We had been walking in the jungle for less than two hours. And, already, the coveted orange hair shone in the sun above our heads.
We had quickly reached the goal of our two-day expedition into the rainforest of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. A family of orangutans, there, right there, observing humans on the ground in the same way that humans observed them feeding or playing with each other.
We have a mix of emotions when we first lay our eyes on these glorious primates: an admiration for these animals which share 97% of our genes, and a feeling of helplessness in the face of their gradual disappearance.
The Sumatran orangutan, one of only three species of this large primate, is critically endangered. It has been on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list since 2000. Deforestation, illegal logging and the construction of roads dividing its territory are cited as factors linked to the reduction of its population in recent years. decades.
Four of them wander through the canopy before our amazed eyes. One goes down very low, very close, having seen a tasty mushroom on the bark of a tree. He grabs it with his large hairy arm, the onlookers nearby step back with surprise and smiles, then he goes back up just as quickly. A few moments later, we turn our attention to two orange friends who are quietly swinging on branches. One of them holds a large leaf in his hand… and enjoys tickling his friend’s ass with the stem. His companion not reacting, the little joker ends up dropping his tool. The leaf falls about ten meters from our feet.
We are in the rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park, an ecosystem theoretically protected by Indonesian authorities since the 1990s… but which, in practice, still suffers from human activity.
Orangutan tours depart from the village of Bukit Lawang, about three to four hours west of Medan, the capital of Sumatra. And in fact, you don’t have to look far to see what is so threatening to biodiversity here: the oil palm plantations, a monoculture that decimates the tropical forest, extend for kilometers and kilometers, and are clearly visible along the way. towards our destination.
The reason for our visit to Bukit Lawang, precisely, is not trivial: a rehabilitation center for orangutans operated here from 1973 to 2002, its mission having been considered accomplished that year. This is why, today, the orangutans found in the surrounding jungle are either wild or semi-wild. This last name refers to individuals who grew up in the rehabilitation center before being released into the wild. In addition to the group of four wild orangutans seen at the start of the day, we had the chance to see Kathryn, a female well known to the locals. Our guide also informed us, during a short correspondence a few weeks later, that Kathryn had just given birth to her first little one. Considering that orangutans only breed about every six to eight years, which is not conducive to rapid regeneration, this is great news.
Many agencies offer expeditions of one to five days in search of these charismatic animals. This activity is one of the main attractions of North Sumatra, the sixth largest island in the world and the largest in the Indonesian archipelago.
We opted for a two-day and one-night outing, doing business with Sumatra Orangutan Discovery, a young company with ethical principles. Whichever agency you choose, make sure it follows the guidelines of the Indonesian Tourist Guides Association (ITGA).
For $130, everything is included: the guides, the food, the night on the river and the very fun return to the village by rafting on tubes. Moreover, our guide explained to us that this economy based on tourism provides political ammunition to encourage the protection of flora and fauna in the region.
And who says “excursion in the rainforest” says “being prey to the elements”. I was bitten by two leeches – fear not, dear readers, I felt no pain during or after. We were also surprised (or not) by the rain at the end of our day of hiking, which made the descent from the jungle to the river, with its muddy and slippery path, particularly difficult. And when we reach the river, we have no choice: we cross it, our sneakers on and our legs submerged up to the calves. The guides are always there, hands outstretched, to ensure our safety.
In another context, we would have felt miserable at the finish line. But after meeting six orangutans, two other species of monkeys endemic to the region, and an absolutely memorable adventure, we couldn’t help but smile, dirty and wet from head to toe, and bananas stretched to to ears.
There aren’t just orangutans in Leuser National Park. We crossed paths with two other species of monkeys: curious Thomas’s leaf monkeys, as well as pig-tailed macaques. A majestic giant argus strolled quietly among the branches and leaves that littered the ground. We didn’t have the chance to see them, but the Leuser ecosystem is also the only place left in the world where the rhino, the tiger, the elephant and the orangutan coexist. These are all animals in serious danger of extinction, and their habitat is shrinking from year to year.
Although the Bukit Lawang jungle is a popular activity, the island of Sumatra itself is not yet part of the mass tourism circuit, and its affluence does not compare at all to that of, for example, Bali. Which does not mean that the region has nothing to offer, quite the contrary. After Bukit Lawang, go to Berastagi, a town surrounded by volcanoes. During our ascent of Mount Sibayak, my partner and I were completely alone on the edge of the crater. Then head to the gigantic Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world. Among other things, you can discover Batak life and culture, appreciate the unique landscapes of the island of Samosir, or simply relax after long days of travel. After Toba, you can go to the west of Sumatra, towards Bukittinggi, discover the Harau valley and its rice fields, the magnificent Lake Maninjau, as well as the Taruko canyon. Or head to the far north of Sumatra, to the coastal town of Banda Aceh and the island of Weh, opposite, for beach and water activities. We repeat: Sumatra is gigantic, and travel is long and tortuous, but there is still an authenticity – and kindness of its people – that is almost unrivaled.
