After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your guesthouse around 9:00 am and take you to your car.

Your driver will take you to Tangkahan in 2.5 hours through our bumpy and unsurfaced jungle roads. On the way you will witness the destruction our wonderful rainforest through the  endless landscapes of palm oil plantations with the Gunung Leuser National Park in the background. A sad and unforgettable scenery!  

Tangkahan is a small village on the border of Gunung Leuser National Park in North Sumatra. It is situated at the junction of 2 rivers, the Buluh River and the Batang River. Tangkahan is a good example on how community based eco-tourism can stop illegal logging, improve livelihood of local people. The CRU/LPT Tangkahan. Lembaga Pariwisata Tangkahan (LPT) is a local organization formed with the purpose to develop eco-tourism as a new form of livelihood and in this way prevent illegal logging. As regards the CRU (Conservation Response Unit), it is a team of Sumatran Elephants saved from illegal poaching and their mahouts that helps safeguard the national park to protect it from encroachment.

As elephant activity is under worldwide criticism we have decided to not promote the elephant washing activity organized by the CRU anymore as we are not sure about how the elephants are treated/trained and as the organization is still offering a riding activity. If you want to visit the CRU and it's elephants we recommend you to do some research before and to consider the "Walk with the Elephants activity", a trek through the jungle where you walk BESIDE them. 

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You will start your discovery by crossing the Buluh River through a huge wooden bridge and discover the natural and unspoilt environment of Tangkahan. Then you'll walk for roughly 1 hour through the jungle to reach the incredible waterfall of Tangkahan! You'll swim and take a revitalizing shower under the waterfall. You'll tube back along the river before lunch. Then you'll enjoy either your traditional lunch at a nice local restaurant in Tangkahan or a freshly cooked lunch at the riverbank! During the afternoon you'll chill out at the Buluh River. Perfect occasion to take a refreshing swim in the river and to enjoy at the hot springs. 

On the way back to Bukit Lawang, you will cross undeveloped areas so take the time to observe the everyday life in rural villages.

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End of the day, your guide will bring you back to your guesthouse around 6:00 or 7:00 pm.