Touring North Sumatra with the team from Berastagi Adventure - I don't normally write reviews but after a wonderful 9 day tour with Berastagi Adventure, it was only fair that we thank them in a very public way. My wife and I went on the 7-day North Sumatra tour with a two day extension (at the beginning) to visit Batu Katak on the edge of the Gunung Leuser NP where we hoped to see (and amazingly did see) truly wild Orangutans as well as a host of rare plant and bird species. We are very grateful to Berastagi Adventure for helping to arrange the extension locally. And from Batu Katak, we then continued with the published programme visiting Bukit Lawang, seeing dozens more primates, birds, snakes and other wildlife. Massive thanks to our guides Henri and Jojo who somehow managed to track down two much wanted bird species (Rhinoceros Hornbill and Great Argus) amongst the other incredible wildlife in the Gunung Leuser NP. Sadly, we had to leave the national park after 5 days of leeches, camping, hiking and rafting but we then experienced the wonders of Mount Sibayak (more hiking - up the volcano for sunrise), exploring the history and culture of the Toba people and finally a restful couple of days relaxing on Lake Toba. Throughout the trip, the Berastagi team were brilliant - real local guides committed to making sure every aspect of our trip was a memorable one. Good hotels, remote lodges and one night under canvas - everything we asked for and more. And just if you are wondering, we turn 60 next year so even the oldies can do it. Thank you Hendra and the team for the many personal touches and going the extra mile for us. Good luck with the tour guiding.

3 days of Orangutans and a morning of hiking Sibayuk - I would give Berastagi adventure 10 stars out of 5 if I could. Flawless and professional from start to finish. I want to name all the wonderful people in the company who made our time in Sumatra so special. Hendra was great in communication, planning, setting up things. For 3 days Orangutan hiking in Sumatra our team was Hendri, Jojo and Torib. Our guide for hiking Sibayak was Anggi. Our drivers- from Medan to Bukitt Lawang was Riski and Bukitt Lawang to Berastagi and back to Medan was Irfan. The cars and accommodation were top class. Berastagi adventures had made sure to book top quality stuff and we were made very comfortable. The experience of the jungle was magical. Hendri, Jojo and Torib went out of their way to make sure that we had the best chance of seeing orangutans as close as possible. The food was excellent and the camp selection spectacular. The last day of tubing down the river was a once in a lifetime adventure which Jojo, Hendri and Torib made us feel very safe in. We knew we were in good hands. Jojo made us small orangutan wooden lockets as gifts. It was such a lovely gesture. These men are hardworking, courteous, friendly, helpful and do everything to make you comfortable. I cannot praise them enough. Both Riski and Irfan are efficient drivers. Professional, punctual and helpful. Anggi was a great guide for our hike up Sibayuk. A jovial, friendly young man, he took extra effort to give us more information about the volcano and local culture. I am so glad we found Berastagi adventure on TripAdvisor. Another great holiday memory, only possible due to great guides and a great company. I hope they go from strength to strength. Debashis, Nandini and Debi

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - I totally recommend this tour as it is very complete and you will visit wonderful places, you will see the most authentic Indonesia. Bukit Lawang is very beautiful and the jungle experience with the orangutans is amazing, Hendri, the Guide, bothers a lot for you to see the orangutans and enjoy, plus the experience of sleeping in the jungle is unique. After three nights in Bukit Lawang you will sleep in Berastagi and the next day you will climb the Sibayak volcano at dawn, it is an incredible experience to hear the roar of the volcano and feel the smell of sulfur, plus the views from above are very beautiful. The climb is made much easier with the help of the Guide, he always kept an eye on me and gave me conversation so that I would be entertained and not overwhelmed. The last part of the trip is Lake Toba and Samosir Island, the landscape is beautiful, plus there you will know the Batak culture. During the trip you can perceive different religions. The hotels have lots of charm and wonderful views. The hotel in Bukit Lawang is in the middle of the jungle, from the hotel in Berastagi you will see the imposing volcano Sibayak right opposite. Finally, the hotel in Samosir is very picturesque and has a swimming pool and direct access to the lake. The journeys between the places are long, but you will see jungle, soaring mountains, valleys, volcanoes, villages, palm plantations..., plus Mike, the driver will make your way very enjoyable as he is very friendly and Pro. This trip through Sumatra is wonderful for the landscapes and experiences, but it would not be the same without the professionals who accompanied me. For me it was very important the great work of the driver and guides as I traveled alone and was afraid of not feeling comfortable and safe, I will always thank you for how good you made me feel. Mike and Hendri are very professional and friendly and made me feel great and safe. Hendri took care of me at all times in the jungle. Mike is very good driver, Pro, on time, smart, friendly, funny, energetic. I really enjoyed the trip with him. I also met Rizky and Konong (the Driver and Guide travelling with a family who were on the same trip as me), they were also very friendly and charming to me. Terima kasih!

An unforgettable experience that will stay with us forever…..made more special by the wonderful guides! - I’d always wanted to see orangutans in Borneo and last year when visiting Asia we looked in to it but logistically it wasn’t going to work. Until googling I didn’t realise that we could see orangutans in Sumatra, which would be an easier journey logistically to tie in with our travels to Bali. We had been to Bali a few times and wasn’t sure whether an adventure in Sumatra was a little out of our comfort zone given that there was an over night stay and trek through the jungle….something none of us had ever done before. Our week adventure seemed a complete whirlwind. Reflecting back looking at the pictures and memories, we had such an amazing week….thank you!! We needn’t have worried about not doing anything like this before. Upon arriving at the airport we were completely taken care of. What an amazing, kind, knowledgeable, extremely helpful team we were lucky to have the pleasure of for our stay. Konong was a phenominal guide. He was with us for most of our stay and nothing was too much trouble. He was an amazing guide, extremely knowledgeable, so engaging and so helpful. Konong took us to our first accommodation in the jungle before our trek and ensured our check in was a smooth one. The following morning we woke up and our jungle adventure began. We met JoJo for the first time who was our guide in the jungle. JoJo was again such a kind, beautiful soul who was so helpful. He, like Konong ensured we had the best jungle experience. We were very fortunate to see many orangutang. Was great to witness them in their natural environment, a truly unforgettable experience. We spent the night in the jungle and were completely entertained by JoJo with numerous magic tricks and card games…..a night to remember! The following day we woke and JoJo asked us if we’d like to go for a trek after breakfast. He took us for another trek to a high point in the jungle. It was another great experience. JoJo and Konong were incredibly helpful, ensuring we were all ok at every point as some parts of the trek were tricky. Whilst in the jungle we were looked after by Ndan who catered for us. The food was phenomenal given it was cooked and served in the jungle. The presentation was amazing especially the presentation of the fruit. There was so much food, Ndan was such a great chef. My daughter is diagnosed with coeliacs and is always wary of eating outside of home, let alone in the jungle. However Ndan, JoJo and Konong did everything they could to ensure she could eat without suffering and symptoms. If we had chicken with a coating on it, chicken without coating was prepared for my daughter. They went above and beyond to make sure her dietary needs were met. On our first day in the jungle it was my daughter’s 17th birthday. The team kindly organised a birthday cake which looked amazing and tasted amazing. They organised a phenomenal birthday feast and also sang to her with someone playing the guitar. Such a lovely gesture. We went tubing down the river to return to our hotel which was so much fun. For the remainder of the week we visited other places in North Sumatra - Berastagi where we visited a town on the foot of Mount Sinabung. It was an eerie experience seeing all of the deserted properties and seeing burnt items of clothing from when the volcano last erupted. Konong took us around the deserted village and explained the history and answered all questions. The following day we woke early for a trek to Sibayak volcano to watch the sunrise. This was such a great experience and we were fortunate to see the most amazing sunrise. Konong was our guide for the trek and again, what a great guide he was. Made sure everyone was ok at all times. The sunrise was one of the best I’ve seen! On the way down the volcano we stopped off at the crater where we could view (and smell) the sulphur coming from the volcano. It was very stinky but also really interesting to see. The last part of our adventure was on Samosir island. Again another few days visiting some amazing view points and places of historical interest. The Batak village visit was so interesting and the guide who explained how the people lived was so informative. Was such a good tour. I cannot recommend this tour enough. Konong, JoJo, Ndan and our super driver Rizky were the absolute dream team. They could not have made the experience any better. It’s a full on 7 days and at times we felt completely shattered but it was so worth every minute for the unforgettable adventure and a lifetime of memories!

It's an out-of-this-world experience! - My family and I have just completed our 7-day North Sumatra tour. OMG, if you love adventure, meeting the most amazing, kindest people and learning about nature, you want to come here and only do this tour with Konong and the team. This week has been an unbelievable once-in-a-lifetime experience; the team Konong, Rizky, Jojo, Ndan and Mike looked after our every need. Konong was with us the whole time, and we had Rizky behind the wheel (No. 2 best driver in all of Medan 🙌), ensuring we got to each of our destinations safely and on time. We started the week in Bukit Lawang, where they kindly prepared a birthday celebration for my daughter, which was lovely. The next day, we headed into the jungle for two days, where we met Jojo, our trekking guide. Jojo not only made sure we were safe at all times but honestly gave us one of the best adventures that my family and I have ever had. We managed to see eight orangutans, several types of monkeys, and a few creepy crawlers along the way. Throughout our time in the jungle, we were entertained by stories of the jungle, singing, cards, and magic tricks. Honestly, Jojo is a one-person entertainer. We learnt so much during our trip. Jojo was passionate about teaching us about the values of the jungle and how we all need to do more to look after our planet to ensure these magical places are still here for future generations. Moving on, our chef, Ndan, ensured we were well-fed during our stay in the jungle, and even though my daughter had a gluten allergy, there was no issue in accommodating her. As the week unfolded, we experienced some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever encountered—truly breathtaking. From our early starts trekking to the top to watching sunrise to learning more about the local people's culture, I can honestly say this has been the best trip we have ever done. Apologies for the long review, but I cannot recommend these guys enough. They are truly inspirational people with hearts of gold. A 110% recommendation, don't hesitate to come to North Sumantra!

Highly recommended 6N/7D Berastagi N Sumatra experience - We had a great 6N 7D North Sumatra adventure experience with Berastagi adventure. The tour was well organised with knowledgeable guides and experienced drivers which were taking good care about the well being of their travellers. On the first day we were picked up by our guide “Bro” together with his draver at our Hotel in Medan. “Bro” remained with us during the rest of the week guiding and coordinating the whole trip. On day one we. We’re brought to Bukit Lawang where we met “Pipit” and his assistant “Theo” who would take care of a 2 days jungle trekking. Both turned out to be great bushguides and come highly recommended by us. The trekking was great and we were lucky to see quite some animals including orangutans. Overnight we stayed in a simple jungle hut, enjoyed good food and had plenty of water. In day 4 we left for Berastagi in order to have an early climb on Mount Sibayak on day 5. Here Bro was guiding us. Though the climb requires some basic levels of fitness it is doable and rewarding once you are on the summit on the volcano. Afterwards a visit to the local spa came as a real blessing Later on day 5 we travelled to lake Toba were we spend the remainder of the day and day 6 experiencing the Dajak culture. Being Dajak himself Bro was able to explain a lot and made us experience thing which we probably couldn’t have done by ourselves. On day 7 the team brought us back to our Hotel in Medan. All in all, we enjoyed our trip very well, experienced Berastagi travel as a good, trustworthy and flexible organisation . Providing us with good guides, drivers and the best hotels available at the locations. We paid in advance through wise, an app we did not use before but which is commonly used in Indonesia. The use of this app wworked out fine. Berastagi immediately provided confirmation about receiving the initial payment. Though Berastagi confirmed reception of the final payment by mail there was some confusion about the payment at the beginning of the trip. This was easily resolved after showing the proof of transfer in the Wise app.

Wonderful experience! - This was an adventure full of fun! We saw 15 Orangatangs while treking through the jungle, including a 9 mo old baby and mother swinging vine to vine. It was breathtaking in more ways than one - the treck was strenuous! Our guide Konong and Jojo expertly navigated us through the jungle. Konong led us on the volcano hike and scooter ride around Lake Toba (optional add on). Sumatra is full of amazing sites and this trip is one I'll never forget! If you request Konong and Jojo, you will be in good hands.

Wonderful North Sumatra Tour - We had the most amazing 7D/6N trip to North Sumatra. We started our first day journey at Bukit Lawang. Our jungle guides were Hendri and JoJo, the dream team and probably the best guides in the jungle. We had so much fun the entire 2 days of trekking and saw Orangutans and Thomas as we wish. Hamdan was the jungle cook and made a great job, so we ware not hungry. We ended our trekking with jungel rafting, very fun. Our journey continued to Berastagi where we met the guide Bangun and the driver Riski. We staied together the whole trip by ended in Medan. Mornig trekking to volcano was ousome. Toba Lake and Samosir island ware also beautiful and guide Bangung gived as a lot of informaton about. The routes at Sumatra are not in good shape so driver Riski do the great job and drive us the whole time safe. Chuse of Hotels were good, we loved the Ecolodge and the Tabo cottages. Hotel Kalang Ulu in Berastagi is nice but not well maintenaned, but I guess that there is not a lot of other Hotel options in Berastagi. Overall the organization was excellante and we had a great time. Really recommended to anyone, especially if you want to see all North Sumatra highlights and you are limited in time. At Samosir island near the Tabo cottages left along the street is one nice gallery from the lokal artist, recommended. Very nice paintings if you want to buy.

An all inclusive super tour in northern Sumatra - We booked the 7 day tour incl jungle tracking, climbing the volcano and leisure at Lake Toba. We added two leisure days at Lake Toba. It was a fantastic trip, always accompanied by wonderful guides. We saw everything we wanted to see, including the orang utans which is not guaranteed. We travelled in the rainy season which has pro's and con's : there are few tourist so you don't have to share the orang utans with hordes andere toeristen. But there are the occasional downpours so rain clothing is essential. Hotels were good, we loved the Ecolodge and the Tabo cottages. Hotel Kalang Ulu in Berastagi is nice in concept and design, but its maintenance poor. Food was good also during tracking. Altogether a wonderful experience, and moreover very good value for money.

Getting intimate contact with Sumatra wildlife and eating native food and fruit - Jungle, rafting, local fruits, and very professional guides👍Hendri and Joko took very good care of us, telling stories and taking unforgettable photos 👌