West Of Wallace Line
Ecolodge Bukit Lawang
Located on the banks of the Sungai Bohorak river, in the heart of the Gunung Leuser National Park, this lodge offers the perfect base for exploring the wildlife of the jungle and many forest treks. Bukit Lawang is a peaceful village in the province of North Sumatra, and staying at the Ecolodge is not only a unique experience but also a personal statement in support of sustainable tourism, with proceeds from the lodge going to support the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme to protect this critically endangered species.
The lodge was initially established in order to complement the Bohorok Environmental Education Programme and therefore aims to increase awareness towards biodiversity conservation and implementation of proper eco-tourism.it is consequently the perfect place for wildlife lovers to experience an authentic and environmentally friendly stay in this wonderful area.
There is an onsite garden which provides many fruits and vegetables used in the restaurant, and the lodge sources other ingredients from a nearby eco farm, avoiding all chemical additives to give guests pure and fresh food.
Facilities
Each bungalow is equipped with a mosquito net, fan and en suite shower. The large airy restaurant serves traditional Indonesian cuisine.
Local Wildlife
Enjoy the unique event of observing Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutans in their natural habitat, as well as the chance to spot the Thomas leaf monkey – found only in North Sumatra. Discover exotic flowers, among them wild orchids and the giant Rafflesia, some of which you may have only known until now from your local florist, and others perhaps not. Discover an astonishing variety of insects, many of which have developed incredible abilities to blend in with the environment or in mimicking poisonous relatives, in order to protect themselves from predators.
Optional Activities
Explore the Sumatran rainforest on bird and nature walks, and jungle treks to see semi-wild orangutan. Visit the local eco farm, or take a trip to the town to meet locals and learn about their culture and crafts. The market is a fun attraction, as is the daily elephant washing in Tangkahan in which guests can partake.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
The food and rooms were good. [Bukit Lawang Ecolodge] is also very well placed for visiting the adjacent national park.
If you have any questions regarding our Indonesia tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
We are back and all I can say is what a fantastic tour! Thank you so much for organising, we have both fallen in love with Indonesia and cannot wait to go back to see other things. Sulawesi was fabulous –the diving was so good it was like being in an aquarium. The tarsiers were all that I expected but the black macaques were so much more!
The first evening walk to see the Tarsiers, on the way we saw two Cuscus hanging about in the trees. We saw a couple of Macaques but the main event was the Tarsiers. We saw six in one tree and they are more cute/ugly as their photos. I could have stayed there all night watching them.
The next day we travelled back to see the Macaques, we were a little late and thought we had missed them as a we got to a group of people who had been watching them the macaques turned away into the bush. We carried on walking to look for kingfishers when we found ourselves in the middle of a monkey gang fight. Rambo 1 and Rambo 2 troops had travelled onto each other’s territory and all hell broke loose! They didn’t care that we were there they just rushed back and forth hollering at each other, it was so exciting watching it.
Once all the testosterone subsided Rambo 2 relaxed and groomed each other we just stood in the middle of them watching them for ages. One climbed a tree to communicate with me by sticking his tongue out and showing me some very strange facial expressions – Stewart thought he was asking me to be his 3rd wife! As we stood watching them relaxing, one came to play with my shoelaces and then another liked my trousers, then a brave one climb up me and started grooming my hair! He didn’t give up easily, sticking his fingers in my eyes and kept looking at me seeing how I was reacting– it was a fantastic experience all round.
All that is left to say is thank you again for giving us the wide variety of what we can see in Indonesia, it has whetted our appetite to see more! Now to plan for next year –we will be in touch soon!