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Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking

>Home / Indonesia / Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking
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Client in camp in Bukit Lawang
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BL_Jungle Party
BL_Ratna and child
BL_Dragon_02
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BL_Balu's Bridge
BL_Happy Guide
BL_Lunch_Sandwiches
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BL_Jungle Clients
Client in camp in Bukit Lawang
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Welcome to Sumatra

Meet orangutan as you trek through the lush jungle of Gunung Leuser National Park. We’re experienced Bukit Lawang guides and we offer eco-friendly jungle treks for a local price. Join us in our mission to support local businesses and protect the rainforest.

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Jungle Treks
Sumatra Tours
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Who we are
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Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking

2D1N Jungle Trekking Sleep in the jungle!
The must-do activity around Bukit Lawang is the orangutan trekking in Gunung Leuser National Park. As it is truly magical to sleep under the trees in the jungle, you should do at least a 2-day Bukit Lawang Jungle Trek.

3D2N Jungle Trekking The favourite choice!
This is the favourite choice of visitors as it includes an entire day in the jungle from getting up in the jungle in the morning until sleeping in the jungle in the evening.

4D3N Day Jungle Trekking Deep into the jungle!
For the adventurous hikers and nature lovers, we also offer the 4 day jungle trek during which we get deep into the jungle. By doing so, we increase the chances of seeing a Sumatran elephant!

We also offer longer jungle treks up to 20 days, which is necessary to get in the area where Sumatran rhinos and tigers live. Contact us for more information.

1D Jungle Trek
1D Jungle Trekking
Comfortable jungle adventure
2D1N Jungle Trek
2D1N Jungle Trekking
Sleep in the jungle
3D2N Jungle Trek
3D2N Jungle Trekking
Most popular pick
4D3N Jungle Trek
4D3N Jungle Trekking
Deep into the jungle
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Sumatra Tours

In case you arrive and depart from Medan airport, it is great value to combine the jungle trek with climbing mount Sibayak – a volcano near Berastagi – and/or to relax at Lake Toba. This is a Medan roundtrip that includes transportation, accommodation and entrance fees.

5D4N North Sumatra
5D4N North Sumatra
Orangutans & Volcano Trek
6D5N North Sumatra
6D5N North Sumatra
All highlights in little time
7D6N North Sumatra
7D6N North Sumatra
Most popular pick
8D7N North Sumatra
8D7N North Sumatra
Best value for money
9D8N North Sumatra
9D8N North Sumatra
Take it easy & relax
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Bukit Lawang Day Tours


Exclusively in combination with jungle treks

Enrich your jungle trek with other fascinating activities around Bukit Lawang that we exclusively offer for our jungle trek clients! You can do these either the day after your jungle trek, or even on the same day your jungle trek ends.

Cooking Class
Cycling Tour
Bat Cave
Cooking Class

SUMATRAN COOKING CLASS (3 Hours)

Price: 0.35 million IDR per person (min 2 people)

Indonesian cooking in a serene setting just outside Bukit Lawang. Start at 10am or 4pm. Choose the afternoon to start on the same day the jungle trek ends.

Cycling Tour

CYCLING AROUND BUKIT LAWANG (1 DAY)

Price: 0.5 million IDR per person (min 2 people)

A guided cycling tour through rice fields, rubber plantations and local villages around Bukit Lawang. A fantastic way to experience and support local life.

Bat Cave

BAT CAVE & LANDAK RIVER (easy walk | 1 DAY)

Price: 0.5 million IDR per person (min 2 people)

An easy walk to the bat cave and the scenic Landak river. You may also see colourful birds, lizards, monkeys, or even orangutans. Fantastic with children.

We’re fun Bukit Lawang Guides:-)

We’re born and raised around Bukit Lawang. We know the orangutans by their names, and we’re taught by our parents the flora’s medicinal properties.

We make sure the only thing we leave in the rainforest is our footsteps, and the only thing we take from it is rubbish. No feeding and touching of any wildlife.

We’re experienced, listen carefully, and are excited to show our backyard. Whether you’re a couple, family with children, photographer or backpacker: You’ll find yourself in great company.

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Doni
Ibo
Ginta
Edie
TripAdvisor
Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2021
Amazing Trek!

Amazing Trek!

We did a 3 days/2 nights trek with our guide Randy. He was so helpful, was constantly looking for animals and told us everything about the flora and fauna. Also, he was really considerate about if we could keep up. We saw many different animals and beautiful nature. The camps were also really nice, the ...

Fantastic 8D7N Tour!

Fantastic 8D7N Tour!

After a splendid tour with LG (local-guides dot org) in Kalimantan, we decided to do the 8 Day Sumatra Tour with them, and it was just another dream come true! We were a bit unsure in the beginning because the price was so much lower than other tour agencies, but everything was super nicely organized! ...

Great Experience

Great Experience

3 days 2 nights was the perfect amount of time, spend the days searching for animals and the nights in a shanti camp, eating well prepared meals, with some card trick entertainment. Anytime less than this trekking you get stuck in a bit of a tourist trap at the semi wild orangutans and in season ...

Just Incredible

Just Incredible

Local-Guides helped us incredibly with all our questions beforehand via email, and always replied promptly, enthusiastically and patiently! We booked through them also a very comfortable (airco, shower) accommodation, beautifully bordering the jungle, for a supergood price. And our guides were spectacular! Firstly, I was positively surprised that despite the good price we had, we ...

3D2N Jungle Trek

3D2N Jungle Trek

Met veel plezier hebben we deze jungle trekking gedaan. Adhi was onze gids en heeft ons overal veilig doorheen geloodst. Eerste dag was even wennen, voornamelijk aan het yoga matje om op te slapen.. Ontzettend genoten van de mooie plekken die er te vinden zijn in de jungle. Ook af en toe doorbijten met de ...

Highlight of Holiday!

Highlight of Holiday!

Me and my family visited mount Sibayak with the North Sumatran Local Guides team (local-guides dot org) as part of our 9D8N Sumatra tour. It was TRUELY AWESOME! The volcano hike was probably the most memorable experience I’ve had in my trip to Sumatra. The guys are really fun and easy-going and provide interesting details ...

Unforgettable Family Trip

Unforgettable Family Trip

Because me and my family (partner + 2 kids) did such a wonderful tour with Local-Guides in Tanjung Puting National Park (Kalimantan), it was a no-brainer for us to also do our Bukit Lawang trekking with them. They blew us away yet again! They picked us up in a private car from the airport in ...

Nature & wildlife experience we never will forget!

Nature & wildlife experience we never will forget!

If you want to go on a wildlife tour you never will forget, then take a trip with Local Guide, deep into the jungle! We did a 4 days / 3 nights trek inside Gunung Leuser Nationalpark, mainly to see the Orangutang. But, wauw, we got so much more! Ofc. Wildlife is never something you ...

Amazing Tour! 2D1N

Amazing Tour! 2D1N

Deze tour geboekt, van te voren geen informatie ingewonnen, achteraf helemaal niet nodig! Super tour! Geweldige gids die alles wist en alle animals wist te vinden, ook veel informatie over de planten. Eten was ook super. Al met al een prachtige ervaring met deze geweldige organisatie. Amazing tour with these fantastic tour operator. The guides ...

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FAQ on Bukit Lawang

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.

WARNING: These minibuses break down often, so be careful taking these buses especially with kids. Also, there are worrying stories about going from this bus terminal to Bukit Lawang: Travellers have been followed, shouted at and even grabbed at because people want them to pay extra prices, so be prepared when going with this bus terminal. A better, more comfortable and safer option is to take the more luxury busses or a private taxi (see below).

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.

We also offer private transfers to/from Lake Toba and Berastagi, with stops at picturesque places on route. There are also direct buses available for both destinations: to/from Lake Toba takes ±7 hours and costs ±200.000 IDR per person, while the bus to/from Berastagi takes ±5 hours and costs ±150.000 IDR per person.

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.

Ecolodge Bukit Lawang

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.

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 5 years), we prepare extra equipment and guiding and take a less challenging route, and most importantly: We make many stops to just play.

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.

We also offer Orangutan Tours in Tanjung Puting, click here for more information

Where can we leave our big luggage during tour?

All accommations 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.

Please notice that these are pre-Covid advices. Covid has completely devestated the economy in Bukit lawang and pushed many - including the guides that you will meet - into poverty. Read more here.

So please take notice that your tips will have more meaning than they have ever had. It 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 local businesses and helping locals!

Recommended Accommodations

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Refund Policy
100% refund for any cancellation until 1 week from tour start. No questions asked.

For cancellations within a week from tour start, there is no refund of the deposit, and a 100% refund of the balance.

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Responsible Tourism
We apply the 3 pillars of ecotourism in everything we do.

Conservation

We fight for our rainforest and donate to wildlife rehabilitation programs.

Local Welfare

Our tours and donation campaigns are built on community engagement.

Education

Enhance your cultural and environmental awareness via our tours and eco blog.

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What is Ecotourism & Why is it so important?
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HELP DENA TO COLLEGE

Dena has just finished secondary school and dreams of becoming a police officer.

Because of the modest local salaries, his family is not able to pay the college fee of ± € 8000.

If you want to help, please donate via the booking form below. The entire amount is for Dena.

Instant Booking Form

Look up the rates and availabilities of any Sumatra tour, and instantly confirm your booking request. The required deposit for the confirmation process is in EUR to keep costs low. The outstanding balance can be paid upon arrival in IDR.

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About Us

We are a community of local guides in Indonesia with a passion for the outdoors and our environment. We fight for our rainforests, we support our local communities, and we provide ecotours for local prices to promote responsible travel.

Why you shouldn’t visit Tangkahan Elephant Camp in Sumatra
Environmental Blog
Why you shouldn’t visit Tangkahan Elephant Camp in Sumatra
What is Ecotourism & Why is it so Important?
How Palm Oil Destroys Rainforests and Kills Orangutans
Covid-19 Devastates Indonesians in Tourism & How to Help
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