeure).

Recommended personal equipments to bring: *  Cotton t-shirt: 3 pairs, *  Cotton trousers: 2 pairs, *  Short: 1 pair, *  Light weight-thin sleeping bag (summer sleeping bag), *  Swimming suite, *  Hat and sun protection lotion, *  Cotton sock: 3 pairs, *  Jogging or hiking shoes, *  Walking/hiking sandal, *  Flashlight, *  Personal medicines, *  Mosquito or insect repellent, *  Sleeping mattress, * Raincoat/poncho