Orangutan Trekking

Trekking out of Bukit Lawang to find orangutans is the single most popular activity in the entire national park, and for good reason: nowhere else on earth makes seeing these animals so straightforward. Half-day, full-day and two- or three-day treks are all on offer; the longer trips camp in the forest and have a much better chance of encountering shy, fully wild animals as well as the more habituated ex-rehabilitation orangutans. Gibbons, Thomas leaf monkeys and macaques are reliable companions on any trek.

All trekking is guided — that is a non-negotiable park rule, and a sensible one. Reputable operators in Bukit Lawang are members of the local guiding cooperative and follow agreed rules about distance, feeding and group size. Avoid any guide who promises a guaranteed sighting or who offers to bring food to attract animals. Pay properly: rates are set locally and the higher prices fund park fees, conservation contributions and the guides' livelihoods.

things to do sight nature
A story
The Bohorok orangutan rehabilitation centre at Bukit Lawang was set up in 1973 by two Swiss zoologists to return captive orangutans — most confiscated from the illegal pet trade — to the wild. The official rehabilitation programme ended in 2002 but the descendants of the released animals still live in the surrounding forest. They are no longer fed and are once again essentially wild, but generations of close contact with humans mean they are still much easier to find here than anywhere else in their range.