Tangkahan - Sumatra

Tangkahan is a small village on the border of Gunung Leuser National Park located in North Sumatra. It is situated at the junction of 2 rivers, the Buluh River and the Batang River. Tangkahan specialises in eco-tourism activities like jungle trekking and Elephant trekking.

  

There are 7 trained elephants at Tangkahan which are available for jungle trekking though their primary role is to patrol and protect the National Park from illegal activities like animal poaching and illegal logging. These elephants were original troublesome elephants that were involved in destroying fields and houses in surrounding villages. Now they serve to protect not only the villages but other elephants in the wild.

When you arrive at Tangkahan you need to pay 2000Rp at the Visitors Centre to go down to the river. There is now a suspension bridge to cross the river so there is no need to cross the river on this old river boat. From the visitor centre walk down the river to your left and you will find the suspension bridge. You cross over the suspension bridge to get to Jungle Lodge, Mega Inn, Linnea Resort, Bamboo River Hotel and Wakyon Guest House.

Before the suspension bridge was build you used to have to cross the river in the jungle river boat picture below.

Tangkahan River Crossing

Buluh River Tangkahan

Elephant camp at Tangkahan

The Elephant camp is a 15 - 20 minute walk up river from the visitors centre in Tangkahan. They bathe the elephants everyday at 9am and 4pm. You'll need to purchase a ticket at the visitors centre for 20,000Rp per person before you go to the elephant camp. The elephant camp now has a new additional. A baby elephant about 1 year old comes down every morning and afternoon for wash with all the elephants. You can arrange to go for a short jungle trek on the elephants. 1 hour jungle trek on the elephants costs 650,000Rp per person. The elephants are not available on Fridays as they always go into the jungle to patrol for illegal activity.

How to get to Tangkahan

There are 2 ways you can get to Tangkahan. From Medan there are only 2 buses a day leaving from Pinang Baris Bus Terminal, leaving at 10am and 1pm and taking around 4.5 - 5 hours (longer if raining). The cost is 15,000Rp per person.

Buses leave Tangkahan at 7.30am and 2.30pm to go back to Medan.

You can also get to Tangkahan from Bukit Lawang either on the back of a motorbike, a very bumpy 3 hour trip or hire a 4WD to take you. Prices for a 4WD can be up to 1,000,000Rp (US$83) for a one way trip.

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