The Wild Wonders of North Sumatra

📍 Kuala Namu Airport – Medan city center (30 km):1 hr

After arriving at Kuala Namu International Airport, meet with the Sumatran tour guide outside the main building for the start of the program.

Recommended flights(Not included and quoted separately– Tariffs and schedule subject to change without prior notice):

International: By Singapore Airlines from Singapore (SIN) to Medan (KNO) with SQ990 departs at 07:25  and arrives at 08:00.

Domestic: 

- By Lion Air from Yogyakarta with JT964 Departure at 07:00 and Arriving in Medan 09:45
- By Lion Air  from Denpasar (Via Surabaya) with JT929 Departure at 07:00 and Arriving in Surabaya 07:00 and Continue Flight Departure from Surabaya with JT973 at 10:40 and Arriving in Medan 12:50

Leave Kuala Namu Airport and proceed to the city center of Medan the capital of North Sumatra and an interesting melting pot of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Batak people living together in harmony.

Proceed to Merdeka square in the center of the city for a walk in the old colonial part of the town which has retained its Dutch colonial architecture: the old Post office and Medan city hall and passing by Kesawan Street.

End your walk at Tip Top restaurant which history dates back to the time of Dutch colonization and where you will enjoy lunch.

Check in at your hotel and time for refreshing 

Around 3 PM your tour guide will pick you up at the hotel for continuing your city tour of Medan 

Visit to Maimoon Sultan’s Deli Palace, builtin 1888. In former times the Palace was considered as the center of the town administration before the city of Medan developed. The sultan himself has a symbolic function for the Malay community.

The tour continues to the Great Mosque (built in 1906 by the first sultan and still considered as one the most beautiful mosques in the country).

End you visit of Medan with the impressive Vihara Gunung Timur, a beautiful Chinese temple

Afterwards, return to the hotel and spend the rest of the evening either relaxing or heading out for some independent exploration.

Overnight in Medan

Inclusions:

🥘 Lunch

📍 Medan city center - Tangkahan via Binjai & Stabat (100 km): 4 hrs 30 mins

After an early breakfast and check out, depart for Tangkahan via Binjai and Stabat: the last portion of the journey is along a dirt road -so be prepared for a bumpy ride! (For about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes) 

Upon arrival in Tangkahan, register at the “Gunung Leuser National Park” visitor center before walking to the lodge located on the other side of the river: Access to the lodge is through an impressive suspension bridge (15 minutes safe walk).

Check in at the lodge in Tangkahan and, after settling in, enjoy lunch.  

Upon arrival at the National Park's elephant rehabilitation center, we'll begin with an introductory briefing on the camp's history and vital conservation mission. Following the briefing, mahouts (elephant caretakers) will lead a short walk down to the river. Here, visitors will have the unique opportunity to observe the intimate bathing and feeding routine, as the mahout assists the elephants. For the elephants' well-being, our guest activity is limited to observation during this interaction. The experience culminates as we join the mahouts and follow from behind as they take on their daily forest patrol.

The patrol is a part of a conservation effort to monitor the jungle, prevent illegal logging and protect the habitat of endangered species in the Leuser Ecosystem. This "Ngangon Gajah" (elephant herding) is an hour-long gentle walk through the jungle before they are returned safely to the camp

The remainder of the day is at leisure. You can walk around the lodge and have plenty of opportunity to observe the cheeky Thomas Leaf Monkey in their natural surroundings. 
Or take a refreshing dip in the clear river. (Ask the hotel staff where in the river is the hidden hot spring as that is the best spot for a swim). 

Dinner is served in the hotel.

Notes:
- Please take a light bag with you only for tonight, the accommodation is basic with no hot water or AC. The driver will proceed with your main luggage to Bukit Lawang.
- On Friday, the elephant bath cannot be done because all elephants are on patrol in the park with the rangers. Advance booking is needed as only 5 elephants operate. 
- We do recommend participants to wear short pants, Tee Shirt and sandals for the activity and bring a change with you for changing when returning to the lodge
- Elephants walk should be booked at least 1 week prior to arrival in Tangkahan

Overnight in Tangkahan
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Tangkahan – Bukit Lawang (45km): 2 hrs 30 mins by local jeep (max 3 pax + guide)

After breakfast at the lodge, cross back to the other side of the river using the suspension bridge.  A local jeep will be waiting on the other side for the off-road trip to Bukit Lawang (approximately 2 hours - 2 hours 30 minutes), passing through rubber plantations and beautiful jungle and mountain landscapes at the horizon.

Before arriving in Bukit Lawang, take a short stop to stretch and enjoy a fresh coconut drink at Coconut Park.

Upon arrival at Bukit Lawang, cross the impressive wooden suspension bridge over Bohorok River  on foot to arrive at the reception of the Eco Lodge.

Check-in at the lodge in Bukit Lawang and enjoy a lunch of Sumatran specialties.

After lunch we cross the bridge again where we are picked by a becak for the visit to the TimbangLawang eco farm. This motorized sidecar will drive us through the local village to the eco farm which we first visit and afterwards to some more places where we can see such things as the making of brown sugar, rubber.

Afterwards, return to the hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure while enjoying the tropical surroundings.

Overnight in Bukit Lawang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Bukit Lawang - Berastagi (130 km via Medan): 4 hrs 30 mins approximately

Breakfast at the lodge.

Bukit Lawang is at the entrance to Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the last sanctuaries of the Sumatran orangutan.

Start an unforgettable trek early in the morning at 08:00 Head out behind Eco Lodge (with an additional local English-speaking jungle guide).

The first part of the hike is an easy climb to the forest for about 30 to 45 minutes –the local guide always send a tracker ahead to check where the orangutans are. If some are seen in first part of the trek, the guide will suggest people who have difficulty walking to return to the lodge with the tracker while accompanying other participants all the way (total trekking time is two and a half to three hours up and down in the jungle -it’s a bit more challenging and can be slippery, so good shoes are required).

After observing orangutans continue down to the Orang Utan Information Centre on the bank of the Bohorok River (30 minutes). Walk back to Eco Lodge along the river bank and main village of Bukit Lawang (30mn).

After returning back at the lodge, take some time to shower and change before checking out. Lunch is served at the lodge restaurant.

In the afternoon, leave Bukit Lawang to Berastagi in the Karo Highlands along a scenic route driving southwards via Sembahe and Sibolangit. In the late afternoon, arrive at Berastagi, a climate station located at some 1,400 metres above sea-level.

Check in at the hotel late afternoon/early evening.

Note:  Camera fee is not included and must be paid locally IDR 50,000/camera (around USD 4) and IDR 150,000/video (around USD 11)  each time client enter the Gunung Leuser National Park

Overnight in Berastagi

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Berastagi - Parapat – via Dokan, Sipiso-Piso, Pematang Purba (130 km): 4 hrs 30 mins ; Parapat – Tomok in Samosir Island by local Ferry: 1 hr

After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and depart around 08:00 for a short city tour of Berastagi: the tour includes a visit to the St. Francis Catholic Church, with its unique Batak architecture and, in the background, a perfect view over Mount Sibayak. Continue with a walk through the local fruit market which is swarming with activity and scenes from traditional Karo life.

Leave Berastagi around 09:30 and proceed to Lake Toba, stopping after Berastagi to take pictures of Mount Sinabung (2,460m).

Stop for a visit to Dokan, a village home to the Batak Karo, people who have unusual wedding and funeral ceremonies which can last for days, and dozens of other unique traditions and rituals which are still in practice. Then, meet with a family in a traditional longhouses where up to 6 families can be found living harmoniously together.

Continue south towards Lake Toba and make a stop to see the 120-metre tall Sipiso-Piso Waterfall in the Batak Highlands. The beautiful fall is formed by an underground river that then plunges from a cave into Lake Toba caldera. Here there will also be an impressive first-view of Toba Lake.

Continue the journey to Pematang Purba for a visit to Rumah Bolon, a 200-year old wooden house that used to be the dwelling of the ancient Batak Simalungun Kings.

A late lunch will be served enroute to Parapat at a local restaurant near Simar Jarunjung 

In the afternoon, drive along the eastern shore of Lake Toba to Parapat.

Board a local ferry along with the private vehicle, driver and guide for a one hour boat trip between Parapat and Tomok on Samosir Island (Estimated departure from Parapat at 17:30 - subject to change).

The island of Samosir, which is roughly the size of Singapore, is located in the middle of Lake Toba. The caldera lake of Toba Volcano was formed over 75,000 years ago and is the largest volcanic lake in the world.

Take a direct transfer to the hotel on the Tuk Tuk Peninsula in Samosir Island (15-minute drive from Tomok) for check in. Take some time to freshen up, then spend the rest of the evening enjoying the unique atmosphere of the hotel.

Dinner at leisure.

Overnight in Samosir Island

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Tuk Tuk to Tele via Pangururan (60 km): approximately 2 hrs each way

After breakfast in the morning, spend a full day exploring Samosir Island and Lake Toba. 

Visit Ambarita, Samosir’s most interesting Batak Toba village which is well-known for its unique stone chairs, tribunals and execution stones where enemies and criminals were slaughtered and eaten by this once-cannibalistic tribe, then continued enjoy the Batak Traditional dance (The show will incorporate music and modern equipment, followed by a performance by traditional dancers.)

Continue to drive to Simanindo  to explore the traditional village and its small Batak museum.

From here we continue along the eastern shore of Samosir Island to Pangururan, the small capital of Samosir.  A picnic lunch has been prepared by the hotel and will be served onboard the ship while cruising towards Pangururan.

The driver and guide will be waiting when the boat arrives. Continue by car to Tele, a rarely visited area located on the mainland in the southern shore of Lake Toba, accessible after crossing a small bridge followed by a 30 minutes’ drive up the mountain: The view over Samosir Island and Lake Toba from the observatory tower in Tele is simply breathtaking and easily one of the best overlooking the whole of Lake Toba. 

On the way back to Tuk Tuk via Pangururan, stop alongside the road to observe the traditional weaving that villagers do here.

Return to the hotel in Tuk Tuk late in the afternoon.

Note: For those who would like to enjoy a relaxing bath, there is a possibility to visit the hot springs after the visit to Tele.

Overnight in Samosir Island

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Tomok in Samosir Island – Parapat by local Ferry: 1 hour Parapat – Pematang Siantar – Kuala Namu Airport (160 km): 5 hrs approximately ; Medan city center – Kuala Namu Airport (30 km): 1 hr – 1 hr 15 mins approximately

After an early wakeup call, check out from the hotel after breakfast and transfer from Tuk Tuk to Parapat with the regular local ferry with the private vehicle, driver and guide joining on board (Departure time subject to change is at 07:00 from Tomok arriving at 08:00 in Parapat).

Drive back to Medan Kuala Namu Airport via Pematang Siantar and Tebing Tinggi, with scenic views over estate plantations of rubber and palm oil.

Lunch is at leisure.

Transfer to Medan Kuala Namu Airport for a mid or late afternoon departure flight to the next destination.

Recommended flights (Not included and quoted separately- Tariffs and schedule subject to change without prior notice):

International:  By Singapore Airlines from Medan (KNO) to Singapore (SIN) with SQ995 departs at 20:30 and arrives at 23:05.

Domestic:  By Garuda Indonesia from Medan(KNO) with GA193 Departure at 20:10 and Arriving in Jakarta(CGK) 22:35

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast