The Jungle Guide

join our unforgettable Trekking adventures in North Sumatra

Whether it’s an individual jungle trek, a completely pre-planned trip through North Sumatra or a specialised photo tour for photographers and filmmakers – we make your holiday a magical experience – completely according to your ideas. We have a team of highly experienced guides who are looking forward to showing you their tropical home. Have a look!

Come with us
into one of the world´s last
remaining jungle paradises

Indonesia is home to one of the most important forests and biodiversity in the world. Matchless, the Leuser Ecosystem stretches at the core of the vast rainforest of Indonesians island Sumatra. Up to 10.000 feet tall the forest-covered mountains safeguard its inhabitants like a fortress.

The rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park shelters some of the most endangered species on Earth. With countless plants and animals it remains the last stronghold of four of the planets most threatened species: The elusive Sumatran tiger, the world’s smallest rhinos, forest elephants and one of the smartest great apes in the world – the orangutans.

In Indonesian, “orangutan” means “person of the forest”. Apart from Borneo, Sumatra is the last remaining habitat for orangutans anywhere on Earth. An idyllic place called Bukit Lawang is the gateway to that tropical paradise. Thanks to ecotourism, a significant part of this Indonesian rainforest is being preserved.

Have you always wanted to explore the rainforest and see Orangutans in the wild?
Then join us on our trekking adventures
in this most unique of wild spaces!

Our Offer

Jungle Trekking

As your personal jungle guide, we arrange individual trekking tours for you. Follow us through the most divers rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park in the north of Indonesians beautiful island Sumatra. Meet orangutans in the wild and observe Sumatra's unique wildlife!

Activities around Bukit Lawang

Join one of our exciting activities in the surroundings of Bukit Lawang. Such as rafting down a crystal clear rainforest river, exploring mystical caves and giant flowers, or discovering the colorful culture and village life of North Sumatra's rural area.

Tours in
North Sumatra

Do you want to explore impressive volcanoes, dreamlike white palm-lined beaches, colourful coral reefs, or the biggest crater lake in the world? We help you planning and organising your travel through the beautiful north of Sumatra.

Jungle Trekking

As your personal jungle guide, we arrange individual trekking tours for you. Follow us through the most divers rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park in the north of Indonesians beautiful island Sumatra. Meet orangutans in the wild and observe Sumatra's unique wildlife!

Activities around
Bukit Lawang

Join one of our exciting activities in the surroundings of Bukit Lawang. Such as rafting down a crystal clear rainforest river, exploring mystical caves and giant flowers, or discovering the colorful culture and village life of North Sumatra's rural area.

Tours in
North Sumatra

Do you want to explore impressive volcanoes, dreamlike white palm-lined beaches, colourful coral reefs, or the biggest crater lake in the world? We help you planning and organising your travel through the beautiful north of Sumatra.

Find an overview of our treks & activities and their prices here

Follow your Jungle Guide
into your unforgettable jungle adventure!

With our offer we would like to give you a unique experience of the real tropical life of Indonesia! All our tours are sustainable, variable and customisable to your personal wishes. 

No matter if you are a family with small children who needs an easy way through the jungle or a photographer who wants to find more secret places far from any other human being. All our guides grew up around Bukit Lawang and know the jungle like the back of their hand. No matter what you wish to experience, our team will bring your there safely.

We arrange your personal tailor-made travel!

You would like to know more about Gunung Leuser National Park
and our offering?

Have a look at our FAQ &
feel free to contact us any time!

About Us

Your Jungle Guide Team

We, Anto & Senta, are an Indonesian ∼ German couple who loves nature, adventure, animals and traveling through the wilderness. Both of us couldn’t survive without any green around us, so Bukit Lawang is the perfect place for us to be. 

Our team of locals and we believe that community-based, ecological tourism is the only chance to preserve and protect the last remaining places of the wonderful Indonesian rainforest with its unique ecosystem and huge biodiversity. Only in Gunung Leuser National Park endangered animals like Sumatran orangutans, rhinos, Sumatran tiger, hornbills and elephants coexist together and find protection.

With our jungle treks and our incredible lovely team we would like to abduct you into that incomparable piece of nature to pass on knowledge about the importance of our rainforest and to share magical moments with you…

Individual & Variable

We arrange individual treks to satisfy your personal needs and wishes. All of our standard treks are variable, depending on your condition and requests. Our guides will do their best to make your personal jungle experience unforgettable.

Professional Local Experts

Our guides grew up in the area around Bukit Lawang and know every part of their jungle like the back of one's hand. All of them are licensed from the Indonesian Tourist Guide Association (HPI) and english speaking trekking guides.

Environmental Responsibility

Love of nature, respect and sustainability are our most important values. We do our best to keep the jungle clean and the wildlife safe to preserve the natural ecosystem of our rainforest.

Safety Comes First

Besides the endangered wildlife that we protect, of course we ensure your safety as our guests as well! All our guides are very experienced in the jungle and take no risks or rashness. For your safety our team will always consist of one guide and one assistant guide.

RELIABLE & QUALITY SERVICE

We offer top quality treks to pass on knowledge and experience about the rainforest. Our manager Sandi will always be on-site in Bukit Lawang to organise all your plannings and wishes. As well you can always call or contact us online.

SMALL GROUPS

In respect to the jungle and its wildlife and in respect to your individual wishes, our trekking groups consist of maximal 6 guests. Of course you can book private treks as well or join other groups if you are traveling alone.

Why Travel With Us

Travel with Peace of Mind

Popular Treks

The Jungle Guide

2 Day Trek

Experience the rainforest of Sumatra for 2 days and one night! Discover amazing wildlife, like Orangutans, Gibbons, silver monkeys, pig tail macaques, turtles and peacocks by going deeper into the mountains of Gunung Leuser National Park. Enjoy a most special overnight stay at our campsite next to the river or waterfall, surrounded by memorable sounds of the rainforest. Try to forget the rush of the daily life - another day in the jungle is awaiting you… Refresh yourself in your “jungle taxi” down the river on the way back to Bukit Lawang.

3 Day Trek

Explore the impressive flora and fauna of Gunung Leuser National Park for 3 days and two nights together with your Jungle Guide! The deeper you go, the more secrets of North Sumatra´s rainforest will you discover. Gain knowledge about medical jungle plants, meet rare wildlife besides our impressive relatives – the Orangutan – and enjoy two different campsites on this trekking tour. The feeling of sleeping in the middle of the jungle you will memorise forever! Cool down on your way back to the village by traditional rafting on the crystal clear Bohorok River.

5 Day Trek

This jungle trek is your unique chance to explore the authentic Indonesian rainforest like a real adventurer! Learn from our team how to survive in the tropical wilderness, how to use medical plants and how to cook with the natural ingredients around you.Animal sightings become very special moments as the wildlife in the deep jungle is not used to humans. Discover beautiful waterfalls, climb mountains, explore hidden caves, and cross rivers. After this unforgettable time in the jungle of Sumatra you will be relaxed, full of happiness and a real survivor!

Individual Treks

Are you up to a very special jungle adventure? Or are you a photographer or filmmaker who would like to discover the most secret places of Indonesia´s rainforest in the north of Sumatra? You pursue a specific photo goal like the elusive Sumatran tiger or rhino and would like to go into the jungle for a longer period? Just tell us your plans and wishes and we will try to compile the perfect trekking package for you! Find out more about our previous individual trekking tours through Gunung Leuser National Park and let us know your ideas. We are curious to hear from you!

2 Day Trek

Experience the rainforest of Sumatra for 2 days and one night! Discover amazing wildlife, like Orangutans, Gibbons, silver monkeys, pig tail macaques, turtles and peacocks by going deeper into the mountains of Gunung Leuser National Park. Enjoy a most special overnight stay at our campsite next to the river or waterfall, surrounded by memorable sounds of the rainforest. Try to forget the rush of the daily life - another day in the jungle is awaiting you… Refresh yourself in your “jungle taxi” down the river on the way back to Bukit Lawang.

3 Day Trek

Explore the impressive flora and fauna of Gunung Leuser National Park for 3 days and two nights together with your Jungle Guide! The deeper you go, the more secrets of North Sumatra´s rainforest will you discover. Gain knowledge about medical jungle plants, meet rare wildlife besides our impressive relatives – the Orangutan – and enjoy two different campsites on this trekking tour. The feeling of sleeping in the middle of the jungle you will memorise forever! Cool down on your way back to the village by traditional rafting on the crystal clear Bohorok River.

5 Day Trek

This jungle trek is your unique chance to explore the authentic Indonesian rainforest like a real adventurer! Learn from our team how to survive in the tropical wilderness, how to use medical plants and how to cook with the natural ingredients around you.Animal sightings become very special moments as the wildlife in the deep jungle is not used to humans. Discover beautiful waterfalls, climb mountains, explore hidden caves, and cross rivers. After this unforgettable time in the jungle of Sumatra you will be relaxed, full of happiness and a real survivor!

Individual Treks

Are you up to a very special jungle adventure? Or are you a photographer or filmmaker who would like to discover the most secret places of Indonesia´s rainforest in the north of Sumatra? You pursue a specific photo goal like the elusive Sumatran tiger or rhino and would like to go into the jungle for a longer period? Just tell us your plans and wishes and we will try to compile the perfect trekking package for you! Find out more about our previous individual trekking tours through Gunung Leuser National Park and let us know your ideas. We are curious to hear from you!

How to get There?

There are 3 possibilities how to get to the small village at the gates to the Sumatran Rainforest: By private car - by tourist bus (shared car) - or by public bus. We explain all your options:

Where to stay?

At the riverside as well as in the surroundings of Bukit Lawang are many lovely guesthouses. We will help you finding and organising your favorite place! Here are our recommendations:

How to get There?

There are 3 possibilities how to get to the small village at the gates to the Sumatran Rainforest: By private car - by tourist bus (shared car) - or by public bus. We explain all your options:

Where to stay?

At the riverside as well as in the surroundings of Bukit Lawang are many lovely guesthouses. We will help you finding and organising your favorite place! Here are our recommendations:

First Time
In Indonesia?

Travel informationen

The island kingdom of Indonesia houses a tropical mountain rainforest, active volcanoes amid spectacular mountain landscapes, fantastic beaches and one of the most diverse animal and plant worlds. Especially the island of Sumatra is a dream destination for nature-loving vacationers as well as for those who are interested in the traditional culture of Indonesia. Sumatra is one of the most diverse islands in Southeast Asia. You could spend years of discovering all its secrets…

FAQ

Find the answers to all your questions

The mountainous National Park stretches in the north of Indonesian’s island Sumatra. Besides Borneo, it’s the last remaining place on earth where you can find Orangutans and Sumatran Tigers living in the wild. With thousands of species and plants, it is one of the most biodiverse rainforests in the world.

Rhinos, Tigers, Forest Elephants and Orangutans were once found together throughout Southeast Asia. But deforestation and poaching mean that Gunung Leuser National Park is now the only place in the world where they still coexist. Main reason for this is the problematic cultivation of oil palms.

Will we make something so precious disappear forever, or take our last chance and protect it for our children and grandchildren? Help us to have a positive impact on our most important ecosystem ∼ the rainforest ∼ and take part in our ecological tourism! 

Explore our jungle treks here.

Yes there are! 

Besides Borneo (Kalimantan), Sumatra is the last remaining habitat of our close relatives. There are different species of the compelling apes, like the Borneo Orangutan who found its habitat on the ground as there are no tigers left anymore on the island, or the Sumatran Orangutan who can be found swinging in the trees of Gunung Leuser National Park, behind Bukit Lawang.

Until 2015 there was a feeding platform at the entrance of the National Park to help orangutans, who lived in captivity, finding back into their natural habitat. These Orangutans are now the famous Semiwilds of Bukit Lawang. As they are used to humans, you might find them on nearly every jungle trek and watch their human likeness at close range. Some of these special semiwild orangutans have even had offspring since they were released into the wild. 

You are more interested in seeing wild orangutans? The chances to spot wild exemplars are quite good on our longer treks (two to four days), as they use to live in the deeper forest. Sometimes they even come close to the borders of the national park, so if you’re lucky you can even see them on a one-day trek. But anyways they will keep their distance with us as they are more bashful than the semiwilds. 

If you would like to know more about the Sumatran Orangutans, Bukit Lawang and the rainforest of Southeast Asia, read more here or come to visit us in the Indonesian rainforest!

All our jungle treks will lead into the mountains of Gunung Leuser National Park. Therefore, you need some basic fitness condition and healthy knees on all our treks. Our day tours are quite easy to walk, but for our 2-days trek (or more days) you should be in a good health condition and used to some exercises.

Don’t worry – your Jungle Guide will always be aware of your fitness & health condition and can choose a different trekking route through the National Park depending on your wishes.

Our youngest guest was just one year old, while our oldest guest past the 80s – all of them came back in full health and enjoyed their time in the jungle 😉

Are you confused what to bring on your jungle trek? Check out our packing list and trekking shoe recommendation! Almost anything else that you might need is available in Bukit Lawang or the surrounding villages. 

We recommend staying at least 4 to 5 days in Bukit Lawang. Like that you will have enough time to join one of our unforgettable overnight jungle treks and to do some more activities in the beautiful surrounding of Bukit Lawang, like exploring waterfalls and the world’s biggest flowers. However, it’s always worth to stay longer!

If you are on a tight schedule, we would recommend you one of our day tours into the Gunung Leuser National Park and short trips around Bukit Lawang, like exploring the mystery Bat Cave or visiting the traditional Friday Market.

Do you plan your next stop in Tangkahan, Berastagi or Lake Toba? We are happy to arrange your transportation, maybe even in combination with one of our memorable activities like staying in the wooden treehouses of Rumah Pohon?

 

Directly in Bukit Lawang there is no ATM. Also, paying by card is not very commen and mostly not possible. So you will need some cash money in Bukit Lawang, especially if you didn’t book any tours in advance.

But don’t worry: The nearest ATM is a 20-minute walk or 5-minute tuk-tuk ride away from the centre of Bukit Lawang – in the Indomaret of Gotong Royong. Just ask the next local person who you meet on your way and he or she will be happy to show you the way.

We would recommend you visiting Bukit Lawang in low season. However, every time of the year has its special attraction!

High Season: July – September 
Low Season: Oktober – June

Dry Season: February – August
Raining Season: September – January
(Since a few years climate change mixed it up a bit…)

If you travel in high season, we definitely recommend you to book your jungle trek or other activities in advance as many tourists will be in Bukit Lawang.

Anyways, for us it’s always helpful to plan the schedules of our jungle guides. You are not yet sure about your travel dates? We can always handle your booking flexibly – just let us know your rough plan.

If you want to come to Bukit Lawang without any booking, that is possible of course. There will be plenty of “guides” waiting for you at the bus station. Just be careful that you don’t join the first who comes along as some of them are no experienced or licensed guides.

If your travel plans in Indonesia contain a maximum of 30 days, you will automatically get a FREE tourist visa upon arrival at the airport! In any other case you will need a visa.

Check out Indonesians entrance and visa rules here.

We recommend vaccination against rabies. However, this is not mandatory! If you are bitten by an animal (regardless of whether you have a vaccination or not), you can get a rabies shot directly at the Bukit Lawang infirmary.

We recommend you to procure a travel and health insurance for your entire trip in case something happens. Hospital and doctor bills can be very high in Indonesia…

There is a small medical station and a pharmacy nearby Bukit Lawang. Anyways, in some cases it could be better to visit a hospital in Medan. So better be safe with an insurance!

Travel insurance is within the personal responsibility of each traveller and should cover injuries, accidents and the loss of personal belongings.

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Feel free to ask us anything you want to know!

We look forward to hearing from you!

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