North Sumatra in Depth

Arrive at Kuala Namu International Airport, where a Sumatran guide will be waiting to begin the journey to Medan, capital of North Sumatra and a melting pot of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Batak communities. Walk through Merdeka Square in the old colonial part of the city, taking in Dutch-era architecture including the old Post Office and Medan City Hall, passing along Kesawan Street. End the walk with lunch at Tip Top Restaurant, a Dutch colonial-era institution, then check in at the hotel to refresh. In the afternoon, continue the city tour with a visit to Maimoon Sultan's Deli Palace, built in 1888 and once the centre of town administration. Continue to the Great Mosque, built in 1906 by the first sultan and still considered one of the country's most beautiful, ending at Vihara Gunung Timur, a striking Chinese Buddhist temple. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Medan.

After an early breakfast and checkout, depart for Tangkahan via Binjai and Stabat, the final stretch along a bumpy dirt road. On arrival, register at the Gunung Leuser National Park visitor centre, then cross an impressive suspension bridge on foot to reach the lodge on the other side of the river. Check in and enjoy lunch. Visit the national park's elephant rehabilitation center for an introductory briefing on its history and conservation mission. Mahouts then lead a short walk down to the river, where visitors observe the elephants' bathing and feeding routine from a respectful distance. The experience continues as the group follows behind the mahouts and their elephants on their daily forest patrol, an hour-long gentle walk known as 'Ngangon Gajah,' part of ongoing efforts to monitor the jungle and protect the Leuser Ecosystem's endangered species. The rest of the day is at leisure, with the chance to spot cheeky Thomas Leaf Monkeys around the lodge or take a refreshing dip in the clear river, with a hidden hot spring known to those who ask. Dinner is served at the lodge. Overnight in Tangkahan.

After breakfast, cross back over the suspension bridge for the off-road jeep journey to Bukit Lawang, passing through rubber plantations and jungle and mountain scenery, with a stop to stretch and enjoy a fresh coconut drink at Coconut Park along the way. On arrival at Bukit Lawang, cross a wooden suspension bridge over the Bohorok River to reach the Eco Lodge, checking in and enjoying a lunch of Sumatran specialties. Afterwards, cross the bridge again for a becak ride through the local village to the TimbangLawang eco farm, seeing traditional brown sugar and rubber processing along the way. The rest of the evening is free to enjoy the tropical surroundings, with dinner at leisure. Overnight in Bukit Lawang.

Bukit Lawang sits at the entrance to Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the last sanctuaries of the Sumatran orangutan. Set off early at 8am with a local English-speaking jungle guide for an unforgettable trek, beginning with a 30 to 45 minute climb into the forest, with a tracker sent ahead to locate the orangutans. The full trek takes two and a half to three hours up and down through the jungle, more challenging underfoot and occasionally slippery. After observing the orangutans, continue down to the Orangutan Information Centre on the banks of the Bohorok River, then walk back to the lodge along the riverbank and through the main village. After freshening up, check out and enjoy lunch at the lodge restaurant. In the afternoon, drive south to Berastagi in the Karo Highlands via Sembahe and Sibolangit, arriving at this hillside climate station, set some 1,400 metres above sea level, in the late afternoon. Dinner is at leisure this evening. Overnight in Berastagi.

After breakfast and checkout, take a short city tour of Berastagi, visiting St. Francis Catholic Church, notable for its Batak architecture and views over Mount Sibayak, and walking through the bustling local fruit market. Depart towards Lake Toba, stopping to photograph Mount Sinabung, before visiting Dokan, a Batak Karo village known for elaborate wedding and funeral traditions. Meet a family in a traditional longhouse, home to up to six families living together, then continue south to see the 120-metre Sipiso-piso waterfall, formed by an underground river plunging from a cave into the Lake Toba caldera, with a first breathtaking view over the lake. Continue to Pematang Purba to visit Rumah Bolon, a 200-year-old wooden house that once belonged to the ancient Batak Simalungun kings, with a late lunch served en route near Simar Jarunjung. In the afternoon, drive along Lake Toba's eastern shore to Parapat, boarding a local ferry with the vehicle for the crossing to Tomok on Samosir Island, roughly the size of Singapore and set within the caldera of a volcanic eruption 75,000 years ago, the largest volcanic lake in the world. Transfer to the hotel on the Tuk Tuk Peninsula, with dinner at leisure. Overnight in Samosir Island.

Spend a full day exploring Samosir Island and Lake Toba, beginning with Ambarita, a Batak Toba village well known for its stone chairs, tribunals and execution stones from the tribe's once-cannibalistic past, followed by a traditional Batak dance performance. Continue to Simanindo to explore the traditional village and its small Batak museum. Cruise along the eastern shore towards Pangururan, Samosir's small capital, with a picnic lunch served on board. On arrival, continue by car to Tele, a rarely visited overlook on the mainland reached after crossing a small bridge and a 30-minute drive up the mountain, with one of the finest panoramic views over Samosir Island and Lake Toba from its observatory tower. On the return journey via Pangururan, stop to observe traditional weaving practiced by local villagers. Return to the hotel in Tuk Tuk late in the afternoon, with dinner at leisure. Overnight in Samosir Island.

After an early breakfast, check out and transfer from Tuk Tuk to Parapat by local ferry with the private vehicle, driver and guide on board. Drive back towards Medan via Pematang Siantar and Tebing Tinggi, passing scenic rubber and palm oil plantations, with lunch at leisure en route, before transferring to Kuala Namu Airport for the onward flight home.