Sumatra Overland: North to West

Arrive at Kuala Namu International Airport, where a local guide will be waiting to begin the journey. Head to Merdeka Square in the center of Medan for a walk through the city's old colonial quarter, taking in the Dutch-era post office, city hall and Kesawan Street, ending with lunch at a restaurant dating back to the Dutch colonial era. Check in at the hotel to freshen up, then continue the city tour in the afternoon. Visit Maimoon Palace, built in 1888 and still a symbolic seat for the Malay community, followed by the Great Mosque, built in 1906 and one of the country's most beautiful. Finish at Vihara Gunung Timur, a striking Chinese temple. Return to the hotel, with the rest of the evening free for relaxing or independent exploration. Overnight in Medan.

After an early breakfast, check out and depart for Tangkahan via Binjai and Stabat, the final stretch along a bumpy dirt road. Register at the Gunung Leuser National Park visitor center, then cross an impressive suspension bridge on foot to reach the lodge on the other side of the river. Check in and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, bathe with elephants in the Batang Serangan River, then join a guided elephant walk, an intimate program for spending time with the mahouts, helping wash the elephants, and walking alongside them as they explore the jungle in their natural environment, without any riding involved. Walk back to the lodge afterwards. The rest of the day is at leisure: wander the lodge grounds to spot Thomas Leaf monkeys in the trees, or take a refreshing dip in the clear river. Dinner is served at the lodge. Overnight in Tangkahan.

After breakfast, cross back over the suspension bridge for an off-road jeep journey to Bukit Lawang, passing through rubber plantations and jungle-clad mountain scenery, with a stop for a fresh coconut drink along the way. Cross the wooden suspension bridge over the Bohorok River to reach the lodge, checking in for a lunch of Sumatran specialties. In the afternoon, cross back over the bridge by becak, a motorized sidecar, to visit the Timbang Lawang Eco Farm and see traditional brown sugar production and rubber tapping in the surrounding area. Return to the lodge for the rest of the evening at leisure amid the tropical surroundings. Overnight in Bukit Lawang.

Bukit Lawang sits at the entrance to Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the last sanctuaries of the wild Sumatran orangutan. Set off early with a local jungle guide on an unforgettable trek, climbing easily into the forest for the first 30 to 45 minutes while a tracker scouts ahead for orangutans. The full trek takes two and a half to three hours up and down through the jungle, a little more challenging underfoot and occasionally slippery, so good shoes are essential; those with difficulty walking can return early with the tracker after the first sighting. After observing the orangutans, continue down to the Orangutan Information Centre on the banks of the Bohorok River, then walk back along the riverbank and through the village. Shower and change before lunch, then check out. In the afternoon, drive south to Berastagi in the Karo highlands, along a scenic route via Sembahe and Sibolangit, arriving at this cool climate station, 1,400 metres above sea level, in the late afternoon. Overnight in Berastagi.

After breakfast, check out for a short city tour of Berastagi, including St. Francis Catholic Church, known for its Batak architecture and a backdrop view of Mount Sibayak, followed by a walk through the bustling local fruit market. Continue towards Lake Toba, stopping for photos of Mount Sinabung along the way. Visit Dokan, a Batak Karo village known for its elaborate wedding and funeral ceremonies, meeting a family in one of its traditional longhouses, home to up to six families living together. Continue south to see the 120-metre Sipiso-piso waterfall, formed by an underground river plunging 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 once home to the ancient Batak Simalungun kings, with a late lunch served en route to Parapat. In the late afternoon, board a local ferry with your vehicle, driver and guide for the hour-long crossing to Samosir Island, in the middle of Lake Toba, the world's largest volcanic lake, formed over 75,000 years ago. Transfer to the hotel on the Tuk Tuk Peninsula, with the rest of the evening at leisure. Overnight in Samosir Island.

After breakfast, spend a full day exploring Samosir Island and Lake Toba. Visit Ambarita, one of Samosir's most fascinating Batak Toba villages, known for its stone chairs and tribunals once used for tribal judgment and, in the island's once-cannibalistic past, execution. Continue to Simanindo for a performance of the traditional Tor-Tor dance and a visit to the village's small Batak museum. A picnic lunch is served onboard as the boat cruises along the eastern shore to Pangururan, Samosir's small capital, where a driver will be waiting to continue by car to Tele, on the mainland's southern shore, for a viewpoint over Samosir Island and Lake Toba among the best on the entire lake. On the way back via Pangururan, stop to see traditional weaving in progress. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight in Samosir Island.

After an early breakfast, check out and cross by local ferry from Tomok back to Parapat with your vehicle, driver and guide, continuing by road to Padang Sidempuan. Stop at Jangga Dolok, a Batak Toba village surrounded by rice fields, then Balige to browse the daily local market. Continue to the Lintong district to visit a coffee plantation, observing the drying and grinding process before a tasting of freshly brewed coffee. A late lunch is served at a local Chinese restaurant in Tarutung, home to a notable Batak Protestant Church, before continuing to Padang Sidempuan, the small capital of the Batak Mandailing regency. Dinner is served at the hotel. Overnight in Padang Sidempuan.

An early departure for a long day of driving into West Sumatra Province, winding through the Bukit Barisan mountain range past valleys, rivers and traditional villages. Stop at Sihepeng, a small botanical garden showcasing spices such as pepper, saffron, lemongrass and nutmeg, with local monkeys often spotted plucking coconuts nearby, and a photo stop at the historic Musthafawiyah Islamic boarding school, founded in 1912. Continue to Kotanopan for an early lunch, then enter West Sumatra, where the landscape shifts into tropical rainforest. Take a short 30-minute walk at the Rimba Panti Nature Reserve, then continue to Bonjol, where a monument marks the equator line; local legend holds that crossing it backwards brings good luck. The final stop before Bukittinggi is the Palupuh Rafflesia sanctuary, a small conservation center dedicated to the rare giant Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world, native to Sumatra and capable of reaching 1.5 metres across in bloom. Trek around an hour through the rainforest for a chance to see and smell the flower, alongside tropical plants and local coffee trees; sightings are never guaranteed, but a rare and unforgettable experience when they occur. Arrive in Bukittinggi in the evening. Overnight in Bukittinggi.

After breakfast, drive west via Payakumbuh to Harau Valley, where lush rice fields sit hemmed between towering granite cliffs. Take an hour-long walk through the village and rice fields, observing daily life, ending at a local homestay for refreshments. Continue towards Batusangkar, stopping at Tabek Patah for a lunch of traditional Minang food. In the afternoon, visit Rao Rao, known for its beautiful traditional Minangkabau houses, or Rumah Gadang, easily recognized by their sweeping, pointed roofline, before continuing to Pagaruyung Palace, a faithfully restored replica of the original royal palace of the Minangkabau kingdom, its three storeys and five sweeping roofs covered in over 26 tonnes of palm fibre. Return to Bukittinggi via the shores of Lake Singkarak. Overnight in Bukittinggi.

After breakfast, drive to Puncak Lawang for sweeping views over Lake Maninjau, then take a short, soft trek down through the forest towards the lakeside, stopping at a local coffee shop along the way. Continue to a lakeside restaurant for lunch. Return to Bukittinggi via Kota Gadang, known for its silversmithing, and Pandai Sikat, a village known for traditional Minangkabau weaving and wood carving. Spend the afternoon exploring Bukittinggi on foot, visiting Sianok Canyon, its network of wartime tunnels viewable from a two-storey observation tower, and Fort de Kock, a Dutch-era fortification with fine views over the town. Wander past the town's landmark clock tower, Jam Gadang, and the bustling Pasar Atas Market. In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before a traditional Minangkabau dance performance in the town center. Overnight in Bukittinggi.

After breakfast, depart for Padang via the Anai Valley, stopping at Padang Panjang to visit the Minangkabau Documentation Centre, housed in a traditional Rumah Gadang and dedicated to the region's cultural and historical archives. Continue through the lush Anai Valley, with a stop to view its 30-metre waterfall. Arrive in Padang for lunch at a local restaurant, then a short city tour of the old Dutch colonial district along the Muaro River, ending at the historic harbour and the illuminated Sitti Nurbaya Bridge. Transfer to a local representative office for the onward journey to Bungus Island, around an hour and a quarter by road and 45 minutes by boat, checking in for a three-night full-board stay. Dinner is served at the lodge. Overnight at Bungus Island.

Spend the day at leisure at the resort, with breakfast, lunch and dinner all served on-site. Snorkeling, picnics to neighbouring islands, canoeing and sailing are all included; scuba diving, water skiing and wake or knee boarding can be arranged locally at an extra charge. Overnight at Bungus Island.

A second full day at leisure on Bungus Island, with the same range of included water activities available: snorkeling, island picnics, canoeing and sailing. Overnight at Bungus Island.

Enjoy breakfast and lunch at the resort, with time at leisure before the boat and road transfer to Padang Airport for the onward flight.