Orangutans & Elephants
Bukit Lawang Trekking & The Tangkahan Elephants (5-Day Tour)
Enjoy this memorable EcoTravel tour, combining the adventure of a 2-day jungle trek to meet Sumatran orangutans around Bukit Lawang and a visit to the hidden jungle village of Tangkahan with its famous elephants – a truly unforgettable experience! You also have the chance to see Lake Toba, the world’s largest crater lake, with its unique Batak culture. On Samosir Island a discovery tour will take you to unspoilt areas with many indigenous plants where you can also learn more about traditional coffee growing.
Package details
- DAY 01: EcoTravel’s Orangutans & Elephants package starts with air-con transfer (car or minibus) from your Medan hotel (3 hours) or from Kuala Namu Airport (4 hours) to Bukit Lawang: including driver, petrol & porter service for your luggage. Check in to your hotel in Bukit Lawang: EcoTravel Cottages, Jungle View Room, bathroom with western toilet and hot water shower, fan, minibar, safe locker, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with jungle/river view, complementary items, WI-FI, breakfast. After arrival: take a rest, relax and recover from your journey to Bukit Lawang. Later, take part in our special “Meet & Relax Happy Hour” starting at 16:00 pm. Meet other EcoTravel guests before our team will answer all your questions. This social gathering is a good warm up for the tour starting the next day and not to be missed!
- DAY 02/03: “Orangutan Trek” (2-day tour): Memorable 2-day trek in the Gunung Leuser National Park, 1 night on a campsite in the jungle & traditional tube rafting down the Bohorok River back to Bukit Lawang after trekking: includes certified English speaking guides, porter, rafting skipper, cook, all food and drinking water while trekking, all equipment (tent, mattress, sleeping bag, mosquito net, tubes, safety jackets), luggage storage. Starts at 08:30 am. Having returned from your trekking adventure feel free to spend the afternoon at your pace: relax in your hammock, enjoy panoramic views of the rainforest from your balcony and watch stunning wildlife from the sun patio of EcoTravel Cottages. Take a refreshing bath in the Bohorok River or explore the village on your own. Stay another night in Bukit Lawang: EcoTravel Cottages, Jungle View Room, bathroom with western toilet and hot water shower, fan, minibar, safe locker, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with jungle/river view, complementary items, WI-FI, breakfast
- DAY 04: “Tangkahan Adventure” (1-day tour): Day trip by air-con car (2 hours / one way / off-road) to the hidden jungle village of Tangkahan, famous for its elephants: includes certified English speaking guide, driver, petrol, all permits, a relaxing stay at hot springs, a visit to a local afternoon school, the opportunity to observe Sumatran elephants at a distance of 50 meters during their daily bath, lunch, soft drink and drinking water. Starts at 08:30 am. Stay another night in Bukit Lawang: EcoTravel Cottages, Jungle View Room, bathroom with western toilet and hot water shower, fan, minibar, safe locker, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with jungle/river view, complementary items, WI-FI, breakfast
- DAY 05: The Orangutans & Elephants package ends with air-con transfer (car or minibus) from Bukit Lawang back to Medan hotel (3 hours) or Kuala Namu Airport (5 hours): including porter service for your luggage, driver & petrol
EcoTravel’s Orangutans & Elephants package does NOT include: entrance permit to the Gunung Leuser Nationalpark & camera tax (150.000 IDR/ person/ subject to sudden change by the national park office); tourist tax for Bukit Lawang (7.500 IDR / person); any activities or direct interaction with the elephants; lunch, dinner and drinks while staying in Bukit Lawang; flights, visas, insurance.
Optional: For guests who wish to get closer to the elephants in Tangkahan we recommend an additional voucher for the daily bathing ritual (up to 1 hour / +35 EUR/ person ) or for the “Angon Gajah” experience (up to 3 hours / +60 EUR/ person), run by LPT/CRU Tangkahan, EcoTravel is just a middle person. We do NOT arrange elephant riding!
| Price Per Person (minimum 2 pax) | Low Season (October - June) | High Season (July - September) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Option | 280 EUR | 305 EUR |
| Deluxe Option | 305 EUR | 335 EUR |
| Standard Option | 265 EUR | 280 EUR |
In order to meet the different needs of our lovely guests, EcoTravel’ Sumatra Tours come in different price categories. The options “budget” and “basic budget” include the lowest room category without views and do not include transfers to/from Medan. If you prefer a better room type but do not require transfers you can book any of the above packages (deluxe, superior, standard), but without transportation. The Superior Package with room type Jungle View Room at EcoTravel Cottages in Bukit Lawang is always listed in detail on our website. At our partner Tabo Cottages at Lake Toba, our EcoTravel guests will stay in a Junior Suite with air-con. The higher price of the Deluxe Option results from the best room option in Bukit Lawang (Jungle View Suite / EcoTravel Cottages) and our choice at Lake Toba (Toba Suite with fan / Tabo Cottages). Rooms chosen for our Standard Option are smaller and in a lower price range. Guests will stay right next to our EcoTravel Cottages in our new accommodation “Hangout@EcoTravel” (Orangutan Room/Jungle View Room). At Lake Toba you will stay in Tabo Cottages’ Batak Villa (fan). Note: In contrast to a variety of room types and rates in Bukit Lawang and at Lake Toba, there is only one room type chosen to accommodate EcoTravel guests at our partners in Medan, Berastagi and on Pulau Weh (Deli River Hotel/Deluxe Room, Nachelle Homestay/Volcano View Room, Freddies Santai Sumur Tiga/Seaview Beach Appartement). However, in cooperation with all our accommodation partners we are giving our best to present you with the best value for money.
To keep up our good service we run all our tours and jungle treks in Bukit Lawang on fixed days suiting our well selected Sumatra touring packages. Arrival/departure in Bukit Lawang is usually on Fridays/Saturdays/Mondays. Some Sumatra tours also start on Tuesdays or Thursdays . However, we can tailor each package to match your specific requirements! It is possible to add some nights before or after a package. You are also welcome to skip, change or add some tours in Bukit Lawang and/or extend your stay with our partners on Lake Toba, in Medan or on Pulau Weh. We will do our best to suit your needs – subject to availability! And if all this still doesn’t match your travel plans, why not join our jungle trekking tours only and book accommodation and transport individually somewhere else?
We really recommend arriving in Bukit Lawang no later than 18:00 pm! Between 16:00 pm and 19:00 pm there will be a meeting with your guide team in our EcoTravel Cottages where you will receive important information and an introduction to your trek starting the following morning. During our special “Meet & Relax Happy Hour” you will meet other EcoTravel guests and our team will answer all your questions. This social gathering, a nice warm up for the next day, is not to be missed! However, if no earlier flights to Sumatra are available and a late afternoon pick-up service with our EcoTravel team from Medan Airport to Bukit Lawang is required, we will be happy to organise this exclusively for you. Just remember that the transfer from Medan Airport to Bukit Lawang takes about 4 hours, so the later you arrive, the later you will arrive in Bukit Lawang. On arrival you will need to walk from the taxi stop to the EcoTravel Cottages for about 25 minutes – and if your jungle trek starts the next day you will need to get up early. If you arrive late you may also have problems with dinner, as most restaurants in Bukit Lawang close at 21:00 pm. However, if there is no other option than arriving late at Kuala Namu Airport in Medan, we would actually advise you to simply arrive a day earlier – and why not stay in an airport hotel before you start your jungle adventure? Our transfer service could arrange a relaxed pick up service from your hotel in Medan the next morning – and you could profit from another half day the jungle of Sumatra. Relax, swim, join an additional half day tour or simply discover this beautiful jungle village on your own. This is our very own Sumatra travel guide for EcoTravel guests – to help you all having an unforgettable time in the Sumatran jungle!
Karo Highlands & Samosir Island
Combine “Orangutans & Elephants” With Lake Toba (4-Day Tour)
Package details
- DAY 05: Air-con transfer (car or minibus) from Bukit Lawang to Lake Toba (1-day tour / 9 hours / on Fridays only!): Along the way you stop at several places in the Karo Highlands: the famous fruit market in Berastagi, a traditional Batak Karo village and the Sipiso-Piso waterfall: includes driver, petrol, all entrance fees on the way, local lunch in Berastagi, fruits & drinks, boat tickets (one way!) from Parapat harbour to Samosir Island. Starts at 07:00 am. Check in to your hotel on Samosir Island: Tabo Cottages, Junior Suite, bathroom with western toilet and hot water shower, air-con, minibar, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with garden/lake view, complimentary items, WI-FI, breakfast
- DAY 06: Spend your day winding down on Samosir Island swimming, relaxing and just enjoying the beautiful scenery. Or why not try and explore the island? Don’t miss a traditional Batak dance at the cultural centre in Simanindo and the historic Batak king’s residence at Ambarita. Our partner Tabo Cottages will love to organize tours around Lake Toba, if required. You could also rent a motorbike and travel around by yourself. Stay another night on Samosir Island: Tabo Cottages, Junior Suite, bathroom with western toilet and hot water shower, air-con, minibar, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with garden/lake view, complimentary items, WI-FI, breakfast
- DAY 07: “Toba Discovery Tour” (1/2-day tour): This off-road adventure will give you a memorable experience of the island’s unspoilt parts, offering great highland views over Lake Toba. You will discover the simple local lifestyle in a traditional Toba Batak village. And you will return with impressions of unique Batak architecture, knowledge on coffee growing and vistas of indigenous plants: includes English speaking guide, driver, car, lunch picnic. Starts at 10:00 am. Stay another night on Samosir Island: Tabo Cottages, Junior Suite, bathroom with western toilet and hot water shower, air-con, minibar, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with garden/lake view, complimentary items, WI-FI, breakfast
- DAY 08: Your Lake Toba experience ends with air-con transfer from Parapat harbour to your Medan hotel (5 hours) or Kuala Namu Airport (5 hours): including driver, petrol & highway toll. Starts at 10:00 am (flight departure not before 16:00 pm!)
| Price Per Person (minimum 2 pax) | Low Season (October - June) | High Season (July - September) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Option | 229 EUR | 259 EUR |
| Deluxe Option | 249 EUR | 279 EUR |
| Standard Option | 209 EUR | 239 EUR |
