Ketambe is the best place to see wild orangutans in Sumatra

Gunung Leuser National Park

Orangutans are native to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. These intelligent and majestic, tree-dwelling apes live in dense jungles, where they primarily feed on fruits. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered due to illegal pet trade, illegal logging, and palm oil plantations that destroy their habitats. Sumatran orangutans inhabit the northern parts of Sumatra, primarily in Gunung Leuser National Park. There are two main entry points to Gunung Leuser National Park if you want to explore and see the orangutans: Ketambe and Bukit Lawang.

Ketambe or Bukit Lawang?

Bukit Lawang is the most popular and tourist-friendly spot. It’s easy to access and has plenty of guides ready to take you on treks to spot orangutans.

Ketambe is more off-the-beaten-path and offer a far more authentic, quiet experience. Ketambe is great if you want to escape the crowds and immerse yourself deeper into the jungle, with chances to see wildlife in a more remote setting.

We visited both Ketambe and Bukit Lawang. Our initial plan was to go to Danum Valley or Kingabangtan River, but these options were quite pricey. After more research we decided to go to Sumatra. The most popular place to spot orangutans in Sumatra is Bukit Lawang. After some more research I came across information about orangutan jungle trekking in Ketambe.

Orangutans in Bukit Lawang

Most travelers head straight for Bukit Lawang which became famous due to its orangutan rehabilitation center established in 1970s.

The center drew international attention to Bukit Lawang, making it one of the few places where tourists could see orangutans up close in a semi-wild setting. Over time, the village evolved into a key destination for travelers interested in wildlife and nature. The centre was closed in 2002, and the feeding platforms were removed in 2015, as they were making orangutans dependent on feeding.

Now most of the orangutans in Bukit Lawang are semi-wild, they are used to humans, and their behavior is different from the behavior of wild orangutans. Many of the guides used to feed them that is why many of them would come down to the ground. It’s almost impossible not to see at least one orangutan in Bukit Lawang. It is definitely the most popular place to see orangutans in Sumatra and has a steady flow of tourists: around 10,000 to 15,000 tourists visit Bukit Lawang each year. So be prepared to see a lot of other people. There can be about 50 people watching one orangutan. This is what we experienced, and the guide told us that we were lucky, as usually there would be a lot more people.

Another reason why Bukit Lawang has become so popular is it is very easily accessible, it is only 90 km from Medan, and takes about 3 to 4 hours to get there.

All trekking companies in Bukit Lawang offer the same prices for orangutan trekking, as rates are set by the Guides Association. So, you won’t find lower prices by shopping around.

Orangutans in Ketambe

Ketambe on the other hand is more off the beaten path, attracting a lot fewer visitors, so it feels more remote and peaceful. It offers a more authentic jungle trek experience without tourist crowds, and the orangutans there are truly wild ones. You will see them in their natural habitat. Don’t expect them to approach you, wild orangutans avoid getting close to humans. But it’s absolutely possible to see them relaxing on the tree canopies, eating fruits, or building a nest. Binoculars may be very helpful.

Another advantage is that jungle treks in Ketambe are more than half the price of those in Bukit Lawang.

We decided to head to Ketambe first, figuring that if we didn’t spot any orangutans there, we could always go to Bukit Lawang afterward. I reached out to a few trekking companies for more details, and it turned out the prices were the same across the board (IDR 550,000 per person, per day for a 3- or 4-day trek), with similar itineraries. We didn’t book anything in advance, we just showed up in Ketambe.

Ketambe Pros:

Ketambe Cons:

• It’s harder and takes longer to reach compared to Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang Pros:

• Easy access, just a couple of hours’ drive away from Medan.
• Well-developed tourism infrastructure, with a wide range of accommodations and dining options.

Bukit Lawang Cons:

• You’re more likely to see semi-wild orangutans rather than completely wild ones.
• It’s a busy, touristy spot with many visitors viewing orangutans at the same time.
• Treks are more expensive compared to Ketambe.
• For private treks, many places require you to pay for at least four people, and group sizes are usually around six.

Ketambe: where to stay

Accommodation in Ketambe, is generally simple, budget-friendly guesthouses designed for travelers seeking a jungle adventure. Prices typically range from IRD150,000 to IDR200,000 per night.

Don’t expect luxury – most places are geared towards nature lovers who prioritize the experience over the accommodation, and there are no variety of accommodation options like in Bukit Lawang.

Rooms are often modest, with essentials like beds, mosquito nets, and sometimes fans. Don’t expect air-conditioning. Many guesthouses are made of wood or bamboo. No hot water available, some guesthouses have western style showers, and some have Indonesian style showers called mandi (large water basin and bucket). Wi-Fi works through 4G.

Most guesthouses have a restaurant. It’s common to eat at your accommodation since there are no many other options. I remember only one local warung (eatery) near our guesthouse and a couple of basic shops.

All guesthouses can arrange a guide to take you on a jungle trek to see orangutans and other wildlife.

There are several guesthouses in Ketambe:

• Thousand Hills,
• Pondok Wisata,
• Friendship,
• Pak Mus,
• Sadar Wisata,
• Cinta Alam.
• Thousand Hills, Pak Mus, and Cinta Alam can be booked through booking.com. We checked booking.com on the way to Ketambe, and all of the guesthouses had rooms available.

As we entered Ketambe we noticed Pak Mus Guesthouse, and knocked to the driver to stop labi labi. By the time he stopped, we were already far away from it, but when we got out and turned our heads we found ourselves in front of Friendship Guesthouse.

So we stayed Friendship Guesthouse. We were greeted by Manis who is an amazing cook. We stayed in a concrete bungalow. There are also wooden bungalows, and the difference between them is concrete bungalows have Western style shower, and wooden bungalows have Indonesian style shower. The room is spacious and clean, it has everything you need: bed with a mosquito net, private bathroom, fan, small cabinet and a rack for drying towels or clothes. The linens are clean. Even though there is no air-conditioning, I felt that there is no need for it.

The guesthouse cook Manis cooked absolutely amazing meals. Yes, the food is adapted to western taste, less spicy and slightly more expensive than in local warungs, but it is very good quality and freshly cooked.

Jungle Trekking in Ketambe: what to expect and our experience

Booking orangutan jungle trek

Before coming to Ketambe I wrote to several companies for more information about jungle trekking. The prices were the same (IDR 550,000 per person per night for 3 or 4 days trek), and the itineraries were similar. We were planning to come in the second half of August, which is considered high season. High season in Ketambe is June to August. This coincides with the dry season. However, high season is June to August, because this is when most Europeans take holidays.

We were encouraged to book a jungle trek and accommodation in Ketamber as soon as possible. But we decided not to book in advance and just go to Ketambe and arrange trek there. Because we stayed in Friendship Guesthouse, we arranged the trek with them. Ahmed, the guesthouse owner, gave us all information about the trek, instructed us on what we need to take (torch, one bottle of water for the day, one change of clothes, personal things, you can also take your own sleeping bag, if you prefer to use your own, otherwise, guesthouse can provide one).

The guesthouse provides tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, leech socks, and all meals. While you are away in the jungle you can leave your staff in the locked storage at the guesthouse.

Jungle Trek Day 1

We did 3 days 2 nights trek. Our amazing guide Buyung went out of his way to make sure we enjoyed the trek and had the best orangutan spotting experience.

The trek starts at 9am. Buyung was already waiting for us, and after putting the leech socks we headed to the jungle. We walked for about 10-15 minutes along the main road before entering the jungle.

The trek itself is not difficult, it is not about covering distance, but about spotting wildlife. On the first day I did 10,500 steps, on the second 7,500 steps and on the third 10,600 steps. But you go up and down, and the trail can be muddy and slippery, especially after rain. During the three days we saw more than 10 orangutans. These orangutans are 100% wild ones, they were in the trees, they do not approach humans and never go down to the ground in the presence of humans, but we were able to see them. Some of the orangutans were very high in the trees, and through the thick rainforest foliage you could see ginger colored animal either sitting or moving on the branches. If you have binoculars, it’s a good idea to take them to the trek.

In the labyrinth

After getting into the jungle we walked on trail labyrinth trying to find orangutans, and we saw the first ones just 20 minutes after we started the trek. We could still hear the noise from the road. We kept walking around the labyrinth for about 3 hours, and during this time we saw 3 orangutans: a female with a baby, and another orangutan high in the tree tops. Baby orangutan was quite grown up and was very naughty swinging on the branches and jumping from a branch to a branch. I believe the orangutans in the labyrinth are more used to seeing the humans then the ones on the other side of the Gurah river.

By 12.30 we arrived at our first campsite by the Gurah river. The camp can be used by all guides, I guess whoever gets there first. If it gets full, here are also additional campsites a bit further from the river in the jungle. Campsites have set-up fire places and wooden frames to set up plastic shelter which is very handy when it rains.

There were two other groups staying overnight at the camp. Our cook was already there preparing to cook lunch. We jumped into the river which was very refreshing. For lunch we had mie goreng (fried noodles) with fired eggs and chips.

After lunch

After lunch, around 2.30 pm we went for another walk in the jungle. The first interesting thing we saw was a rafflesia bud. And we saw more orangutans. One female with a baby (different from the one in the morning, as this one was a smaller one) and another female.

Dinner was very nice: fried chicken and vegetable curry, vegetable fritters and fruits. In the evening the cook boils water in a kettle so we could refill our water bottles for the next day.

After 9pm it started raining quite heavily and rained whole night. From observations: if it rains during the night, there will be no rain next day.

Jungle Trek Day 2

By morning it stopped raining, but was cloudy. After the rain the Gurah river level went up. This day we were supposed to cross the river. Another group from our camp decided not to cross the river, their guide told them the river was to high and the current was too strong.

We had a relaxing morning, eating breakfast and drinking coffee in no rush. We decided to wait a little and see if a river level would go down a bit. At around 10.30am we crossed the river, the water was well above the knees, so we crossed in swimming suits. Buyung helped to move my backpack which is good, as I eventually fell down in the water when the stick that I used broke.

This day we were hiking along the river to the hot springs. It took us about 1 to 1.5h. We didn’t see any wildlife. Straight after getting to the camp we went to relax in the hot springs while the cook was preparing lunch. Lunch was fried noodles, veggies and chips.

After lunch

After lunch we headed to explore the jungle on another side of the river. There could hear constant gibbon singing, but we could not see them. We walked for some time until Buyung spotted an orangutan high in the canopy eating fruits. There were two orangutans, and they were much higher on the trees than on the first day on another side of the river. Buyung asked us to be very quiet, as these orangutans are very timid and cautious, as they are less used to see humans. It was a lot harder to see them and take photos. On the photo below, you can only see a silhouette of an orangutan.

While watching orangutans we heard loud whooshing sound, this was hornbill wings flapping. When looked up at the sky, we saw a group of hornbills flying above us, and then in a minute another group.

We were lucky as that day we were the only ones camping near the hot springs. In the evening before having dinner we were relaxing in the hot springs. There were very bright lantern flies flying over the river. Sitting in hot springs in the middle of the jungle with candles was absolutely magical and unforgettable experience . The dinner was nice: curry vegetables, chips, fried tempe, fried tofu, fried eggs, and rice.

Jungle Trek Day 3

In the morning we had a dip in the hot springs again had pancakes and coffee for breakfast and headed back to the first campsite where we planned to have lunch. On the way there we ventured into a small cave where we saw several bats.

We crossed the river again, had lunch and were about to head back to Ketambe, but suddenly it started raining quite heavily. We waited for some time for the rain to ease. Our guide suggested we have three options to return back: 1) same route through the jungle which is going up and down, 2) getting to plantations and walking along the plantations, 3) taking shortest route to the main road and walking along the road.

We decided to take the shortest route to the main road where we could jump on labi labi if it passes by. It was still raining, and the trail was very muddy and flooded in some places. We didn’t even think about seeing more wildlife, but as we almost reached the main road, we spotted 2 adult orangutans, one of them was a female with a baby. Once we got to the main road and started walking towards Ketambe we spotted another female orangutan with a baby on the opposite side of the road. It was raining and she was building a nest and baby orangutan was sitting next to her on a branch.

More information about jungle trekking

We were told you cannot enter Gunung Leuser National Park on your own, you must go with a guide. There are rangers in the park (we came across a group of park rangers near hot springs), who patrol the park. They monitor wildlife populations, plant species, and environmental conditions of the jungle, enforce regulations to combat illegal activities like logging, poaching, illegal hunting , and encroachment.

Regardless of it’s being against the rules or not, it’s good to go with a guide, because they are certainly experts in spotting wildlife. I don’t know if we could spot orangutans if we were without a guide. Secondly, although there are obvious trails, they are not marked, and there are way too many trails leading nowhere, going around and connecting with other trails, especially at the labyrinth.

If you are a group of two, you will have one guide and one porter /cook. All meals and tea/coffee with biscuits and chocolates are included. There was more than enough food provided. Also in the evening, a cook boils water for next day. You will be asked to take one 1.5l of water per person which you will drink on the first day, and for the following days refill with boiled water. Friendship Guesthouse provides leech socks, sleeping mat and sleeping bag. Also your guide will have a tent and set it up for you at the camp. Everything was taken care of, we didn’t have to do anything: it felt unusual to be on a trek and not have to do anything: not to worry about water, meals, setting up and packing up camp.

Friendship Guesthouse did not ask to pay for the trek in advance. We paid for everything, including for the trek, accommodation and all meals we had at the restaurant on the check-out day.

Our guide

We had an amazing friendly guide whose name is Buyung. Before becoming a guide he used to work as a national park ranger for many years. He has great wildlife spotting skills and sense of humor, he did his best to help us spot more orangutans. He even helped me to take videos and photos on my phone. We were definitely in good hands. If you would like to go jungle treking with Buyung, you can contact him by watsapp (+62 82277841961).

What to pack/wear for the trek:

• One change of clothes (long-sleeved shirts and pants made of lightweight, breathable, moisture-wicking and quick dry fabrics). Long sleeves and pants are essential to protect from mosquitos, leeches, other insects, and maybe some stinging plants.
• Rain jacket or poncho
• Dry bags to keep your stuff dry in case of rain
• Insect repellent (with DEET or picaridin)
• Sunscreen
• Torch
• Binoculars or long focus lens for your camera
• Crocs are handy for river crossing and walking around the camp
• First Aid Kit: basic first aid kit with essentials like band-aids, antiseptic wipes or antiseptic solution (Betadine), antibiotic ointment like Neosporin, blister treatment, anti-diarrheal medication (Loperamide), paracetamol, and any personal medication. We also usually take snake bite kit when hiking.
• Sleeping bag can be borrowed from the trek organising company, but I would suggest taking your own sleeping bag, this way you will be sure no one else used it before. We have thin fleece sleeping bags – they were perfect for Ketamber climate. I took thin fleece jacket in case I get cold at night, but it was not necessary at all.
• Footwear: the rainforest floor and tree roots are slippery, so make sure you have shoes with deep tread. All guides and porters wear soccer shoes that have very good traction. For us, light trail running shoes with good tread and breathable mesh uppers were perfect.

Useful information about Ketambe

Ketambe has a small general shop where you can buy drinks, biscuits, toiletries, etc.

There are no ATMs, banks or currency exchange in Ketambe, the nearest ATM is in Kutacance, about 30 km away.

Telkomsel is the only mobile and 4G provider in Ketambe.

How to get to Ketambe from Medan

If you fly from overseas to Medan, before heading to Ketambe I recommend to stay in Medan for 1 night or several hours to arrange an Indonesian sim card (as of August 2024 there is no GraPARI shop in Medan Kuala Namu airport, there was one under construction), to exchange currency, etc.

Getting from Kuala Namu airport to Medan city center

Railink Train

Railink Train is the most convenient and easy. It takes 42 minutes to get to Medan Central Train station new Merdeka Square, but be aware that service is not very frequent: there are 12 trains per day. Check schedule here: https://railink.co.id/schedule. The fare is IDR 40,000 per person as of September 2024. You can only pay by card, no cash payments. You can also buy tickets through an application (Aplikasi KA Bandara).

We took a train, as it seems a more comfortable option compared to a bus, but still cheap. There is no smoking on the train and it is air-conditioned. Besides, our hotel was next to Medan Central Station and Centrepoint Mall, not sure if a bus can drop you off there.

Buses

Buses: there are several bus companies, but most websites refer to DAMRI bus as the most comfortable option. This bus company is owned and operated by the government. DAMRI busis a budget-friendly option, however, it takes longer due to multiple stops. Damri buses are more frequent than train, they depart every 30 minutes between 4:30 and 22:00. If you need to get Medan city centre take DAMRI bus going to Medan Fair Plaza. According to company website the fare is IDR 20,000 and the itinerary is Kualanamu Airport – Simpang Kayu Besar – Tanjung Morawa Toll – Amplas Toll – Amplas – Jalan SM Raja – Jalan Juanda – Jalan Sudirman – Jalan S. Parman – Jalan Iskandar Muda – Jalan Gatot Subroto – Medan Fair Plaza.

Taxi

Of course the most convenient way is to take a taxi or Grab/Gojek (ride-hailing apps, similar to Uber)

Getting from Medan to Ketambe

Private Taxi

Private taxi isthe easiest, most comfortable and most expensive option. A driver can pick you up at your hotel or at the airport if you want to go directly to Ketambe. It takes 8 to 9 hours. Private taxi is air-conditioned and non-smoking. The price is IDR 1,200,000 from Medan and IDR 1,400,000 from the airport. You can arrange this through your guesthouse in Ketambe, your trekking company in Ketambe, or your hotel in Medan.

Shared taxi

Shared taxi goes to Kutacane. You can ask the driver to take you all the way to Ketambe for extra pay. Your hotel in Medan can arrange shared taxi for you. We asked our hotel and were offered to go next morning at 11 am for IDR 250,000 per person. Pick up is from hotel, but there were no options to depart earlier which means you will arrive to Kutacane late in the evening. If you want to take public transport from Kutacane to Ketambe, keep in mind that last labi labi from Kutacane to Ketambe leaves at about 5.30pm. So most likely you will need to ask the driver to take you from Kutacane to Ketambe for extra pay.

We decided to go to Padang Bulan and try to get shared taxi from there. There was information on the web that there are two companies located near Citra Garden residential complex: Adi Guna and CK Travel Wisata on Jalan Jamin Ginting that offer shared taxis to Kutacane which is about 30 km from Ketambe. We found these companies on Google map and called Grab to take us there.

When we arrived there, it turned out these companies are no longer there. The Grab driver tried to search information about them, and it turned out the government ordered them to relocate further away from the city. The driver tried to find either of these companies, but no luck.

Public transport

Mini bus from Medan to Kutacane

We ended up finding a mini bus company about 6 km away. The name of the company is Sebayang. The address is Jalan Jamin Ginting No.km 12 no.33, Medan. We were charged IDR 120,000 per person to get to Kutacane, not sure if we were overcharged, but it seemed a fair price for almost whole day of travel.

There are two more mini bus companies going to Kutacane: BTN and Karisma. According to what I found on the internet BTN ticket price is IDR 100,000 as of 2024. BTN mini buses look similar to Sebayang ones (we took BTN on the way back from Kutacane to Berastagi, BTN driver was a lot more careful and drove slowly, overall BTN was a lot more convenient: no loud music and less smoking).

The Sebayang driver was driving extremely fast with lots of overtaking, sometimes it was scary. But we got to Kutacane in about 6 hours. The drive was kind of inconvenient: I was okay with no air-con, but passengers were smoking non-stop even in the presence of kids, and the music was deafening (so take the ear plugs if you decide to go by public transport).

Labi labi from Kutacane to Ketambe

When you arrive in Kutacane, ask mini bus driver to drop you off at labi labi station. The price for labi labi is IDR 20,000 per person. But you may be asked to pay more. At first we were told the fare was IDR 100,000, but we told the driver we know the fare should be IDR 20,000. I think it’s better to clarify before you get on labi labi. It took about 1 hour to get to Ketambe. Remember that last labi labi leaves at about 5.30pm.

In total it took us about 8 hours to get to Ketambe including time for lunch and time in Kutacane (checking the hotel, and then looking for labi labi station). Our mini bus driver was super fast. We talked to a lady who took a private taxi which left at 11 am and arrived in Ketambe well after sunset.

What about Bukit Lawang

Many travel reports say that Bukit Lawang is a zoo-like experience with feeding platforms and guides feeding orangutans. We visited Bukit Lawang, and yes, it is a very touristy place, but there are no feeding platforms anymore, they were removed in 2015, and we haven’t seen anyone feeding orangutans. Overall, we still had fun in Bukit Lawang. Of course, there were a lot of other people (I think about 50) in the same place watching the same orangutan. Our guide told us that we were lucky, as it can reach around 200 people in the same place during busiest time.

We also didn’t see that many orangutans, only 3 during a one-day trek, one of the orangutans was sleeping in a nest, so we saw only his reddish-brown coat.

Want more information on traveling in Japan? Check out my post on Visiting Mount Bromo without a tour.