Ketambe to Pulau Weh

Duration : 12 Days

Date Expired !

Tour Description

From coming face to face with a family of wild orangutans in ancient rainforests, to exploring coral quays around a gorgeous tropical island, this tour gives you the chance to experience the incredible diversity which is making Sumatra a mecca for travellers from across the globe.

This tour package is ALL INCLUSIVE *The fee includes all transport, accomodation, food, drinks and activities (tips included). You will only need a small amount of local currency for gifts, or if you want to sip on some alcoholic beverages along the way! Your personal guides and porters earn their income by keeping the forest healthy for ecotourism, so if you’re happy with your trekking experience, an extra tip for your guides and porters is a great way to further protect the forest and the animals that call it home.

Please click the tabs above to discover what you will experience on each day of this incredible journey, and if you have any other questions, we would love to have a chat; just head to the contact us page, or if you’re keen book now!

Where we go

We will journey across the mountainous terrain of the Batak Karo people, scale volcanoes, and journey to the idyllic village of Ketambe in the heart of the Leuser ecosystem. Local guides will share the beauty of their forest with you, revealing the stunning array of species which call the jungle home, giving you the chance to see the critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan in its native habitat; Orangutan sighting is guaranteed!* . You will also truly embrace Gayo village life, exploring the tropical farmlands of Ketambe, and cooking and eating with a local family.
We will then head north to the world famous coffee growing region of Takengon, which is situated on the exquisite alpine lake Laut Tawar, before descending out of the highlands and to the gorgeous coastline of Banda Aceh. From here, we will ferry across to the tropical island paradise of Pulau Weh, where an experienced dive crew will lead you through a wondrous underwater world brimming with marine life.
These eleven days will have you sitting in jungle hot springs, listening to the calls of hornbills and gibbons fill the air, and sipping on coconuts fresh from the palm on a secluded tropical Island. Please click through the other tabs to learn more about what you will experience on each day of this incredible journey, and if you have any other questions, click here to contact us, or if you’re keen Book Now

*If you do not see an orangutan, you receive a free night at the Sumatran Jungle Lodge during your stay!

Schedule Details

Day 1 - Medan -> Berastagi

Pick up from Medan Airport (Kuala Namu), and transfer to Berastagi, a small city in the mountains, and the cultural hub of the Batak Karo people. If time allows and your kids are wide awake, we will explore the night markets! Accommodation: Berastagi hotel Transportation: Private vehicle (3hr drive)

Day 2 - Berastagi -> Ketambe

We wake up nice and early, drive to Mount Sibayak, and with a short walk we will be at the top of an active Volcano! If your kids want a sleep-in, there is also the option to just have a relaxed breakfast at our hotel. Later in the morning we will wander through the local fruit markets, where you can enjoy the colours and flavours of fruits you’d never stumble across at your local grocery store back home. Then, marvel at the centuries of old artworks, tools and manuscripts of the Batak Karo culture at a nearby museum. Then it’s back in the air-conditioned car and on to the heart of the Leuser ecosystem, Ketambe! On the way we will stop at Kafe Juma for lunch, where you can sample the finest local coffee from the surrounding plantations while enjoying beautiful mountain views. We will arrive in Ketambe in the late afternoon, where we will check in, relax, and have a briefing for jungle trekking the next day! Accommodation: Sumatra Jungle Guesthouse Transportation: Private vehicle (4hr drive with multiple stops)

Day 3 - It’s Jungle time in Ketambe!

We head off into the jungle after breakfast, searching for wildlife, and observing the natural behaviours of the local sumatran orangutan, and lucky for us, you never have to venture too far. So don’t worry, we tend to only walk a few kilometres a day, and at a very slow pace in order not to miss anything hanging out in the trees. Our experienced guides will seek out wildlife and answer all your questions, while our lovely porters prepare camp, set up your sleeping area, and start preparing a jungle banquet! You will spend the night next to a rainforest stream with a beautiful swimming hole. Accommodation: Rainforest camping Transportation: Hiking

Day 4 - Jungle Hot Springs!

You will continue searching for wildlife, while slowly trekking deeper into the jungle, and by lunchtime you will arrive at your camp for night 2, the world famous Ketambe Hot Springs! An idyllic location, where natural hot springs mix with fast flowing water, creating pools of varying temperatures to relax in. The volcanic minerals that crystallise when the hot spring water reaches the surface attract a huge array of butterflies, plus other jungle animals looking for a salt-lick to substitute their diet! Night treks are also possible if you just ask your guide, as once nightfalls, it’s a great time to see the nocturnal animals, like slow loris or stunning snakes!

Day 5 - Return from the Jungle

You will wander around the jungle looking for wildlife, as you slowly make your way back to base camp for lunch, and emerge from the jungle in the afternoon; replenished and revitalised by the wondrous Leuser ecosystem. You will then return to the guest house to freshen up, and enjoy a restaurant meal in your guest house!

Day 6 - Ketambe village exploration

To start the day your guide will take you for a stroll through Ketambe village, dropping in to see a native bee farm where you can sample some jungle honey. You will then relax by the banks of the Alas river at the Elephant Horn cafe. After some drinks and snacks you will get to experience authentic village life; collecting local produce and preparing a meal with a local family; this is a cooking class where you truly embrace the local cultural practises. After enjoying the meal with the family, it’s free time, with the possibility of an afternoon motorbike tour to a waterfall! Optional extra*: For your last evening in Ketambe, it’s possible to organise a performance of the Saman dance, an ancient ritual performed by groups of young Gayo men throughout the highlands of the Leuser ecosystem; once you see the rapid synchronised hand movements required to perform the Saman dance, you will realise why it is also called the dance of a thousand hands.*A Saman dance performance requires a separate payment of €200 which is paid directly to the Ketambe youth organisation. Accommodation: Sumatra Jungle Guesthouse Transportation: Possible motorbike tour, otherwise enjoying wandering around the village

Day 7 - Ketambe -> Takengon

We depart the jungle sanctuary of Ketambe and travel to the picturesque Lake Laut Tawar in Takengon. This small city over a kilometre above sea level is the centre of Gayo culture. The mountains that surround this alpine lake grow world famous coffee which we sample on a Kopi Gayo tasting tour, we will then settle down in a lakeside hotel for the evening

Day 8 - Takengon -> Pulau Weh

We will wake up early, and finish our journey to Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh. Time permitting, we will make a short visit to the memorial museum of the 2004 tsunami, before hopping on an afternoon ferry transfer to the tropical island paradise of Pulau Weh; we will enjoy our stay here at a beachside resort.

Day 10 - Pulau Weh

We head out into the tropical waters teeming with marine life, taking in all the wonders of this underwater paradise. Later in the afternoon we relax by the waters edge, sipping coconuts, as the sunsets over this serene island getaway.

Day 11 - Pulau Weh island adventures!

We head out onto the water again, this time to other dives sites further offshore, with an afternoon of free time to soak up the last evening of your sumatran sojourn.

Day 12 - Selamat Jalan - Enjoy your onward journey!

We transfer back to Banda Aceh, and depending on your flight time we can explore the markets of Banda Aceh, where you can buy a top quality sarong and sample more of the delicious spicy food Aceh is famous for! Or by all means extend your stay in Pulau Weh, or even come back with us to Ketambe!