Best of Sumatra Classic Overland

Day 1 : Arrival in Medan – Bukit Lawang 

Arrive in Medan, the main city in northern Sumatra, then drive about 1.5 hours to the city center. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a city tour. Visit the Maimun Palace, built in 1888, reflecting Malayan and Middle-East architecture, and the Almashum Grand Mosque, built around the same time. Also visit the colorful Vihara Gunung Timur Chinese temple.

After the city tour, drive about 3 hours to Bukit Lawang, a small village on the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park, known for its orangutan sightings. The park spans over 800,000 hectares of virgin rainforest and is home to tigers, orangutans, gibbons, elephants, and rhinos.

Along the way, you’ll pass oil palm plantations, rubber fields, and occasional roadside markets. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax and enjoy the scenic view from your hotel veranda. Overnight at simple accommodation.

Day 2 : Orangutan & Jungle Trek – Berastagi (B)

Visit the orangutan feeding platform, built to assist orangutans released into the wild after rehabilitation. Semi-wild orangutans come here for milk and bananas when they have trouble finding food on their own. Wild orangutans may also visit occasionally, though it’s a positive sign when they no longer rely on the platform, as it means they are thriving in the wild.

After the feeding session, take a 2-3 hour jungle trek through the rainforest. The walk includes some challenging terrain, but offers a rewarding experience. You’ll have a good chance to spot gibbons, Thomas leaf monkeys, macaques, flying squirrels, Sumatra peacocks, and hornbills. A wild orangutan might even cross your path.

In the afternoon, drive about 5 hours to Berastagi(1300m), a hill town surrounded by two active volcanoes, Sinabung(2417m) and Sibayak(2172m). It’s the homeland of the Batak Karo, one of the six Batak tribes in North Sumatra.

Note 

• The program in Bukit Lawang may be reversed, jungle trek first then visit the feedings.
• Those bringing camera/video camera into the park will be charged Rp 50,000/150,000
• WHAT TO BRING! Shoes with good profile, rain coat & dry bag for wallet, mobile etc to protect from waters, insects repellant & drinking water.
• A nice option you can do after trekking is tubing, floating down the river on car tubes (cost at personal account)

Day 3 : Berastagi – Samosir Island (B)

Scenic drive to lake Toba, one of the deepest and largest crater lake in the world with stop at Dokan, a small Batak Karo village with a number of traditional houses still inhabited by eight families each.

Proceed to Sipiso piso waterfall and Rumah Bolon, the long house of king Batak Simalungun. From this site you will continue following the lake and arrive in Parapat somewhere afternoon. Parapat is a small town on shore of lake Toba. From here you will cross the lake ± 45 minutes to Samosir island using public boat. Upon arrival direct transfer to your hotel and relax.

Day 4 : Samosir Tour (B)

Explore the natural beauty and cultural aspects of Batak Toba by visiting Ambarita village where the remnant megalithic culture of Batak Toba lies in front of traditional houses.

Continue to Simanindo to see folkdance performed by the villagers. Here you also can visit a museum built in typical Batak style. On returning to your hotel, stop at Tomok village to see a very old but nicely decorated sarchopagus.   

Notice: Samosir tour made by car for max 5 paxs while 6 up by boat  

Day 5 : Samosir Island – Sipirok  (B)

Across back to Parapat by public boat and drive up to Sipirok with view of marching mountains Bukit Barisan, a long but beautiful trip. First stop will be at a typical Batak village Jangga Dolok/Lumban Binanga.

Next stop at colourful market place in Balige and sulphur hotspring in Sipoholon. Check in at your hotel for overnight

Day 6 : Sipirok – Bukittinggi (B)

The journey today is long but worth it, offering views of mountains, rivers, valleys, and traditional villages to refresh you. Enroute, stop at Sijornih Waterfall and Sihepeng to visit a small herb garden where herbs like cardamom, ginger, and vanilla are grown. Here, you may also see a short-tailed monkey trained to collect coconuts.

Next, visit a moslem school and observe how children study and live in small wooden houses. In the late afternoon, cross the equator and drive for another 1.5 hours to reach Bukittinggi, a highland town in West Sumatra. Bukittinggi is the heart of the Minangkabau tribe, known for their matriarchal and matrilineal society.

Day 7 : Harau valley tour (B)

Drive about 1.5 hours to Harau, a nature and wildlife reserve surrounded by towering cliffs (100-200 meters high). At the bottom, vast rice fields and green forests create a stunning landscape. The area is peaceful, unpolluted, and beautiful. Harau is also home to several waterfalls with swimming pools beneath, which you can visit before returning to Bukittinggi.

In Bukittinggi, enjoy a city tour, visiting the iconic Jam Gadang Clock Tower overlooking the colorful Pasar Atas Market, the Dutch fort remains of De Kock, and the beautiful Ngarai Sianok Valley.

Optional Tour:

For those who enjoy walking, Harau offers a 3-hour scenic walk through rice fields, villages, and paved paths between giant cliffs. Along the way, you might hear the calls of black Siamang and gibbons. The walk ends at a waterfall with a swimming pool beneath. Take a dip before returning to Bukittinggi. The cost at personal account.

Day 8 : Bukittinggi – Padang Airport 

Free to relax until time to leave for airport. The trip takes about 2 hours passing by the greenery of Anai park.

If time permits you may get a chance to stop at Anai waterfall. End of tours

• 7 Nights accommodation during overland including daily breakfast      
• Air conditioned transfer during overland
• Tours program as indicated in the itinerary
• Applicable entrance fees, national park permit
• Return public ferry/boat to/from Samosir island
• English speaking guide during tour

• Domestic flight to/from Sumatra
• Lunch and dinner not include in the program
• Tips and donations, Camera/video charge in Gunung Leuser National park
• Personal travel insurance
• Other personal expenses such as laundry, telephone call, minibar, room service,
• High & Peak season surcharge