North Sumatera

This program is combination of culture and nature exploration on the North Sumatera. It will bring you to explore the wildlife in the Gunung Leuser National Park. You will have the opportunity to visit the rehabilitation center for orangutan where a big effort to save one of world’s great apes are undertaken. From the lowland rainforest ecosystem, you will go up to the Karo Highland in Berastagi, situated about 1,300 above sea level near the slope of Mount Sibayak. Lake Toba and the island within called Samosir for sure is included in the program. Lake Toba is a large volcanic lake formed by a volcano eruption about 75,000 years ago. The eruption was known as “Toba Catastrophe”. Lake Toba and its surrounding area is the home for Batak ethnic group, known for their directness, bravery and also good singing voice

Duration: 6 days / 5 nights; Participant: 2, 3-5, 6-8; Type of accommodation: Hotel, guest house; Type of transportation: Minibus; Start/end: Medan; Grade of difficulty: Moderate to challenge

Day 1: Kualanamo-Medan-Bukit Lawang   Arrive in Kualanamo airport in Medan drive to Bukit Lawang Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. This is part of Gunung Leuser National Park. The trip will pass rural areas, plantation with interesting landscape. Stop can be made en-route for taking photos and break. Night at Eco Lodge or Rindu Alam Hotel

Day 2 : Bukit Lawang-Berastagi   After breakfast, at 7:00 AM, walk for about an hour to the feeding site of orangutan. Here the ex-captive orangutans are fed twice a day. Most of these orangutans used to be kept as pets or captured in the plantation and now being rehabilitated and released to their habitat. Many are success to be back in to their habitat and never come back to the feeding site but some orangutans are not able to return to the wild. These orangutans still depending on the feeding. Return to the hotel and prepare to go to Berastagi, the Karo highland about 1300 meter above sea level and. Night at Sinabung hotel or similar.

Day 3: Berastagi-Parapat-Samosir   In the morning after breakfast hiking along the road on the slope of mount Sibayak. This is an easy morning hiking to enjoy the fresh morning atmosphere on a small patch of the forest in the area. A number of montane bird species present here including Large Niltava and Yellow-breasted Warbler, Orange-spotted Bulbuls, Speckled Piculet, Sunda Minivet, Blyth’s Shrike-Babbler, Sumatran (Streaked) Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Eye-browed Wren-Babbler, Black-capped White-eyes and Blue Nuthatche. Return to hotel, pack your belongings and then drive to Parapat with en-route stop at Sipiso-pisi waterfall, Batak Simalungun Communal House in Pematang Purba including coffee break at Simarjarunjung Hill. On arrival Parapat cross by ferry to Samosir island located almost in the middle of Lake Toba. Overnight at Tabo Cottage or similar.

Day 4: Samosir Island   After breakfast, at 08:30 you will visit Ambarita village to see the stone table and chair which was once used for court of justice, and then to Simanindo Village to the Batak folk dance. Continue to the village called Tomok to visit the sarcophagus of King Sidabutar. Free program in the afternoon. Overnight at Tabo Cottage or similar

Day 5: Samosir-Parapat-Medan   Return to Parapat by early ferry, probably around 06:30-07:00 AM and then drive to Medan. City sightseeing in Medan to visit Medan to visit Maimun Palace, Tjong A Fie Mansion, a building used to be the house of the richest entrepreneur in Medan. The Mansion was built in 1895 and completed in the 1900 with the size of 8,000 sq. meters. It is combination of Chinese, Malay and Art Deco architectural. The Mansion is located in the old town of Medan which is well known as Kesawan road. If time allows, a visit to Catholic Church but in Indo-Mogul style called Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni (Our Lady of Good Health Church). It is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health and is also known as Our Lady of Vailankanni, a Saint known from her apparition in the 17th century in Velankanni Town, Tamil Nadu, India. Overnight at hotel in Medan.

Day 6: Medan   Next Destinations Depending on the flight departure. In the morning after breakfast possible to do city sightseeing to the place you miss on the previous day. And then transfer to the airport and fly to the next destinations. Journey ends…

Notes:

  • During the trip participants must respect and obey rules, laws and customs valid in the area/location they are visiting.
  • This itinerary is subject to change with or without prior notice due to weather condition, flight and ferry schedule change or other causes beyond organizer control (force majeure)

 

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