Jungle treks in Bukit Lawang can be challenging — steep paths, thick forest, and a real sense of wild adventure. So it’s natural for families dreaming of a wildlife experience in Sumatra to wonder: Is Bukit Lawang with children a good idea? The answer is a resounding yes! With the right preparation, the Sumatra jungle trek becomes an unforgettable family adventure — even for children as young as four.
Bukit Lawang with Children
How to Plan a family jungle trek?
Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking with Children
Nestled on the edge of the lush Gunung Leuser National Park in North Sumatra, the jungle village Bukit Lawang is the perfect gateway for jungle treks to meet wild orangutans and sleep overnight in jungle camps with scenic river views. But many parents wonder: is it safe to go to Bukit Lawang with children? Since many families with small children book our Sumatra Orangutan Tours, we wrote this guide to outline the secrets for turning Bukit Lawang into a gem for family adventure.
Jungle Adventures, Tailored for All Ages
The key to enjoying Bukit Lawang with children lies in how you plan it. While the area is known for its trekking — some of which can be physically demanding — a private tour allows for total flexibility.
With a private guide, you’re not locked into the pace or physical expectations of a larger group. Instead, the route, length, and intensity of your jungle walk can be adapted to suit your children’s ages, fitness levels, and attention spans.
A Local Guide that Understands Children
and who loves to play games
When choosing a guide, most families naturally check for the basics — certified, speaks good English, knows the trails. And yes, that stuff totally matters. But here’s what often gets overlooked: is your guide actually fun to be around — especially for your kids?
You’re going to spend a lot of time together in the jungle, so it makes a big difference if your guide isn’t just knowledgeable, but also playful, patient, and full of surprises. The best guides know when to pause the orangutan facts and whip out a jungle trick, a silly game, or suggest a splash in the jungle lake.
What sets Local Guides apart, is that we assign a guide to each group not only based on its papers, but also based on how its personality matches the group. Trust us — that’s what turns a jungle trip in Bukit Lawang with children into an adventure your kids will talk about for years.
Local Guides is the only tour operator in Bukit Lawang with female guides — and even guides who are primary school teachers. We don’t just offer certified guides, we offer the right personality match for your group, making the jungle safe and unforgettable.
"I just wanted to say what an incredible and life changing experience we had in the jungle. Our guides were fantastic, not only at sharing their knowledge but also at being with the children and constantly making it an enjoyable and educational experience for them. And they literally played games from morning till night!"
Rosa, 2 May 2025
Meet Sumatra Orangutans — Without the Rush
One of the biggest reasons to visit Bukit Lawang is the chance to see orangutans in their natural habitat — a truly unforgettable experience. Many international tour operators offer shared jungle treks by default, which are great for solo travelers or those looking to meet new people. But they’re not ideal for families or even couples and friends that seek an intimate experience.
That’s where local organizations like Local Guides make a real difference. Because we’re local, our private tours are at the same price as shared treks elsewhere — giving your family the freedom to explore at your own pace.
With a private guide, you can take easier trails, stop for breaks when needed, and spend more time observing orangutans without feeling rushed. Because our guides have lots of experience with families, they know how to keep things fun, explain wildlife behavior in ways children understand, and make space for spontaneous moments, whether it’s spotting a cheeky macaque along the trail or make a splash at a waterfall.
Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking Itinerary for Families
- Morning briefing: Meet our guide, receive safety instructions, and learn about local conservation rules.
- Trail walk: A gentle hike through primary and secondary forest with opportunities to stop for wildlife watching and photography.
- Lunch break: A riverside lunch prepared by your personal chef.
- Optional activities: Stay overnight in the one of the jungle camps, or return to the village either by foot or with a tube raft on the Bohorok River.
Click on any of the popular Bukit Lawang Jungle Treks for families below for a detailed day to day itinerary and corresponding price.
What to Pack for seeing Sumatra Orangutans
It is customary to leave your main luggage behind in Bukit Lawang (you can store it at your accommodation or at our office) and bring only a small backpack with your essentials.
Packing smart makes the trek comfortable. Wear lightweight, breathable clothing that covers your arms and legs to protect against insects and thorny plants. Comfortable, closed-toe shoes with grip are essential — trails can be slippery after rain. Here’s the essential packing list:
- comfortable hiking shoes
- long trousers or high socks (against leeches)
- quick-dry t-shirt
- mosquito repellent
- sun cream
- swimming clothes
- towel
- an extra set of clothes
- toilet paper
- flip flops for at camp
- flashlight (smart phones usually have that)
- fefillable bottle (to reduce plastic waste)
- biologically degradable shampoo & body lotion
- binoculars – because kids love it:-)
The Family-Friendly Activities around Bukit Lawang
We have learned from kids that everyone is born a scientist. Their curiosity enables them to ask the sharpest questions, be it from why the macaque attacks the peacock when the guide just told them before that a macaque is vegetarian, to where the army of ants is walking towards, and why orangutans leave their nests so quickly after they have spent hours making it.
Besides the rainforest as a natural jungle school for these little scientists, children love the jungle camps. Our jungle camps are all located next to a scenic jungle river or lake. Because of the humidity and temperature, there is nothing more satisfying than some water fun after the trek.
If you have the time, spending at least one night in the jungle is highly recommended when visiting Bukit Lawang with children. It’s an experience they’ll never forget — falling asleep to the sounds of the forest, waking to a chorus of birds, and gazing up at the Milky Way in a sky brighter than they’ve ever seen. This is why the favourite family tours are the 2D1N Bukit Lawang Jungle Trek and the 3D2N Bukit Lawang Jungle Trek.
Regardless of which jungle trek you choose, the favourite children activity will be included: A wicked water adventure at the end of the tour, where we sail back to Bukit Lawang via the Bohorok rive on a tube raft. Fun guaranteed!
Even beyond the rainforest, there are plenty of reasons to visit Bukit Lawang with children: Visit the Bat Cave that is only 20 minutes walking from Bukit Lawang, cycling tours, cooking classes, or simply picknicking at the Bohorok River and playing with the local kids.
What About Safety and Comfort?
Bukit Lawang is safe with children. The locals are warm and used to tourists — including little ones — and the village has a peaceful, relaxed vibe. However, it’s still a remote location, so comfort depends on where you stay and how your trip is organized.
Besides the private jungle trip, you could also add to your tour package the accommodation in Bukit Lawang before/after the jungle trip as well as the transfer to/from Medan — which takes a huge load off for parents. There’s no need to stress about logistics, and everything can be arranged to match your family’s rhythm and enjoy Bukit Lawang with children.
We would book an available accommodation in the more comfortable guesthouses that is strategically located in Bukit Lawang and has amenities like mosquito nets or A/C, private bathrooms, and on-site meals – depending on your wishes.
Price & Booking Process
You can easily find all our itineraries and prices online on our Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking homepage. Since we are a local community, our prices for private tours are comparable or even cheaper than shared tours elsewhere – even for groups as small as 2 people. Instantly confirm your booking request via our online booking form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get to Bukit Lawang from Medan?
Fly to Medan. The gateway to Bukit Lawang is the Medan, Sumatra. Fly to Kuala Namu International Airport in Medan. From Medan it is ±3/4 hours driving to Bukit Lawang.
By Local Bus (budget travellers). Most local buses to Bukit Lawang leave from a terminal at Kampung Lalang, on the outskirts of Medan. Local buses can get you here for around 6,000 Rupiah, but you may need to learn a bit of Bahasa Indonesia to survive! From Kampung Lalang, a minibus to Bukit Lawang will cost ±30,000 Rupiah per person, and the journey will take 4-5 hours. Be prepared for a lot of Indonesian music being played by the driver! Last bus to Bukit Lawang leaves at 17.30hrs.
By Luxury Bus. A more luxury option is to take a tourist bus to Bukit Lawang. These depart from near the Grand Mosque in Medan and they are relatively good quality buses (by Sumatran standards) that don’t break down as often as the minibuses. The price for a bus ticket is ±100,000 Rupiah.
Private Transfer (Recommended Option). The most comfortable and fastest way to get from Medan to Bukit Lawang is by taxi. You won't have any hassle of finding the bus terminal and are not restricted to the timetable. If you do a Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking with us, you can book the private transfer directly with us for 750.000 IDR for up to 5 people. You can be picked up at your hotel or airport in Medan.
Note: All shown prices are indicative; they were valid at the time of writing in 2020, but are subject to change
Do you offer taxi service to/from Medan Airport?
Yes. For our longer tours, an airport pick-up and drop off service is included as you see in the corresponding itineraries. For our shorter but popular orangutan jungle treks, you can simply book the airport transfer service when submitting your booking request
Can we fly out on the day the Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking ends?
The short answer is that we advice you to fly out from Medan Airport the day after your jungle trekking ends, and spend a night in Bukit Lawang. In that case you can enjoy a long day of jungle trekking also on your last day.
However, we will accommodate it if you wish to fly out from Medan airport on the same day your jungle trek ends. In that case we will wake up early in the morning in our jungle camp, have a breakfast, tube back to Bukit Lawang and then drive to Medan Airport. The earliest we can get to Medan airport on the day your tour ends is around 2 pm.
In case you wish to fly out on the same day your orangutan tour ends, we kindly ask you to mention this in the booking form.
What is the best period for the Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking?
Orangutans can be seen all year round as part of a jungle trek from Bukit Lawang.
From a weather point of view, the best period to visit Bukit Lawang is in dry season in the period April - September. The busiest period is July - August.
The wettest period is December - January: There are still mostly periods with sunshine but also frequent heavy rain falls typically at the end of the afternoon.
The shoulder periods October-November and February-March are quite good periods to visit Bukit Lawang as well. While there are rain falls in this period, these last just for a few minutes. Also there are very little tourists in this period, so it will feel as if you have the village and the Gunung Leuser National Park all for yourself!
Where to Stay in Bukit Lawang?
A recommended accommodation in Bukit Lawang is Ecolodge . It is a beautiful facility and it also donates parts of the proceeds to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme.
Another recommended accommodation is Sam's Bungalow .
Will I see orangutans with the Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking?
Although the jungle is rich with wildlife and orangutans, there is no guarantee that you will see orangutans or any other wildlife. Our guides will do their best to ensure you see as much as possible.
It is very rare for a group to not see orangutans. The longer the tour you choose, the higher the chance of meeting orangutans.
It has never happened to us that for a 2 Day tour or longer, we have not seen a single orangutan, but we can obviously not guarantee this for the future.
Can we feed the orangutans in Gunung Leuser National Park?
Absolutely NO! We treat orangutans respectfully, keep our distance, do not touch them, and do not feed them. The orangutans here are wild, and should be treated accordingly. You will see however that we can nevertheless get quite close to orangutans because they are so peaceful in their nature.
Feeding orangutans may at first sight seem innocent or even a kind gesture, but it will make them aggressive towards humans, lazy to find their own food, or even sick.
We believe it is our responsibility to respect nature and educate our clients about the fragility of it. And we know that travelers will treat our jungle with the same respect once they understand the environmental consequences of our behavior.
What shoes should I wear in the jungle?
The most important function of your shoe in the jungle should be that it protects your ankle (rigid sole) and is closed (no sandals).
Only then comes the question whether your shoes should also be waterproof or not. It is important to realize there is hardly no way to keep dry feet in the jungle. Waterproof shoes are usually quite thick, and as a result your feet would get wet from sweat. Moreover, it is not comfortable to have warm shoes at tropical temperatures.
In our opinion, the best hiking shoes in the jungle (and generally in Indonesia) are light hiking that protect the ankle and shoes that dry fast, such as Palladium shoes.
How is the sleeping comfort in the jungle camp?
With our the jungle trekking tours, you will be staying overnight in jungle camps. You'll be sleeping in a tent with a mosquito net. But beware that the tour is quite a back-to-basic experience, including the sleeping. Specifically, the mattrasses in the jungle camps are very thin. You can consider to bring your own pillow and manage your expectations:-)
Are there toilets in the jungle camps in Gunung Leuser National Park?
Yes, there are simple squat toilets at the jungle camp sites.
Is the Bukit Lawang jungle trekking suitable for children?
Yes. Children really love this jungle trek. For groups with children (but older than 4 years), we prepare extra equipment and guiding and take a less challenging route, and most importantly: We make many stops to just play.
Please read our article about How to visit Bukit Lawang with Children.
Is there an ATM in Bukit Lawang?
There is only an ATM on the MasterCard network. Visa/Plus cards will not work! We advice you to bring cash with you to Bukit Lawang and not count on the ATMs. The nearest ATM outside of Bukit Lawang is in Bahorok, which is 15 minutes by becak (tuk tuk).
Orangutan tours in Sumatra vs Borneo?
Among the best places in the world to see orangutans, are Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra) and Tanjung Puting National Park (Kalimantan). We offer tours in both places with certified, local guides.
Both are quite well accessible by air from Jakarta. Which of the two is better, depends on your personal interests and on your budget.
Generally speaking, orangutan tours in Bukit Lawang are suitable for adventurous travelers that like relatively long treks, are in shape and/or have a low/mid budget. The transportation is by foot and the accommodation is typically in basic jungle camps.
In contrast, the orangutan tours in Tanjung Puting are by boat as you cruise through the river, and the occassional treks are very easy and short, and the accommodation is typically on the boat. Although this cruise is still relatively cheap for Western standards, it is 2 to 3 times more expensive than the jungle treks in Bukit Lawang.
In case you are interested, check out our Borneo Orangutan Tours in Tanjung Puting.
Where can we leave our big luggage during tour?
All accommodations in Bukit Lawang offer a free storage service for your luggage while you do your jungle trekking.
In case you do not have an accommodation or there is any other reason this option does not work, then we will store your luggage in Bukit Lawang during the trek.
How much should I tip the guide and cook?
Tipping is common in Indonesia, and the staff will be extremely happy and flattered if you decide to do so.
Eventually, the tip of course depends on how satisfied you are with the service and on your budget. The official advice from the Bukit Lawang Tourism is to tip 70.000 IDR per person per day, but you could of course deviate from it depending on your personal situation and satisfaction.
Note: Please notice that these are pre-Covid advices. Covid has completely devastated the economy in Bukit lawang and pushed many - including the guides that you will meet - into poverty, as you read here. So your tip is not only a gesture of appreciation, it will make a real and big difference to the lives of your guides and their families. Thank you very much for supporting the local community.
Bukit Lawang with Children – An Unmatched Jungle Fun!
Traveling to Bukit Lawang with children can be deeply rewarding. It’s not your typical family resort destination — it’s better. It’s a chance to disconnect from screens, explore the wonders of the rainforest, and spark a lifelong love of nature and conservation.
When done right — with a private tour that respects your family’s needs — Bukit Lawang with children is not just a safe, but an unforgettable adventure for the whole family.
