Jungle Inn

The restaurant was a treat every time, with plenty of choices and a free-choice breakfast included. We also took a cooking class with master chef Bronte and hope to make the dishes at home. In the evenings, staff sing and play music in an intimate space, and they’re excellent at it. There’s no alcohol served, though you can pop next door for a cold beer. Monkeys are around, and you might even spot a toucan. Over the years we’ve travelled to plenty of places, and our time with JI ranks among our favorites. Blade and Mira looked after us at meals with such warmth and a great sense of humor. Alde, the manager, was quick to answer questions and sort out whatever we needed, from planning before the trip to arranging transport during our stay and back to our hotel much farther south. He also made the end of our stay really touching. We’re grateful to everyone at JI, and hope you get to experience such a welcoming place where the people truly care. Our group of five from Canada stayed six days at the end of January and start of February 2026. We booked the 4 night/5 day package, then added one more night. We picked Jungle Inn after it was recommended by a North Sumatra travel blog and online reviews. Those good reviews proved true, especially the feeling that you’re almost family by the time you leave. The staff went out of their way to make us feel special, responded promptly to questions or concerns, and gave us a genuine experience of the region. Jungle Inn usually sent someone along on tours to make sure things went smoothly. For orangutan trekking, Ican came with our driver and guide. After several hours without finding orangutans, he went off on his own while we rested with the guide, and came back about 30 minutes later having found them. He also took great care of my wife on the challenging trail, making sure she didn’t fall. Ican took us to see an elephant too. We walked through the jungle as it ate, then watched it bathe in the river. He was disappointed when the guide wouldn’t let him join us, because he felt responsible for looking after us. We also travelled to Medan and Berastagi with Anton, who was a joy to spend time with. He shared lots about Indonesian culture, kept us entertained for two days, and has a great sense of humor. The whole stay felt like a real jungle experience, and we’ve made some of our favorite travel memories here.

At the guesthouse, everything was clean, the meals were excellent, and the service was so friendly. We had an amazing stay and would happily return, recommending it to anyone. Our three-day trek through the Sumatran rainforest was a highlight: Anto and Soleh were fantastic guides, we saw lots of orangutans and other wildlife, and had a fun night in the jungle.

The trek was a real highlight. We booked a private one-day outing, and Aton found two orangutans, one semi-wild and interacting with villagers building a campsite, and another completely wild one with her baby. Seeing them was magical and felt like a privilege. He also spotted snakes, gibbons, and several kinds of monkeys for us. The trail was tough in the heat and humidity, but a 20-minute tube ride downriver back to the hotel followed by an hour-long massage in our room made a perfect end to the day. The following day, Agung took us cycling through local villages, paddy fields, and rubber and palm oil plantations. We stopped to watch people make brown sugar, tempe, and tofu to sell at local markets. That was another great experience. My wife and I spent three nights at Jungle Inn and had the warmest hospitality we’d experienced in six weeks in Asia. Before we arrived, manager Alde communicated well, asked if we needed a pickup from our previous hotel, and explained the available treks and tours. He arranged porters to bring us and our luggage the 1 km to the hotel on mopeds, for a small fee that was well worth it. We were upgraded for free to a room with a lovely balcony facing the river and jungle. It was spotless, with a large, comfortable double bed and mosquito nets, a couple of fans, and a wonderful rainforest bathroom. Every meal was delicious, among the best we’d had on our travels. The service was attentive and friendly, and Blade and Nura took especially good care of us at breakfast and dinner. There are treks from one day up to 6 days/5 nights. If you’re considering Bukit Lawang, stay at Jungle Inn for the hospitality and experiences. Thanks to everyone there for such a great time.

Anto made our jungle outings both fun and thoughtful, and we got to see Orangutans and Thomas Leaf monkeys. The setting is magical, and the staff were so kind, sweet, and considerate. Alde even rearranged my plans to fit what I wanted, and nothing felt like too much trouble. I felt welcome and at home right from arrival. The food was delicious, and thanks to Bronte for the cooking lesson. After trekking, there was rafting, time to sit in the fast-flowing river, or a superb massage. I left feeling restored. I highly recommend Jungle Inn Bukit Lawang. Thank you for a wonderful visit!