How to Ethically View Orangutans in Indonesia

As flame-colored primates dwindle, here’s how to see them on a responsible jungle trek.

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soaked in sweat. Hours of hiking to the screeching noise of jungle insects in the dank conditions of Indonesia’s Gunung Lesei National Park starts to pay off. My guide’s eyes never left the canopy as he expertly chose the least muddy trail along the hillside. It seems like every time I turn my face to the sky and spot a sliver of orange hair in the thick green tapestry above my head, I end up stumbling, or worse, a thick black leech attached to my hip.

But suddenly, we stopped. A mother and her 3-year-old baby squatted on a steep embankment, desperately trying to identify a trace of an orangutan, and she effortlessly slid down the treetops to watch us closely. We were only 20 feet apart, but they didn’t seem to care, just as curious about us as they were.

Finding wild orangutans in an ocean of nearly 800,000 acres of lush rainforest is a daunting task. It wouldn’t be possible without the help of local, national park guides who know the name and character of each primate. Big-cheeked (the dominant male) loves his space, while the charismatic ape Mina is obsessed with the white skin of a foreigner. If our paths were to cross, we would have to run away before she tried to bring her new china friend to the tree with her.

This is one of two places on Earth where orangutans can still be seen in the wild. This is the last stop for the Sumatran orangutan. Ethical tourism can help protect the rainforests that these elusive mammals depend on. Here’s what you need to know about Sumatra and how to choose an organization that puts orangutan conservation first.

Sumatra, Indonesia: Home to the Forest People

Once a bustling tourist destination, Sumatra is now deserted. Before Bali became a tourist hub with an international airport, backpackers had to island-hop in Indonesia, crossing Sumatra and Java along the way. Funds flow into the area through tourism and tourists entering the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre at the Bukit Lawang Orangutan Sanctuary. From the vast culinary melting pot of Medan to the midnight blue waters of Lake Toba, Sumatra has more than just jungles to offer would-be visitors. It still exists.

But today, visitors to the rainforest will find the orangutan rehabilitation center closed. Orangutan, which literally translates to “forest man” in Indonesian, is now surviving without human intervention. Visitors to Bukit Lawang can now choose between numerous ecotourism agencies offering rainforest treks to see orangutans in their homeland. In turn, support for these eco-huts has funded the conservation of the last 6,500 great apes that live here, and provided the Indonesian government with financial incentives to protect the jungle from being sold piecemeal and deforested by palm oil plantations.

How to Find an Ethical Trekking Company in Bukit Lawang

Not all trekking companies in Bukit Lawang are created equal. Some are guilty of greenwashing and masquerading as ecotourism options, while others blatantly disregard moral standards. These are the key “jungle guidelines” that organizations must follow in order to be considered an ethical and sustainable organization committed to protecting the jungle and the apes in it.

1. Small hiking groups. Usually no more than six people per trip. A way to limit the actual human footprint.
2. Do not touch wild animals.
3. Don’t trek when you’re sick. Since we share 97% of our DNA with orangutans, they can infect all of our diseases.
4. Do not feed wild animals. This includes leaving lunch scraps behind.
5. Leave no trace. Only trek with organizations that adhere to a strict no-trace policy.
6. Keep your distance from the orangutan. The comfort of the orangutan should be the top priority of the eco-lodge. Not your photo.
7. Locally owned. Supporting local small businesses helps contribute funds to the local economy.
8. Hire only local ITGA-HPI certified guides. These guides grew up in the surrounding area and know the scenery inside out. They are also professionally trained to protect and protect the jungle environment.

Sumatra Orangutan Explore, my eco lodge of choice, highly recommended by the community. Not only do they follow the guidelines above, but they donate 15% of their proceeds to local charities, are 97% plastic-free, offer trekking tours that suit travelers of all dietary restrictions and budgets, and rivers in Bukit Lawang.

“Since the inception of our Ethical Trekking Company, we have worked to protect the rainforest and preserve its amazing wildlife while benefiting local people. Because of these Ethical Jungle Rules, we aim to promote wildlife ecotourism. We are committed to reducing impact on the rainforest and protect wildlife, especially the endangered Sumatran orangutan, which are very sensitive to human bacteria and human activity.”

– Sumatran Orangutan Quest, Iman and Mary

Their most immersive hikes are longer, three days or more, allowing visitors to go deeper into the national park at a slower pace, see more orangutans, and hopefully see other elusive wildlife like Sumatra Elephant or sun bear.

What to Expect From Hiking in Gunung Leuser National Park

You’ll be living a life of relative luxury after a creepy bus ride down potholes to the riverside town of Bukit Lawang. The chalet huts are set against the banks of the aquamarine river, looking out onto the impregnable walls of the green jungle on the other side. Wi-Fi, and sometimes even electricity, can be spotty in Bukit Lawang, but surrounded by peaceful nature, it’s the perfect destination for a disconnect.

After a night or two of local spicy delicacies (beef rendang and hash browns) at your hotel, you’ll be rested and ready for the hike. Your local guide will take you across the river on a suspension bridge and into the rainforest. From here, you’ll trek 8 miles a day, traversing rolling terrain in search of orangutans, sun bears, Sumatran statues, or one of seven other primate species in this rainforest. If you choose to spend the night in the jungle, or the recommended three nights, you’ll camp in ready-made tents by the river with deployable floor mats to soak your aching muscles. You’ll drink tea and cookies, play cards by candlelight with your hiker or guide, and enjoy plenty of local delicacies to fuel your journey.

However, the journey back to Bukit Lawang won’t be an arduous jungle trek, but an easy river trip on an inner tube raft to the door of your jungle hut. The sweltering heat of the rainforest is comforting.

Although you are not ensure With a trained and knowledgeable guide, see any wildlife (they are wild, after all) on your tour and your chances are in your favor. During my two-day hike in Gunung Leuser National Park, I saw five individual orangutans and five other primates. Not to mention the variety of insects and jungle birds we encountered.

It’s not a bucket list trip to bankrupt the bank either.There are many ecolodges in the area such as Sumatra Orangutan Explore, trekking starts at $50/day, budget basic rooms start at $7.50/night.

If wild orangutan viewing is on your bucket list, make sure you choose the responsible way to check out the last one left.