Langkat

Langkat

¤ Langkat is a regency located further north of Karo Regency in North Sumatra, so it does not include any shoreline of Lake Toba. It is about 5 hours by car from Medan. To see it on the map, click here.

What’s Special

Even though Langkat is not adjacent to the shoreline, many tourists visiting Lake Toba also like to see orangutans at Bukit Lawang and elephants at Tangkahan. Both of these attractions are in Langkat. In addition, this regency includes part of the Gunung Leuser National Park in the tropical rainforest of Sumatra, a United Nations’ World Heritage.

Orangutan is the Indonesian word for “forest man”. This animal is unique due to its connotation to pre-ancient human beings who lived in the jungle. In fact, orangutans are the world’s largest arboreal (tree-dwelling) mammals. Adult males weigh between 50 to 90 kilograms (110 to 198 lb.) and can stand between 1.25 to 1.5 meters (4.1-5 ft.) in height. Today, there are only three species of orangutans in the world. You can find two of them here and another in Borneo, Indonesia. All of them are endangered and under protection. But here, and you will be able to meet and feed them in their sanctuaries.

Note that, due to the mountainous terrain of the region, there is no straight road from the lake’s shore to Langkat. If you stay nearby the lake, you will need to divert toward Medan first then reroute to Langkat. However, the effort is worth the exceptional experiences you will get in Langkat. For example, Bukit Lawang is the only tourist places with a wild population of Sumatran orangutans. You won’t get close to these magnificent creatures elsewhere. And as forest turns to farmland across the region, this may be the last chance to see truly wild orangutans enjoying the freedom of the jungle.

Points of Interest

Below is the list of the points of interest in Langkat:

Natural sites

1. Bukit Lawang
2. Batu Katak (Frog Stone)
3. Jodoh Semelir Waterfall
4. Rumah Jamur
5. Tangkahan
6. Teroh Teroh Waterfall

Select Langkat as your travel destination if you wish to visit the above attractions. See all destinations.