2 October 2024

Recommendation for a guide in Bukit Lawang, Sumatra, Indonesia

We are heading off for three weeks in South East Asia in February next year. We are planning on Singapore, Panti Forest in Malaysia, Bukit Lawang, Pulau Weh for some scuba diving and to catch up on some sleep, then Fraser’s Hill and Bukit Tinggi in Peninsula Malaysia. I was also originally going to add Taman Negara to this, but now that the Kunbang hide for tapir is out of action I think we will skip this.

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a wildlife guide in Bukit Lawang? We are planning on long night walks plus daytime stuff too, and we want someone good. I know Bukit Lawang is full of guesthouses and guides, but I’d prefer a personal recommendation if possible.

Thanks for your help

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Post author

Jane Kempler
I love watching all types of wildlife, in as many areas of the globe as possible. I’m based in London and try and travel as much as my work schedule permits. My other half is a very keen photographer, so most of the time we plan trips where getting half decent photos is a reasonable possibility. I’m the one that does all the admin – planning and organising our trips, then sorting and processing all the photos afterwards. I have a particular fondness for night walks and drives.
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4 Comments

  • 3 October 2024
    PandaSmith

    I was very happy with the guides we had there in August. Aji and Julia (?) See my trip report – second half of the report

    https://www.cokesmithwildlife.com/expedition-to-sumatra

  • 3 October 2024
    Asanoth

    I did not go to Bukit Lawang, as it seemed too touristy, orangutants are only semi wild, often fed etc. We were also between jobs on a long term trip and BL cost double or triple than what we paid.
    I went to Ketambe instead, did 3d 2n trip with a mediocre guide (spotting wise) and then, as my wife was sick for a day and half and did not see any orangutans, we did a day trip with Ketambe Jack. He was a great guide, some things he spotted, I have no idea how he did that. Like a stick insect on a hanging branch maybe 4 meters away. He can also arrange longer treks to see elephants or other species, which are occuring around Ketambe.
    Many people also recommend going to Kedah rainforest lodge, where you are almost guaranteed not to see any other tourists. They prefer sleeping in the lodge, not in the jungle, which might or might not suit you. The area there is supposedly better for gibbons and just as good for orangutants, but I cannot confirm that. We only saw the white handed gibbon in Ketambe, no Siamangs…
    There are other areas to go to Gunung Leuser, all around, some are better for rafflesia, some are better for other things.
    Aceh would be way easier to combine logistically with Pulau Weh. But we decided to skip diving there as supposedly it was not so good. I cannot confirm or deny it.
    You can see my trip report here, but this was not purely wildlife oriented trip and nowadays I would plan fairly differently – I would still go to Ketambe or Kedah, though 🙂 .
    https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294231-i9609-k14486808-Sumatra_trip_report-Sumatra.html

    As I am also planning a trip to southern Thailand and possibly Malaysia, may I ask what you are after in Panti Forest? 🙂

    • 3 October 2024
      Jane Kempler

      Thanks very much for the info. We actually went to Katembe quite a few years ago and to be honest I was a bit underwhelmed with our guide – it was the same guy that Jon Hall used (this was before my mammalwatching.com days) and it’s interesting that he came to exactly the same conclusion that we did…Getting to Katembe is a bit of a nightmare too. I can’t find any info on Kedah online. We only have a few days for this bit of the trip so Bukit Lawang seems a good option. It will be February – so should be low season for tourists, although it might be a bit wet.
      In Panti forest our top targets will be Lar Gibbons and Greater Slow Loris. It is also our back-up plan for Raffles Banded Langur if we don’t see them in Singapore. We’ve seen them before but we have better cameras now! Plus we will also be looking for squirrels and other small mammals as well as birds, reptiles and amphibians.

  • 4 October 2024
    Asanoth

    This is the lodge in Kedah: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Zj2wEDrHp4vpZEc46
    You can see it mentioned in my trip report’s thread, I also got recommendation from MrFatmire on tripadvisor, a Kiwi who seems to be well knowledgeable around south-east Asian forests.

    Some guides in Ketambe said that Kedah is more about hiking than wildlife spotting, but then again, it probably depends on you and I heard different things from tourists.
    Transport wise, I think it will be faster and cheaper going to Kedah or even Ketambe from Banda Aceh, than flying to Medan and going to Bukit Lawang.
    If you are set on North Sumatra though, there are also some alternatives to Bukit Lawang mentioned here:
    https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294231-i9609-k14422982-Where_to_see_wildlife_in_Gunung_Leuser_and_other_Sumatra-Sumatra.html
    I did quite a research, but I only went to Ketambe, so take it with a grain of salt or focus on other people’s posts in that thread :).

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