Medan Arrival

Kualanamu International Airport Pick-up

Welcome to Sumatra Island, Indonesia! You will land at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan,  the capital and largest city of Indonesia’s province of North Sumatra, where your driver will welcome you. 

The city of Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, is an economic hub and commercial centre for the region. This is the largest city on Sumatra, where people from all over Indonesia come to find work.  As a result, Medan is known for its delicious variety of ethnic cuisines. 

Transfer to the hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure. 

Medan – Bukit Lawang

Stay in a hotel at the edge of the Jungle in Bukit Lawang

Today you will travel to Bukit Lawang (approx. 4 hours’ drive) where you will stay in a hotel on the edge of the jungle and next to a river. The sound of the river gives you a peaceful feeling for you are far away from the bustle of the busy world. Suddenly you realize that somewhere within your planet there is a lonely place.

Bukit Lawang is a small village on the banks of the Bahorok River in North Sumatra, known for  Indonesia’s largest sanctuary of Sumatran orangutans. It is also the main crossing point to the Gunung Leuser National Park from the east side of the river. 

Bukit Lawang

Gunung Leuser National Park Jungle Trek & Tubing

On this 2 to 3-hour jungle trek, head into the Gunung Leuser National Park with an experienced  guide in search of orangutans, gibbons, hornbills and many other amazing animal species. 

You will be walking in varying terrain – sometimes uphill and sometimes down. This is a challenging walk, but well worth the effort, if you want to experience this beautiful pristine environment. 

You may be lucky enough to spot Thomas leaf monkeys, longtail and pigtail macaques, flying squirrels, and Sumatran peacocks. Your guide will explain many things to you about the rainforest and will point out the different species of flora and fauna that you come across. 

The jungle trek ends by the pristine Batung River where you start your thrilling 30-minute tubing experience – floating  down the river on a car inner tube – a fun and relaxing way to enjoy the scenery. 

Bukit Lawang – Berastagi

Beautiful town of Berastagi

Passing coconut oil and rubber plantations, you will drive to Berastagi. 

At an altitude of 1300m, it has a pleasantly cool climate. Berastagi is famous for its fruits and vegetables. This is the place to try some of these exotic delicacies. 

Berastagi is a beautiful town located in the Karo highlands, known for its plantations and for growing various kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruit, most famous of which is the Marquisa passion fruit. The city is surrounded by charming scenery, including the Sibayak and Sinabung mountains. 

Berastagi – Lake Toba

Mount Sibayak Hike Experience

Towering at 2172 meters, Mount Sibayak lies not far from the highland town of Berastagi. It is one of Indonesia’s easily accessible top volcanoes that anyone in reasonably good shape can explore. 

A 25-minute car transfer from your hotel will take you to the trailhead to begin the climb. Once there, trek up all the way to the crater top for about an hour. The first part is over a steepy asphalted road, and the last is between rocks. When you approach the top, the sulphur smell fills the air, and you can already hear the volcano activity. The steam vents roar like a jet engine. Then you are there! 

Take a walk through the entire crater to get the most out of the volcano tour experience. Enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding countryside and Mount Sinabung, which has erupted quite frequently in 2013 in the distance. Eventually, make your way down to the trailhead, where the car awaits. Once  there, we will take you back to your hotel. 

After that we leave for Prapat, you will visit a traditional Karo Batak village and the Sipiso-Piso  waterfall. At the end of the day, we reach Prapat from where we take the public ferry to the peninsula of Tuktuk, where our hotel is. Seated in front of your room you have a lovely view over the smooth lake and the mountains behind it. 

At night the lights of Prapat shine invitingly across the water. Parapat is a small town on the edge of Lake Toba that is the primary transit point for visitors going  to Samosir Island by ferry. 

Lake Toba

Bike Trip on Samosir Island

This three-hour trip allows you to explore the natural beauty of Samosir island and learn about the culture of Batak Toba, the indigenous tribe of Samosir Island, on two wheels. The terrain you’ll be cycling on is mostly flat; some are rural dirt roads. 

Traditional houses, unique multi storey graves, people working on the rice paddy fields, churches, school children, and fantastic views over Lake Toba are the sightings on the routes. Don’t forget to say, Horas! (Hello!) when you meet the locals.

Stop at Ambarita, a village known for its unique ancient courtyard made up of stone chairs and tables. Besides that, it has a row of traditional houses. Go inside the house to see how things are set up. 

Hop back on the bike and saddle up to Tomok village for a nicely decorated sarcophagus, the tomb of an ancient Batak king. From here, pedal back to your hotel and the tour ends.

Lake Toba – Kualanamu International Airport

Transfer to Kualanamu International Airport

After breakfast, return by ferry to Parapat where the car awaits and drive to Medan passing by PematangSiantar and Tebingtinggi. Most of the views en-route are plantations (oil palm, rubber  and cacao). 

Arrive in Medan direct transfer to the airport 

Selamat jalan – Have a good journey!