The western most island of Sumatra has some of the most pristine jungles in the world. It’s well known for being one of the last places on Earth where orangutans live in their natural habitat. I specifically visited northern Sumatra for this reason. Orangutans are one of my favorite animals and the opportunity to see them in the wild via trekking and sleeping in the jungle is the adventure of a lifetime. There are a few logistics involved to pull this off, but it’s not bad for those willing to put in a little work. You will be rewarded with an incredible experience. This post details out my experience for jungle trekking to Mount Leuser National Park and its jumping off point Bukkit Lawang to see orangutans, monkeys, and host of other flora and small fauna.
Trekking Companies
The first thing to do is book your jungle trek with a company you feel best suits your needs. For me personally, my main requirements were (1) reputable and well reviewed, (2) eco conscious to protect this very special place, as over tourism plus bad guides ruin these pristine areas, and (3) somewhat active and adventurous. Ideally locally owned, but most of the guides at least seem to be locals. I booked with Bukkit Lawang Jungle Trekking who were absolutely fantastic.
The guides were great. Small groups. Felt very taken care of. They genuinely wanted to make sure we had a great time. They were very conscious not to disturb the wildlife, left no trace, and educated us about the jungle, including the rise in palm plantations that are devastating orangutan habitats. Management was very responsive, and I was able to book everything through them which significantly simplified planning. This included the trek itself, transfer to/from Medan, and accommodations. They even have a restaurant on site. Reasonable prices and good food.
I also looked at Sumatra Orangutan Explore and Sumatra Eco Travel which both seemed reputable and were very responsive. There are many companies and guesthouses in Bukkit Lawang so you could wing it and make arrangements when you get there, but I would suggest booking in advance. This way you’re more likely to get what you want, including your dates, especially during peak season. Depending on the length of your trek, they only start on certain days of the week, especially longer treks.
Getting There
Flying into Medan is the most direct and easiest way to begin your journey. It’s easy to find direct flights from Bali, Jakarta, or Kuala Lumpur. There’s really not much to see or do in Medan so I would avoid the city to minimize time in traffic on your way to and from the airport. That means staying near the airport or on the north or west side of the city. If you’d like to stock up on snacks since there’s not much in the way of supermarkets where you’re going, Smarco Superstore Market in Ring Road City Walks Mall is massive. That said, most of the guesthouses have restaurants which serve good food and you’ll also be well fed on the trek. I always get snacks just in case there’s something I can’t eat or am not feeling well. If you’re coming from a major city, stock up there as they’ll likely have an even better selection.
It’s a 3-4 hour drive to the tranquil town of Bukkit Lawang situated along the beautiful Bahorok River. The roads and traffic are quite bad, so it’s slow going. No crazy mountain roads or anything like that though, just potholes and two lane non-highway roads. Highly recommend booking a driver through the trekking company or your guesthouse.
A Note on Logistics
Treks typically start around 9am and end at 3-4pm. Several travelers I met opted to get into Medan and on to Bukkit Lawang in the same day, This adds some risk if flights are delayed not to mention it’s a lot of traveling depending on where you’re coming from. Here’s what I did that worked really well for me. I flew in fom Yogyakarta to Medan with a short layover in Jakarta since there are no direct flights from Yogya. I prefer to fly early/mid morning or afternoon when it’s less crowded and plenty of time to get to the airport. I arrived in Medan early evening and stayed overnight. Driver picked me up in the morning at my hotel near the airport and we arrived to Bukkit Lawang around lunch time. I enjoyed the afternoon relaxing with a dip in the river. On the tail end of the trek, I stayed over in Bukkit Lawang and headed to Medan the next morning, arriving around noon. That same day had a late afternoon flight to Kuala Lumpur which was only about an hour. No stress, plenty of time for everything, albeit there was a lot of waiting at the airport. You could absolutely do this more aggressively, but Bukkit Lawang is worth spending some time in, and in my opinion there are too many steps not to allow some buffer time in case things don’t go as planned.
For example, I met a family that flew in from New Zealand, luggage was lost but luckily found, they got to Medan, straight to Bukkit Lawang, arrived there at 3am and were set to go trekking for several days the next day at 9am! Granted this story encountered some bad luck, travel can be quite unpredictable. I found getting around Indonesia to take longer and is more complicated than expected, so incorporating additional time is wise.
Where to Stay
I asked for recommendations from the trekking company and then researched on TripAdvisor and Booking.com. One important thing to note is that very few guesthouses have hot water and even fewer have air conditioning. I wanted both, but mainly A/C. The reason is because not only is it hot and humid, but I wanted to make sure I was well rested and ready to go into the jungle. This came in handy since I was sick a few days before. Normally I wouldn’t care and no issues camping outside in the heat. However, Bukkit Lawang is in the rainforest, so it’s very very humid. It’s also really nice to have a hot shower after the trek. The trekking company has a guesthouse on site with rooms that have fans, but no hot water or A/C which plenty of trekkers stayed in. Due to availability, I ended up staying at two different places for each night there. First night at Jungle River House run by the family. There are actually two places of almost the exact same name near each other. Second night, Jungle Dream Bungalows which are brand new and very nice, also run by the family on site with the trekking company behind the restaurant. Both were great, quite spacious, nice A/C, hot water, friendly staff. Jungle River was about a 10 min walk up the river. You’ll spend a bit more money, but have more comfort. I figured since I’d be sleeping in the jungle, why not make it more pleasant in Bukkit Lawang.
Many of the guesthouses for trekking are past the town. Cars cannot take you directly there, so you have to walk. It’s about 15 minutes or so and crosses a very rickety bridge. Seems safe enough, but quite wobbly. Keep this in mind if you have a lot of luggage and have a cover handy in case it rains. Don’t try and cross the bridge if there are monkeys on it. One guest told a story of being hassled by them on the bridge and having to fend them off. I had no issues, nor saw anything, but good advice to heed nonetheless.
What to Bring
I do a lot of hiking and camping so I have a pretty standard kit I simply brought along for the trek. I like to be over prepared so in my 20L daypack, I brought the following:
- Clothing: 1 pair long pants (trekking), 2 merino wool t-shirts (trekking), long sleeve button down shirt (trekking, around camp), long sleeve shirt (sleeping, around camp in the evening to protect from mosquitoes), long lightweight base layer pants (sleeping, around camp protect from mosquitoes), 2 pairs quick dry boxers, 2 pair mid height merino wool socks, swimsuit
- Gear & Misc: packable towel, light rain jacket, , hiking shoes, sandals (around camp), neck gaiter, hat, headlamp, toilet paper (not supplied), sunblock, bug spray, camera (zoom and good in low light helpful)
- Hydration: water bottle purifier (in case I needed to purify water), 2 1L collapsible water bottles prefilled with purified water (plan to drink 1L of water per day), hydration packets (sodium replacement from sweating)
- Medical & Hygiene: 1-day waterproof medical kit, cipro meds (in case of stomach issues) , toilet paper (you’ll need at camp, not supplied, there’s a no flush toilet)
- Food: granola bars (backup food)
I didn’t bring my phone because I wanted to be in the moment and also not worry about breaking or losing it. Others did. Bring a power bank if you do. You’re likely to have reception, at least on shorter treks. Here are links to my travel and camping gear if you’d like to see the brands and styles I use. The trekking company also provides a recommended list of what to bring which is very similar.
Your clothes won’t dry out overnight due to the humidity, but that’s where merino wool and moisture wicking synthetics will help, as they’ll dry out quickly once you put them back on. Of course it’s better having dry socks, underwear, and shirt for the next day. I’d highly recommend bug spray to avoid mosquito bites and risk of malaria. Cover up as much as is comfortable. I found long pants to be comfortable with a t-shirt, neck gaiter, and bug spray. Proper hiking shoes are a must since it’s slippery, steep uneven terrain coupled with mid ankle or calf heigh socks to keep leeches off. Around camp I wore a long sleeve shirt and long pants with socks and sandals to protect from mosquitoes at dusk and throughout the evening. Surprisingly few mosquitoes at camp. Lastly, I preferred to bring extra water, but the extra weight makes hiking a little more difficult. You’ll be able to refill your water at the end of each day from the guides. River water is used to wash things and then boiled for tea/coffee and to refill your water bottle. No one got sick from the food/tea/coffee. I brought enough water for the entire trip, but no one in my group had any issues. Mentioning this because I saw some review online about this, but it was a non issue for our group. Sleeping pad, pillow, bag, mosquito net was provided.
You’ll need to bring cash for anything you buy while there, like food, bug spray, etc. There are no ATMs in Bukkit Lawang, so do so at the airport. Another reason why booking and paying in advance is easier. I had to pay for the trek, accommodations, and transfer in person, for which they accepted credit card for a small fee.
Bukkit Lawang
As mentioned, lovely hidden gem. You won’t be staying in the town, but just up the road. It’s very beautiful and relaxing. Be aware that you’re in the jungle and thus will see monkeys meandering around. This is part of the draw, but also means you should keep an eye on your stuff at all times. Some are more cheeky than others. You’ll likely hear them jumping from roof to roof in the mornings. Reminded me of my time staying in a jungle hut in Thailand. No access to ATMs, cash only, not really any grocery stores, plenty of places to eat and drink though.
My first night there, sitting at the guesthouse restaurant, one traveler was having a burger as a monkey approached. Unsure what to do, she remained still while the monkey swooped in like a ninja, stole one of the buns and ran off. One of the guesthouse staff proceeded to throw rocks at it, which I guess is what they do to discourage them from coming back. In general, it’s pretty interesting to see monkeys and humans cohabitating and the locals recognizing the monkeys were there first. They’ll challenge you if you don’t stand your ground. Nature in action.
On the way back from trekking, it was a local holiday which drew in people from all over Java. They were very excited to see tourists, in particular Westerners it seemed. As we descended down the river nearing the guesthouses, I felt like I was on a float in a parade as I waved to spectators. Arriving on land, one asked me for a selfie and kids looked at me as if I were a celebrity. Hardly. Later in the evening you could hear parties and karaoke. And that was it, just that day, fun experience. I was unaware and this was completely coincidental. If there are holidays, I suppose there may be more competition for accommodations. Book in advance.
The Trek
I decided on the 2 day, 1 night jungle trek. From what I researched, while you will go deeper into the jungle on longer treks, you’re not necessarily guaranteed to see more or different wildlife, or guaranteed anything during any part of the trip for that matter, but it’s pretty likely. At this point in my travels, I was a bit travel weary and wasn’t particularly that interested in many nights in the jungle. I also wasn’t sure what we’d be getting into with the food situation since I had some previous stomach troubles in Indonesia. That said, my suggestion would be as follows. Do at least 1 night in the jungle. It’s a great experience. You’re well protected and taken care of and it’s not any more roughing it than camping. You really get to bond with your guides and fellow trekkers. You’re likely to see more wildlife on the second day, as was my experience and other reviews I read. The advantage of staying longer in the jungle is to see other parts of it, challenge yourself to rough it a bit longer as well as the hiking, and be able to have some campfire cooking. And of course, more time in the jungle does mean more potential opportunities to spot wildlife. If you’re solo, you may have to pay extra if it’s just you, but usually you’ll get paired up with others. When I went, we had one person who stayed for 3 hours, a couple for 6 hours, two of us for 1 night, and the last pair for 2 nights. It was cool how they were able to accommodate everyone. You’ll definitely make some new friends and have a blast.
For wildlife, see pictures here. I was fortunate enough to see everything that was noted in the brochure, especially in terms of the primates unique to the region. I saw orangutans both days, including a baby each day. They’re most prevalent closer to the entrance where there are feeding stations, keeping them semi-wild. Fed enough to stay out of town which is good for everyone. On my second day, solo with one of the guides, we came upon a mother and baby off in a short distance. The baby ended up swinging through the trees and was literally 10 feet above my head. It was amazing. I did have to back away to make sure no one felt threatened. I didn’t want to mother getting the wrong idea and coming after me. It’s unbelievable to watch these majestic massive animals so elegantly glide through the forest. One minute they’re dangling from a branch and the next, swinging through the trees only to disappear into the jungle without a trace. The pig tail monkey was the only animal I felt slightly scared of after I saw its massive teeth eating the skin of a pineapple! We saw giant ants that release ammonia when threatened and rubber trees. I didn’t know this, but the secretion of the rubber tree comes out and dries quickly to produce what feels like a rubber band. Obviously processing happens later to increase strength, but pretty cool it comes right off the tree like that and the bark grows back in not too much time. And Orangutans eat their fruit, which is partially why, although not native to the area, locals are trying to incentivize farmers to plant rubber trees instead of palm trees to protect the ecosystem. It’s very challenging because palm is a lot less work and a lot more lucrative. So the responsible trekking companies use money from the treks towards this, as well as other conservation efforts. Also got to smell the bark of a cinnamon tree. Amazing resources in the jungle. And we didn’t even get into all the medicinal plants that no doubt thrive there. On the way back, definitely opt for the river taxi which is basically tubing down the river. It’s really fun. Calm at spots with bits of adrenaline mixed in. Nothing crazy, just fun.
The entire experience was absolutely amazing and a must for adventure travelers. It wasn’t quite as adventurous as I expected with the amount of hiking involved, but perhaps had I gone on a longer trek. They do a nice job of accommodating different levels of fitness and types of travelers, but you better be in at least average shape for the trekking. It’s quite strenuous at points due to the terrain. It is a mountain after all, quite steep. It’s also very hot and humid all year round. I’m in pretty good shape and found it challenging but not strenuous. Others in my group may disagree.
Daily Itinerary
I spent a total of 5 days on this excursion, which I thought was nicely spaced out and low stress.
- Flight: Yogyakarta > Medan (stay Medan) (2h)
- Drive: Medan > Bukkit Lawang (stay Bukkit Lawang) (3-4h)
- Trek (9am) + 1 Night (stay jungle) (6h hiking with many breaks to eat and rest)
- Trek (stay Bukkit Lawang) (6h hiking with many breaks to eat and rest)
- Drive: Bukkit Lawang > Medan + Flight: Medan > Kuala Lumpur (3-4h + 1h)
Bonus: Lake Toba
If you have the time and inclination, Lake Toba is nearby. It’s about 3-4 hours from Bukkit Lawang and then another 3-4 hours back to Medan. So another 7-8 hours in transit plus whatever time you spend there. It looks quite nice. I would have definitely gone if I had more energy and this not been at the tail end of much prior traveling.