Bukit Lawang

Where to stay

Most budget guesthouses sit along the west bank of the Bohorok River, within a five-minute walk of the Gunung Leuser National Park entrance. The strip between the two suspension bridges has the highest density of cheap beds, local warungs, and guide offices.

Getting around

• Book your orangutan trek directly with guides at the park entrance rather than through your guesthouse. You pay the same permit fee but skip the accommodation markup on the guide.
• The bus from Medan's Pinang Baris terminal drops you at the Bukit Lawang junction. Grab a shared ojek for the final few kilometers instead of taking a private car from the touts near the bus stop.
• Bring snacks from Medan before heading into the jungle. Once you pass the guesthouses, the only food is what your guide carries, and the 'jungle meal' add-on is significantly overpriced.

When to go

Beds are cheapest and easy to walk into from November through February (rain usually hits in the afternoon, not all day); June through September is dry-season trekking peak and hostels fill up fast, especially on weekends.