Bukit Lawang

A riverside village on the edge of Sumatra's rainforest where you can spot wild orangutans with a guide in Leuser National Park, then float back to the village on an inner tube.

Bukit Lawang lies in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on the eastern edge of Gunung Leuser National Park. The Bahorok River runs through the village, which is about 90 km (3–4 hours by road) from the provincial capital, Medan. Leuser National Park is part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra World Heritage Site, and this is one of the easiest places in the world to see Sumatran orangutans in the wild; the Bohorok Rehabilitation Centre, founded in 1973, released many orangutans back into the forest. The main attraction is jungle trekking with a licensed guide: half-day, full-day or 2–3-day treks with riverside camping, with frequent sightings of orangutans, Thomas's leaf monkeys, gibbons and hornbills, finishing with a ride downriver to the village on an inner tube. Nearby you'll also find the Bat Cave, the quiet Landak River and, to the north, the Tangkahan ecotourism area (where you can bathe elephants and soak in riverside hot springs, usually with an overnight stay). The climate is hot and humid year-round; May to September is relatively dry, October to December is wetter, and tubing is suspended when the river floods. The village is walkable only, and accommodation is mostly in riverside wooden lodges; plan on 2–4 days. Tips: hire a licensed guide, and never feed or touch the orangutans; bring leech socks, rain gear and plenty of cash.

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