3 Day Orangutan Jungle Trek - Day 2 & 3
- V.Gray
- Feb 13, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 14, 2024
If you are just jumping in on this post it is 1 of 2. If you would like to know how this trip started and what we did to find all our information. Post 1 is - 3 Day Orangutan Trek - Day 1.
I am unsure what time we awoke but I know we did not sleep late, there were no blinds to keep the light out. When the sun came out the entire tented area and jungle streamed with light it was quite beautiful. Taking our water bottles, toothbrushes and face cloth down to the river we washed up and got ready to start our day. We had packed a change of clothes and new socks, however we could see that our socks and shirts from the day before were what we were going to keep wearing. They were already a bit smelly and the socks were going to have to be tossed after this trip (due to leeches) so we re-wore our clothes from the day before.
After breakfast we were off! Bambam packed up camp and headed down stream, while Dani and us headed back into the lush jungle. We started shoes off walking down stream as well until we were told it was time to go up.
Photo Credit: V. Gray
As we hiked up we found a gibbon along our way, first encounter of the day! These guys are pretty cool to watch with their long arms and legs they can swing around quite fast through the trees.
Photo Credit: V. Gray
As we carried on the second day felt a bit easier than the first, mainly because we thought we knew what to expect. We were very much proven wrong by this and put to the test at the end of the day. Further into the jungle we went! Sometimes the trail was easy to see and walk, other times I was completely unsure how we had gotten to the points we were at.
Photo Credit: R. Cowie
It wasn't long into our morning before we came across orangutans and some monkeys. Even after seeing these apes for the first time in person the day before, it still was so exciting to find them again. We stopped for lunch in a valley by a clear stream. We took this chance to remove our shoes and dip our feet in the cool water.
We were joined by another trekking group and a soft shell turtle playing in the water at our toes.
Photo Credit: V. Gray
Once we packed up it was upwards again! Out of the river bed valley and into the trees. This part was dense and steep uphill and just as steep going down into the camp. As I look now we did not take any pictures on the second day of the orangutans we saw. We did pull out the GoPro for lots of footage though.
Coming down into the camp that evening was the most challenging part of the entire trek. Dani actually insisted on taking my backpack because he thought it would help, which was very sweet of him.
Some trees had rope tied between them as a makeshift railing to assist you on the way down. Between the mud, roots and leaves the jungle floor was very slick. Coming down this is not for the faint of heart, we bounced between trees, grabbing roots, the rope and at some points I actually just turned around and went down backwards because that was the easier and safer way to do it.
Dani went ahead to show us the way down, which either way we were going to figure out our own route down. We had given him the GoPro, which thanks to Dani we got a ton of footage we never would have taken. He thoroughly enjoyed filming and running around the jungle and us with the camera.
Photo Credit: Dani
Which I will admit kept me smiling and got rid of my focusing R.B.F (resting b**ch face) I am known to get along with boosting morale as we were laughing at his songs along the way.
When we finally came to the bottom and into camp, we were both relieved. This time our camp by the river was a much faster flowing beast with a current. Which was nice to see as this was our ride back to the lodge in the morning. We did try to swim here but it was not as enjoyable as the evening before, however it still felt good to cool off.
Photo Credit: V. Gray
Another evening by the river, we got the opportunity to speak to a few different trekkers as well about what they saw during the last few days and where they have been travelling too. Sumatra is not a huge tourist destination, it's really a place where travellers are going for a very specific reason, not just backpacking like other parts of SouthEast Asia.
As the darkness came upon us, we had dinner by candle light and then stayed by the river to look at the stars as the night sky was very clear. We also watched some of the guide's fish. One guy wears a head lamp and goes into the current, he then scoops the fish up by hand and tosses them to his friends on the shore to run about to pick up the fish.
Photo Credit: Dani
We went in the same style as the night before ending the evening with games and jokes with Dani. When we went to bed we were awoken in the middle of the night by a loud thunder crash that shook our entire bodies. A thunderstorm had just started, after the crack happened you could see all the guides running out by our tent yelling and shining lights into the jungle.
We found out the next morning it was a large tree branch that caused this noise, however the reaction from the guides was because it could have been a tiger coming through into camp. This had not crossed my mind as a possibility until Dani said it the next morning. This was how we started our final day in the jungle, realizing the possible dangers that could have occurred.
Photo Credit: V. Gray
As we finished breakfast, we watched the Macaque monkeys jump into the river and dive under the water to grab the food scraps from breakfast. I have seen monkeys swim and honestly watching the little guys do it was very entertaining.
Photo Credit: V. Gray
Dani offered to take us up river for a bit of water before heading back to the lodge. Giving the other gentleman helping Dani enough time to pack up camp. Up stream we went, along with all the other trekkers to the waterfall.
Photo Credit: Dani
The water came right out of the mountain down into this tiny but deep pool. We watched people jump into the pool, stand under the waterfall and get their face painted by their guides with rock sediment. We took our turns swimming then headed back to the river to float back down to camp.
Photo Credit: Dani
We floated back down stream to camp, had a quick lunch then watched as they packed the entire camp and our bags onto an inner tube raft. This was our ride back!
Photo Credit: R. Cowie
We then loaded Dani at the back, us in the middle and another gentleman on the front. The river we went to, the water was chilly but compared to the heat it felt great. It was 45 minutes of floating/rafting down into the village. With constant laughs, yips and Dani's singing.
Video Credit: R. Cowie
Coming into the village we were greeted by kids playing in the river and floating down stream, laughing and waving at us yelling "HELLO!". When we got to the end of our raft ride, we grabbed the gear and started the walk through the village back to the lodge.
Video Credit: R. Cowie
As we were walking through the village Dani mentioned it was another 45 minutes back to the lodge, in the heat of the afternoon. We could walk or take a tuk tuk for 30,000 RND ($2.50 CAD) which would be a 10 minute ride. We were all a bit tired by this point and agreed to take the tuk tuk back to the lodge.
After 3 days and 2 nights trekking through the jungle we both learned a lot. About ourselves as individuals and as a couple as well. I was impressed with myself for being able to actually complete this trek, going up and down the mountain. While also facing spiders and bugs along the way, if there were snakes I did not see them and that is for the best for everyone.
As a couple we learned we have more patience and understanding for each other than we thought. There were no arguments or comments, just us working together as a team to complete this and make sure we were both okay doing it.
Without flights or our tourist VISA factored into the cost this trek cost us $500 CAD for both of us. This does not include our extra day of lodging or the additional night after we booked because we were unable to make Lake Toba work with our time frame. This was an amazing experience and I am glad we took the time to make it happen. If you are in Sumatra or Indonesia you should make the time to do one of these treks, even if it is just for a day.
Cheers!
**Please note that all opinions and views expressed in this post are my own, from my own experiences. If you would like to see more pictures follow me on Instagram @vikki.gray **
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