2-day Orangutan Trek Bukit Lawang: Jungle camp & river return

Two days hiking the Sumatran jungle with a local guide and a night under the canopy

A 2-day orangutan trek in Gunung Leuser National Park near Bukit Lawang starts at 8:30 am with a certified English-speaking guide and a group of up to eight hikers. You trek through the rainforest, camp overnight by the river with provided tent and meals, visit a waterfall the next morning, then return to Bukit Lawang by tube-rafting down the Bohorok River by 2:30 pm. The trek requires a high level of physical fitness and a pre-trek meeting at the EcoTravel office the evening before departure.

The experience

The trek departs from the EcoTravel office in Bukit Lawang at 8:30 am and runs through Gunung Leuser National Park with a certified guide and assistant. You hike in a small group of no more than eight people, which keeps the experience focused on wildlife spotting and minimizes impact on the forest. The operator's guides are locals with years of experience in the region and are certified by the Indonesia Tourist Guides Association. They speak English and know the plants and animals well. While orangutans are the main draw, sightings are not guaranteed (these are wild animals), but the guides' reputation in Bukit Lawang is strong enough that most treks do encounter them.

You reach the campsite along a river bank by around 3 pm, where you spend the night in a double tent with mattress, pillows and sleeping bag provided. The cook prepares lunch on the trail and a freshly made dinner at camp, with breakfast the next morning before you set out to visit a nearby waterfall. Water is filtered on-site, and the operator provides tea, coffee, snacks and fruit throughout. The overnight setup is designed for comfort in the jungle rather than roughing it bare.

On the morning of day two, after the waterfall visit, a "jungle taxi", a traditional tube-raft, carries you back down the Bohorok River to Bukit Lawang, arriving by 2:30 pm. The rafting skipper and all safety gear (tubes, jackets, helmets for children) are included. You'll need to meet your guide team at the EcoTravel office between 4 pm and 7 pm the evening before the trek starts for an orientation. This means arriving in Bukit Lawang the day before, as the transfer from Medan airport takes about four and a half hours. The trek suits travelers who are fit enough for sustained hiking over two days and comfortable sleeping in a tent in the rainforest.

What’s included

• Certified English-speaking guide and assistant.
• double tent, mattress, sleeping bag and pillows.
• lunch on day one, dinner at camp, breakfast on day two, plus fruits, snacks, tea, coffee and filtered water.
• tube-rafting skipper and all rafting equipment (tubes, safety jackets, helmets for children) on the return journey down Bohorok River.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 08:30

AgesAdult (19 to 60 years) · Youth (13 to 18 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 8 · max 5 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 8.55

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Demanding physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by EcoTravel Bukit Lawang

Is this one for you?This trek is shared with up to seven other hikers and led by a certified local guide, so you're not navigating alone but also not in a large group. It suits travelers who are fit enough for sustained hiking, comfortable sleeping in a tent and want to spend two full days in the rainforest with a guide who knows the animals and the forest well.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 18 years); Child (6 to 12 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the chance of seeing orangutans on this trek?

Orangutans live wild in the forest and their location varies day to day, so sightings are not guaranteed. EcoTravel's guides have many years of local experience and a strong reputation for wildlife spotting, and most treks do encounter them, but the operator cannot promise it.

What do I need to bring for the 2-day trek?

Bring comfortable hiking shoes, a 25–30 liter backpack, long trousers and bright-colored shirt, long socks, a change of clothes, a long-sleeved sweater, flip-flops or sandals, a towel, a torch, mosquito repellent, sun lotion, swimwear and toilet paper. The operator provides the tent, sleeping bag, pillows and mattress.

How fit do I need to be for this trek?

The trek requires a high level of physical fitness for strong exercise over two days of hiking. The operator recommends a health check with your doctor before traveling to the Sumatran jungle, and it is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, high blood pressure or pregnancy.

When does the trek start and how do I meet the guide?

The trek departs from the EcoTravel office in Bukit Lawang at 8:30 am on day one. You must meet your guide team at the office between 4 pm and 7 pm the evening before for an orientation, so you need to arrive in Bukit Lawang the day prior. The transfer from Medan airport takes about four and a half hours.

What meals and water are provided during the trek?

The cook prepares lunch on the trail on day one, dinner at the campsite, and breakfast on day two, plus fruits, snacks, tea, coffee and filtered drinking water throughout. The operator can arrange vegetarian, vegan or allergen-free meals if you inform the team at least one day before the trek starts.

How do I get back to Bukit Lawang after the trek?

On the morning of day two, after visiting a waterfall, you return by traditional tube-raft down the Bohorok River with a rafting skipper. The tubes, safety jackets and helmets for children are included, and you arrive back in Bukit Lawang by 2:30 pm.