Sumatra to Nusa Lembongan: Wild Islands & Zen Beaches

Welcome to Indonesia, and the Island of Sumatra! Arrive at anytime and meet your group and CEO in the evening for a welcome meeting. Then head out for your first night out alongside the crew! Maybe grab a beer or a fresh local juice at a bar in town to start getting to know Indo and your group better!

Included Experiences

• Connect With New Friends: Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination. Only available on 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.
• Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Nothin' like a city tour to get to know the lay of the land. Walk and cruise on a becak, an Indonesian cycle rickshaw, through Medan today, visit the must-see spots like the Al-Mashun Great Mosque and Maimun Palace. Marvel at an ancient Chinese temple, explore the jewel of Medan, wander through the bustling local market, a fish market-turned fabric shop and chow down on a delicious family-style Padang lunch together. After the tour, the rest of the day is yours to explore the wonderful city of Medan.

Included Experiences

• Padang Lunch: Fill up on an amazing lunch as the locals do in West Sumatra. We'll sit down together for a delicious Padang style meal, where our host will serve a large number of small platters of different dishes. The charm of Padang cuisine lies not only in its range of dishes but also in its serving style, called hidang. Diners are charged only for the platters that have been eaten from; untouched platters are taken away and served to other guests.
• The Great Mosque of Medan and Maimun Palace Visit: Visit the Grand mosque of Medan, Al-Mashun. Built in the early 1900's, this beautiful mosque is a mix of Middle Eastern, Spanish and Indian architecture. It was part of the Maimun Palace complex, so after visiting the mosque, walk to the palace and explore the property built by to the sultan of Deli in the year 1888 with Malay, Mogul and Italian influences.
• Vihara Gunung Timur: Visit the beautiful Vihara Gunung Timur. This Chinese temple is the largest in the city of Medan and on the island of Sumatra. This temple was built in the 1962 and dedicated to Dongyue Dadi. Enjoy your visit and admire the classic Chinese architecture.
• Tjong Afie Mansion: Visit the "historical jewel in Medan," a 35-room, 2-story mansion built in 1895. It is a registered historical landmark as well as a cultural heritage building and museum.

Drive west after breakfast to Bukit Lawang, a village tucked away in the jungle. Perfect for nature enthusiasts and adventurers. We'll arrive in the afternoon. Check in to the hotel, then chill out or get out and explore! Enjoy that free time! Local cooking class, anyone?

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Spend the afternoon free to explore this small jungle village.

Optional Experiences

• Local Cooking Class: Take a becak to a local cooking class for dinner. Learn to make famous dishes from the Batak ethnic group in North Sumatra like flavorful fish stew or aromatic rendang chicken and acar campur, a local pickled vegetable salad.

The trek of a lifetime begins today as we head out into the Gunung Leuser National Park, home of the beautiful orangutan. This rainforest is one of the richest and most vibrant in the whole world! Our destination today is our campsite, deep in the jungle! We'll trek for around 6-7 hours today, on the look out for animals that most people only dream of spotting. Think orangutans, monkeys, giant monitor lizards and a bunch of colorful birds! We'll stop when we encounter animals (fingers crossed for a bunch of orangutans), take lots of breaks throughout the hike and stop for a picnic lunch halfway. Camp will already be set up for us when we arrive so that's your cue to relax and prepare for a delicious local cookout made by our local guide. A much deserved feast after today's adventure! You will be hiking with your belongings on your back, so make sure to bring a small backpack to carry the few things you'll need for this 2 day/1 night jungle trek. Your main luggage will be left safely in Bukit Lawang.

Included Experiences

• Gunung Leuser National Park Trek: Trek into Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the richest tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia, until you reach your campsite this afternoon. The hike starts from Bukit Lawang Village and enters the dense jungle terrain. Cross over streams, climb hills and enjoy the shade from the canopy above. The trails are narrow, often muddy, sometimes steep and uneven, winding through dense rainforest. On the hike, we hope to encounter semi-wild orangutans, Thomas leaf monkeys, long-tailed macaques, gibbons, and possibly hornbills or monitor lizards. Gunung Leuser National Park is a special place because it is one of the only places on Earth where orangutans live naturally. Keep your eyes and your camera peeled!

Your tropical jungle adventure continues today, starting with a camp breakfast. Taking a different path, we'll hike through more of Gunung Leuser National Park, keeping an eye out for more endangered animals and admiring the insanely awesome jungle surroundings. We’re hoping for more interactions with orangutans especially today! At our destination, we'll have a riverside lunch then hop into an inner tube and raft down the river, returning to Bukit Lawang on a traditional raft. How cool is that? Enjoy free time to chill or visit the Bat Cave. Then get ready! ‘Cause we’re going out! Tonight is your Big Night Out alongside the crew. We’ll hit up a jungly bar and have ourselves a night!

Included Experiences

• Gunung Leuser National Park Trek Day 2: Continue the epic trek through the beautiful Gunung Leuser National Park. This is a steeper hike but we'll have plenty of breaks and shade. Make sure to keep your voice low in hopes to see as much wildlife as possible.
• Sumatra River Tubing: Go with the flow on this cool and exciting river rafting experience. In a traditional Sumatra raft, all tied together, float down the river, leaving Gunung Leuser National Park and returning to Bukit Lawang.
• Bukit Lawang Big Night Out: Hit the jungle-y town of Bukit Lawang tonight with the crew for your Big Night Out. It's about to be a WILD night! Wild... get it?.. like the jungle? You get it!

Optional Experiences

• Bat Cave Trek: Marvel at the geological formations and thousands of bats that suspend from the roof of the cave as you make your way through the darkness with a flashlight. Please note, appropriate footwear is advised as the ground can be uneven and slippery.

We said it before and we'll say it again, Bukit Lawang is an adventurers paradise! So today is yours to live that! Choose to explore the town on your own terms or head out on an epic full day white water rafting adventure or cycle through the jungly bamboo homes and rural magic of Bukit Lawang. Get out there!

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Time for adventure! Get out and explore Bukit Lawang!

Optional Experiences

• Sei Bingei River White Water Rafting: Drive along the beautiful Sei Bingei river to the starting point (which can take about 2 hours). Then the rafting adventure begins! This is an excellent opportunity to see birds and other wildlife, as well as getting your blood pumping (mildly) during the rafting. Raft until you reach the waterfall where we'll stop on the bank of the river to swim and eat. Then return to Bukit Lawang.
• Half day Cycling Bukit Lawang Kampung Tour: Meet the local English Speaking guide will pick you up at your guesthouse and take you through rice paddy panoramas to see the marvelous irrigation system at work. The area around Bukit Lawang is hardly touched by tourism and has retained much of its rural magic. On this unique tour you will observe the ancient routine of planting and harvesting rice and explore everyday village life. En route you will see how people live in Kampung Bukit and how they produce brown sugar, tofu and rubber or how they weave bamboo for their houses. Guided talks with the villagers will deeply immerse you in Indonesian culture. The last stopover on this tour will be at Simpang Mursal Timbangjaya for a typical local lunch together with villagers.

Leave Bukit Lawang today as you head back to Medan. On the way, we have the opportunity to spend the day at Kampung Lama, a special village where Malay, Javanese and Bataknese communities live peacefully together. While enjoying a local snack and drink, learn about the history and uniqueness of the village. Then get hands on making traditional crafts made of coconut leaves and learning local games. Next up, enjoy a delicious lunch and some time on the farm. After an amazing day with the villagers, return to Medan for the night.

Included Experiences

• Kampung Lama Village Experience: Visit the unique village of Kampung Lama where Malay, Javanese, and Bataknese communities live together. Learn about the interesting history of the village, enjoy a delicious lunch, and join the locals in the fields for some farming activities. Depending on the season, we may help plant rice, harvest it or get our hands dirty in the vegetable garden.

Fly from Sumatra to Bali, from one Indonesian Island to another! Then drive to Canggu for a free evening in this wild town!

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

You came to an island known around the world for having epic surf, so whether you shred or have never seen a board, today is for you! Join a surf lesson for all levels, getting your footing on land before hitting the water to practice with the instructors. After the lesson, the day is yours! Rent a board to keep practicing, relax on the beach or grab a beer at a cute warung, local Indonesian restaurant.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy the rest of the day in Canggu!
• Surf Lesson in Canggu: You came to the one of the world's surf capitals! Now it's time to try it out for yourself! Join a lesson on land to learn the basics and some safety tips. Then catch some waves and shred the gnar.

Take a break from Bali's wild side and head north to Bulian. Here we can connect will locals, slow down and enjoy Bali's famed rice terraces. On the way up, we'll stop at the breathtaking Ulundanu Temple, sitting on the edge of Lake Beratan. Continue to Bulian where we'll be welcomed with a drink and lunch. Fuel up for a trek alongside waterfalls, through rice fields and in the local village to connect with the natural and cultural side of Bali. Learn to make Balinese offerings then head to the nearby temple and join a local priest for the ceremony.

Included Experiences

• Ulun Danu Temple Complex Visit: Bring your camera for this floating temple visit; the captivating Ulun Danu Temple, founded by the King of Mengwi in the 17th century, is one of Bali’s most important and most photographed temples.
• Bulian Village Tour: Learn the unique history of this isolated village and why it's sometimes referred to as the "Lost Kingdom" or "The Land of Curse." We'll embark on a tour of the village and get to know the local people as you wander past plantations, schools, and temples. Dress in local clothing and prepare offerings made of leaves and flowers before heading to a spiritual ceremony where you meet a local priest.
• Bulian Guesthouse Experience: Bulian Homestay is a community run guesthouse, managed by a strong, dedicated woman of that village, who created an employment opportunity for other women and vulnerable youth of the community, with the hope of preserving their culture and preventing rural urban migration. By supporting this experience you will be directly impacting close to 50 people from the local community and indirectly impacting around 100 people living in the community. Bulian Homestay is a traditional Balinese Style house, converted into a comfortable guesthouse for travelers coming to this quaint village, around 2 hours from Ubud, Bali.

Enjoy all that the beautiful village of Bulian has to offer today on a free day to choose your own adventure. Choose to trek through Lemukih Village to see a durian plantation, beautiful rice terraces, coffee fields and waterfalls! You'll even have the chance to slide down a natural waterslide! Or choose to head out on a bike tour through Bulian to get acquainted with Northern Bali.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Take today to explore Bulian your way!

Optional Experiences

• Bulian Village Cycling: Get on your mountain bike and ride through the surrounding hills of Bulian Village, past farms and dragon fruit plantations. The route to Kubutambahan goes both up and down hill on paved and dirt roads. Take in the views of North Bali and be rewarded with a swim in the river at the end.
• Lemukih Village Trek: Trek up the 300 stairs from Lemukih Village and enjoy the view of rice terrace fields. Stop at a durian plantation and natural water slide, where of course we will have a chance to slide down the water slide! Trek through a coffee plantation, and stop at a local warung for lunch before continuing to two of Bali's most incredible but still undiscovered waterfalls, Fiji and Sekumpul.

A free morning gives you the chance to explore the rest of Bulian on your terms. Choose to just chill, or join a local cooking class or sunrise fishing trip. Then jump in the van and drive to Kintamani, the town nestled at the base of Mt Batur to arrive to our campsite for the night. Did we mention this campsite has a hot spring pool? Soak in the hot springs then join us 'round the campfire for a cozy night of camping!

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy the afternoon free to explore Toya Bungkah in Kintamani.
• Local Hot Spring Pool: Relax in the pools filled with warm mineral waters from a local spring to soothe tired muscles and ease worries away.

Optional Experiences

• Bulian Cooking Class: Learn how to cook local recipes during this immersive cooking class at the homestay, then enjoy your creations and a buffet dinner.
• Sunrise Fishing Trip: Head out on the sea early this morning to catch some fish, take a dip and enjoy a sunrise breakfast.

Rise and shine as we are getting after it today! Waking well before the sun, we'll start our 2 hour trek to reach the Mt Batur summit in time to enjoy an absolutely stunning sunrise. And what's a picturesque sunrise without a lil picnic breakfast, amirite? With the sun finally up, we'll hike back down for a proper breakfast and a well-deserved hot spring soak. Then it's goodbye Kintamani and hello Ubud! On the way, we'll stop at G Adventures-supported PKP Community to meet with the women leaders, visit the garden and enjoy a local lunch. Then, the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore Ubud. But in the evening, put your party hat on because we're going out! Join your group and CEO for your Big Night Out in Ubud.

Included Experiences

• Mount Batur Sunrise Trek: Climb to the summit of Mt Batur (1700m), for an amazing sunrise and scenic views. The climb is an experience that will afford anyone who does it a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for the natural beauty this island has.
• Local Hot Spring Pool: Relax in the pools filled with warm mineral waters from a local spring to soothe tired muscles and ease worries away.
• Pusat Kegiatan Perempuan (PKP) Community Visit: Visit the PKP Community, a G-Adventures supported project, for a delicious local lunch made by the women of this enterprise. This centre works to support gender equality and help empower local women through job skill training. PKP is a safe space for women in the community who have experienced discrimination from divorce. We'll meet them over a cup of their specially made tea, tour the garden and learn about the amazing work this organization is doing over lunch.
• Free Time: Spend the rest of the day free to explore Ubud.
• Big Night Out in Ubud: We're going out! Get yourself a beer, or maybe some cacao and be ready for a fun night out with your crew in Ubud!

There is always something to discover in the great town of Ubud. Today is yours to explore however you’d like.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Enjoy a free day in Ubud!

Optional Experiences

• North Ubud Bike Tour: See the beauty of Ubud from the seat of bicycle just outside the hustle and bustle of the city. Ride through rice terraces, sacred temples, and traditional Balinese communities. The tour ends at a local family's home where we will get to enjoy a traditional homemade lunch.
• Medahan Village Happy Local Family Adventure: Drive to Medahan Village and enjoy a welcome from the local villages complete with Balinese cake and tea. Take a walking tour of the village, visiting the traditional market, temples, rice paddies and spring. After working up an appetite, sit down for a delicious local lunch before returning to your hotel.

With seemingly never-ending things to do in Ubud, choose to spend it how you want! Choose between incredible local experiences like a Balinese Spiritual tour at Widya Guna Foundation, a cooking class at G for Good PKP Community, a bike tour through the rice terraces or an experience with a local family! The choice is yours!

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Today is another free day to explore all that this incredible place has to offer!

Optional Experiences

• Ubud Spiritual Tour: Visit Widya Guna Foundation, a G for Good support project to learn how to make traditional Indonesian prayer offerings. Then visit some of Bali's holiest sites like Gunung Kawi Temple, the tomb of the king. Then visit Tirta Empul spring water temple for a holy bath before returning to Widya Guna Foundation for lunch.
• Cooking Class with PKP Community Project: Visit the G Adventures-supported project PKP Community. We'll be greeted with a homemade cup of herbal tea while meeting the community members. Visit the garden to collect some of the fresh produce used to make the meal then cook alongside the women of PKP. Together we'll make and enjoy 3 delicious dishes.

Say bye-bye to Bali because today we head to another island, Nusa Lembongan! Jump in the car with the breeze in your hair to the Yellow suspension bridge, an icon of the island. Walk across and admire the oh-so-stunning views. Then we continue on to the seaweed farm (yes, people actually farm seaweed!) Next, we visit Dream Beach, but not without a stop at Devil’s Tear, an incredible lookout point, first. At Dream Beach, dig your toes in the soft white sand, take a dip, or rot in the sun! This evening, at the hotel, don’t miss some time to chill by the pool or walk to Mushroom Bay! Nusa Lembongan is way less touristy than Bali- so much less so that it doesn’t have a harbour. Our feet will get wet as we disembark onto the island so wear appropriate clothing. Don’t worry- our team will keep your bags dry!

Included Experiences

• Boat: Climb aboard and get your float on.
• Seaweed Farm: Visit the beautiful Seaweed farm where local farmers work in the ocean to sow seeds, harvest and use it to craft seaweed-based products. These farming techniques are a major part of the island's economy. We'll have a chance to see the process, learn about its importance and meet the farmers in this beautiful coastal farm.
• Devil's Tear: Watch as the powerful waves crash into the cliff to make the beautiful, dramatic landscape of Devil's Tear. The natural phenomenon creates a stunning view, especially at high tide. It's a popular spot to witness the raw beauty of the ocean and enjoy breathtaking coastal views.
• Yellow Bridge: See the amazing contrast of the bright yellow bridge above the sparkling turquoise water and walk across the suspension bridge. A picture perfect spot!
• Dream Beach: So perfect, it feels like a dream! Dream beach lives up to the hype as one of Nusa Lembongan's most beautiful beaches. Enjoy the perfectly white sand contrasting with the crystal clear water.

Free day in Nusa Lembongan! Woop Woop! How do you want to spend today? Fancy an off-the-beaten-path adventure to see the beighbouring island of Nusa Penida's temples, caves and beaches? Maybe a day trip to Nusa Penida for a chance to see snorkel the vibrant reefs of this other b-e-a-utiful island! Or how about a snorkel trip around Nusa Lembongan to see manta rays in the coral reefs and to admire the interesting ecosystems around the mangroves. So many good choices!

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Today is yours to explore the island of Nusa Lembongan!

Optional Experiences

• Snorkelling to Manta Point: Explore Nusa Lembongan the best way possible, from the ocean! Snorkel the top spots around the island, specifically Manta Point, with the hopes of seeing the amazing creatures in the wild.
• Off the beaten path in Nusa Penida: Take a boat to the neighboring island, Nusa Penida. Explore the natural beauty of the island through caves, coast lines views, beaches and freshwater pools. Visit temples and explore the best parts of this island!
• Nusa Penida Snorkel day trip: Take a boat to Nusa Penida, about 45 minutes off the coast of Nusa Lembongan. Snorkel through some of the island's most stunning beaches in search of sea turtles and tropical fish. Visit the famous Kelingking Beach, known as one of the most beautiful in the entire world. Finish the day at Angel’s Billabong for breathtaking views and return to Nusa Lembongan.

Depart at any time. If you are headed home, take a ferry back to the Bali to get to the international airport. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to take the ferry and drive to the airport, arriving to the airport 4 hours before your flight. We suggest taking the 10:00 am ferry for a flight after 4:00 pm.