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2D1N Orangutan Jungle Trekking

>Home / Indonesia / Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking / 2D1N Orangutan Jungle Trekking
Day #1
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Enter Gunung Leuser NP

Included: guide, cook, entrance fees, jungle camp, meals: L D

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Canopy
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Gunung Leuser National Park
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Jungle Fun
Ratna and her youngster
Diner Time in the jungle
Jungle Camp Station
Waterfall
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We start around 8-9 a.m. after breakfast at your hotel. We walk for around 6-7 hours into the Gunung-Leuser National Park and will along the way see a lot of wildlife, such gibbons, leaf monkeys, longtail and pigtail macaques, flying squirrels, Sumatran peacocks, hornbills and of course orangutans.

As we walk through the jungle, your guide will show you the medicinal plants and how to use them in practice. After a nice lunch in the afternoon, we continue towards our camp site where we will rest, get a hot drink, take a refreshing bath in the clean stream and then we will end our day at dark with a well-deserved diner at camp fire. Overnight in the jungle camp.

Day #2
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Jungle trekking & Tube rafting

Included: guide, cook, entrance fees, tube rafting, meals: B

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Breakfast
Hiking
Orangutans
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Landak River
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Waking up in the middle of the jungle is a magical feeling. You hear the morning sounds of the birds and the excitement of the gibbons in the distance, as breath the fresh air.

After enjoying a refreshing breakfast, we start the trek around 9 am and walk for around 4-5 hours into the jungle. Along the way, we try to spot orangutans and other wildlife, try all sorts of ‘jungle-food’ and we’ll explain how to recognize them.

We have lunch back at camp, and then we prepare for an exciting trip back to Bukit Lawang on a rubber tube raft in the river – or in case you wish or for safety reasons – by foot through the jungle.

Accommodation

Jungle
Jungle Camp
Gunung Leuser

In Gunung Leuser National Park we sleep in the private jungle camps from Local Guides. All our jungle camps are simple and located at scenic places where you immerse yourself with pure nature: Next to the exotic Landak jungle river, next to the picturesque Bidadari ("Princess") Waterfall and next to the lush Bohorok jungle river.

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!

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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.

TripAdvisor
Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2021
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 ...

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! ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 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 ...

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 ...

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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.

Excellent Tour
Excellent Tour

This tour was more than we expected ! Beyond imagination…and it is not only about seeing orangutans and other animals. Delicious food, comfortable setting included shower and toilet (!) , fantastic service and endless serenity … I don’t what I like more seeing those beautiful creatures or just be taken away by boat cruise on ...

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Very Friendly & Helpful Guides
Very Friendly & Helpful Guides

Haben über local guides die klotok Tour gebucht. Budi holte uns einen Tag vor Beginn der Tour abends nach einer langen Busfahrt von Makassar in Rantepao ab. Wir besprachen die Tour, aßen lecker zu Abend und er brachte uns in unsere etwas entferntere Unterkunft von Rantepao,was wohl sonst nicht so üblich ist. Eine Unterkunft Nähe ...

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An Absolute Must!
An Absolute Must!

What an amazing time I had! I booked 3 nights and just had the most amazing time. So peaceful and feeling at one with nature. My guide Darmin was fantastic and everything you’d want from a guide. (I am actually a tour guide myself!!!) I felt so lucky to see so many orangutans. The feeding ...

Tanjung Puting

Comfortable private boat tour with family
Comfortable private boat tour with family

Our boat tour in Tanjung Puting with local guides was perhaps the best holiday experience i have ever had in my life. Therefore we decided to do the komodo boat tour also with local guides, and again they were truly amazing. Upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, me and my family were picked up from the ...

Flores

Very enthusiastic staff!
Very enthusiastic staff!

We were looking for a very authentic experience, where we would not only see some cultural highlights but also feel the iranian culture and be among the iranians. For these reasons we booked our Shiraz tour with local guides, and they did not disappoint at all! We had a young iranian lady as our guide, ...

Shiraz

Can’t recommend enough! Incredible 5D/4N tour
Can’t recommend enough! Incredible 5D/4N tour

This tour was absolutely fantastic, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience to see orangutans in the wild. Our guide, Nur, went above and beyond to make sure that all our needs/wants were taken care of, and was enthusiastic to explain all about the wildlife and conservation challenges they face. The 5 days/4 nights ...

Tanjung Puting

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 ...

Bukit Lawang

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 ...

Bukit Lawang

Excellent Service, Incredible Experience.
Excellent Service, Incredible Experience.

The tour was wonderful and well organised by our guide Nur. The residence is a boat known as a klotok. It’s basic sleeping and washing, which is fit for purpose, and makes you feel a lot closer to the jungle. We loved every minute. The food and drinks on board are excellent. The walks though ...

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A Week in Toraja
A Week in Toraja

Sal and Budi advised me very well with a choice of itineraries and Yulius and Lia were the best guides. Once he knew my interests, Yulius planned three varied and interesting days and took me to a number of villages and burial sites round Rantepao; as well as attending a funeral, we visited a village ...

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