If you’ve been looking for an Indonesian escape that’s a little more off-the-beaten-track, it’s time to put North Sumatra on your radar! Just a short flight from mainland Bali or Jakarta, this enchanting part of the archipelago offers something totally different – raw, natural beauty, lush rainforests, crystal-clear rivers, jaw-dropping wildlife encounters and zero crowds.
Our latest Indo Buddies adventure took us deep into the heart of Gunung Leuser National Park, to a place so magical, it has been nicknamed ‘The Hidden Paradise’. Welcome to Tangkahan Eco Village – a tranquil sanctuary where eco-tourism, conservation and community all come together in perfect harmony.
From authentic city eats in Medan to incredible rainforest treks, serene hot springs, adrenaline-pumping river tubing, and even walking with elephants (yes, really!) – this was a trip that delivered on ALL levels!
Read on to find out all about our 5-days and 4-nights of wild, off-the-grid adventures in one of Indonesia’s most magical corners.
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Day 1: Touchdown in Medan – City Lights & Street Bites
There are a few ways to reach Medan in Sumatra with a variety of airlines such as Garuda Indonesia, Batik and Air Asia. If you are travelling from within Indonesia, you’ll find a range of direct flights to Kualanamu International Airport (KNO), with options to fly via Jakarta. Check prices online, as you may also find it’s cheaper to fly from Kuala Lumpur with similar timings.
The airport is just under 40km from Medan’s city centre, which can take anything between 30-60 minutes by car, depending on traffic. You’ll also find trains, taxis and buses as other convenient transport options.
Compared to Bali, the roads were much quieter, and we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of green open spaces and trees that we passed along the way. As dusk began to fall, we were treated to a stunning sunset on the horizon with the call-to-prayer echoing from the surrounding mosques.
For our first night, we would be staying at Harper Wahid Hasyim, Medan – a great choice thanks to its convenient location right in the heart of the city, and also its affordable price tag. Harper Medan is part of Archipelago International — Southeast Asia’s largest privately-owned hotel management company, overseeing more than 300 operational properties and 40,000 rooms across over 350 destinations globally. Our room had all the essentials, including strong Wi-Fi, a comfy bed and a hot shower to wash off all the travel dust. The hotel has a sleek, minimalist feel with accommodating and welcoming staff, as well as its on-site Rustik Bistro & Bar, which is ideal if you don’t feel like venturing out for dinner.
After checking in, we took a 20-minute drive to Mie Tiong Sim, which is located on Jalan Selat Panjang – one of Medan’s well-known night market districts. They’re famous for their Bak Mie Tiong Sim, a hearty soup made with their signature thin noodles, shredded chicken, pork wonton and char siu pork in a warm broth. We enjoyed a few bowls and some chilled beers before taking a wander to check out some of the nearby dessert stalls.
At the end of the road, we were treated to two carts selling some tempting treats. First was Martabak – a popular Indonesian street-food snack that resembles a pancake and comes in a variety of sweet and savoury flavours. The second was Kue Putu Bambu, a local delicacy made from rice flour cooked and steamed in a bamboo mould, then filled with deliciously sweet palm sugar and sprinkled with a generous helping of desiccated coconut.
Stomach’s full and happy, we made our way back to the hotel for an early night. Tomorrow, we would be starting the next exciting chapter of our Sumatra escape, with a 3-hour drive to the Eco Village in Tangkahan to begin our jungle adventure.
Day 2: Travelling to Tangkahan & Settling Into Our Jungle Hideaway
The buffet breakfast at Harper Wahid Hasyim, Medan was a real treat, with heaps of Indonesian and local specialities to choose from, as well as brekkie classics like eggs, toast and cereal. Before hitting the road, we stopped off at Brastagi Supermarket, and believe us when we say that there’s no better place in Medan to buy snacks and supplies! There’s also a bottle shop to stock up on beer, wine and spirits too.
After a quick use of the toilets, we hit the road and began our journey to Tangkahan. The journey takes around 3-hours and you’ll get to see glimpses of local village life before you enter the jungle surroundings of Tangkahan Eco Village.
Around lunchtime, we arrived at Rumah Ati Tangkahan, which was to be our base for the next three nights. Almost a century old, this Kalimantan-style home has been built with Kayu Ulin – a type of iron wood used during the times of Dutch colonialism to build the railroads throughout Indonesia. This stunning property has been lovingly refurbished with all the mod-cons you could need, and can sleep up to 12 people ‘slumber party’ style in their generously-sized loft.
The modern and inviting jungle cabin sits on the edge of the Gunung Leuser National Park – Sumatra’s largest tropical rainforest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This sustainably designed home boasts stunning views that directly overlook the jungle and offers total serenity in amongst nature.
Whilst you can choose to cook yourself, we had opted for in-house catering and were rewarded with a delicious homemade organic lunch that featured an array of tasty Indonesian dishes. After we ate, we unpacked and settled in, meeting our guides who took the opportunity to go over our itinerary for the next few days.
Deciding to check out our surroundings, we headed down to the nearby river and freshened up, jumping in the crystal-clear waters. One of the locals caught a sizeable fish on his makeshift fishing rod, but as we went to check it out, our attention was suddenly caught by the appearance of not one, but four elephants making their way down to the water’s edge. Whilst we knew that our accommodation was located near to Tangkahan’s Elephant Sanctuary, we had no idea just how close we were, and watched transfixed as these gorgeous creatures bathed and played in the water.
After a while, the elephants made their way back for dinner, and we decided to do the same and headed back to Rumah Atii. Needless to say, this little sneak-peak of the Elephant Sanctuary had got all of us very excited for the following days!
As dusk hit, the skies over the trees changed to an orange hue and the jungle came alive with the sound of crickets, frogs and birds, with the twinkling of fireflies dancing around the garden. Dinner was served with a tasty selection of meat and vegetarian dishes, including Gado-Gado with peanut sauce and fried chicken. After a few glasses of wine, a couple of games of UNO and lots of laughs, we headed up to bed.
Day 3: Forest Treks, River Swims & Tubing Thrills
After breakfast, we were met by our guides to start our morning trek to the river. It began with a dramatic rope bridge crossing that looked like it could have been in an Indiana Jones movie. We continued through the jungle with our guides, who were stopping to point out various native flora and fauna along the way.
We walked for around 1.5 hours with the path varying from paved stones to a more ‘off-road’ experience through the trees and up and down hilly mountainside – something to be mindful of if you’re travelling with young children or those with mobility restrictions.
Eventually, we made our way down to the river and were rewarded with a jaw-dropping panorama that jungle dreams are made of – a pristine flowing river, dramatic hanging vines and not a soul (or piece of rubbish) to be seen. Our guides informed us that orangutans are often seen in the area, and that the national park is home to four different types of primate monkeys.
The cool water was a welcome relief after all of our trekking, and under the guide’s watchful eye, we jumped and swam in the currents, marvelling at the tranquillity that surrounded us. We were then led to a natural hot spring, where we could climb inside and bathe in the hot, sulphur-smelling waters. The mud, we were told, was good for the skin, so we made face masks and snacked on fresh fruit as they dried. After washing the mud off, our skin felt amazing and, dare we say, perhaps looked a little younger too?
During all of this, lunch has been set up beside the river in one of the most gorgeous settings we have ever seen. Laid out on woven banana leaves and decorated with red tropical flowers, this was the epitome of luxe jungle dining.
Rather than trekking back through the jungle, instead we were going to be making our way back on inflatable tubes (rubber rings). The excitement was real as we each claimed our tube and set off down the river with our guides. It’s worth noting that there are rapids along the way, so you may want to ask for life jackets if you’re not feeling confident. It was certainly a thrilling way to travel! There were calm moments too, floating underneath tall tree canopies with nothing but the sound of the jungle echoing around you. Totally magical!
After around 30- 40 minutes, we arrived back at the village near to our accommodation. Then it was just a short walk back to Rumah Ati when we showered and got ready for dinner, which consisted of pumpkin curry, rice, chicken, vegetables and prawn crackers. This was then followed by a campfire, complete with toasting marshmallows – the perfect way to finish off our adventure-filled jungle day.
Day 4: Enchanting Elephant Encounters & Jungle Joyrides
For our final full day at Tangkahan Eco Village, we had something particularly special in store – elephants! Gunung Leuser National Park is where you’ll find the Elephant Conservation Response Unit (CRU) or Elephant Sanctuary, home to a small group of rehabilitated elephants that have been rescued from poaching and conflict in the neighbouring province of Aceh.
This eco-tourism site is set within the park’s 17,000 hectares of virtually untouched forest with waterfalls, caves and natural hot springs, as well as the Buluh and Batang River. The aim of the Elephant Sanctuary is to educate foreign and domestic tourists about the conservation of elephants, where visitors can join these gorgeous creatures for their morning and afternoon bathing sessions along with their mahout (handler). It was heartening to see how beautifully these elephants were being cared for and the real connection each mahout had with their specific elephant.
In an effort to be as ethical as possible, the sanctuary’s ’Walking With Elephants’ experience offers a totally hands-off interaction, allowing you to follow and watch the elephants walk through their natural jungle environment. The trek can take anything between 1- 1.5 hours, as you go at the elephant’s pace (they call the shots!), so be prepared to walk through long grass, up embankments and even through mud. The elephants stop when they want to and eat when they want to. You’ll be accompanied by an English-speaking guide and some of the mahouts as you walk amongst them through the jungle and observe their behaviours at a safe pace.
For us, this was an absolute highlight and being able to walk alongside these gentle giants in their natural habitat was definitely something we will never forget!
Gunung Leuser National Park has heaps of amazing activities within its tranquil surroundings, including captivating waterfalls, natural hot springs, bat caves and river tubing. Following our elephant encounter, we stopped for another delicious riverside lunch and then wandered up the river with our guides, who took us to another hot spring. This one was cosier than yesterday’s and could only fit 2-3 people at a time. Relaxing in the warmth whilst the sulphur waters gurgled inside was the ultimate post-meal digestive experience.
Now we were ready to head back to Rumah Ati…but this wouldn’t be an Indo Buddies adventure without something special up our sleeve! First up was a group tubing session down the river – a more sedate experience than yesterday. Our individual tubes were tied together to make one big raft as we bobbed along. The calm 30-minute journey was perfect for sunbathing and wildlife spotting along the river, before ending up at a pebbled bank where two off-road Jeeps were waiting for us.
This was to be our final jungle experience, travelling the last few kilometres on the roof of a Jeep. We clambered onboard and held on tight as the drivers expertly navigated the bumpy roads through local villages, until we reached the smooth tarmac of the main road and the welcoming sight of Rumah Ati. What a thrilling way to end a final amazing day in rural Sumatran paradise!
Hearts pumping from our exhilarating ride back, the calm surroundings of Rumah Ati soon eased us back into our jungle chill. After a much-needed hot shower, it was soon time for a delicious final dinner accompanied by a tropical downpour, a few glasses of red wine, a cheeseboard and a competitive round of UNO. Before heading off to bed, we made sure to pack our bags, as tomorrow would be an early departure to head back to Kualanamu International Airport.
Day 5: Saying Goodbye – Paradise Found & Memories Made
Our driver was ready and waiting by 6:30am to collect us and start the 3-hour journey back to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, where some of us would be flying back to Bali via Kuala Lumpur, whilst others were heading to Jakarta for more Indo Buddies adventures.
After a few cups of signature Sumatran coffee, we said goodbye to our wonderful guides with promises to return to Tangkahan Eco Village and Rumah Ati one day – this trip had certainly carved out a very special place in our hearts. Tangkahan Eco Village gave us a taste of raw, untouched Indonesia with its lush jungles, clean rivers, wild encounters, genuine local hospitality and that unforgettable rainforest soundtrack.
If you’re looking to go beyond the usual tourist trail and experience the archipelago in its authentic glory, North Sumatra should certainly be high on your list! This is one Indonesian adventure for the memory books!
What to Pack for Exploring Tangkahan Eco Village
- Waterproof booties – as the rivers are very pebbly to walk on.
- Waterproof bag – to carry your belongings when on the river and out trekking.
- Quick-dry towel – for drying off after river dips.
- Rash guard, leggings or a sarong for swimming in the river – the area is predominantly Islamic, so it is important to dress respectfully.
- Mosquito spray – you are in the jungle after all!
- Disposable water bottle – keep single-use plastics down to a minimum.
- Battery pack – for charging your phone and making sure you don’t miss those great photo opportunities.
- Torch/headtorch – to find your way during the night or in case of a power cut.
- Small medical kit – it’s best to be prepared, as you will not be close to any medical facilities.
- A good book or pack of cards – we found UNO to be a real crowd-pleaser that kept all ages entertained in the evenings!
Final Tips for Your North Sumatra Getaway
- There are no ATMs in the jungle, so make sure to bring some cash, especially for tips for the guides.
- Shops are few and far between, so bring snacks and supplies with you. We recommend stopping off at Brastagi Supermarket in Medan, as they have a huge selection to choose from.
- Bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper, as the jungle can get quite vocal at night with crickets, frogs etc.
- Pack long socks for trekking, as leeches can be found in some muddy areas.
- Internet reception is very intermittent, so use this opportunity as an excuse to go off-grid and enjoy being amongst nature.
- Be as sustainable as possible! Tangkahan Village doesn’t have the facilities to dispose of large amounts of rubbish, so be sure to take your trash with you when you leave and help preserve the beauty of this stunning nature spot.
- Chat with your guides! They speak great English and love sharing stories about the local area, culture and wildlife – plus you’ll get so much more out of your trip!
To find out more about Sumatra and discover more amazing tips on places to visit, check out our guide to Sumatra right here!
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