5 Day Trek

Five days, four nights. This is not your typical jungle trek! The further you go, the wilder it gets — and this one goes far.

Day 1 starts like always with a 9am pickup, walk through the community gardens, into Gunung Leuser National Park. But on this trek, if you spot orangutans on day 1, we stay as long as possible because from day 2 onward, the chances of seeing wildlife drop significantly. Enjoy every first encounter; it might be the last one.

Day 2 begins with 2 to 3 hours of jungle trekking. Then the trail moves into the river and stays there. You walk through the water, following the river upstream. The scenery is beautiful and quiet, no other people out here. Your team sets up camp from scratch — tents are carried in and built by hand. Simple and basic! The mattresses are thinner than on the shorter treks. This is the real thing.

Day 3 is a full day in the river with around 5 hours walking through the water. Water shoes are essential here. Along the way, you help the team gather firewood and cook survival food like bamboo shoots, ferns, and banana stalks, all fresh from the jungle. You can also try your luck at fishing in the river and cooking an eating your own catch.

If you are very lucky, you might come across fresh tiger tracks in the sand or on the rocks at the river bank. Deer are also occasionally spotted. These are wild animals that are not used to humans and sightings only last seconds before they disappear.

On day 4 the trail moves back through the jungle toward the Bohorok River. This stretch is where, in the right conditions, we can sight wild elephants along the river banks or in the valley below. The chances are small, but real. If you do see one, keep your distance. Wild elephants are unpredictable and can be dangerous. Just stay close to your guides and do exactly what they say.

Day 5 and its rafting time back to the village; around two hours on the river if conditions allow. If the water is too high or too strong, we walk for a few hours first before getting on the tubes. Either way, you'll get home.

A few honest remarks about this trek:

Sleep might not be the most comfortable. You are on a thin mattress, in a tent built by hand in the jungle. It does the job but it's not a hotel. The toilet? The jungle is your toilet. Find a bush, dig a hole, cover it up. That is how it works out here.

This trek is about experiencing the jungle the way it really is — raw, real, and wild. It is survival, but in a fun way.

Important to know: This trek can change depending on weather and river conditions. Heavy rain means the river rises fast and walking through water becomes impossible or dangerous. If that happens, we adjust the route. Flexibility is part of this trek — come with an open mind.

The evening before your trek, one of our team will come to your guesthouse to introduce ourselves, explain what to expect, and answer any questions. So on the morning of the trek, you already know us.

Difficulty: Challenging. Not suitable for children

Includes entrance fee to the National Park, guide association fee, guiding fee for guide and porter; all meals (lunch and dinner on day one, breakfast and lunch on day 2, fresh fruit during hiking breaks, coffee and tea at the camp), river swim, tube rafting back to the village (if conditions allow) and waterproof box for your belongings

What to bring: Hiking shoes, light clothes, long sleeves, change of clothes, swimwear, towel, sunscreen, insect repellent, water bottle, rain jacket, torch, toilet paper, camera