6D/5N Best of Both Worlds:
Batu Katak and Bukit Lawang Tour
If you want to witness the absolute crown jewels of North Sumatra in a single, seamless itinerary, this fast-paced 6-Day, 5-Nights Highlights Tour is precisely what you are looking for.
Best of Both Worlds: Batu Katak and Bukit Lawang Expedition
If you want to experience the complete spectrum of North Sumatra’s rainforests without feeling rushed, this curated 6-day journey brings together two completely unique ecosystems. We begin far off the standard tourist track in the peaceful limestone karst valleys of Batu Katak, before moving along the river systems to the famous canopies of Bukit Lawang.
This custom itinerary combines immersive multi-day trekking, traditional river exploration, and responsible orangutan viewing. Hand-led entirely by local community guides, your presence directly supports eco-tourism sustainability and provides fair-wage employment across both villages.

Your Best of Both Worlds Batu Katak and Bukit Lawang
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Private SUV Transfer to Batu Katak
Welcome to Sumatra! Your driver will meet you directly at the airport or your Medan hotel to head out in a comfortable, private air-conditioned vehicle. We skip the crowded buses and drive straight to the quiet village of Batu Katak. Settle into your local guesthouse next to the river, relax, and enjoy a peaceful evening surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs.
Day 2: Deep 2D1N Cave & Karst Jungle Trekking Loop
Today we dive into the wild. Alongside your licensed local guides, you’ll head deep into the unique forest ecosystem surrounding Batu Katak, famous for its hidden limestone caves and rare flora. Batu Katak is one of the exclusive places where you can look for the rare, giant Rafflesia and Amorphophallus Titanum (corpse flower) blooms. Spend the day tracking local wildlife, learning about indigenous medicinal plants, and settling into a beautiful, rustic jungle riverside camp for an evening under the canopy.
Day 3: Return River Swim & Private Overland Transfer to Bukit Lawang
Wake up to a fresh jungle breakfast by the river. After a morning swim in the crystal-clear water, we trek back to the village base. From here, your private vehicle will be packed and ready for a smooth transit over to Bukit Lawang. Check into your premium guesthouse and spend the afternoon wandering the suspension bridges or relaxing on your balcony.
Day 4: Ethical Orangutan Trekking in Gunung Leuser National Park
After an early breakfast, step straight through the jungle gates for a dedicated 1-day trek in Gunung Leuser National Park. Your licensed HPI guides will help you responsibly spot semi-wild orangutans, gibbons, and Thomas’s leaf monkeys. Our teams strictly practice zero-feeding, respectful boundary rules. End your trek with a fun, traditional river-tubing ride right back to your guesthouse door.
Day 5: Authentic Village Exploration & Local Cooking Class
Today we take things slow and connect with the community. Grab a bicycle or local transport to explore the surrounding rice fields and traditional village life. By afternoon, join a local family for a hands-on culinary experience, learning to prepare authentic local curries and traditional dishes from scratch before spending your final night by the river.
Day 6: Final Tropical Morning & Return Private SUV to Medan
Enjoy a slow breakfast and coffee on your riverside veranda. Depending on your onward travel plans, your private driver will pick you up directly from your guesthouse to navigate the roads safely and efficiently back to Medan city or the international airport terminal for your flight home.
Expedition Highlights
Seamless Private Transit
We cut out all the transit guesswork and public transport hassle. With your own private, air-conditioned SUV and driver covering every single leg—from your Medan arrival to the custom transfer between villages—you spend zero time waiting around and maximum time out in nature.
Ethical Wildlife Trekking
We never compromise on sustainability. All your trekking segments in both villages are led by officially licensed local guides who strictly enforce zero animal feeding and respectful boundary rules. You’ll experience the rainforest responsibly while directly supporting local community conservation.
Rare Flora & Hidden Caves
Witness two completely distinct tropical landscapes in one compact journey. You’ll explore the dramatic limestone karst valleys, hidden water caves, and giant rare flower blooms of Batu Katak, before transitioning straight into the iconic, ancient rainforest canopies of Bukit Lawang.
Tour Pricing
Our pricing depends on the number of travelers:
-
👤 1 Person (Private Tour)
800 Euro per person
Includes all solo overland logistics -
👥 2 Persons
450 Euro per person
Sharing twin/double premium rooms -
👥👥 4 Persons or more
380 Euro per person
Perfect for small group transfers
Traveling with a partner or small group allows us to split private driver, overland vehicle transits, and local guiding fees, making the journey significantly more affordable per person. We strictly believe in fair trade tourism; our rates directly follow official local HPI Pricing Rules to ensure all local guides, drivers, cooks, and hospitality hosts receive a professional, ethical living wage.
Package Inclusions & Logistics
What's Fully Included
- 🚗 All Private Transfers – Dedicated air-conditioned SUV and private driver handling all segments from Medan, the Batu Katak switch, and the final return run.
- 🏡 Handpicked Accommodations – 1 night in a peaceful Batu Katak eco-stay, 3 nights in a premium Bukit Lawang riverside guesthouse, and 1 wilderness camp night.
- 🐒 Two Dedicated Treks – Complete entry permits and private local guides for both the 2D1N Batu Katak expedition and the 1-day Bukit Lawang orangutan trek.
- 🍳 Community Cooking Class – Full village tour logistics, fresh ingredients, and a private culinary workshop hosted by a local family.
- 🤝 Conscious Impact Proceeds – As with all our routes, a portion of your booking goes directly toward funding local street animal rescue programs and regional conservation initiatives.
Essential Info & Next Steps
- 🎒 Fast-Paced Prep – A comprehensive travel checklist (light hiking shoes, cooler mountain layers for the highlands, swimwear for the lake) will land in your inbox immediately after booking.
- 🗺️ Tailor-Made Flex – Want to add an extra night at Lake Toba, organize a traditional cooking class, or explore the river canyons of Batu Katak? Just write it down on your inquiry form!
- 🐾 Your Conscious Impact – Remember, 10% of our business proceeds go directly toward funding critical street cat neutering programs and wildlife protection efforts across the region.
Ready to Start Your Batu Katak and Bukit Lawang Adventure?
Spots are limited as we keep our tour groups small to ensure ethical wildlife tracking and dedicated local guiding. Inquire today to secure your dates, customize your itinerary, and help us fund critical local community and conservation projects on the ground.
Check Out our Reviews
Excellent rating
Based on 30 reviews We've had an amazing time with Escape to Sumatra team. Great and reliable organisation, the guides are knowledgeable and always happy to help and answer any questions. What I loved is that the company focuses on making the travel ethical for both the wildlife and also local people. This is so important and unfortunately often omitted aspect, but the team here made it their priority! I can only recommend booking your holidays with them. Eliška Augustinová Had a great time joining the 3 days/2 nights Mentawai tribe excursion! It is a once in a lifetime experience and definitely recommended! The tribe was welcoming, it was very interesting to see how they live (even if you can tell some traditions will be slowly lost), participating in their activities and the guide Laijet was very nice. Expect to spend a lot of time sitting, chatting, drinking coffee and smoking! I ended up the experience with a traditional tattoo made by Laijet and I really loved it! Diana Garzia Our overnight trekking experience with my fiancé was unforgettable. Our guides, Rendy and Anga, were amazing. knowledgeable, friendly, and made the whole journey special. The food was delicious, we saw incredible wildlife, and we had the chance to visit a local village. One of the highlights was the cooking class with a local family, where we learned about their culture and the conservation efforts the company is supporting within the community. If you’re looking to support a company that truly makes a positive difference, I highly recommend choosing this one. It was an experience that went beyond trekking. It was about connecting with nature, people, and meaningful conservation work. Claudia Can’t recommend the batu katak jungle trekking with these guys enough. Siddartha and Dikka were amazing guides. Really great company and initiative, employing from the community and supporting conservation efforts. Remi Pfister we had such an incredible experience doing the 3D2N trek. real jungle experience, plenty of wildlife (including orangutans!!) & so much to look at. ray and anga were awesome and kept the energy the whole way. thanks so much guys 🥳🥳 Holly Bradshaw The best experience you'll ever have is here with them, something you simply won't find anywhere else... Trust me...!! M4SQUAD IQTHA My boyfriend and I recently did the 2D/1N jungle trek in Batu Katak with Escape to Sumatra and had a fantastic experience. We chose Batu Katak over Bukit Lawang because I had already visited Bukit Lawang and wanted something a little more authentic and off the beaten track. We knew there was a lower chance of seeing orangutans and unfortunately didn't see any this time, but that's part of visiting a truly wild environment! Our guides, Rey and Dika, were excellent and went out of their way to make sure we still had a great trip. We saw plenty of other wildlife, enjoyed some amazing food and learned so much from their knowledge of the jungle and local area. Be prepared though - this is a real jungle adventure! It's hot, humid, challenging in places and there will most likely be leeches. But if you're looking for an authentic rainforest experience, I'd highly recommend it. Francesca Hardy We were completely satisfied with our experience with Escape to Sumatra. We joined the 2-day jungle trek in Bukit Lawang, and it exceeded our expectations. Our guides, Fabio and Angga, were fantastic. They were very knowledgeable and showed us a wide variety of animals and plants throughout the trek, making the experience both exciting and educational. They were also very funny and created a great atmosphere throughout the tour. We had a lot of fun with the whole group, which made the experience even more memorable. The food provided during the tour was excellent, and everything was well organized from start to finish. We felt well taken care of the entire time. We highly recommend Escape to Sumatra to anyone looking for an authentic and unforgettable jungle experience in Bukit Lawang! Lena We had an amazing jungle trekking experience with Escape to Sumatra. Our guides, Likki and Pele, were fantastic throughout the entire tour. We were lucky enough to see orangutans and gibbons in the wild, which was truly unforgettable. Everything was perfectly organised from start to finish. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all excellent, and chef Genji took great care of us the whole trip. You could really tell the team puts a lot of effort into making the experience special. If you love adventure, nature and wildlife, this is absolutely something I would recommend. One of the highlights of our trip to Sumatra! Nick van den Waardenburg I had an amazing experience hiking thru the jungle and spotting wildlife! they team was very helpful with figuring out booking and accommodation. Lillian TravaglioneVerified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more










