Adventure in the Gunung Leuser Nationalpark
Why to come to Ketambe?
See real wild living orang utans There are only very few places in the world where you still can observe real wild living orang utans in their natural environment.
One is the Gunung Leuser National Park, which you can approach from the east or from the west. More and more people prefer to come to Ketambe instead of going to Bukit Lawang, even travel efforts are higher.
In Bukit Lawang the orang utans get feeded (see picture) and are used to human.
The chance to see orang utans in the rainforrest during a 3 days trekking tour from Ketambe is nearly 100 percent.
General information about trekking tours into the jungle near Ketambe
What do we offer?All tours start in Ketambe and can be individual tailored to your needs. It could be a relaxing tour with low level of difficulty to walk, spend more time to watch animals and have longer breaks at river and hot springs to bath. More demanding treks with higher level of difficulty and longer walking time per day go deeper into the jungle. All tours include animal watching. Detailed descriptions of different trekking tours are available below this page, click here What is included?
For any trekking tour we provide an English speaking guide and if its necessary, one or two porters. All food and drinks during the tour, cooking facilities and camping gear are included in the tour package. For your personal use we provide a mat, a sleeping bag and leech socks. We offer to store your unneeded luggage during the trek for free.
What about the costs?The total price for a trekking tour depends from the area you want to go, the number of people going, the number of porters you will need, from the length of stay and from the kind and quantity of food and drinks you want to take with you. Usual prices are between 500,000 and 1,000,000 IDR per day per person.
One-day trips are cheaper than multiple day trips, because there is nothing to bring for the night. If only a single person wants to go its more expensive than for 2 or more people. 5 and 6 days tours cost more than 2 to 4 days trips, because you will need an additional porter to carry more stuff. The price also depends from the season. Children under the age of 14 get a discount. You can ask prices by email or phone.
Additional information on trekking
Map for treks arround KetambeClick on the map to enlarge
C1 - C7: CampsitesHS: Hot Springs with campsite This map is developed from the memory of few guides and porters. Paths are not to scale and might not be always in the exact direction. This map was drawn to give you a rough overview of the area which is used for trekking tours from Ketambe.
There are stamped paths, used by most of the people who do short trekking tours from Ketambe, easy to walk, mostly it goes slightly up and down, only few descents are steep. No special skills are needed. Its suitable for young children and older people as well. Level 2 - Ambitious C1-C2, HS-C2-C3, HS-C6-C5, C5-C7
Most pathes are small, many of them are uneven, overgrown with roots, some are covered with leaves, fallen trees or branches could block pathes, some parts are rocky with loose stones. After rain its very slippery. You should have a good physical condition. Professional trekking boots are needed and its recommended to use a hiking stick.
incl. trail labyrinth
C1 - HS: 2 hours
C1 - C2: 3 hours
HS - C2: 1.5 hours
HS - C3: 1.5 hours
C2 - C4: 5 hours
C3 - C5: 3 hours
C3 - C6: 5 hours
C4 - C5: 7 hours
C5 - C6: 6 hours
C5 - C7: 8 hours
C6 - K: 6 hours
VISITOR COUNTER
Detailed description of different trekking tours
1 Day - Easy - K-C1-KAt the hot spring area you can enjoy taking hot, warm and cold bathes, because the hot water is flowing into the river and mix up with the cold. It's also possible to sleep at campsite C1 and go to the hot springs the 2nd day in the morning, return to Ketambe in the afternoon. Level 1 3 Days - Mostly Easy - K-C1-HS-(C3)-K
The easy 3 days tour is one of the most requested tours in the past and it's still a tour to get a good impression about the rain forest and its inhabitants. This tour covers the area between Ketambe, the main orang utan area (trail labyrinth), campsite C1 and the hotsprings HS. There is time to continue behind the hot springs to the former waterfall (already collapsed), near campsite C3. There is enough time to look for and follow orang utans and observe other animals. After a lunch at C1 you will have time to relax and bath in the river. In the afternoon you will go again to trail labyrinth and behind to look for animals. Usually the first night you stay at campsite C1. The 2nd day you will have to cross the river, its an adventure.
On a 5 days trek one guide and two porters have to go with you. There is more food and stuff to carry. Thats why price per day per person is higher than for treks with 2, 3 or 4 days length. There are different routes possible. The route suitable for you should be discussed and fixed together with the guide before you go. All routes include seeing orang utans and other animals as well as trekking at difficult terrain. All campsites, except C7, could be included The campsite C4 can not be included during the rainy season. One possible route during the dry season is written above. Only people with good physical conditions should go on a 5 days trek which includes the campsite C4. Level 2
6 Days - Ketambe jungle - AmbitiousTo go 6 days on a trek takes you deep into the jungle, with a chance to see animals, which you usually don't see on shorter treks. You won't be able to see Sumatran Tigers, but if you lucky the smaller Golden Cat and Slow Loris, Giant Squirrels, porcupines or different species of deer can be spotted. Orang utans and monkeys can be seen as well. If 2 or more people go one guide and two porters are obligatory. The route has to be discussed and agreed with the guide before the start. You can go as far as campsite C7. An ambitious 6 days trek would be K-C1-(HS)-C5-C7-C5-C6-K. In the dry season its possible to walk a more demanding route via C2 and C4. This trek is not suitable for younger children. Level 2
6 Days - Lake Marpunga - AmbitiousThis trek is getting more and more requests. It goes to a jungle lake, which is called Marpunga (name of the closest village) or Tiga Sagi (three corners). One guide and two porters are obligatory. You can start this trek in Ketambe or you drive about 30 minutes north the main road and start near the village Marpunga. If you start in Ketambe the walking time per day is longer and it goes the complete way through the rain forrest. If you start in Marpunga village you will go through plantations the first half and the last half day. Independent from the route chosen you will stay the third night at the lake. Especially in the dry season many different kind of animals come to the lake to drink. Swimming in the lake is possible. Level 2
Only available on special request.
This trek goes together with one guide and two porters to the peak of the Mount Kemiri, which is about 3300 m above sea level. The trek starts after one hour drive by public transport in the direction north of Ketambe. Its a strenuous ascent to the top. On the first day there is still dense jungle and the chance to see animals. In the higher region the vegetation changes and it gets colder at night (down to 5 degrees centigrade). There you will find pitcher plants (nepenthes) and orchids. The view from the top over the national park is unforgettable, if the weather cooperates. Trekking boots and warm clothes are obligatory.
Level 2
Payment options
We appriciate if you pay cash Indonesian Rupiah when you are here. In Ketambe or in Kutacane there is no money changer. In Ketambe we can not handle any kind of plastic cards. Other options
Exceptionally we accept cash in US$ or Euro, but we will use a exchange rate 5% under the bank rate found at oanda.com. Money transfer to a bank account is also accepted. For details please contact us.
Booking of trekking tours including accommodation in Ketambe
Trekking tours - Booking procedureTo book a trekking tour, please send us an email with your request including your name, your prefered starting date, the number of people including children under 14 years (if any) and the length and type of the jungle tour. If you have any additional questions also contact us.
Click here to book or speak with us on phone:
+62 853 5966 4110.
We also provide accommodation at one guesthouse in Ketambe which you can book with us as well. More information about this accommodation see:
Friendship Guesthouse & Restaurant Ketambe