Scheduled for the tour at 8:30 am, today’s plan involved venturing into the jungle to encounter the orangutans in Bukit Lawang. Conveniently situated next to the jungle entrance, my guesthouse, Thomas’ Retreat, allowed me to wait on my terrace.
The Challenge of Basic Amenities
I opted for an early cold shower and placed an order for breakfast. The shower’s water, sourced from the river, proved limited, prompting me to cut it short after 5 minutes. As I required water for the Western toilet, I became aware of my constrained water supply for both the shower and toilet. In Bukit Lawang, a small village nestled in the heart of the jungle, reliance on the river for basic necessities was evident. The previous day, when the toilet failed to flush and I discerned the reason, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the realization of how I often take our essential utilities for granted back home.
As time elapsed, I found myself waiting almost an hour for Jamie and Maguire, but it didn’t bother me. I was enamored by the scenery unfolding in front of my accommodation. I had never experienced such a profound sense of relaxation in my life.
Enter Mount Leuser National Park
At approximately 9:30, Jamie and Maguire finally appeared with our two guides. Jamie had managed to cause a bit of delay. Our guides, Herrie (26 years old), later affectionately dubbed Harry Potter, and Putra (21 years old), later playfully called Tinky Winky, turned out to be two lively individuals with fantastic senses of humor.
Right beside my accommodation, Thomas Retreat, lies the entrance to the jungle, which is a part of the vast Mount Leuser National Park. Maguire, Jamie, Putra, Herrie, and I commenced our hike just 100 meters from my guesthouse. After ascending a steep path for about 3 minutes, we encountered a group of aggressive Macaque monkeys when the incline leveled off. This reminded me of a previous encounter with macaques at the waterfall in Langkawi. I briefly regretted embarking on this seven-hour hike, realizing there was no choice but to press forward. A single bite could have turned my adventure into a hospital visit for rabies shots.
A Mother and Baby Orangutan
Safely bypassing the macaque monkeys, we reached the hill’s summit where I observed numerous people strolling in the vicinity. It was at this point that we spotted our initial sighting of a female orangutan with her offspring.
Our guide, Putra, lured them with a peculiar sound, and it was effective; the orangutans approached us. A crowd of tourists gathered around, and the orangutans descended from the trees. Jamie and I seized the opportunity for a genuine photo with a shared laugh. Meanwhile, the baby orangutan was visibly urinating right behind us, captured in the snapshot.
Observing the orangutans in Bukit Lawang playfully swinging and munching on termites, we enjoyed the spectacle. After half an hour, our guides inquired if we were prepared to resume our hike.
Incline Decline
Continuing our journey, we faced one of the most challenging sections of our route as we descended towards the base camp. The steep path filled me with trepidation, contemplating how challenging it would be to navigate this slope during a heavy downpour with slippery mud all around, even with my hiking boots. Putra and Herrie clarified that we were undertaking the medium hike to reach the base camp.
Upon reaching the bottom, we took a break by the river. It dawned on me that descending was decidedly more challenging than ascending. It required utmost concentration, ensuring each step was deliberate, while also being vigilant about selecting sturdy vines or trees to hold onto, being cautious of potential thorns or ants.
Later, we opted for a fruit snack, and Putra and Herrie diligently prepared our meal, which we all gratefully consumed. A Thomas’s Langur monkey, an endemic species, cautiously approached us, and we observed its behavior for a while.
Suddenly, three other orangutans, accompanied by a child, approached us. In this instance, we were the sole observers in the vicinity. Putra, with his slingshot in hand, carefully gauged the distance between us and the orangutans. Interestingly, he didn’t need to employ the slingshot; a mere feigned gesture with it was sufficient to deter the orangutans and keep them at a safe distance.
Ultimately, the two orangutans settled in the tree, and we relished this extraordinary moment. We offered them banana skins, which they eagerly accepted. Jamie, Maguire, and I had our photos taken with the orangutans. It was truly a magical experience, made even more special by the fact that we didn’t have to share it with a crowd of twenty other tourists!
Kisses in the Jungle
After some time, Putra fed the Thomas’s Langur monkey that had approached and trusted us. Putra jokingly asked if we wanted to kiss him. At first, I thought it was a jest, until Putra leaned in with some food in his mouth and actually kissed the monkey. Initially, nobody else was willing to try, but after a moment, I changed my mind and decided to give it a shot.
I placed some food in my mouth, entered the branch circle, and leaned forward toward the Thomas’s langur monkey. Fortunately, the monkey didn’t touch my lips, haha. Jamie had a similar experience, but Maguire received an affectionate kiss, feeling the touch of the monkey’s hair on her teeth.
This was an incredible experience, and I never anticipated that we would get this close to the monkeys or have the opportunity to feed them.
We proceeded on our path, and after a challenging 40-minute hike, we reached the summit of a hill with a breathtaking view of the rainforest in Mount Leuser National Park. During our ascent, we were trailed by another orangutan. Caution was necessary, as the female orangutan following us is the offspring of the most perilous orangutan in the vicinity. Putra stayed at the rear to protect us, instructing us to climb up while Herrie guided the way.
More Orangutans
We savored the panorama, and after ten minutes, the orangutan approached us. It was a rather thrilling moment. Putra cautioned that this one could potentially bite, advising us to maintain a safe distance. As the orangutan neared, Putra initiated a chase to deter it. The orangutan scampered away and maintained a cautious distance from our group.
We took a break and observed the two orangutans for a while. This vantage point allowed me to capture some impressive close-ups with my camera. I concluded with a video that encapsulates the essence of these moments with the orangutans.
In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle
At 4 pm, we finally arrived at the base camp. After resting, we decided to cool off with a swim in the river. The water was refreshing, although the rocks proved to be quite slippery.
After our swim, we observed a girl in the distance crying hysterically. Maguire, Jamie, and I had noticed her earlier among the tourists at the beginning of our hike. She was part of another tour, and from our distance, they couldn’t hear our jokes. Approximately twenty minutes later, she and her girlfriends departed on the rafting tubes, heading back to Bukit Lawang.
We playfully speculated that the girl in tears might have expected a luxurious hotel in the heart of the jungle instead of the modest huts at base camp. Soon after, a torrential downpour began, and we shared a somewhat sadistic laugh about their predicament. The group of girls likely felt miserable at that moment—fatigued from a seven-hour hike, cold, and drenched while rafting in heavy rain. I’m still curious about why the one girl was crying and what issue they encountered.
Card Games in the Jungle
In the evening, our chef Ivan treated us to a delightful dinner featuring chicken rendang, vegetables, and rice. Herrie and Putra kept us entertained with card tricks and other games. I found immense joy in spending time with this lively and fun group of people. Surprisingly, the only card game I knew, the Dutch game “pesten,” wasn’t internationally known. Since nobody was familiar with it, I took the opportunity to teach the game to everyone.
We got to know our guides a bit better. Herrie, a 26-year-old guy, looked more like he had just turned 18. Our other guide, Putra (23 years old), had a penchant for inventing stories. Although their English was passable, their limited vocabulary led to some hilarious situations. For instance, today Herrie informed us that the Thomas’s Langur monkey was “processing.” Confused, we sought clarification. “You know, processing, the child, it needs to process!” Maguire and Jamie looked at me with surprise, and as I burst into laughter, I managed to explain, “Processing, he means the monkey’s pregnant.” Jamie and Maguire joined in the laughter. We cherished our tour guides for their humor and positive energy.
