Eco trekking

Trek from Bukit Lawang to our unique conservation site ‘Batu Kapal and Hutan Subur’. We are the proud owners of the only operating wild orangutan and wildlife biolink conservation site in Bukit Lawang. Just an hour’s trek or a 15-minute motorbike ride from Bukit Lawang will bring you to pristine rainforest, geological limestone formations and ancient caves. The site provides a critical bio link corridor for over 15 wild orangutans, pangolin, porcupines, Thomas Leaf Monkeys, pig-tail macaques, silver leaf monkeys, monitor lizards, leopard cats, civet cats and many more. You can see them in their natural habitat as they traverse the national park borders. Our land is essential for their survival amid deforestation. Join us for activities with the volunteers or become one yourself! Daily activities include dusk and dawn wildlife walks and monitoring orangutans, reforestation, upcycling of plastics and supporting local community projects including teaching disadvantaged children English. Perfect for those who wish to witness the thriving wildlife and minimize their environmental impact while enjoying a holiday . It is also an excellent choice for guests who prefer not to navigate the hilly terrain of the National Park yet still want to experience the sight of wild orangutans swinging past your doorstep.

Day trek and tour – from $110 AUD pp (can also arrive by motorbike )

Experience the jungle in luxury with overnight or longer stays at our  jungle villa Hutan Subur.   We offer a private stay on the borders of the park where you see orangutans swing past your window from the comforts of your accomodation. The only villa of its kind set amongst the jungle, feel the uniqueness of the wild surrounds while enjoying your time in a comfortable setting. Continue your experience and trek directly from the villa into the Gunung Leuser National Park.

Day 1. Transfer by private, air conditioned car from Medan to Bukit Lawang. Stay tonight in our accomodation Happy Ria in Bukit Lawang, within a few minutes to walk to many restaurants  and our unique jungle bar, start your holiday right by relaxing into the slow pace of the colourful town set alongside the river. Meander through the pathways that lead you through town and get a feel for this joyful place.

Day 2. Begin your trek out to Hutan Subur, along the way pass farmland and jungle, learn about the different local agriculture pursuits on the borders of the national park, cool off in the river and enjoy local food grown and sourced from the area. Journey through primary rainforest and pristine caves to arrive at your luxury destination for the night, Hutan Subur. Relax in comfort in our open air jungle luxe villa. Listen out for gibbon calls, spot oranguatan and monkeys in the surrounding forest, be dazzled by the fireflies upon nightfall and sleep soundly in your king bed or 4 bed room. ( sleeps 6 in the main villa and 2 in our jungle lodge)

Day 3 and 4.  After breakfast on the terrace, set off for your overnight jungle trek into the Gunung Leuser National Park. Search for orangutan, silver leaf monkeys, hornbill birds, gibbons and some of the world’s most biodiversity flora. Wildlife spotting along the way you will reach your jungle camp by the river in the afternoon. The true jungle experience has you sleeping in ready-made tent accomodation. Your jungle chefs will prepare a delicious dinner after your day walking. Stay one night here relaxing and enjoying your night under the stars by bonfire.The next morning, after your hearty breakfast explore nearby waterfalls and the jungle a little more before tube rafting back along the river into Bukit Lawang township. A great way to see the jungle from a different perspective and cool off after your day. Arrive back between 2 – 4 pm. Stay tonight at Happy Ria in Bukit Lawang.

Day 5. Your tour ends today, either add on a day to join one of our activities ( see activities list ) or continue onwards to Medan via private car transport for your flight or onwards travel.

Cost $870 AUD or 8.700.000 IDR per person. Includes all meals, accomodation, transport to and from Medan, guide, entrance into the national park. Option to add on a day participating in our conservation site activities, $95 AUD per person plus extra night accomodation in your luxe villa.

Join our local, highly experienced rangers for a full day’s trek as they patrol the borders of the national park. Uncover hidden traps, snares and communicate with locals living on the borders of the park. Traverse through hilly terrain as you join the team to protect and preserve this unique area. Chance to see tiger footprints, or even tigers, orangutans, many different primates and wildlife. Learn about the local farming ventures on the border and soak up the knowledge and expertise of these jungle rangers who are critical to the preservation of the Gunung Leuser National Park and its inhabitants. All profits go directly to fund the rangers salaries. Thank you for considering this to add to your trip, you are making a difference.

Cost $95 AUD  or 950,000  IDR pp day trek includes lunch and snacks. Leaves from Bukit Lawang, minimum 3 people for this day trek.

 Your contribution goes directly to supporting the salaries for the rangers who are critical to protecting the National Park and its inhabitants.

Our most adventurous trek ! Have you ever dreamed of  searching for tigers, wild elephants and orangutans ?  Join our exhilarating trek with the national park rangers and leave  the tourist route behind as you enter the untouched deeper jungle. Traverse through rivers, climb down jungle roots and up dense and steep descents into the very wild parts of the Gunung leuser National Park. Have the opportunity to check  camera traps, camp by the river, search for tigers and elephants with your experienced guide and ranger and explore untouched jungle. Our unique partnership and relationship with the park rangers allows us to offer this uniquely wild trek while you get to have the experience of a lifetime.  No sightings are guaranteed as these animals are extremely elusive and critically endangered.

Day 1

 Welcome to the jungle!  Transfer by private, air-conditioned car to Bukit Lawang (about 4 hours) from Medan airport or accomodation.. Cool off by the river and settle in to your  accomodation in our home stay/guesthouse Happy Ria (breakfast included).  A beautiful traditionally decorated  3 storey house set amongst the jungle with views to the national park. Conveniently located in central Bukit a Lawang, close to both the National Park entrance and restaurants.

Day 2,3,4

Begin your 3 day 2 night totally wild trek – Our most adventurous trek ! Journey to neighbouring village by 4WD and leave the tourists behind as you enter the deeper jungle with the national park rangers and hike from Batu Katak deep into the national park through many river crossings, steep climbs and dense jungle. Search for tigers and elephants in this section of the park.  Get up close and personal with the wildlife, venture to the watering hole with the  possibility to check  camera traps to aid in  locating the many animals who spend time here. Experience wild camping  by the river in your jungle tent, learn about the park and it’s inhabitants from your guide whilst enjoying your specially prepared meal.  Your  experienced guide and ranger will explore untouched jungle with you in a safe and exhilarating way. Our partnership with the rangers allows us to offer this uniquely wild trek while you get to have the experience of a lifetime.  Stay 2 nights in the deep jungle at 2 different locations, and return in the afternoon on your third day. Return back to Bukit Lawang by 4WD and stay tonight in Happy Ria accomodation.

Day 5. Your tour ends today , return to Medan for onwards travel via private transport OR …

Begin your trek out to Hutan Subur, along the way pass farmland and jungle, learn about the different local agriculture pursuits on the borders of the national park, cool off in the river and enjoy local food grown and sourced from the area. Journey through primary rainforest and pristine caves to arrive at your luxury destination for the night, Hutan Subur. Relax in comfort in our open air jungle luxe villa. Listen out for gibbon calls, spot oranguatan and monkeys in the surrounding forest, be dazzled by the fireflies upon nightfall and sleep soundly in your king bed or 4 bed room. ( sleeps 6 in the main villa and 2 in our jungle lodge).

Day 6 and 7.  After breakfast on the terrace, set off for your overnight jungle trek into the Gunung Leuser National Park. Search for orangutan, silver leaf monkeys, hornbill birds, gibbons and some of the world’s most biodiversity flora. Wildlife spotting along the way you will reach your jungle camp by the river in the afternoon. The true jungle experience has you sleeping in ready-made tent accomodation. Your jungle chefs will prepare a delicious dinner after your day walking. Stay one night here relaxing and enjoying your night under the stars by bonfire.The next morning, after your hearty breakfast explore nearby waterfalls and the jungle a little more before tube rafting back along the river into Bukit Lawang township. A great way to see the jungle from a different perspective and cool off after your day. Arrive back between 2 – 4 pm. Stay tonight at Happy Ria in Bukit Lawang.

Day 8. Your tour ends today, either add on a day to join one of our activities ( see activities list ) or continue onwards to Medan via private car transport for your flight or onwards travel.

Cost $870AUD or 8.700.000 IDR  per person, including transport and accomodation in Bukit Lawang either side , see below.

Cost 5 day Ranger Tiger Patrol $1100 AUD or 1.100.000 IDR per person includes transport , accomodation, all meals on trek, breakfast in Happy Ria accomodation either side of your trek.

Cost 8 day Ranger Tiger Patrol plus 2 day National Park Trek  $1750 AUD or 17.500.000 IDR per person per includes all meals on treks and at Hutan Subur, accomodation, private transfers, entrance fees and permits into the national park, experienced guides and rangers.

Discover the wild places during this 6 day discovery trek near Bukit Lawang for some amazing animal spotting in North Sumatra.

Itinerary 6 Days 5 Nights – North Sumatra Orangutan and Tiger Trek to Uning

Day 1 –   Trek to Camp 1  Adi Black (approx 5-6hrs trekking)
Guide will pick you up at your Bukit Lawang guest house or from our accomodation Happy Ria. With a cheerful farewell and good luck wishes you will start your trek at the entrance of the Gunung Leuser National Park. Over the next five days you will experience some steep climbs and ascents with the aid of rope and a hand or two from your local guides. You will learn to navigate around tree roots and jungle vine alongside learning some rainforest survival skills from your local guides: path-finding, setting up camp, fishing, foraging for food and medicine, making fires and cooking. The terrain you will be trekking on will be extremely steep, but the views spectacular, with plenty of stops 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. Tonight, will be your first night’s experience in the jungle. 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.

Day 2. Trek to Camp 2 Batu Gajah Landak River. This morning after breakfast you will start a trek over 5 hours in direction to the Landak River. As you trek deeper into the rainforest, your chances of encountering wildlife increase. The terrain will be steep, but the views will be spectacular. Fantastic scenery along the way through the national park will be then a memorable experience for you. Keep your eyes peeled for orangutans – they are surprisingly tricky to spot! Look for signs that they are nearby, like the nests they build each night, movement in the canopy, broken branches, or calls from other animals. Your guides will point out a variety of wildlife and plant species and you will begin to see the forest through their eyes. Even though sightings of orangutans and other wildlife can never be guaranteed, when following the instructions of your guides the chances are more favourable. The campsite of the second night will be next to the Landak River where you will arrive around 3 pm. Along the way there is a big chance you will see wild orangutans and black gibbons. Our team will offer you an Indonesian dinner and refreshments before you can dream to the sounds of the nocturnal jungle life. Batu Gajah Landak River Camp.

Day 3. Trekking to Camp 3 UNING walking along and wading in the Landak River. After a good breakfast you will hike deeper into the jungle further upstream of the Landak River to Uning. As your senses get more finely tuned, your chances of encountering wildlife increase. Along the way you might see wild animals such as hornbill, deer and eguana. You will arrive at Uning, a small pond shaped by the nature. If you are lucky around here you can see the Sumatran tiger, elephant, deer, wild pigs and other habitants of the tropical rainforest. While the whole trek progresses, you will become more and more used to building up the camp, preparing a real jungle dinner and working together as a team. The third night you will spend in your campsite on the Landak River at Uning

Day 4. Camp 3. Wildlife spotting & morning and afternoon stakeout a Uning water hole. Today we stay at Uning camp site. This gives you the opportunity to do a morning and afternoon stake out at the Uning pond to spot wild animals as many come down to drink at this natural water hole. You have a full day to explore and immerse yourself in the jungle and observe the wildlife. You may see deer, wild pig, elephant, wild orangutan and even the elusive tiger ( if you are lucky!). Camp at Uning 

Day 5. Camp 4. Trek to Alur Perak and camp on Bohorok riverbank.Today you trek through the jungle in direction to the Bohorok River for around 4 hours. As you trek deeper into the Jungle you will start to feel the real remoteness of your jungle trek. You may wake to hear gibbons whooping in the morning, or the whooshing wings of hornbills overhead.  In the afternoon you can relax and swim and try your hand at fishing. If you are lucky, you can observe there the Sumatran monitor lizards, tortoises and colourful river butterflies around the Alur perak campsite.

Day 6. Rafting from Alur Perak to Bukit Lawang. Today is your last day in the jungle. After breakfast, take an early morning swim or just relax around the camp, then it’s time to return to Bukit Lawang. Get ready for about 2.5 hours of fun as your “jungle water taxi” brings you back to your guesthouse by traditional tube-rafting down the Bohorok River! 

Cost $900 AUD pp or 9,000,000 IDR minimum 2 people not including airport transfers or accomodation before or after trek.

Or

Cost $1150 AUD  pp or 11, 500,000 IDR min 2 including airport transfers and 2 nights accomodation in Bukit Lawang before and after your trek.

Price includes highly experienced licensed English speaking guides, National Park permits, all meals while trekking.

Please note this itinerary is flexible. You can change days and add days in to suit what you would like to do

Looking for a truly wild trek that will give you a totally immersive jungle experience ? We offer treks with our partnership to the local village of Ketambe, situated within the national park. Trekking in the Aceh province about 7 hours drive from Bukit a Lawang allows you to see the other side of the Gunung Leuser National Park. We offer customisable itineraries direct from Medan airport for trekking in this more remote region. Trek from 2 days to 7 days. Stay in bungalow style accomodation in the dense jungle on your first night and trek from here for 7 days during the dry season through the Gunung Leuser National Park, camping at different spots along the way. Course through rivers, thick forest and steep terrain until arriving across the mountain into Bukit Lawang. High level of fitness is required to join the longer 7 day adventure of a lifetime as you spot wild orangutan, gibbons, hornbill birds and many more wildlife as you make your way from the Aceh province to our base in Bukit Lawang. We arrange everything for you, including private car transfer from Medan, luggage transport and accomodation. From Medan go through Berastagi, the cultural hub and volcanic region of North Sumatra and then reach your jungle trek starting point.

Enquire now for cost and itinerary.

We also offer less adventurous treks suitable for the whole family ! This tour is designed for families and friends looking for a leisurely nature and cultural holiday.You have the chance to see wild Sumatra Orangutans, wash elephants, meet the local school children and more. This tour gives something to every member of the family in a combination package.

See our Family Jungle Tour in Packages.