Mount Leuser Eco Tour Programme

Geographically, the Leuser Ecosystem lies between 3-4.5° North and 96.5-98° East. It covers approximately 2.6 million hectares of tropical rain forest, encompassing 890,000 hectares of designated national park, as well as extensive areas of protection and production forests. The ecosystem contains two major volcanoes, three lakes, and nine major river systems that flow to the east and west coasts of the island.

The first official statement of intent to protect the Leuser Ecosystem was signed in 1934. The Leuser International Foundation (a non-profit non-government organization) was established in the late 1990's when the ecosystem was seriously under threat from illegal logging and wildlife poaching.

Mount Leuser National Park is one of the largest national parks in the world, containing over 1.094.692 hectares of virgin rainforest. The park is home to orangutans, gibbons, monkeys, elephants, tigers, and among the last of the Sumatran rhinoceros. There are research facilities for the study of primates, birds and insects, the Orangutans rehabilitation center at Bukit Lawang being the most popular with tourists. It is possible to raft Alas River from Ketambe to the Indian Ocean on a 4 - 5 day expedition. The journey takes us through exciting white-water rapids to the calmer, crocodile-infested waters of the lowlands. Basic accommodation is available at Ketambe.

The Leuser National Park of Gunung Leuser is probably the wildest in Indonesia, located in Southeast Aceh, can be reached from either Kutacane, or Takengon. This magnificent national park has a wealth of flora and fauna. The Leuser Ecosystem is an outstanding wilderness in Aceh northern Sumatra. It is one of the richest expanses of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia. More than 2.5 million hectares in size, it is the last place on earth where elephants, rhinos, tigers, clouded leopards, and orangutans are found within one area.

Mount Leuser National Park is one of the biggest national parks in Indonesia (950,000 hectare). Actually, it's a collection of various nature reserves and forests: Nature Reserve Mount Leuser, Nature Reserve Kappi, Nature Reserve Kluet, Sikundur Langkat Wildlife Reserve, Ketambe Research Station, Singkil Barat and Dolok Sembilin. Most parts of the national park lie in the region Aceh Tenggara (SE Aceh). Other parts are situated in the region east Aceh, south Aceh, and Langkat.

Mount Leuser National Park comprises more than 100 kilometers of the Bukit Barisan Mountains. Because of that, the park consists of steep, almost inaccessible mountainous terrain. The altitude ranges from 0 meter, in Kluet (South Aceh), to 3,381 meter, on top of the mount Leuser (Southeast Aceh). The Alas River cuts the park into an eastern and western half. Apart from mountains we find several other ecosystems: beach forest, swamp areas, lowland rainforest, alpine and mountain forest. In Bukit Lawang is the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Station and in Ketambe stands the Ketambe research station.

The Leuser Ecosystem has an enormous level of biodiversity. It contains at least 127 mammal species, including the Sumatran elephant, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, and Sumatran orangutan. About 8,500 different plant species grow in the beach, swamp, lowland, mountain and alpine ecosystems of the Leuser Ecosystem. Of the 10,000 plant species recorded in the West Indo-Malayan Region, 45% are found in the Leuser Ecosystem. Spectacular plants such as Rafflesia (the largest flower in the world) and Amorphophallus (the tallest flower in the world) are among the plants protected there.

SUMATERA ORANG UTAN ECO-TRIP

Working together with our friend from a travel agent partner in Medan, here we presented a special trip to visit the orang utang rehabilitation center of Bohorok, part of the Leuser national park. Most of this orang-utan were conficated from local people who treated them as pet. Here at the rehabilitation center, ranger and experts training this tamed beast to survive in the natural habitat again.

Day 1 : Medan – Bohorok ( L,D)

•           Arrive at Medan airport, meet and greet at the airport then depart for Bohorok

•           ( Southern part of Leuser National Park ). Drive north – westward to Bohorok (about 3 hours drive from Medan), to see Orang Utan rehabilitation at Bukit Lawang in Bohorok Village where Orang Utans are trained to return to their natural habitat. En route passing through several small towns followed by vast view of rubber and oil palm plantations with some countryside landscape. Arrive in Bohorok, first walk along the riverbank to the crossing point and cross the river by small canoe to the Orang Utan rehabilitation center, check in to Eco Lodge. Walk around the hill through the rain forest to see the activities of those illegally captured and young orang utans which are trained to return to their natural habitat. Return to the lodge For dinner and accomodation.

Day 2 : Bohorok – Leuser National Park Trekking (B,L,D)

•           After breakfast, commence / start fullday trekking and hiking in the tropical rain forest around the station, accompanied by local ranger, for wildlife viewing. If you are lucky you may encounter Orang Utan, leaf monkey, macaque, gibbons, siamang and abundant bird life. Afternoon, return to hotel for overnight.

Day 3. Bahorok – Medan(B)

Brekfast at the Lodge, Affter brekfast drive back to Medan via the same route as from medan to Bahorok. Arrive in Medan . End of journey

Included:

•           Air conditioned mini bus: Polonia Airport – Bukit Lawang .- Medan.

•           Meals as indicate in the itinerary (B = breakfast, L = Lunch D = dinner)

•           Bukit Lawang exploration

•           Ranger

•           English, German , Spanish Speaking guide.

•           Entrance fee and donation

Not included:

•           Domestic/International ticket + airport tax

•           Travel insurance

•           Lunch and Dinner (see the itinerary)

•           Porter, laundry, telephone

•           Alcoholic beverages

•           Personal expenses

•           All kinds of expenditures incur due to flight cancellations/delays or due to other causes beyond our control (“force majeure”)