Tour type
Tour Level: Moderate
Tour Comfort: Budget
Tour Period: 2 Days
English
tour highlights
- Spend time with the Iban tribe
- the former head hunters of Borneo
- Explore a vibrant local market & a pepper farm
- Take a longboat on the serene Lemanak River
- Watch the Ibans sound gongs & perform a war dance
- Join in a blowpipe demonstration
tour details
The Lemanak River is home to several longhouses of the Iban tribe – the former head hunters of Borneo. You’ll discover that the river provides exceptional scenery of drooping trees overhanging the water & acts as the Iban’s highway to navigate along the river using traditional longboats. You’ll travel from Kuching with stops including the vibrant local market in the town of Serian & a pepper farm. Continue to the Lemanak River to board native longboats & head upriver to arrive at an Iban longhouse, where you’ll meet the Ibans & their families. You’ll later marvel at the skills of the Ibans as they sound their gongs & perform their war dance in full ceremonial regalia. Next, join in a blowpipe demonstration & take a short jungle walk into the surrounding areas before you return to Kuching.
09:00 hours : pick-up from Batik Boutique hotel in Kuching for a 260 km journey with en-route stops at the local market in the town of Serian, a stop to observe wild orchids and pitcher
plants at the roadside and also a visit of a pepper farm. Lunch will be provided in Lachau, a small upcountry Chinese village.
After lunch you will continue the journey to the jetty at the Lemanak river, where you will board native longboats and travel upriver to arrive at an Iban longhouse. After
arrival you will be taken up to the longhouse to meet the Ibans and their families and have a tea break.
In the evening, you may choose to join your guide when preparing the dinner. See how, with simple cooking utensils and local ingredients, a delicious meal can be
prepared. After dinner the Ibans will sound their gongs and perform their war dance in full ceremonial regalia.
Overnight at the longhouse (very simple accommodation).
Note:
Basic accommodation in the communal hall of the longhouse with mosquito net, mattress, pillows and blanket provided
Meals included:Lunch
Dinner
plants at the roadside and also a visit of a pepper farm. Lunch will be provided in Lachau, a small upcountry Chinese village.
After lunch you will continue the journey to the jetty at the Lemanak river, where you will board native longboats and travel upriver to arrive at an Iban longhouse. After
arrival you will be taken up to the longhouse to meet the Ibans and their families and have a tea break.
In the evening, you may choose to join your guide when preparing the dinner. See how, with simple cooking utensils and local ingredients, a delicious meal can be
prepared. After dinner the Ibans will sound their gongs and perform their war dance in full ceremonial regalia.
Overnight at the longhouse (very simple accommodation).
Note:
Basic accommodation in the communal hall of the longhouse with mosquito net, mattress, pillows and blanket provided
Meals included:Lunch
Dinner
0830hrs : After breakfast you can join in a blowpipe demonstration and take a short jungle walk into the surrounding areas and visit a pepper farm too. An Iban will show you how animal
traps work and how they can be easily built. After the walk, you will head down to the river and board a local long-tail boat with your guide and a couple of Iban tribesmen.
Travel downriver past beautiful rainforest scenery and other longhouses before, weather permitting, the Iban will cook you a delicious meal in the comfort of a local farm hut.
The food is steamed within bamboo tubes on an open fire.
After a short boat trip from the nearby jetty down the river, it is a four-hour drive through forest and oil-palm plantations back to Kuching.
Meals included:Breakfast
Native lunch
traps work and how they can be easily built. After the walk, you will head down to the river and board a local long-tail boat with your guide and a couple of Iban tribesmen.
Travel downriver past beautiful rainforest scenery and other longhouses before, weather permitting, the Iban will cook you a delicious meal in the comfort of a local farm hut.
The food is steamed within bamboo tubes on an open fire.
After a short boat trip from the nearby jetty down the river, it is a four-hour drive through forest and oil-palm plantations back to Kuching.
Meals included:Breakfast
Native lunch
includes
- 1 night accommodation in the communal room of a longhouse with shared sanitary facilities
- Meals as stated in the programme B= breakfast, L= lunch, D= dinner
- Transfers and tours with local English-speaking driver guides in air-conditioned vehicles
- Entrance fees and/or boat fees as stated in the programme
- Drinking water available on the vehicles
excludes
- Domestic airfare and/or International airfare to/from Malaysia (quoted separately, if requested)
- Optional tours
- Surcharges for other language guides
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal expenditure, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, camera fees, communications, postage, gratuities etc.
- Meals and services other than mentioned in the programme
- Drinks with meals
- Early check-in and late check-out at hotels, if not mentioned in the programme
- Gifts for the longhouse
notes
- This tour can be combined with a visit of Semenggoh Orang Utan Centre at an additional surcharge.
- Even if the package is booked on private basis, the boat transfers & activities in the longhouse may be on shared basis in order to minimise impacts on the natural environment or if other circumstances require so.
- Please travel light for the overnights at the longhouse. Suitcases can be stored at your hotel in Kuching.
- Due to primitive conditions in the longhouse, be prepared for some discomfort. You will be provided with mattress, mosquito net, pillow, blanket, clean linen and towel. Simple sanitary facilities are available.
- It is customary to bring some gifts for the Iban longhouse people, which can be divided by the number of families. Our guide can assist you during one of the stops en-route to buy some suitable presents. This custom is only applicable to Iban longhouse tours.
- What to bring
Backpack
Loose-fitting summer clothing
Sun hat/ cap
Sun block
Insect repellent
Personal toiletries
Flat walking shoes with good grip
Raincoat
Torch or flashlight
Tour code: KCHDSLR2P
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