The Jungle Book - Sumatra
- Dec 22, 2016
- 5 min read
As a first time trekker, I share experiences from my journal when I explored the Sumatran jungles. It was an adventure disappearing in to the wilderness of Sumatra to spot the elusive orangutan and other scenic discoveries.
Credit: Pexels
26th October 2016 | Sumatran Escapes
5pm | Medan
It took twenty four hours from Bangalore to Medan - the capital of Sumatra, with a long pitstop in Singapore and our journey was yet to be completed. A ten hour taxi ride to the interiors of the Gunung Leuser National Park. Ketembe - the last remaining rainforests of the Sumatran organutan, where sightings were regular. Other mammals like the Sumatran tiger, rhinoceros and leopard cat are considered to prowl around but in reality, have not been sighted making scientists question their extinction.
8pm | On the road
Our taxi had a playlist of oldies from Bryan Adams to Elvis Presley and Eric Clapton - we nodded into a gentle sleep, waking up sporadically to the sounds of traffic and sudden turns on the mountain path. We stopped for dinner at an old colonial building with massive Dutch style double doors, mosaic tiles and hefty pillars. A typical setup in the country side, a buffet spread was laid out. I helped myself to rice, with chilly oil and crispy fried spinach.
1am | Friendship Guest House, Ketembe
We reached our humble little abode - The Friendship Guest House. The manager, Ahmad welcomed us and gently pointed to hot food placed on the table, I hope our eager appetites showed him how grateful we were for this warm gesture. Tummies full, we gladly surrendered within seconds to our warm beds, in the middle of our jungle paradise.
27th October 2016 | Orangutan spotting and rainfall lullabies
9am | Our 2 day trek begins
Our agile trekking guide Safar manoeuvred through the jungle trails with the grace of a dancer while in contrast I was puffing, panting, and slipping on the tree roots. Taking pity on me, he carved a stick with a pointed edge to give me balance. A hour or two into our trek, he looked up at the treetops and dashed into the wilderness. We stay still, holding our breath so as to not disturb the silence of the jungles. He comes back with frantic gesture s to follow him, we spot a Thomas Leaf monkey, iconic of North Sumatra. Swinging through the branches over us, he paused and looked back at us before carrying on.
12pm | Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
"There!"said my friend as she pointed into the distance at a flash of orange on the treetops, Safar squinted into the distance and his eyes brightened. His expression was all we needed to know, we threw our bags to the ground and sped up after him. Running under branches and jumping over rocks, we tripped and picked each other up in silence. Safar scouted for a good vantage point, and lo and behold - there they were. A family of orangutangs, we watched in awe - and couldn't believe our luck. A mummy, baby and another family member - all three frozen in their positions and peering down at us. We sat down and looked up at them, relishing the moment.
2pm | Look for the bare necessities
Thrilled with our sighting, we skipped into the jungles happy and excited. Our campsite was by those scenic rivers comparable to a surreal picture you would spot on Pinterest with customary wanderlust quotes. Simple and bare, with plastic tents that had sleeping bags and a little fireplace burning away, we took out our leech boots (a foremost essential) and ran to the river for a dip.
4pm | Befriend Indomei
We sat perched on the rocks after our swim, and sipped on warm ginger lemon tea. Our cook Sahril, served us Indomei - Indonesian noodles, a staple with fried egg. We slurped it and wondered if the moment could be more perfect, we then looked up and saw a macaque staring back at us from across the river; the moment just did.
7pm | Dinner under the stars
The darkness of the Sumatran jungles, bring with it the nocturnal activity of wildlife, we heard chirping birds and chattering monkeys. The campsite, was lit with candles and the smell of warm food comforted us in the middle of this inky darkness. The scent of rainfall approached and Safar ushered us into the tent. A delicious meal of potatoes cooked in coconut curry, with fried veggies - we gleefully thank our cook Sahril, who blushed in a corner.
10pm | Thunder and lightning, not very frightening
A visit from the rain Gods, lasted the whole night, I had never experienced rainfall like this. Thunder glittered, revealing for a split second the silhouette of the mountain range. The sound of the rainfall, sang us to sleep as we lay in pitch darkness.
28th October 2016 | Misty waterfalls
7am | Hello again, jungle friends
Before breakfast, Safar took us to a new trekking path and we were excited to spot another family of orangutans. Knowing the drill, we bounded towards the trees, slipping and sliding - my friend ran through a spiderweb, while I was sliding down a hill after tripping over a mossy root. By now this was all in a day's work - we stood up and saw them even more up close. The orangutans, climbed down towards half height of the tree - giving us a wonderful view. A moment, where they looked at us and acknowledged our presence before resuming their morning routine.
10am | Tricky trek
On our way to hot springs, I found that my emotional limits were being tested to the brim. This trek had treacherous ledges, slippery ground and even more hungry leeches. Swatting them off your skin, while trying not to lose your balance over the edge of a cliff was not an easy task. A few moments of panic later, I decided that I was going to brave the leech bites and get on with it. It was worth it, as I would have never traded what came next for anything.
12pm | Something is in the mist
Our own little paradise, a thermal spring and waterfall was our reward after our daunting trek. Laying the water, with warm steam was like nature's jacuzzi. The lofty tree tops provided shade, with palms on the river edge dipping majestically giving this a beautiful view to admire.
4pm | Homebound
It was time to make our way back to the guest house. Saying goodbye to the jungle was bittersweet, while I was a little relieved at the strenuous trekking on irregular terrain, I was surely going to miss the beauty of the Sumatran jungles. Lofty trees, green canopies and gigantic palms that block the sunlight. The thick foliage helped the jungle to cover any tracks of wildlife, as if somethings were meant to be untraceable.
Get Planning with these helpful links
SaveSaveSave
Comments