Bukit Lawang - Our Home

Rainforest Village and Our Base for Sumatra Adventures

Escape to Sumatra Bukit Lawang is located near Gunung Leuser National Park. From here, we organise local jungle trekking and tours that introduce visitors to the region’s rainforest, wildlife and culture.

Our Base in Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang is a village in North Sumatra, Indonesia, beside the Bohorok River and close to Gunung Leuser National Park. It is known as a starting point for rainforest trekking and wildlife experiences.

Escape to Sumatra is based here, working with local guides to organise jungle treks and journeys through North Sumatra. From Bukit Lawang, travellers can explore the surrounding rainforest, learn about the region’s wildlife and discover local life.

We also organise experiences in Batu Katak and other destinations across Sumatra. This allows travellers to explore beyond the main trekking routes and discover different landscapes and local communities.

Whether you have a few days or several weeks, we can help you create an itinerary around your interests. For example, you can combine jungle trekking and wildlife experiences with volcano hikes, lakes, beaches and local culture.

In addition, your trip can be adapted to your travel dates, budget and travel style. We can arrange private transportation, accommodation and local experiences according to your needs.

Escape to Sumatra local team in Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra

Where Is Bukit Lawang?

Located approximately 90 km northwest of Medan. Bukit Lawang is a village in North Sumatra, situated along the Bohorok River on the edge of the tropical rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park. It is one of the best-known destinations in Sumatra for encounters with wild Sumatran orangutans and guided rainforest trekking.

Bukit Lawang has a history connected to orangutan rehabilitation and conservation. An orangutan rehabilitation centre was established here in 1973 to help orangutans affected by hunting, illegal trade and habitat loss. 

Beyond orangutans, Bukit Lawang is a welcoming destination for travellers who want to experience nature and local life. You can join a guided jungle trekking experience in Bukit Lawang, explore the quieter rainforest around Batu Katak, or discover more of the region through our Sumatra tours.

The area also offers opportunities to enjoy riverside scenery, visit local villages, experience Indonesian food and relax in accommodation surrounded by greenery. Whether you come for a challenging jungle adventure or a few peaceful days beside the river, Bukit Lawang is an excellent place to begin exploring North Sumatra. From here, you can continue your journey to other destinations, including Berastagi and Lake Toba, or plan a longer adventure with our locally guided Sumatra experiences.

Escape to Sumatra in Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang is one of the best-known starting points for exploring the rainforest around Gunung Leuser National Park in North Sumatra. This protected landscape forms part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The rainforest provides habitat for Sumatran orangutans and many other species. Exploring it with responsible local guides offers an opportunity to learn about the forest, its wildlife and the importance of protecting this unique environment.

At Escape to Sumatra in Bukit Lawang, we help travellers discover the surrounding rainforest through locally guided treks and experiences. Our tours also connect visitors with destinations such as Batu Katak and other parts of North Sumatra.

Gallery of Bukit Lawang

Ready to Start Your Sumatran 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

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Based on 30 reviews
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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.
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Eliška Augustinová
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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!
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Diana Garzia
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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.
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Claudia
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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.
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Remi Pfister
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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 🥳🥳
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Holly Bradshaw
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The best experience you'll ever have is here with them, something you simply won't find anywhere else... Trust me...!!
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M4SQUAD IQTHA
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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.
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Francesca Hardy
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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!
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Lena
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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!
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Nick van den Waardenburg
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I had an amazing experience hiking thru the jungle and spotting wildlife! they team was very helpful with figuring out booking and accommodation.
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Lillian Travaglione
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