Bukit Lawang jungle trekking with a guide in Indonesia is one of the best places to see Sumatran orangutan in the wild, and it’s pretty easy to do on a budget!
The small village of Bukit Lawang is located on the edge of the Gunung Leuser National Park, a large rainforest where you can see all kinds of animals, including tigers, rare birds and lizards, orangutans and other monkeys.
Trekking packages are generally ethically sound and you are almost guaranteed to see Sumatran orangutans and other wildlife. We have seen more than 20 orangutans and a few rare animals in just a few days!
In this blog and guide by Bukit Lawang you will learn how to get there, what to do, where to stay, trekking prices and everything you need to know before you go!
How To Get To Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang is located in North Sumatra, Indonesia, and is relatively easy to get to.
The nearest international airport is located in the city of Medan (KNO), which receives daily flights from places such as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta from for a one-way ticket. You can buy flights to Medan on Skyscanner.
Bukit Lawang is a 3-hour drive from the city of Medan, although in matter of heavy traffic it may take an extra hour or more. Your hotel in Lawang can arrange a driver to pick you up from Medan Airport or you can book a highly rated private driver for Bukit Lawang here.
A normal price for a transfer from Medan to Bukit Lawang (or vice versa) with a private driver, but it can cost a little more in heavy traffic.
Bukit Lawang Jungle Hike
* Fauna
The rainforest has many wild animals.
On two hikes we saw orangutans, gibbons, Thomas leaf monkeys, long-tailed macaques, monitor lizards, giant ants, a spectacular banyan tree and other jungle areas.
In the national park you will also have the opportunity to see rare birds, Sumatran tigers, rhinos, elephants, sun bears, plait macaques, vipers, cobras, kraits and much more.
* Govern
This jungle is part of Gunung Leuser National Park and home to endangered animals, so expect to follow some rules:
Do not enter the park without a guide. If you pay for a trekking package, you always have two guides with you. Your task is to protect them in the jungle and give them information about the Sumatran orangutan and other animals.
Do not enter the park without permission. Your Bukit Lawang guide will take care of you.
Do not approach wild animals closer than 10 meters. However, sometimes animals break this rule, and if you are lucky, they may come up to you!
Do not feed or touch wild animals. They can become dependent on us or get sick. These include the Sumatran orangutan.
Do not leave garbage in the national park. Explicitly. Fortunately, we did not see any garbage in the jungle during our hikes.
* Hiking
The difficulty of trekking in Bukit Lawang is not too serious, but more difficult than expected.
It’s not like Tangkoko or Tanjung Putting National Park, where you can walk on level ground and burn a minimum of calories while enjoying the wildlife.
There are a few steep hill sections in Lawang where your legs do a great workout, and the ground can be muddy and naughty with thorns and leeches at times. Daytime humidity can also be crazy.
Don’t let that put you off! All this adds to the experience. If you do not think that your fitness level is there, I recommend that you take the 1-day hike instead of 2 days.
