SUMATRA OVERLAND


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Day 01 MEDAN - BOHOROK/BUKIT LAWANG (LD) Upon arrival at the airport, greet and proceed for a short Medan City tour; the capital of the province, a commercial city visiting to the Great Mosque with its imposing tiled archway & royal burial ground and the Sultan's Palace; the ceremonial palace of the Sultans of Deli with its yellow trim and typical east coast Malay architecture with living quarters occupied by the Sultan's families. After lunch, driving on the roads, which lead west through vast rubber and oil palm plantation to Bukit Lawang; the Orang Utan Care Center, which was established in 1973. Upon arrival in Bukit Lawang, crossing the river on a hanging cable plank bridge to the hotel for a breif respite. After an early breakfast, walking on a rocky path leads to a bend in the river crossing by a cable and pulley driven dug out canoe to reach the station of Orangutan rehabilitation center. A quite steep trail through the forest leads to a feeding flatform where the orangutans are fed their twice daily ration of bananas and milk. Watch the orangutan at the feeding site. Afterwards, return on the same path back to the hotel for accommodation and dinner.

Day 02 BUKIT LAWANG/BOHOROK - MEDAN - BERASTAGI (BLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning free at own leisure. At the appropriate time, drive on the same road back to Medan with en-route stop at rubber and oil palm plantation. Upon arrival in Medan, drive to the restaurant for lunch. Afterwards, proceed the drive on the forested foothills of the Bukit Barisan where s-turns provides panoramic view to the delightfully cool and picturesque town of Berastagi through the Nature Reserved of Sibolangit, which lies on an escarpment overlooking the lowlands with en-route stop at scenic view, Lau Debuk Debuk a hot sulphur spring to enjoy a well earned soak in the steaming sulphur laden water and fruit market selling wonderfully fresh fruits, flowers & vegetables. Accommodation and dinner are provided at the hotel in Berastagi. NOTE: For visiting Lau Debuk Debuk, please bring your small kit of miscellaneous toiletry items, such as shampoo, towel, etc.

Day 03 BERASTAGI - PARAPAT (BLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Then drive on the scenic back road across the Karo Plateau that skirts the northeastern edge of the Toba caldera with stops en-route at at Lingga Village to see a glimpse of the way of life of the Karo Batak Tribe and their typical houses with open floor plan in which eight related families live together under a single upswept or rectangular roof of ijuk thatch interspersed with more modern ones, Tongging Hill; hill located at the Northern rim of Toba basin to enjoy a gazebo, which provides panoramic view over the village at the Lake's edge with spectacular waterfall known as Sipiso piso, which shoots out a cave at the edge of the plateau and plunges 120 m straight down to a small gushing stream below and also a visit to Pematang Purba to see the wooden palace (Ruma Bolon) of the former Simalungun ruler built in the style of traditional adat house, which is said to be more than 200 years and has been restored as a museum. Afterwards, the road leads via panoramic view that follows a forested ridge overlooking the Lake to a refreshingly cool town at night & tolerably warm town during the day called Parapat; a small rocky peninsula jutting into the Toba Lake as the gateway to track down the vestiges of traditional Toba culture and to acquaint the colorful but notoriously forthright & aggressive Batak people inhabit a cluster of spectacularly beautiful & fertile volcanic basin at the northern end of Bukit Barisan range. On arrival in Parapat, transfer to the hotel for accommodation and dinner. Lunch enroute.

Day 04 PARAPAT - LAKE TOBA CRUISE - PARAPAT (BLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Cruising on Lake Toba to the central isle of Samosir where colorful Toba Batak villages cling to the shore for a day cruise by boat. Inland, visit to Ambarita Village, which has an archaeologically important meeting place for the King of Siallagan that supposedly served as a kind of hall of justice and Simanindo Village, which is up to the Northern end of the Island known as site of some of the best Batak Toba traditional houses particularly that of King Sidauruk, which is now a museum and a chance to watch Toba Batak folk dance performed by the villagers, Tao Island for a brief respite and swim in the tranquil water of Lake Toba. Then proceed by boat to Tomok Village. Inland walking on the road lined with souvenir shops up to a site to visit one of the Island's most famous sights - the 200 years old boat shaped sarcophagus of King Sidabutar surrounded by those of his descendents. Afterwards, cruise on Lake Toba back to the hotel for accommodation and dinner at the hotel in Parapat. Lunch enroute.

Day 05 PARAPAT - PADANG SIDEMPUAN (BLD)
After breakfast, proceed the drive as the highway winds up into Bukit Barisan mountains, which affords rewarding views back across the lake and more hospitable landscape of rice fields against a backdrop of a primary forest dotted with small villages, which are set back off the road and superbly decorated adat houses in clumps of bamboo following the sinuous Silindung Valley through deep ravines & dense forest across steep fern covered slopes to Sipirok or Padang Sidempuan; one of the main market towns in South Tapanuli Regency and known for its salak palm fruit (snake skin fruit), which is well grown on the slopes of Mt. Lubuk Raya (1,886 m). En-route stop at local mini Botanical Garden, which feature tropical plants commonly found in latitudes that are described as the "monsoon tropics" and used both as a herb & a spice, Lumban Binanga; an example of traditional adat building with animistic, anthropomorphic carvings & friezes mostly painted in the traditional colors of red, black and white, market place of Balige with has a large pasar built in the traditional Tapanuli style, Tarutung; a small town located in Silindung Valley and other scenic views. Accommodation and dinner at the hotel in Padang Sidempuan. Lunch enroute.

Day 06 PADANG SIDEMPUAN - BUKITTINGGI (BLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Then continue driving on the same mountain range up to Bukittinggi Bukit Tinggi; the cultural capital of the Minang realm and known far & wide for the canny business sense, ubiquitous, spicy hot cuisine and matriarchal ways, where the eyes are soothed by more rice fields dotted with neat little huts and bridges by the river. Stop will be made at Usortolang Village to see the remnant of the Mandailing Batak typical houses, Purba Village; being the center of a huge Islamic Koranic School with hundreds of tiny huts, Rimba Panti; a forest reserve with (sulphur) bubbling hot spring (reputed for the medicinal properties), Bonjol Village where the equator line is marked by the monument called Tugu Khatulistiwa showing the division between the northern and southern hemispheres and other sites of interest. Accommodation and dinner at hotel in Bukittinggi. Lunch enroute.

Day 07 BUKITTINGGI TOUR (BLD)
After breakfast, having city sightseeing tour of Bukittinggi featuring Jam Gadang; Bukittinggi's principal landmark, which is a clock tower with a miniature of Minang house on top, the lively & colorful Pasar Atas central market next door spills out into the street, Taman Bundo Kanduang where a zoo & museum, which is housed in a traditional rumah gadang complete with thatched roof & flanking granaries are located, Fort de Kock known as one of the remnants of the Dutch Colonial Government and the lovely Sianok Canyon; part of a tectonic rift valley, which has sheer walls & flat bottom. Afterwards, proceed to Batusangkar being a lively and scenic town surrounded by a majestic rice terraces where local countryside is dotted with Rumah Adat with stop at the traditional village of Pariangan, which is set in a picturesque valley with stairways leading to traditional houses, large ponds & royal tombs, Dusun Tuo to see the pierced stone on an altar-like structure surrounded with stone ancestor seat and Palace of Pagaruyung known as Balai Janggo in Padang Seminyak. Then, drives up over the low crater wall and down to Singkarak Lake passing through the charming hilltop village of Balimbing to proceed the trip to back to Bukit Tinggi for accommodation and dinner. Lunch enroute.
NOTE: The fire destroyed the palace in Feb '07 and it is now being reconstructed on the same site since the 20th Jun '07, which restore its former magnificence.

Day 08 BUKIT TINGGI - AIRPORT (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. At the appropriate time, proceed driving through deep ravines and dense forest across steep fern covered slopes that afford fantastic views of Anai Valley to the airport to catch the flight for onward flight. Tour Ends.

1. The arrival flight should not be later than 09.00
2. WHAT TO BRING FOR VISITING FEEDING FLATFORM OF ORANG UTAN & JUNGLE TREKKING (take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints): Camera and binoculars.
3. Please be well informed that there will be extra fee charged by the forestry dept for bringing video, which is at Rp. 150.000/video & camera, which is at Rp. 50.000/video up to the feeding flat form or to the forest due to be regarded as promotion materials. These fees are not refundable for any reason and subject to alteration due to change of policy
4. Light clothes (including long trousers & long sleeved shirt), comfortable sturdy walking shoes, leach socks and rain poncho
5. Any personal medication which are taking regularly, such as chloroquin, prescription drugs, etc
6. Insect repellent for those who are particularly sensitive to bug bites
7. An unbreakable water bottle
8. A photocopy of your passport

Sumatra Overland is the most popular sightseeing tour for the area of sumatra. The tour started from Medan the capital city of North sumatra Province, and ending at Padang, the capital city of West sumatra covering a distance of 700 kms which is an increadable distance of land arrangment. But along the distance one can experience different thing from people, nature, and plantation of the area. Most interested during this tour is the people and their life or land and people of Sumatra see the different from Batak Ethnic which are mostly Christian and Minangkabau ethnic which are predominently Moslem. The land of Batak has great variation of land use with large estates and industry, while West Sumatra is mostly a farmer live in a real rural areas with the beauty of ancient tradition. The regency of Karo highlands is located around 78 kilometers in south of Medan with Kabanjahe as the capital city. One of the most popular tourist destination in Karo highlands is Brastagi which is located 4.594 feet above sea level and surrounded by majestic mountains ranges with greenery rain forest. The trip to Brastagi from Medan past the Sibolangit Botanical Reserve and the scouts camping grounds before coming through Karo Highlands. From the market town Brastagi you can view clearly Mt. Sibayak 2.094 M and Mt. Sinabung 2.451M. To hike up Mt. Sibayak you can reach the peak within 3 hours magnificent view of lowlands. There is another 3-4 hours jungle trek to see the rich vegetation and wide variety of butterflies in the nearby jungle. Brastagi town well known as the marquisa or passion fruits but also famous as the are produces many kind of vegetables, fruits and flowers. There are 2 special events held annually in Brastagi, they are Pesta Buah or Fruit Festival and the Cultural Festival or Pesta Majuah-Juah. There is old colonial style hotel called Bukit Kubu with a delightful golf course, tennis courts and beautiful flower garden. In colonial era European planters spend relaxing weekends here nowadays and their hotel is visited regularly by European tourists. Lingga village is located about 15km from Brastagi lies on 1.200 meters above sea level. Lingga village is a unique Karo Batak traditional village where adat houses reputed to be 250 years old, are still well preserved and inhabited by five or six families live in each house, not separated by any partition but each with their own family stoves. Around 24 km south of Kabanjahe toward Lake toward Lake Toba, you can find beautiful water fall called Sepiso-piso waterfall. Falling in to a gorge from a height of 360 feet before in before flowing in to lake Toba. This is the best place to view Lake Toba.