Sumatra trip report

The month and change was spent traveling between Medan & Padang, with a short trip into the Mentawai island of Siberut.

From Medan to Bukit Lawang: a 3 day trek into the jungle, watching the antics of orangutans that all guides know by name. Not wild, not even semi-wild, it was a fun, if not arresting time. If I were to do it again, I would go to Ketambe. From all reports from other travelers I met, this is more rewarding.

Berastagi: climbing Sibayuk, and chilling for a few days spent, gorging on fresh fruits. I liked Berastagi a lot, not the least b/c of the blessedly cool temps. I was lucky enough to be there when Sinabung treated us to explosive displays, one memorable day the gas and ash shot up 4.7 miles straight up. Also visited some of the Karo villages - Lingga, Barusjahe, Kabanjahe, Kulah Bulu.
Danau Toba: Stayed in Ambarita as well as Tuk tuk and wandered around the small villages, Tomok , Sigarantung, Parmonangan. Low-key, laid-back, a perfect place to while away days doing nothing.
Bukittinggi: Another favorite of this trip, as far as towns go. Went to see the local villages of Balimbyang, Pagaruyung and the Pacu Jawi, the bull races near Batu Sankar. Chatting with some locals, I heard that there was a pig-hunt scheduled in a nearby village in the past couple of days but sadly I had to leave Sumatra.
Padang: For a town that has nothing much to recommend it, I spent a sizable chunk of time. In part to hunt for info on Mentawai and then later, to recoup after the trip in the jungle.
Siberut island, Mentawai: This was a highlight for me. Painstaking though it was to find info on, it was well worth it.

Travel between places was by buses but I also took a shared car a couple of times. Pricier but on some of the roads, a better option.

Good on you WL2 it sounds like you had a great time. It has been a few years since I last did that part of Sumatra but the beauty of it is that nothing much changes in that part of the world. Thanks for sharing your excitement.

I wanted to do something similar like you. I have question, did you take a bus between LakeToba (Parapat) and Bukittinggi? Is it overnight? and is it difficult? or you stopped during the travel in some small village?
And second question: Did you go to Siberut with a tourist office or you went by yourself?

The bus is a long haul, 18-22 hours. Get the bus up the hill in Parapat (it's on the Trans-Sumatran highway)

Thanks for "bus reply". Can you help me with info about Mentawai Siberut? How did you find a guide? (I read that it is realy difficult.)

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