//
National park in Sumatra, Indonesia
Photo: User: (WT-shared) Velorian at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Gunung Leuser National Park is a large Indonesian national park covering 950,000 hectares in northern Sumatra, straddling the border of the provinces of North Sumatra and Aceh. It is most famous for being one of the last places in the world where one can see orangutans in the wild.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
This school provides free English lessons, lessons on the environment and key skills to disadvantaged children in Bukit Lawang. They appreciate any time you can give: You can join them for one lesson or volunteer long-term. They provide free accommodation for long-term volunteers. Visitors to the school are also welcome. You can also pay to trek with the teachers; proceeds will go to the school.
Has great views of the jungle and their food is great. The restaurant is a lovely open plan space and a good menu and is brilliant for vegetarians, e.g. banana and chocolate pancakes, tempe rendang, veggie curry.
Have a wonderful riverside location with jungle views. The restaurant & bar offer offer a variety of delicious fresh meals and snacks with a good variety of vegetarian options. Ask the staff about their river surfing- for those wanting to work up an appetite before they dine.
A cocktail bar and restaurant owned by Erika-Canadian woman and her husband Agun. Situated next door to Sam's restaurant across the road from Sam's Bungalows- 3 very pleasant rooms with great views of the river.
Right next door to Jungle Tribe cocktail bar, this restaurant has the best in panoramic views of the river. Sam's cook uses an array of herbs and spices that give her cooking an extra dimension. Try the Gado Gado special. All the curries are rich in flavor, filled with nutritious and natural food.
Serves excellent home made pizza for those craving a touch of the west. The best spaghetti this side of Roma and a great tasting Gado Gado for those seeking some of the local fare.
Situated across from the National Park Ticket Office. A very homely feeling cafe with Yusuf and Rita (with Rita & her mum doing all the cooking) taking care of you. Serving tasty local food at local prices with decent portion sizes. Good western selection of food for breakfast. Nasi Goreng Rp 8,000, Nasi Ayam Rp 10,000, Black Tea/Coffee Rp 2,000 with milk Rp 5,000, Banana toast Rp 7,000, Banana Pancake Rp 8,000.
Offers reasonably priced rooms, but slightly inflated prices for food by Sumatran standards.
Only place to stay that's in the jungle, not the town. 4 rooms, all with balcony. Family style meals. Free coffee and tea. Private waterfall bathing. 120 hectares of private jungle. Eco-resort. Dutch spoken.
Also known as 'Eco Lodge' (just across the river from main village at the base of the hill and where the walking tracks start), is a good option if you arrive late in the day. It's also one of the main places to eat/drink at night and meet in the morning for treks.
They welcome backpackers or families. There are lots of local children in the neighborhood and there is a sport field next to the house for playing badminton. Gotong Royong is a quiet place and there hardly any other tourists. So if you want to get a taste of Indonesian culture, learn how to cook Indonesian food and speak Bahasa Indonesia, then a homestay in Gotong Royong is a good choice.
Not far from Jungle Inn is another pleasant place to stay in Bukit Lawang. Nice double bed rooms with cold shower.
5 rooms built high up behind their beautiful open-air building with incredible views.
Directly at the river at your left hand side when you walk to the orang utan centre. Certain rooms have hot showers. Great restaurant & bar with healthy food for reasonable prices. Owner and operator Obiwan is a very experienced (third generation) trekking guide.
Junias Guesthouse
Enjoy both scenic river and forest sounds as you relax at junias guesthouse. Situated between Gunung Leuser National Park and the Bohorok River – the perfect place to stay in Bukit Lawang for trekking, tubing, enjoying Indonesian culture and food. Whether backpacking through or on holiday, Junia’s is a new, jungle-style guesthouse with comfortable and beautiful rooms. Offers very cheap rooms and discount for long staying. Also offer some services such as jungle trekking, and traditional jungle survival skills course.
New resort run by a nice and friendly young family with two beautiful river facing huts one with shower and toilet and the other without. Quiet location with good food and cold beer, the perfect place to chill out.
A free standing house with 'a bar and restaurant' next door.
Right after the fancy Junias, the youngsters owners of the cottage will welcome you with a big smile (as often in Bukit Lawang) The cheapest bungalows, with the path to enter the Nation Park next to you, Lucky Bamboo can be the perfect option. No WiFi, but also no party or noise at night. Five to six bungalows around their house. if you take the front ones, you will sleep with the music of the river flowing. Just tell the guide you will probably meet at the bus station to drive you there.
A great location in the rice paddy fields with amazing views of the mountains. She has 2 really nice rooms and you will get to meet her children: a great way to experience a bit of real life. She and her husband both speak good English.
Lovely bungalows next to the river, across the bridge from town. En-suite toilet and shower (cold water). Local family owned and run. Great service, friendly, welcoming, and authentic. Rp 50,000 with delicious Nasi Goreng breakfast and tea throughout the day. (April 2012)
Across the river next door to Yusman which is next door to Wisma Sibayak. Cheap rooms with a double and single bed go for Rp 35,000. Bukit Lawang Indah has excellent cheap food
Owned by an English woman Jane and her Indonesian husband Wayan
Owned by a German woman Sylvia and her Indonesian husband Alex
A third smaller, cheaper, backpacker place owned by one of the English speaking guides Mega. Mega's 3 rooms are next door to Bamboo River.
Luxurious villas owned by renowned Indonesian actor and film producer, Nicholas Saputra.
Permaculture ecolodge run by local guide Safar Ketambe opening in 2023.
Guide: Johan
Has four different quality rooms from basic rooms with a shared bathroom to much nicer rooms.
By bus
Another option is to take a taxi from the airport or hotel in Medan to Pinang Baris (no more than Rp 50,000).
By car
From Bukit Lawang - Medan - If you prefer the convenience of an air-conditioned transfer - a private car can be arranged for airport or your Medan hotel pick-up.
The villages consist of little more than the guesthouses, a few local residences and the odd shop or cafe. You can walk around but there's not much to see or do!
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kutacane · Regional · LSR
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Gunung Leuser National Park and Indonesia.
Travel tipsFull 2026 list of visa-free countries for Philippine passport holders. Check ASEAN entry rules, stay limits, and Bureau of Immigration clearance tips.
6 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
Travel tipsExplore the rainy seasons in Asia month by month. Compare Southwest and Northeast monsoons, typhoon belts, dry island escapes, and travel dates.
8 min read
Travel tipsFull 2026 list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries for Indian passport holders. Check entry requirements, stay limits, and transit visa rules.
6 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.