12 Day Sumatra Nature and Culture Tour – 1/2 day Orangutan Trek, Gibbon Walk, 4 day Village walk with river tubing. Optional activities include Hot Springs, Elephants, School Visit, Cooking Class, Market, participating in Batu Kapal conservation program with animal monitoring and tree planting
If you you love nature and want to explore nature and the local villages away from the busy tourist areas, come on our 12 Day Sumatra Nature and Culture Tour
12 Days 11 Nights Nature, Villages and Culture.
4 Day Village to Village Walk, Orangutan Trek and Gibbon Walk with Optional Day activities including Elephant Washing, Hot Springs, Market Visit, School Visit, Cooking Class, Village Tour, Conservation Reforestation Project, Teaching English to the Local Children. Bukit Lawang, Tangkahan, Batu Katak, Batu Kapal, Selang Pangeran,
Fitness level average .
DAY 1. This morning your guide will meet you at your Medan accommodation or airport to drive you to Bukit Lawang and check into your guest house
Day 2. Jungles, Villages and Rivers Walk. This is the start of your jungle rivers and villages walk. (Note – Your bags will be stored and portered to Batu Kapal) This morning head off on your over night orangutan jungle trek (average level of fitness trek) in Gunung Leuser National Park via rubber plantation for wildlife & orangutan spotting. After your jungle lunch you will leave the beaten tourist track behind and continue to hike further into the jungle to trek to Adi Black campsite for your overnight Camp on the Landak River. During your trek today will experience some steep climbs and ascents with a hand or two from your local guides. You will learn to navigate around tree roots and jungle vines with spectacular jungle views and plenty of stops for animal spotting to help you to acclimatise and adjust to the local conditions. Gunung Leuser National Park is mostly mountainous, covering a million hectares, straddling the borders of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. You will have time to relax and bathe in the river before your evening dinner. You will be amazed at the delicious food your guides are able to cook up in the middle of the forest! Your tent each night will be a simple bamboo frame, covered with a plastic tarp. Jungle camp at Adi Black (L D included). If you prefer not to do an overnight jungle camp, you can hike directly to Batu Kapal and spend an extra day at the nature retreat.
Day 3. This morning after a hearty jungle breakfast you pack up camp and head off to Batu Kapal along the Landak River, this includes walking along the river and with a few river crossings. The Landak River is a gentle shallow safe river and you will traverse it with the assistance of your guides. Please make sure you have your river sandals handy today. Arrive early afternoon at Batu Kapal this hidden jungle paradise to settle into your guest houses. Rest of the day to relax or explore the local surrounds or swim in the river. Accommodation Batu Kapal Guest House. (B included)
DAYS 4 and 9. Batu Kapal Jungle Retreat. Choose from the optional activities below (you can add more days here if you have more time). Accommodation Batu Kapal guesthouse.
- Rock scrambling open caving adventure at Batu Kapal Cave ( 2-3 hours. $55AUD pp min 2).
- Nature and wildlife walk (3 hours) to look for birds, animals, monkeys and orangutans in the trees along the Landak River ($55AUD pp).
- Visit Jungle School by motor bike and help the kids at 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays ($30AUD pp motor bike transfer plus donation).
- Visit local Muslim Primary School in Bukit Lawang for a Pack for Purpose program ($25AUD pp motor bike transfer. School supplies donation please for one class room of 30 children)
- 3 hour motor bike tour of the villages and rice fields, visit cottage industries, rice hulling and drying, palm sugar, tofu, bamboo weaving(price $55AUD pp).
- On Fridays, visit Gotong Royong rubber fruit and flower market for a walk around the market learning about the local spices, fruits and vegetables and enjoy the hustle and bustle of people going about their weekly shopping($45pp includes motor bike transfer. This can also be combined with villages tour above if done on a Friday $55AUD pp).
- Traditional massage ($25AUD pp).
- Traditional rice cooking in evening – prepare and cook rice in bamboo over fire ($25AUD per person)
- Dawn and dusk nature walks for animal and bird spotting as part of the Batu Kapal Conservation Program – animal surveying and monitoring, approx 1.5 hours ($45AUD pp).
- Bonfire and guitar in evening if not raining.
- Relaxing, swimming and exploring the Landak River.
- Donate and plant a tree as part of the Batu Kapal Reforestation Program (donation $15AUD per tree with proceeds going back to the conservation program)
- 2 and 3 day jungle treks to Adi Black camp and Batu Gajah camp in the national park (POA).
- 9am in morning head off to Tangkahan elephants (not on Fridays, 2.5 hour drive each way on mostly dirt roads), arrive late morning. Buy lunch at local guest house. Early afternoon explore river, before afternoon elephant washing. Option to tube to waterfall with lunch ($55AUD pp in 2) Min 2. $120AUD pp elephant wash.
- Leave at 9am for hot springs full day trip by 4wd. Relax in the hot springs, walk to swimming hole along the stream. $120AUD pp (approx 2-2.5 hours each way in 4WD. min 2 people. Lunch included)
Day 10. Head off this morning to Berkeil River past villages, rivers and farm land (5 hour walk, some shallow easy river crossings). . Accommodation river camp.
Day 11. This morning raft tube to the Batu Katak guest house (approx 1.5 hours tubing on the river through some beautiful scenery). Arrive early afternoon. Afternoon Option – opportunity to help with a children’s English lesson at the Tiger House if a volunteer school day (no cost, a donation or school supplies is appreciated). Also optional activities of traditional medicine lesson (cost not included $55AUD PP), massage (cost not included $25AUD pp). Rest of day at your leisure Accommodation Batu Katak Guest House.
Day 12. Early morning walk to spot wildlife and hopefully gibbon along the base of the hills, followed by a walk back through the village. Return for lunch, then pack your bag to head back to Medan to your hotel (hotel at your cost) arriving early evening. If enough time to visit the summer palace and grand mosque on the way. Tour concludes today.
