Sumatra Jungle Adventure Reviews

Daisy C 2018.03.25

     

Verified

Special experience (2 night/3 day trek) Firstly I must say we googled companies having decided to do a jungle trek and the reviews for Sumatra jungle adventure made us pick them. Everything was organised via email with no prior payment taken. One of the guys was at our guest house in Bukit Lawang when we arrived late the night before. He was super friendly and made us feel at ease.The next morning we met our guide Ando along with associate guide Tyson and Agys the jungle master chef! They were all friendly and relaxed while we sorted ourselves out. We did a 2 night 3 day trip in low- medium season. At first we were taken aback by how busy the jungle trails were but we soon forgot about this when we saw our first up close glimpse of the beautiful orang-utans. we knew it didn’t matter about the other groups then! Very special to see them in their natural habitat. Ando the guide was full of interesting information about the jungle and the animals all the way!As we trekked further it got quieter.We camped alone. The camp was VERY basic but it is the jungle! A bamboo structure with plastic covering open at the front. With a mosquito net (that had seen better days!) and very very thin mat to sleep on (I mean seriously thin and uncomfortable!) we were a little worried about this fact, but when Agys set out the feast of food all cooked on an open fire (WAW!- best food we’ve had in our month of travelling!) delicious! We had a fun evening with the guys. We didn’t sleep well and it was uncomfortable but waking up in the jungle is spectacular! Day two was great. It is a lot of up and down over and across the dense jungle hills but we really enjoyed it! Do need lots of mosquito spray and water! We saw more orangutans and some other monkeys and birds.Second camp was even more basic with a really great view of the river, and was a great place to swim!Another uncomfortable night was had.We river tubed back to Bukit Lawang on three large rubber rings tied together captained by Agys and Ando. This was a lot of fun and a real relief from the humidity of the last couple of days walking for 6-7 hours a day!All in all a really great experience. We’d like to go back for longer!Ando the guide and Tyson were really great! Can’t fault them. Lovely guys. Agys made the most delicious food and was a friendly chap.Our only issue was the mats to sleep on.The day we got back Sopian the owner came to get our feedback and was great to chat to. He’s going to look into seeing what changes can be made given the limitations of getting stuff in and out of the jungle. Perhaps if it can’t be changed it can be mentioned so that people can carry their own mat if they want to :)Another important point was how respectful of the jungle the guys were. Taking all the rubbish/ fruit skin etc with us/ keeping distance from the orang-utans not making noises or disturbing them etc like we saw other groups doing. What a great experience.We will be back!! Thanks so much especially to Ando, Tyson and Agys!

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Mari H 2017.11.21

     

Verified

5 days 4 night jungle trip Positive sides:- welcoming reception and nice people- amazing food during the hike- interesting treck + quite a lot of wildlife to see-very friendly stuff and people Negative sides:- other guide who joined us later didnt explain us enough about wildlife, route etc. we had to ask many things and sometimes got minimal reply/information.- we were promised air mattresses,closed tent and sleeping bags. What we actually got was "mattresses" so thin that it can be called more floor cover that just prevents from cold, no softening function there. "Sleeping bags" where actually just sheets, that were not enough to keep you warm and cozy in night. Tents were just plastic that was put over wood sticks to protect from rain, but there were no mosquito nets or doors, all was opened. - rafting back on jungle taxi can be extremely dangerous. One of the rafts we were using turned around and 3 of us were stuck under raft in the fast flowing water. There were no instructions given prior the rafting nor no helmets provided. Luckily we survived.Suggestions for the tour company: - please advise customers about what kind of equipement is actually provided, we would have taken our own sleeping bag and mattress, if we would know, and there wouldnt be no problems.- please do instruction before rafting, what to do when there is a accident with the raft etc. also please provide helmets.- please make sure your guides are helpful and inform the group about the hike, track, wildlife etc- please inform your customers about leeches in wet season and that high socks (many pairs) are must! Also please advice customers that part of the treck is in the river (with longer trecks), so they know to prepare appropriate shoes (waterproof shoes is misleading in this context). Worth of reccomending local rubber shoes that can be bought from Bukit Lawang with 1 EUR.Overall i personally enjoyed a lot the hike and experience in jungle and the service of the tour company was good, just some things should be definetely improved and changed.

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Beatriz R 2017.04.06

     

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Awesome experience We did a 6 day trek in the jungle and these guys were awesome. They made it really easy to organise as they even booked our flights from KL and the transfer from Medan. The accommodation before the trek was outstanding, the food in the jungle was amazing as most of it was actually picked from the jungle which it made it even better. They really looked after us as some parts of the trek were challenging. We also got to see some orangutans which was great and Bukit Lawang is an awesome little village worth spending some time there. An outstanding experience!!!

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Marie-Louise H 2017.01.20

     

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Fantastic Jungle treek Thank you so much for making our stay in Sumatra something really special to remember:)You took us rafting and Jungle trekking. Our guide Jay did an amazing job, we got to see lot of orangutans and other animals. We felt safe and taken cared of the hole time. My daughter really enjoyed all the tricks and games Jay showed us during dinner in the junglecamp. We can absolutly recommed Sumatra Jungle adventure! The Hok family (2 kids 8Y and 11Y)

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cdingemanse 2016.10.24

     

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Amazing jungle tour! Wow! Amazing jungle tour. Very well arranged. Good food and knowledgeable guide! Jay! You were great! Only thing was we got robbed of 300 euro. Dont take money into the jungle! Xx

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A w 2016.10.17

     

Verified

Amazing jungle experience! I booked a 3 day trek with Sumatra jungle adventure, after reading all the great reviews online. I arrived late the night before the booked trek and felt I needed one extra day to get some sleep and strength. So I asked to postpone the trek with one day. This was no problem whatsoever. I met up with my guide Jay, who explained what the trek was going to be like, what was good to bring etc. (enough dry clothes, rain jacket, toilet paper, swimwear etc) I didn't have good trekking shoes, so he recommended me to buy these kind of plastic water shoes that look like football shoes. All the guides wear them. They only cost me 30.000 RP. I was really happy I bought them cause the trek can be muddy and slippery. The trek was really the coolest experience I had in my 5 weeks traveling in Indonesia. I absolutely loved it! The nature, seeing all the wild animals, especially the orangutans! We saw many and they came very close. Not to have electricity, wifi, hot water etc, made me so happy! Just being in nature. Jay was very knowledgeable about the nature, the animals and the jungle. The camps that we stayed at for the night were both at the river. There we could swim and rest. The food provided was very tasty! I mentioned when booking the trip I was vegan and they provided me with great food; lots of fruit, fried rice with vegetables, curry, tempeh and rice. Jay, the other guides we ran into and the guy preparing our meals were so kind. We played card games in the evenings and the atmosphere was just great!I honestly would do another trek in a heartbeat. Preferably a longer one, to really experience the jungle even more. I would highly recommend booking a trek trough Sumatra Jungle adventure. It's an experience of a lifetime! You will not regret it!

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Nadia P 2016.05.23

     

Verified

Enthralling from the start We booked a 7 day trek with this company, having been impressed by some of the other reviews, the pictures and the quick and helpful responses from Andrya, the manager.We were met at the airport and driven down to Burkit Lawang in a private vehicle. It can be a long drive between 3-5 hours depending on the time of day and traffic, and thanks to the condition of the road it can be bumpy, but our driver was pretty skilled and it was a fairly comfortable journey.We arrived quite late in the night, but were still greeted by Omano, our guide, who gave us a brief of what we should expect on the first day. Accomodation was provided, and is basic but very welcoming. Besides if you are undertaking a trek in the jungle, you won’t be overly fussy when there is a bed in sight.You need a certain attitude to go trekking in the jungle – it is hard going and some of the trek can feel a little impossible but just keep putting one foot in front of the other– we trekked for around four hours a day, but the scenery and the abundance of wildlife you see is so worthwhile. Every person will have their own experience so we won’t bore you with the wonders of all that we saw, but Omano was both knowledgeable and experienced in finding and pointing out these wonders.Alongside Omano, was a team of three guys, Ram, Imran and Buoy – who were tasked with setting up our camp every night and providing food and water. Without a doubt these guys, in particular Ram and Buoy made the trek simply fabulous. With tireless energy and smiles that never quit, these guys were incredibly resourceful and whipped up a magnificent feast at every meal time. Ensuring we were greeted with tea/coffee and a variety of sweet biscuits at every meal time, breakfasts were triple decker club sandwiches or pancakes, and lunches and dinners were always inventive, different every night and filling as they could be. Portions were huge and despite leaving no trace of food on my plate night, I think I offended this lovely lot by not having thirds.Ram kept us entertained nightly with brain teasers, card tricks and games – and the three of them had no problems looking after our every need. Buoy is a masterchef genius who just kept impressing us with is skills and resourcefulness! Fruit is abundant as well and I guarantee you will not have tasted pineapples as sweet as those you have for dessert.These guys truly made us feel like royalty as they do all they can to carry some much equipment and ease any strain you may have with the trek and jungle conditions. Top tips and hints – sleeping at night, despite having a tent and an air mattress provided, it can be pretty hard going on your bones. If you can take another mattress for padding then that’s advisable. Spray your tents with insect repellent and you should avoid getting bitten.Water is provided, but it’s boiled so will have a smoky taste to it – this can be disguised easily with the concentrated juice capsules/bottles now available in most shops. Alternatively – cold tea is very refreshing.Drying your clothes is impossible – so washing them isn’t recommended. As long as you have two sets of clothing, one for the jungle and one for the camp – you will be fine. You get to bathe in the river every night, I wore a bikini under a t-shirt as there really isn’t much privacy.For footwear, the terrain of this jungle trek I would advise light weight trekking shoes, possibly trainers with good grip as most of the ground tends to be firm but smooth unlike mountain treks.In regards toiletries, a basic all in one hair+ body wash should suffice with cleansing wipes for when nature calls and a discreet outdoor bathroom trip arises. You don’t need water purification tablets, just insect repellent.Although food is ample, snacks such as fruit bars and nuts are handy and the guides are always grateful to share them with you as it will often be things they don’t have available.A head torch and a back-up power back for your devices really are essential.

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PlanetMoores 2016.02.13

     

Verified

Integrity and experience Omano is a an experienced guide with integrity and passion for the place. He is knowledgeable about both the plants and resident animals. His English is good. He was very responsive to our internet inquiries (unlike two other places) and tailored a trip to meet our interests. Though there was a last minute glitch in the accommodations (Sam's "lost" the reservation that had been made weeks in advance), Omano found us another place on the riverside (Mboy Guesthouse--good; see review) and made it right. His associates (Ian, Imran--driver,and Tona--assistant guide) were professional, courteous and helpful. Tono (?) went ahead of us on the trek to look for siamang and was very, very helpful in the long, steep, slippery descent down to the river (and guesthouse) at the end.

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Clem1956 2016.02.12

     

Verified

Een mooie maar zware tocht Het is er prachtig! Het hotel iets te primitief alleen koud water. De tocht was zwaar veel klimmen langs lianen en glibberig. Dus heel spannend! Maar wel de Oerang Oetangs gezien. Fantastische! en terug over het water op rubber banden. Heerlijk relex.

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janewatson62 2016.01.21

     

Verified

Trip of a lifetime We were a little nervous as we began our 8-day trek from Bukit Lawang to Kutacane as everyone in Bukit Lawang had looked at us aghast when we said we were heading out for a week in the jungle! But thanks to the expert guiding of Baik and his team of Boi, Oyou and Am, we managed what was the most physically challenging trek of our lives. By day we would walk along and across a number of rivers and by night would relax in our bamboo and plastic camp to feast on a delightful dinner of freshly caught fish while watching the fireflies and counting the stars. Nothing was too much trouble for our fabulous team and they worked at all times to keep us safe as we made our way across chest-deep water and followed the near vertical animal tracks up the mountains. We saw fresh tiger prints, followed elephant tracks, witnessed the rare Rafflesia Arnoldii flower (the largest flower in the world), photographed a lime green ular bulan (moon snake) and enjopyed countless coloured butterfies that would land on our wet clothes when we hung them out to dry.This is certainly not a trip for the faint-hearted. The terrain is tough and the conditions are hard but the rewards certainly make the effort worth it. Just be sure to bring your own sleeping mat as the rocky ground can be quite uncomfortable at times. Also, a healthy supply of bandaids for leech bites on the feet and water shoes with good grip are essential. We feel truly privileged to have had this experience and want to thank Omano, Baik and the boys for their knowledge, their help and their wonderful company. We cannot recommend Sumatra Jungle Adventure highly enough. This was certainly the trip of a lifetime.

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Franka M 2015.11.23

     

Verified

Great trip into the jungle We shared a great time in the Sumatra jungle. The organisation was really good, Omano and his team did a really great job to make our trekking tour a familiar and comfortable stay. We were especially interested in an individual tour with small groups and local guides that could tell a bit about their home, the jungle. All of these issues were given, the guides were really well informed, enthusiastic about the jungle, supportive and open-minded. The Food was great. So if you are looking for a trip to the real jungle and be off the beaten track, then stick to Omano and Rasta and the other really nice guides from his team.Take care, guys.Maybe we return to your place some day. We really hope that it will, with the help of everyone, be possible to retain this wonderful peace of earth. By joining Omano and his guides you support local employment. It is worth doing so.Love,Franka and Bernhard

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Steve M 2015.09.13

     

Verified

Epic, Immersive and Amazing I had unsure expectations prior to departing on my 5-day 4-night trek. I arrived in Bukit Lawang the night before we departed and was greeted by a festive atmosphere of recently returned trekkers, guides and others like myself. Over local "Bintang" beer (average in taste but surprisingly strong) I heard the stories of the trekkers who had just gotten back.Most had done a 1 night 2 day adventure and the crowd was consisted of those in the early to mid-twenties. From what I gathered, everyone had an amazing time and it seemed the whole experience was a sort of souped up river raft party in the jungle (beers included).My experience, however, was entirely difference. Our lead guide was a 65-year old man who had been living in the jungle with a guide for over 45 years. He deeply loved and respected the jungle and was truly one with nature. Our party consisted of our lead with two assistants who were in charge of a family of four and myself. The tone of our trek was entirely different of the party expectations I had built during the festivities of the first night. It was challenging as we hiked for more than 8 hours per day, often blazing our own trail up steep inclines with machetes and fording swift-moving rivers. We were also entirely alone the entire time - not once did we see a single other person.Our guides had a keen eye for nature and identified wonders for us such as elephant tracks and evidence of where a tiger slept. We saw lots of truly wild monkeys and learned about the abundance of edible plants and nature the jungle had to offer us. One evening we had a curry consisting of freshly cut bamboo, a potatoes and a plant I still have yet to identify. Accommodations, expectedly, were basic. At each campsite existed a wooden framework which the guides would attach black tarps on on all but one side, this final side served as the entrance. The sleeping pads were extremely thin, so consider bringing your own. Also, there were surprisingly few mosquitos! The food as well was tasty and fulfilling.In summary, it was an excellent experience and well worth the money. However, the popular 2-day 1-night treks are an entirely different experience than the 5-day trek I went on. Below is a brief breakdown of the differences:2-Day 1 Night- Guides are younger- Typical crowd is college-aged up to about early 30s- Campsite is around many other people- More of a party/campout atmosphere- You see lots of monkeys, but most are not truly wild as they are often fed- Less strenuous5-Day 4-Night- More for the "hardcore" crowd- Much more strenuous- More likely to see truly wild monkeys and other wildlife- Expect isolation, you will not be around other people- More immersiveEach are fun in their own way, but I hope my anecdote in addition to these breakdowns help you choose the right trek for your idea of fun.

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dawidcelek 2015.05.31

     

Verified

Real jungle experience! Great adventure! We got picked up at the airport in Medan and went to Bukit Lawang. We did 5 days trekking in the jungle with our guide Rainbow and the whole team carrying food and tents. I can't imagine this trip to be better than it was - lot of wildlife, nights in the jungle, games and great food - it all made our trip just perfect. Thank You Omano and see You next time!

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Janet B 2015.05.22

     

Verified

Amazing experience - but quite tough I originally booked the 3 day jungle trip, and although the experience was brilliant, I did have to cut it short by one night. The jungle is steep and requires a lot of climbing up vrry steep banks with just tree roots and branches to hold onto. The first night there was a thunderstirm with torrential rain and the terrain was so wet and slipoery the next day and with a very tricky climb next to a waterfall, I decided not torisk it. The only other alternative was to raft back to the hotel. I did really enjoy being in the jungle and got up close and personal with an orangutan which took fruit out if my hand. The camping I did not enjoy. As a single older female I did ask to do a trip with other oeople. I was very flexible with times, so could have done any dates, but ended up doing it in my own which made night time a bit if a problem as there was no ine to talk to. My tent was stuck behind the cooking tent and surrounded on three sides by black plastic sheeting. Hot, stuffy and very wet. Morning was fun watching families of monkeys playing by the side of the river and diving in for food. All in all very enjoyable but if you are going on your own try to make sure there is someone else in the trip. RAN my guide, was brilliant.

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bezkraehen 2015.05.17

     

Verified

Best jungle trip We went to Bukit Lawang for a 4 day tour and pre booked everything with Omano. I usually don't write comments on Tripadvisor but because I enjoyed my time there so much, I thought to change that. Eveything went perfectly smooth, although we only booked 2 days in advance. Our dirver to Bukit Lawang was already waiting for us when we arrived at the airport. He was very friendly and already explained a bit about the environment and the people of Sumatra. When we arrived at Bukit Lawang we were surprised about the friendliness of the people and how pretty the village is. Our accomodation was superb esxpecially taking into account that you are quite deep in the jungle, We only had time to do a one day jungle trek to see Orang Utans. But Omano made sure that we had an awesome day while hiking in the heat and he also explained a lot about the jungle and its wildlife. I never dared to hope to see so many Orang Utans up close. Although we were tracking through the jungle for many hours, we didn't feel hungy for one second because Omano and his guide made sure that we have plenty fruits and,a really delicious lunch.The next day one of Omano's drivers brought us to see the elephants in Tangkahan. Everything was perfectly organized, however be aware that this elephant tour is more like a zoo than seeing elephants in the nature. I enjoyed being so close to those amazing animals but it's also a bit sad to see them being held captive and having to endure as tourists everyday... For our last day in Bukit Lawang, Omano prepared a BBQ for us which was not only plenty but also very delicious. We really enjoyed it a lot. My friend also wanted to by some wooden souvenirs at the local shops, when asking Omano for advice where to go for the best prices, he offered to come along to help to buy it and not getting ripped off. So special thanks to Omano, his team and all the people in the village who made our trip there unforgettable !!

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S Fleurette 2015.04.28

     

Verified

Arrived as a tourist, left as a friend! I did a two day trek with three girls and Omano as our guide. It was infact not the first time I had been into the jungle in search of orang-utans, nor my first time in Bukit lawang. I was first in this lovely village for 9 days and had to come back as I simply fell in love with it. After 6 months travelling South East Asia, and usually spending no more than a week in one place, I was shocked to finally find a place which had this affect on me. The locals, the scenery, the wildlife, nothing came close.Despite this being the second trek I had done, I enjoyed it every bit as much! Omano was extremely knowledgeable and we all learnt a lot from him. He knew everything about the jungle and was clearly very passionate about it. Over the two days we saw countless orang-utans and other animals including a black gibbon and horn bills. As far as comfort went, Omano and his team found us a great place to camp next to the river. Perfect for a shower after a good day hiking through Sumatran jungle. During the night we chilled out under the stars, played cards and had a fantastic meal. Who knew food could be so good in the middle of the jungle? I had also brought along a small chess board as I knew Omano was a keen player. I only ever won once against him but Omano was happy share his wisdom and help me improve my game. After a surprisingly good nights sleep, we were free to relax in this amazing place before Omano took us to a lovely secluded waterfall. We had the place to ourselves! Unfortunately after that, the time had come to head back, but there was one last treat for us to enjoy. We were going to drift back to the village on an inflatable raft which had been brought tube by tube and assembled at camp. With Omano and another member of his team stearing us down the river, it was a very pleasant trip, leaving us to sit back and take in this incredible environment. A perfect end to a perfect tour.I stayed in Bukit lawang for around 10 more days after that, and Omano and I became very good friends, regularly meeting for a chat and a Bintang.

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Aoife_ireland100 2015.03.14

     

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Highlight of our month in Indonesia! This was an amazing experience. The trek was fantastic! We saw 11 orangutans among many more wildlife. Our guide Indra was fantastic and was really open to questions and ensured everyone was having a good time. The experience to witness the orangutans swinging from tree to tree, building nests and feeding was one I will never forget!A massive thank you to Omano (owner) and his friends who picked us up at the airport and to Bukit Lawang, followed by a great welcome and a beer when we arrived. We had dinner Omano the following day also which he insisted we did not pay for. We really felt at home in Bukit Lawang and they are some of the friendliest people you will meet. We even had a sing song with the guys from where we were staying, Jungle Inn.Would have no hesitation recommending Sumatra Jungle Adventures to anyone.

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Timosii21 2015.03.04

     

Verified

One of a kind experience Went for a 3 day trip to Bukit Lawang from Singapore. Everything from Medan airport pickup to all the activities (Jungle trecking, Elephant riding in Tangkahan & White water rafting) was organised extremely well. It was supposed to be the rain season during our stay, just after xmas, but maybe we were lucky to have nice clear weather during our stay. The only regret I have is that I should have stayed there longer.Big thanks to Omano, Indra and the rest of the crew for making our holiday unforgettable! Hope I get to come there soon again :)

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sunnerhagen 2015.02.08

     

Verified

Jungle hiking with teenager family When travelling with teenagers you need to provide a challenge - and spending five days in the Sumateran jungle was the best choice we could have made. Our team, comprising our two excellent guides Reen and Utchok together with one chef and two helpers, was very well set up by Omano - they were all great personalities with lots of humor, were themselves just as devoted to hiking as we, and knew the jungle as their own hand. Fishing in the river at camp, chatting around the fire at night, listening to the sounds of the rain forest, all of that is as much part of our memories as the trekking itself - which was something completely different from our Scandinavian experience - we now know all about holding on to lianas! Up or down - very seldom straight on :-) but always with lots to see, including meeting the Orang Utans in the wild, which was a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. How they managed to conjure excellent meals for us in the wild that even left our ever-hungry teenagers well satisfied is a miracle. As for organization, you can safely and without hesitation trust Omano and Sumatra Jungle Adventure. Omano communicates fast over email and makes excellent judgements of time and feasibility that is hard to do from home; just tell him your wishes and preferences and listen to his recommendations. We wish the best of luck for Sumatra Jungle Adventures and their teams for the future!

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J M 2015.01.26

     

Verified

Really beautiful experience, wish I had stayed longer Went on a 3 days action packed trip to Bukit Lawang, would have loved to stay a week or two. It was the days between Christmas and new year, still Omano could arrange everything according our wishes. Everything from picking us up from Medan airport to trekking, elephants in Tangkahan and rafting in the breathtaking scenery was very nicely organized. Omano and the guys even threw us a nice relaxed evening with their delicious cooking on our last night. Even if it was officially rainy season, we had a really nice weather. Thanks Omano, Indra and the rest of the guys, hope to see you soon again!

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