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Bukit Lawang – Berastagi – Sipiso Piso Waterfall – Lake Toba – Banyak Islands
Explore the beautiful and diverse north of Sumatra with us for 14 days. Experience the colourful culture of the Karo and Batak people and one of the most diverse flora and fauna in the world! Highlights range from orangut sightings while jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang and climbing an active volcano at sunrise, to a boat trip on the world’s largest crater lake, snorkelling in the clear turquoise waters in front of white sandy beach islands or sea turtle watching in the blue paradise of Banyak Islands.
Upon arrival at Kuala Namu International Airport (KNO) in Medan, you will be picked up by your private driver. The journey to Bukit Lawang takes around 3 to 4 hours, passing Medan and onwards along many palm oil plantations. On the way you can stop at anytime for having lunch/dinner (depending on your flight arrival time), for visiting an ATM as there is none in Bukit Lawang(!), or for buying a SIM card. Our driver will help you communicate with the locals. When you arrive in Bukit Lawang, our organiser Sandi will welcome you and take you to your accommodation. From now on it's time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the jungle village...
On this day, you can choose from a variety of activities in Bukit Lawang's surroundings. There's the impressive bat cave, the chance to search for the rare giant flowers Titan Arum and Rafflesia, the hidden paradise of Tangkahan where you can visit the rescued forest elephants, our village tour to discover the rural area behind Bukit Lawang where local farmers grow rice, produce tempeh and brown sugar or weave roofs, or some special activities like our ecorpinting workshop with local women or the jungle cooking class in Batu Kapal.
Experience two exciting days and a magical night in the rainforest of Sumatra! Our jungle trek starts at 9am after breakfast at your accommodation. It gives you the unforgettable opportunity to go deeper into the rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park where our close relatives and many other wild animals will be waiting for you. During these two days of rainforest exploration with your jungle guide, you may encounter not only orangutans but also gibbons, up to 4 different species of monkeys, turtles, the great argus pheasant, monitor lizards and many more fascinating animals! Enjoy delicious home-cooked Indonesian meals during your trek and an evening full of interesting conversations and fun games. You will spend the night in our camp under the canopy of the impressive jungle giants, while being surrounded by the wonderful sounds of the jungle. A second day in the rainforest of North Sumatra awaits you...
Don't forget to bring mosquito repellent, a large bottle of water for each of you and some toilet paper 😉 As it's the rainforest, we also advise you to bring light rain capes and long clothing for the night. Please inform us about your state of health and any allergies/intolerances before the trek.
Wake up in the morning together with the wildlife of Gunung Leuser National Park. After a lovingly decorated breakfast, you can continue your jungle trek for a few hours to observe other inhabitants of the Indonesian rainforest, or relax at the camp and explore the surroundings. Between noon and 2 pm we return by the traditional rafting tour on our "jungle taxi" (large rubber tyres knotted together as a boat) to Bukit Lawang. Lots of fun is guaranteed! Back in the village your guide will take you to your accommodation. In the afternoon you can do more activities, go for a walk around Bukit Lawang, have a coffee or a fresh juice, admire the numerous wooden artworks and spend time by the river. Or just relax in a hammock and let the impressions of the last few days sink in...
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your private driver who will be your guide through North Sumatra from now on. The journey takes about 4 to 5 hours and leads through a lush, mountainous jungle landscape that offers many beautiful views! Along the way, we will make several stops: You can explore two volcanic ghost towns (abandoned villages due to volcanic eruptions), enjoy lunch with an impressive view of the mostly smoking volcano Mt Sinabung (the neighbouring volcano to Mount Sibayak) and visit a local Catholic church. Around 5 pm you will arrive at your accommodation in Berastagi.
Early in the morning, at 4.30 am (!), you will travel with your local guide to the Sibayak volcano, where your hike begins around 1.5 hours on foot from the crater. With a bit of luck, you will witness a beautiful sunrise up there with a panoramic view over North Sumatra. But even on cloudy days, it is a very special experience to hike an active volcano with countless hot spots, steaming holes in the ground and the smell of sulphur all around you. As it is quite cold at the top of the volcano (please bring warm clothes!), you can warm up again afterwards in the volcano's natural hot springs. Later, you'll have a late breakfast at your accommodation and some time to rest before there's more to discover in the afternoon...
In the afternoon, your driver will show you the famous market of Berastagi, which is filled with the freshest fruits of the region, plants, clothes and accessories - it's really interesting to see and the best thing: you can try as many fruits as you want 😀 Afterwards, you will visit a museum about Karo culture and a famous church. In the evening, you have the opportunity to have dinner together with your driver at Berastagi's night market to get to know the lively night flair.
After breakfast we continue our tour to Lake Toba, the largest crater lake in the world. The drive from Berastagi to the port of Lake Toba takes about 5 to 6 hours. On the way we stop at Dokan village to learn about the traditional Karo and Batak culture of Berastagi and of course at Sipiso Piso waterfall - one of the highest waterfalls in Indonesia! Here you have the opportunity to climb down to the bottom of the waterfall (one way takes about 40 minutes). Later, as we approach Lake Toba, breathtaking views of the lake will present themselves - we can stop as many times as you like. Once at the lake's harbour, we will take a ferry to Samosir Island, where we will reach the village of Tuktuk. The ferry crossing takes about 30 minutes. Once on the island, your driver will take you to your accommodation. The evening is at your leisure on the shores of the huge lake...
After breakfast, your driver will take you on an exploration tour across Samosir Island. The ride leads to the village of Siallagan, the most fascinating place on Samosir, where the former cannibal king lived! From there you will continue to a traditional village where you can see the performance of the cultural Batak dance. Afterwards, you will drive to a beautiful viewpoint where you can see the whole lake with its beautiful shore, as well as a breathtaking waterfall.
In the morning after breakfast, the journey continues with your private driver towards Singkil (a small town on the west coast of Sumatra). After leaving Samosir Island via a small bridge and crossing over to the mainland, the journey takes about 7 to 8 hours. Before we turn off towards Singkil, we are offered a breathtaking last view of Lake Toba... Now it's time to say goodbye to the mountains and head for the beach! In the evening we will reach the accommodation in Singkil, where we will sleep for one night before heading to the Banyak Islands by boat.
In the morning, your driver will take you to Singkil harbour. Now you have the choice of taking a public (slow) boat to Balai and from there to the island where you want to stay for the next few days (e.g. Palambak or Tailana Island) - this takes 5 to 7 hours in total. Or you can choose a private (fast) boat, which costs a little more but only takes about 2 hours. The boat will take you directly to your chosen accommodation. From now on, it's time to relax in this stunning blue paradise!
The turtle tour starts in the morning and takes you by boat to Bangkaro Island. There you will spend the day swimming, snorkelling and relaxing (all meals are included). In the evening or at night we will go on a search for turtles! Therefore it is necessary to sleep one night on the island. Accommodation can be either a tent or a bungalow. The next morning, after breakfast, you will be taken back to your actual accommodation.
In the following days you have the opportunity for further boat trips to reach good snorkelling or diving spots or to explore some of the many beautiful islands of Pulau Banyak during an island hopping trip!
Enjoy your last full day on the Maldives of Indonesia (as the islands are often called) and absorb the beauty of nature: White sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise-blue warm water and green palm trees above you. The perfect place to escape and feel at peace....
We have reached the end of our tour through Sumatra and it is time to say goodbye to the blue island paradise. This will be a long day in the car during the drive to Medan. We recommend taking the fast boat back to Singkil (around 8am) as the drive to Medan with your private driver takes about 10 hours. This way we will reach the hotel in Medan around 10pm.
It's time to say goodbye to Sumatra... Depending on which hotel you choose in Medan and when your return flight departs, you will have some time to relax in the morning before the airport shuttle takes you to Medan International Airport (KNO) from where you will fly back home or continue your journey...
Note:
The price shown is a starting price. It includes all inclusive services listed. Higher prices apply especially in the high season from June to August and on Indonesian public holidays or depending on your chosen activites and accommodations.
We ask for your understanding to book all flights independently.
We are happy to adapt the tour to your individual wishes. Just inform us about your time schedule and what you would like to do. We are looking forward to plan your holiday in Sumatra together with you!
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