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WHAT TO BRING
IN THE JUNGLE

ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED

Bukit Lawang is a small tourist village surrounded by undevelopped areas, palm oil plantations and the Gunung Leuser National Park. Thus, it can be difficult to buy specialized or personal stuff in here and even more to pay by credit card (only by cash)! That's why we want to make sure you bring everything that you need before coming in Bukit Lawang. So here is the list! 

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TREKKING
Equipment
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The perfect outfit and all the things you need to take with you for trekking

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Travel tips
ECOFRIENDLY
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Some tips to travel in an eco-conscious way and limit your impact on the planet

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MONEY
Bring cash
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There is no ATM on Bukit Lawang but there is a money changer

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SAFETY
Medicine
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Bring enough medicine and consult your doctor for vaccinations

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MANDATORY
Visa & insurance
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Keep you informed about the VISA regulation and take a travel insurance

1. Equipment required for jungle trekking

  • Light T-shirt, long trousers and long socks for the trek (preferably in dark colors)

  • Long trousers, long sleeved shirts or T-shirt with sweater for the evening and night time in the jungle

  • Comfortable walking shoes suitable for trekking + water shoes to cross rivers if you do an overnight trek + flip flops or sandals for the camp

  • Change of clothes for overnight treks

  • Swimming suit and towel

  • Raincoat

  • 1 small backpack (30-35 liters) 

  • Hat or cap, sunglasses

  • Sunscreen, mosquito repellent for body & clothes 

  • Camera, mobile phone, flashlight and powerbank

  • Personal medical with plasters and medicine like anti diarrhea tablets, dehydration salt, aspirin/painkillers and antibiotics

  • Toilet paper (or use the Indonesian way : your left hand!)

  • 1 big bottle of water (1.5 liters)

  • Blowing pillow or something for your neck to sleep if needed (pillow provided 2 first nights only but bit hard)

  • Silk travel sheet (optional as we'll provide a light sheet, it's more if you want to protect the leather mattress for more comfort)

2. Eco-friendly travel tips : because we care about our jungle 

  • Bring solid soap & shampoo bars. Travel-friendly and eco-friendly, it is perfect for a less-waste trekking. You can also buy metallic reusable boxes to put them inside (at Lush).

  • Bring solid tooth paste. Nomad format & plastic-free, it doesn't contain palm oil unlike traditional toothpaste. Buy it before coming as it is still difficult to find some in Asia.

  • Don't use single-use plastic like straws or plastic cutlery, in Bukit Lawang you can buy metallic or bamboo straws and bamboo cutlery (perfect to bring in the jungle and everywhere with you)

  • Smoker ? Bring a pocket ashtray and don't leave any cigarette butts in the jungle.

  • Don't bring plastic bags to protect your personal stuff, opt for a waterproof bag!

3. Money : Bring cash !

Be aware that we do not take creditcards in Bukit Lawang and that there is no ATM (the closest one is 30min away and takes only Mastercard & Maestro)! Thus, you will have to bring enough cash to pay for your guesthouse, your food but also your trek and other daily activities.  

You can ask your driver to stop at a ATM or MoneyChanger on the way to Bukit Lawang. 
Otherwise, we also have a MoneyChanger office in Bukit Lawang! 

4. Medicine & medical equipment

  • Sunscreen

  • Mosquito repellent for body & clothes

  • First aid kit

  • Other medicine : anti diarrhea medicine, dehydration salt, aspirin/painkillers and antibiotics

  • Check the vaccinations needed with your doctor before leaving

  • You need to be fit enough for strong exercise if you plan to do treks over more than 2 days. Please do a general health check with your doctor before travelling to the Sumatran jungle as fitness condition is within the responsibility of each guest!

  • Please inform us about your special health condition before the trek (diseases, allergies, high blood pressure, operations, pregnancy...). Our team might not allow some of you to go in the jungle!

5. Visa & Health Insurance

  • Visa : It is easy to get a visa in Indonesia as you will automatically get a 30 days visa at Kuala Namu airport for FREE ! Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of arrival, and you must have proof of return (tickets). Or you can apply for a renewable tourist visa on arrival, called VOA visa on arrival (for 500,000 IDR) offering the possibility of staying a total of 60 days in Indonesia (+500,000 IDR). If you want to extend your stay in Indonesia, you can ask for a 6 months social visa at an Indonesian Embassy in your country before departure. Check the price, formalities and paper needed according to your country on the dedicated website.
    Please note that since the pandemic the only visa available is the VOA (visa on arrival) at 500,000 IDR.
    Possible to get it on arrival at the airport or online.

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  • Travel & Health Insurance : make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance with good medical cover in case something happen ! Please note that travel insurance is within the personal responsibility of each traveler and has to cover injuries, accidents or the loss of personal belongings!

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Please note that the tour operator Sumatra Orangutan Explore is not liable for any damages or injuries suffered in consequence of anything that happened in the jungle due to the nature forces. 

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