Gunung Leuser National Park

Meet orangutans in the rainforest of SumatraGunung Leuser National Park on the island of Sumatra is the only place where animals such as tigers, orangutans, Asian elephants and Sumatran rhinos all live in the same habitat.

Gunung Leuser National Park is a nature reserve on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is the only place where animals such as tigers, orangutans, Asian elephants and Sumatran rhinos live.

The nature park is located on the island of Sumatra and is seen as a gem. This is one of the best examples of rainforest in Asia. It's wild, warm, wet and yet very cool.

It is a relatively young national park that was only established in 1980; parts have been protected for some time. It is now on the list of World Heritage by UNESCO. That says something about Gunung Leuser National Park.

Gunung Leuser National Park is perfect to experience the rich nature of Indonesia. There are various tours to spot the various wildlife.

Hiking in Gunung Leuser.

The orangutans of Gunung Leuser

Gunung Leuser National Park is a rich rainforest, and its most beloved inhabitant is the orangutan. Most visitors want to see an orangutan. Whatever you really have a chance at. These great apes are regularly seen in the canopies of the forest.

Most guides know the behaviour of the animals well. They know roughly where they are, literally. There are various tours available in the park. some are focused on wildlife, others on nature in general.

It’s home to the Sumatran orangutan, which is slightly different to the Bornean orangutan. These primates are regularly spotted in the wild here, though logging is a big threat to these animals.

Other wildlife in Gunung Leuser

A Thomas's langur in Gunung Leuser National park.

You might see animals like orangutan, tiger, Asian elephant and Sumatran rhinoceros. But, the tiger and rhinoceros are rarely seen. For the others you need to have a bit of luck.

In this jungle other monkeys here such as the white-handed gibbon, the Thomas langur and the Java monkey live. These are spotted quite often. Hikers regularly come across the colourful Sumatran peacock-pheasant.

Mount Gunung Leuser

Gunung Leuser National Park is a rich rainforest, that you can easily visit. The park is named after the Gunung Leuser, a mountain of no less than 3,381 meters. You will not always see this impressive mountain through the dense rainforest. He is also called Leuserberg.

Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang is the entrance to the park for most visitors. And also the base for many to visit Gunung Leuser National Park. You can book numerous nature tours and trekkings to enter the park.

You can arrange it on the spot, but  also in advance through a tour operator. This prevents the bad luck that the tours are full. But you have much less freedom when you're in Gunung Leuser.

Bohorok Rehabilition Centre

An orangutan in Bohorok Rehabilitation Centre.

It’s worth visiting the Bohorok Rehabilitation Centre, a rescue centre for orangutans in Bukit Lawang. After paying an entrance fee you can meet these majestic animals. And you can go for a walk in the jungle to see them.

Bat Cave

The Bat Cave is a popular tour.

The Bat Cave is Just outside Bukit Lawang . This is an impressive cave that you easily can visit via. At the entrance you see guides you can hire for some money.

They have a lamp for you to see the cave much better. And as the name suggests, you can spot countless bats hanging from the ceiling.

Visiting Gunung Leuser National Park

From Medan you can easily travel by bus to Bukit Lawang. A minivan is also an option. The ride takes about 3 to 4 hours.

Best time for Gunung Leuser National Park

Try to avoid the rainy season, which lasts from September to January. It often rains here for a short time, but it does rain hard. This makes the paths very soggy, among other things. And many animals will find a shelter, so it's hard to spot them.

However, the temperature is also much cooler. Making a long trek is way more easy. After the rain the sun shows itself again. And it is much quieter in the park with tourists.

The best time is from March to July. Then you have a lot of sunshine and it is also a lot less damp. But it get's more crowded as well.