Gunung Leuser National Park
The massive Gunung Leuser National Park boasts the best lowland rainforest birding to be found in Indonesia. There are two areas where access inside the forest is relatively good. The park has received major financial support from the EU, and the leuser Development Programme plans to further improve tourist access to the park.
Key species
Many species of pheasant, hornbills, pitas, trogons, woodpeckers and kingfishers.
Other wildlife
Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Sumatra Rhino, Tapir, Asian Elephant, Orang-utan and white-banded Gibbon. With the exception of the primates, all are very shy and only the determined with time to spare, or the very lucky, will be fortunate to see large mammals
Getting there
Gurah lies at the southern main entrance of gunung Leuser National Park immediately opposite the Ketambe Research Station, a distance of 35 km to the west of Kutacane, Southeast Aceh district, or about 250 km from Medan. If traveling by car from Medan, take the right fork in Kabanjahe (80 km from Medan) towards Tigabinanga. After Tigabinanga continue along the main road to Kutacane. On the left 3 km past Kutacane is the central office of Gunung Leuser National Park.
The cost of hiring a car (e.g a kijang) from Medan to Kutacena is $90. the minibus “karo indah”, “Karsima” or “Degor Jaya” run directly from Medan to Kutacane. There our hourly departures from the Padang Bulan minibus station between 7 am to 6 pm. The journey takes 5-6 hours, costing IDR 25,000.
For Gurah, take a minibus from the Kutacane terminal IDR 6,000, journey time about 1.5 hrs. last minibus for Gurah leaves Kutacane at 5 pm.
For a visit to Serakut and Suraya, the only current option is to go by rubber raft along the Alas River.