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Daihappydai Says: A short walk out of Ketambe, past the derelict government owned bungalows and heading north towards Blangkejeran, are several street stalls selling coffee and snacks. The stalls are set up on a ridge overlooking Sungai Alas and offer great views and a cool breeze. The...
Enjoying a walk down the street 2 - people
Daihappydai Says: The quiet village of Ketambe is used to having tourists and the people are very friendly, extraordinarily helpful and enjoy hving a chat. When I first arrived I was dropped off in the centre of the village and had to ask for directions to Friendship Guesthouse. A young man...
Enjoying a walk down the street 1 - produce
Daihappydai Says: One of the nicest aspects of Ketambe is that you can appreciate vegetation and produce growing right on the edge of the street. Near the centre of the village is an organic chocolate/cacao plantation. You can also see durian, bananas, jambu and other fruit growing along the...
Daihappydai Says: Opposite the Balai Adat is a steep concrete path leading up to plantations. A pleasant afternoon walk can be had by taking the path up and after 250m instead of turning left with the path, go right onto a hill crest. You will see a little hut containing a make-shift kitchen....
Friendship Guesthouse: Good river frontage
Daihappydai Says: The Friendship Guesthouse is one of the newer guesthouses in Ketambe. Large, bare rooms are available for 60,000 rupiah a night and come with attached bathroom which has a bucket/plastic tub mandi and western toilet. There is a good range of food on the menu although it is...
Helpfulness
The trip from Takengon to Ketambe takes between 8 and 9 hours. The mini-buses are generally crowded and stops are few. But the views as you travel through the mountains are spectacular. It is a long slow climb leaving Takengon, and then many ups and downs along mountain ridges, yet although I was squashed in the front seat - there was four across - and could barely move a muscle, the time seemed to pass quickly as we moved through some of the most scenic countryside.
The lunch stop was at a small village - terrific coffee and plenty of fruit for sale. A goat decided it wanted to share my peanuts with me.
Although it was basically a full day travel on a crowded bus, I really quite enjoyed it. The bus goes through to Kutacane so you need to tell the driver where you are intending to stay in Ketambe and they'll drop you at the front door.
Price ranges from 80,000 to 120,000 rupiah - depends on whether you go directly to the bus station in Takengon or arrange the ticket through an intermediary/hotel.
Written Feb 28, 2012
There are a couple of small shops in Ketambe selling foodstuff such as biscuits and other snack items, along with laundry powder and toiletries, but overall stocks are limited. It is best to ensure you have adequate batteries and personal items such as sunscreen before arriving.
If you want fresh fruit, you should listen out for the travelling salesmen - the fruit shop comes to you on the back of a motorbike.
If you have a motorbike yourself and need petrol, you will find several stands on the side of the street selling litre or two litre quantities of petrol from plastic bottles.
Written Apr 4, 2012
Daihappydai Says: Whether you are on a day trip or overnight hike, the chances are that you will need to cross a river or two as you trek through the jungle. This will mean removing shoes and socks and possibly stripping down so your trousers don't get wet. But, the most important thing is...
Be aware of the 'Creepy Crawlies'
Daihappydai Says: Treking in the jungle is a great experience but it does come with a certain amount of risk in terms of insect 'bites'. Most guides in Ketambe will give you 'leech-proof' socks, which are basically pieces of material sewn into a sock that you wear over your own socks and then...
Daihappydai Says: While treking in Gunung Leuser National Park, we heard a loud rumbling sound, seemingly half from the throat, half from the gut. Our guide immediately stopped, looked up and excitedly claimed 'It's a King' - a huge male orangutan.Our guide asked us to wait as he went off to...
Jungle Treking in Gunung Leuser
Daihappydai Says: There are a number of different treks that can be taken starting from Ketambe - day trips, overnight, or several days. Without prior knowledge it is hard to know whether you have a reliable guide. I was fortunate to have a young man named Achte on one of my day trips. He was...
Flora in and around the jungle
Daihappydai Says: At first it all seems so overgrown and green, but as you trek through the jungle other colours stand out. There are a wide array of wild flowers to be spotted including many varieties of delicate wild orchids.While most trek into Gunung Leuser Park to spot orangutans and...
Daihappydai Says: Exploring Gunung Leuser National Park from Ketambe is the place to go if you want to see wild orangutans but there are also many other animals to see in the jungle if you are alert and if you have a good guide. There are still some wild tigers and rhinoceros - our guide said...
Daihappydai Says: On a trek into the jungle of Gunung Leuser National Park, our guide gave us a great demonstration of his jungle skills by playing Tarzan. Hanging from the tree tops were long, thick vines, and he showed us their sturdiness by swinging out over a ledge and careering over the...
Daihappydai Says: A 5km walk into the jungle from Ketambe a hot spring meets the Sungai Alas. Approaching the spring, the water appears to seep harmlessly out of the earth, but beware, it is boiling. Even as it meets the river, there are sectins where the water is so hot it will scald. I put...
Daihappydai Says: The jungle is obviously home to a wide range of insects, and perhaps the most beautiful are the butterflies. While treking through the jungle of Gunung Leuser from Ketambe, we stopped at natural hot water spring. The minerals in the water and the warmth of the surrounding...
Daihappydai Says: On a trek into the jungle one's eyes are often fixed on the trees searching for orangutans and other fauna, but don't miss the opportunity to admire what is at your feet.I was suprised by the range and beauty of the fungi in the jungle of Gunung Leuser. To be honest, I'd...
Daihappydai Says: Apart from trekking in the jungle and relaxing by he river, just taking an afternoon walk was a highlight of my time in Ketambe. Heading north towards Blangkerejen, the road is lined on both sides with jungle. Often you will see a troup of monkeys, although the Thomas-leaf...
Close encounters with Chameleons
Daihappydai Says: I was sitting by the river at the Friendship Guesthouse reading a book when something landed on my shoulder, jumped to the ground and scampered across the grass. I quickly followed and realised it was a lizard-like creature. I went to grab my camera as it scuttled up a...
Daihappydai Says: After considerable travel - Banda Aceh to Takengon and Takengon to Ketambe - and then a trek in the jungle, Ketambe was the perfect place for a couple of days of relaxing by the river. One of my fondest memories is the amazingly vivid coloring of the dragonflies - greens,...
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Ketambe: The place to relax and see wildlife
My main aim in getting to Ketambe was to see 'wild' orangutans. Some years ago I had been in Bukit Lawang and while I had a great experience treking there, it seemed that the guides knew all the...
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