Ketambe

Ketambe is a tiny village on the Alas River, inside the north-central, Aceh-province part of Gunung Leuser National Park. In 1971 the Dutch researcher Herman Rijksen established an orangutan monitoring and rehabilitation station here — the oldest orangutan research station in Indonesia — and Ketambe has since become a quieter, more remote jungle-trekking gateway to the park than the better-known Bukit Lawang, with a good chance of spotting wild orangutans, gibbons, macaques, and hornbills on treks directly into old-growth forest.

Ketambe is reached via Kutacane, the nearest town, itself reached overland from Medan or from Banda Aceh.

The Alas River and the surrounding old-growth Gunung Leuser rainforest, with wildlife including orangutans, gibbons, macaques, and hornbills.

Guided jungle treks are the main activity — most visitors do 1–3 days along the Alas River valley, while longer 2–5 day treks can extend to the Gurah hot spring area or Marpunga highland lake. Visiting the Ketambe research station.

Kutacane, the nearest town. Onward toward Bukit Lawang or Berastagi, or back to Medan.