Jungle Inn - Gunung Leuser National Park Trek - Bukit Lawang, Sumatra, Indonesia

April 10

Bukit Lawang - Jungle Inn (jungleinn-bukitlawang.com)

We spent some time on the patio taking in the beautiful scenery and a few monkeys were across the Bahorok River. Since we arrived in the dark last night, we walked around the lodge before going to breakfast.

patio

view of the river and the restaurant from our patio

mist over the trees

Macaques on the other side of the river

entry to Jungle Inn

meeting area for the trekking 

dining room

river side dining

Breakfast was plentiful and very good, and it was very relaxing eating with a river view. We then went back to the room to pick up some things for the hike.

veggie omelet - came with roasted potatoes

We met our guide Rosy and his assistant Injahn. (I’m sure neither of those names are spelled right) They led the 4 of us past some of the same part of the village of Bukit Lawang that we came in by motorcycle last night in the dark.

We then crossed the river on a long suspension bridge. It was a pretty steep climb to get up to the forest. Rosy stopped to show us the imported rubber trees and anything else we came across. The beginning of the trek was a lot of uphill steps and then we relied on tree roots that provided rudimentary steps. It took the side of surrounding trees to get us up and down the various areas. The guide Rosy was in front and Injahn, his assistant stayed in back and they both helped any of us needing assistance in the difficult parts.

Rosy stopped to show us all kinds of little things along the way

quite a few shops on either side of the walkway

crossing the suspension bridge

families enjoying the pools in the river

Rosy telling us about the hike

the steep climb

rubber tree - sap collecting

Before we even got to the forest, we saw Orangutans! There was a mom and baby Orangutan and at least 2 others. I started feeling sick probably due to my occipital neuralgia (the looking up can make me dizzy) or the heat after climbing all the steps) but I blamed it on antibiotics as I thought that was easier to explain to the guide. With Orangutans around, it was quite bad timing on my part. I moved away from the group behind some bushes and tried to hurl but couldn’t. I took a Pepto to settle my stomach and sat for a while. As I was sitting a couple of the orangutans went right over my head. Awesome! I felt better for the rest of the trek, as it left me as quickly as it came on.

At first, they were buried in the trees and very active and eventually they came down and were extremely close, even going right over our heads. I included a lot of the backlit and blurry ones as it does show how active they were and left some heads in the photos to show how close they were.

our first sighting of Orangutans

I stepped behind some bushes when I thought I might vomit and saw these

they went right over my head where I was sitting

I left the heads in the photos to show how close they were

see the head in the photo they went right over us

After spending a long time observing them, we proceeded on until we got to the entrance of Gunung Leuser National Park. We got our photo ops at the entrance and continued on.

Gunung leuser National Park rules

we arrived at the entrance of  the park

the happy hikers

Since we got a later start, they combined the fruit stop with our lunch. We all pre-ordered chicken sandwiches and InJahn prepared the fruits while we sat on a log. He cut pineapples, dragon fruit, watermelon, passion fruit, snake fruit and bananas. He refilled our water bottles and now that we were well fed and rested, we finished the trek.

pretty vine on the log

Greg waiting to see if I can make it over the fallen tree

the assistant guide Injohn (not sure of spelling)

termites

part of the trail - the clay was really pretty

me taking a break

growing on the log where I was sitting

I no more than said “I hope we see the funky monkey” as I was resting on a log when one pregnant one came down very close. Cathy and I sat close to her for photos. There was a second one back in the trees, but it didn’t come close. The “funky monkey” is Thomas’s langur aka North Sumatran leaf monkey or Thomas's leaf monkey. It’s a species of primate that is endemic to northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Earlier we saw a kingfisher and later a rhinoceros hornbill. (no decent photos)

Thomas's langur aka North Sumatran leaf monkey or Thomas's leaf monkey

pregnant female that came down to check us out

I think we made a connection...lol

Cathy having her monkey time

the guide said this was our lodge, but it wasn't - we joked it would be nice if we could just zipline over

Rosy stopped to show us a Cicada hole where they emerged from the ground. Cicadas could be heard almost everywhere we have been in nature.

We crossed a national spring after resting and cooling off in it. It felt nice washing my hands and face in it.

natural spring creek

Greg picked up a hitchhiker

Finally, the trek got easier, and we arrived at the spot where we were to board the river tubes for the trip back to the lodge. With shoes off it was hard on these old feet, but they helped us get in the tubes and the cool water felt good. What a thrilling ride over very easy whiter water rapids. They sang songs to entertain us as we went along. “In the jungle the mighty jungle, the orangutans sleep tonight” and other songs they changed the words for local sites.

the group ahead of us

leeches - Greg managed to get one off after he was bleeding through his sock

our raft, we were in front and the Krills in back

A toe cramp kept me from getting out of the tube right away, but finally we made it. Drenched, we came back to the room and washed our clothes and put them out on the drying rack on the patio. A traditional massage was included in our tour, but we all declined.

We had them come and fix our hot water and we got a shower in the trickle of water that came out. To get more water flow the water wasn’t hot anymore. Just a glitch in our room as Tom & Cathy said theirs worked fine.

Due to the monkeys had to stay on the patio to guard the drying clothing. Greg had ordered us chocolate and banana shakes and they delivered them to the room. One large macaque hit the balcony wall but moved on quickly. Greg walked to the village and got cold Diet Cokes. We spent more time on the balcony until it was time for dinner. We brought in the drying rack to put in front of the fan when we left. 

chocolate banana shakes

watching other tubers floating on the flat part of the river from the patio

Dinner was again very good. For dessert we ordered banana fritters and the “banana I scream”. I was thinking it would be a scoop or two to go with our fritters, but what came out was a banana split. Fritters were so-so, but what a great banana split. What a fitting ending to our wonderful day!

Chicken Rendang

Fiish Arsik

I'm assuming the spelling of ice cream was on purpose

banana split aka banana I scream

banana fritters

a lady we met at breakfast took our photo and the end of our rafting

I originally hadn’t put this area on our itinerary since I was worried the hike would be too much for us, but Jason assured me the guides were very patient and since it was just the 4 of in the group, they would go at our pace. This area is the number one place to see Orangutans in the wild and the place where we were on Borneo is number 2. I’m so glad I added it as it was so worth it to see them so close up. (never a guarantee of course….) Some people go deeper into the jungle and there are trips that are days long sleeping in the jungle. I’m sure they see more critters, but I was very happy with our experience.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KhGrYXLSoN5pCewu6