Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine October 2015 | Page 129

Travel | Bukit Lawang

127

Ecolodge Bukit Lawang
Cottages are in the process
of rebuilding their restaurant.
The new two-storey building
will be complete by 2016.
The first floor will house the
new restaurant, gift shop and
reception desk, while the second
floor will house a new function
hall where meetings and
events can be held.
Ecolodge Bukit Lawang
Cottages sedang merenovasi
restoran mereka. Bangunan yang
baru akan terdiri atas dua lantai
dan akan selesai tahun 2016.
Lantai satu berisi restoran yang
baru, toko cendera mata, dan
meja resepsionis, sedangkan
lantai dua berisi function hall
baru untuk tempat pertemuan
dan acara-acara.

A very rare sighting of an
alpha male orangutan hanging
on one of the tree branches.
The baby will spend the first
two years with its mother
before leaving for a solitary life.
An orangutan will spend
almost its whole life living
in the trees.

Park. The rich tropical rainforest
is regarded by many experts as
a complete ecosystem laboratory
because of its diverse range
of forests and animal species.
In addition to spotting Sumatran
orangutans here, expect to see
playful Thomas leaf monkeys,
gibbons, peacocks and hornbills.
Other large mammals like sun bears,
elephants and the endangered
Sumatran tiger and Sumatran rhino
are known to inhabit these forests
too, but a sighting is unlikely for the
average trekker as they’ve made their
homes deep within the nearimpenetrable heart of these jungles.
Every visitor has to have an official
guide accompanying them at all
times, as the dense forests are very
easy to get lost in. “Don’t ever get
too close or try to feed any wildlife
since it will harm them more than
help them,” Ipol emphasises.
There have been many cases where
animals, including the orangutans,
get sick or poisoned after
consuming human food offered

by unlicensed guides or visitors.
He advises me to always keep
quiet and respect the animals as
they are very sensitive to sudden
sounds and movements.
Our journey takes us through a
thick rubber plantation owned by
the locals before reaching
the gate of the national park.
Crossing the threshold into the truly
wild jungle is eerie; I feel a little like
Indiana Jones having to duck and
twist my body to navigate dense
foliage. It is quiet, except for the
sounds of nature and the crunch
of leaves and branches under our
boots. Suddenly, Ipol stops and
points out an adult Sumatran
orangutan right in front of us.
A close look reveals it’s an adult
alpha male, with its distinctive
disc-shape face, huge cheeks
and wispy orange beard.
“Be very still,” instructs Ipol. Alpha
males are very powerful – possessing
the strength of six adult men – and
can get very aggressive.