Hotspring Hopping in Oku-Hida Onsengo

My skin must have wrinkled like a relief map of the surrounding mountains of Central Japan, as I took 4 baths in 9 different hotspring pools -- all in the course of a 16-hour period.

Even though I've had some hotspring experience in Canada, Hungary and Eastern Japan prior to this trip, to visit a mountain-side hotspring in its natural state in the hotspring-crazed nation of Japan was a highlight I looked forward to for months leading to the day. This was in a remote mountain valley in Central Japan, situated at a turn-off on Route 158 halfway between the cities of Takayama and Matsumoto, not far from the road into Kamikochi. This valley consists of a loose collection of five little hotspring towns -- Hirayu, Shin-Hirayu, Fukuchi, Tochio, and Shin-Hotaka -- known together as Oku-Hida Onsengo.



We picked Hirayu Onsen out of the five towns for our overnight stay, mainly due to its location as the main transportation hub in the region. This allowed us to arrive from Takayama in the morning, take a 30-minute bus ride to see the National Park at Kamikochi, return in the late afternoon for some bathing, then depart for Matsumoto the next morning.

Upon arrival at Hirayu Onsen, one of the most recognizable landmarks was the tall lantern-stand outside the entrance of our Ryokan (more about it below), and the narrow hotspring pool at its stone base providing a free-of-charge foot bath for weary travelers waiting for the next bus connection. There's another bigger foot bath at the centre of the village if you're a foot bath fan, but this one is located next to the bus terminal and allows you to see the buses coming in while you enjoy the water.



Hirayu Onsen is an Onsen (hotspring) town after all, and sightseeing attractions is just not its forte. There is one little museum in town known as the Hirayu Minzoku-kan which exhibits three thatched-roof farmhouses, but the main draw for the 500-yen entrance fee is the bathing in the open-air hotspring pool within the museum grounds.

The other attraction in town is the large park surrounding the Hirayu Ootaki, famous for its illuminated display of a frozen waterfall during the winter. We felt that it didn't justify our time as we arrived in May ... we've seen enough waterfalls living in Canada.



The town itself was small and nondescript, and could be mistaken for any of the hundreds of similar hotspring towns across Japan. But as all hotspring-goers know, it's the quality and ambience of the hotspring pools that really matters. So I thought I'd start by seeking out the town's most famous hotspring pool ...



... the Kami-no-Yu, the small, rustic great-granddaddy of all hotsprings in the region. Legend has it that an invading 16th Century warlord discovered this copious source of spring water, which has stayed true to its origin as just a couple of natural rock-lined pools in the middle of the wilderness. This is pretty remarkable considering the Japanese tendency to over-develop any hotspring resort -- just look at the "original" hotspring pool in Gero just a couple hours drive to the southwest ... the source once-revered as one of the "Three Famous Hotsprings" is now just a concrete pool right underneath a highway overpass surrounded by a myriad of ugly hotels. Talk about killing the goose that laid the golden egg!

As you can see I was pretty stoked about my first dip in a Japanese natural hotspring ... one that is outside a Ryokan or a public bathhouse. The path to Kami-no-Yu was well marked with signs like this one ... no English on the signage of course, nor do they expect any foreigners. Even though the town brochure said 10 minutes walking distance, it probably took me closer to 20 minutes as it turned out to be a long, winding uphill climb, which seemed even longer as the occasionally bather zoomed by in a car.



Already out of breath and in desperate need for a hot bath to recuperate my thighs, I finally made it to the entrance at about 17:00. As you can see the closing time seemed to vary with little warning, and I suspect they would just close sooner on slower days and run until 19:00 on holidays and weekends. The other finer prints are just the generic bathing rules such as "No bottles and cans in the open-air bath." A few metres after this sign stood the concession stand, where a middle aged lady collected my 500 yen (CAD$5) entrance fee and also sold various refreshments and fruits. Well, it's not TOO basic after all -- I would have loved a free bath.



As it turned out there were a total of four pools -- one open-air bath for males, one for females, one private indoor bath for families, and one other private bath in the form of a giant metal pot. So ... no Konyoku (mixed-sex bathing) ... unless you bring your whole family and have a big bath together like some Japanese families do. Once you choose the pool you want, it's just a matter of stashing your clothes inside one of the baskets in the little wooden shed (no lockers ... so don't bring anything valuable), then bring your own Tenugui (small wiping cloth) with you and head off to the bath.



And bring your own soap and shampoo too if you don't want to use the generic body soap offered by the facility, as Japanese bathing etiquette requires cleaning and rinsing oneself thoroughly before venturing into the pool. As I stood naked and washed myself at the pool side, the faint odor of sulphur emanated in the air, almost in an inviting way as I prepared to test the water temperature with my feet.

The edge of the pool was warmer than luke-warm, but not as hot as I would prefer. It started at only around 37 degrees Celcius by my estimation, but got increasingly higher close to the spring source, which was directed into the pool from above using a bamboo pole. The colour of the water was just slightly yellow, and bits of whitish minerals could be seen suspended in the cloudy water. Just two middle-aged Japanese men shared the bath with me on this weekday afternoon in May. Neither stayed for very long, which was great since I could then bring out my cheap point-and-shoot camera for a few pics of my own.



Now THIS was the hotspring experience I had come for -- a shoulder massage from the steaming hot water source, hidden in the seclusion of nature and uninterrupted by any other bather. This moment alone was worth spending the night at this little hotspring town in the middle of nowhere. And the spring source was HOT!!! Very hot in fact, even higher than the maximum 42 degrees Celcius offered at most hotspring resorts. I couldn't last very long under this temperature and had to get out of the pool, cool myself down, then get my other shoulder massaged and so on for a few times.

After 40 minutes or so all my aches were gone, and of course the road back to town was all downhill from here, so to speak. Funny I never noticed the beauty of the lush green forest and the serene mountain stream during the grinding uphill walk ...



Hotel Review: HIRAYU-NO-MORI (Hirayu Onsen)
Address: Gifu-ken Takayama-shi Oku-Hida Onsengo Hirayu 763-1
Price: 9000 yen per person including dinner and breakfast (1000 yen less for rooms without private bathrooms)
Website/Map: http://www.hirayunomori.co.jp
How To Book: Through the official website
Directions: One minute walk from the Hirayu Onsen bus terminal, towards the uphill side on the right side of the road.


Baths, baths and even more open-air baths ... this is the main reason people come to Oku-Hida Onsengo. I have to borrow a picture from the Ryokan's official site since I took the bath at night and didn't bring my camera. Please contact me if you're the owner of this photograph and would like me to take this photo down. Otherwise, this is an excellent illustration of the hotspring experience you can expect at any one of the many Ryokans along this valley.

Being one of the largest Ryokans in the region, Hirayu-no-Mori boasts a total of 16 fully open-air hotspring pools, with 7 on the male side and 9 on the female side. I walked in at the uncharacteristic hour of 21:00, when almost all of the guests have retired to their rooms and I had sole possession of all 7 hotspring pools on the male side. It was a clear early summer night, with the sky so clear that I could pick out the big dipper and the milky way while floating in the hotspring pools. And yes, I did try all 7 of the pools, and ended up spending most of my time in the two hottest ones.



Again there was no mixed-sex bathing in the public section, but for couples and families, the Ryokan provided a few private baths for its guests on a first-come-first-serve basis. These were giant semi-outdoor bathtubs in the form of semi-spherical metal pots, divided into an indoor half and an outdoor half by a wooden sliding divider. With a roof over the head and just metres from the Ryokan property's wooden fence, there really wasn't much of a view to speak of. But somehow we found it so relaxing that we came back for one more dip the next morning before checking out.



You don't even need to stay overnight in Hirayu-no-Mori to enjoy the bathing facilities, as the Ryokan offers a "Day Bathing" ticket for a measly 500 yen (CAD$5), which is the same price as the natural Kami-no-Yu but with a whole selection of nicer, albeit artificial pools. This could be a great plan if you're only passing through this area for the day, and are in need for a hotspring fix and a lunch spot. There is one public restaurant in the Ryokan, serving typical Central Japanese dishes such as Hida Beef and wild mountain vegetables.



You can see the sign of a successful hotspring Ryokan by the plethora of souvenir items in its gift shop. Most of these would make nice gifts to bring home to friends and family, but for us there is only one essential item to bring home ...



... Oku-Hida Onsengo's own Yu-no-Hana, the mineral salts collected from the evaporation of the hotspring water and the true essence of any Onsen. Two spoonfuls into my bathtub and I can enjoy the same cloudy, skin-smoothening hotspring water at the comfort of my home. This is by far the best natural bath salt I've ever used, and it's only 315 yen (CAD$3) for each 250 gram pouch.

So the bathing facilities were quite excellent, now what about the room and the meals?



There are at least three types of rooms to choose from. Our Tatami-mat room with ensuite bathroom cost 9000 yen (CAD$90) per person including dinner and breakfast, and a Western (2 single beds) room with ensuite bathroom also went for the same price. If you can do without your own private bathroom, you can get a Tatami-mat room for only 8000 yen (CAD$80) per person. Now this is the weekday rate, as the price goes up a little on Saturdays, holidays and the summer peak season. If you're a fan of hotsprings, or if you just want an authentic Japanese hotspring resort experience, 8000 yen per person including dinner and breakfast is fairly hard to beat as far as full-service Ryokans go.



On to the dinner, which was quite ordinary and simple by Ryokan standards, but still consisted of nine courses.



Once again we're served the signature dish of any rustic Central Japanese dinner -- a roasted Iwana trout dusted with sea salt. The pairing of the saltiness of the Iwana Shioyaki with a sweet chestnut was interesting though. First of all that's quite a contrast of flavors and textures, and secondly ... I thought chestnuts are usually served in the Autumn season as far as Japanese cuisine goes!



To me the interesting thing about this dish wasn't the tempura itself, but the Chef's display of confidence in his own ability evident through his decision of presenting Matcha salt instead of the ubiquitous Ten-tsuyu sauce for dipping. This showed that the Chef wanted his clients to focus on the delicate flavors of his choice ingredients, consisting of Maitake mushrooms, Kabocha squash, and a bamboo shoot. This was probably the best dish of the meal, though IMHO it's still a notch or two lower than what I would expect from a Tempura specialist restaurant ... the amount of residual oil was too heavy for this dish to be considered a complete success.



At the end we came to the dinner's most expensive ingredient -- four thick slices of the region's famous Hida Beef. Well, let's take off the decorative wrapping and examine the beef marbling ...



Well, there was a fair amount of marbling content, but the distribution wasn't entirely even -- you could see a large white area of fatty connective tissue in each of the four slices, and certain areas without any marbling. As expected this wasn't quite as tender as some of the other Hida Beef dishes we've had on this trip -- in fact this was probably the lowest in quality ... an A3 by my estimation. If you want to see a visual comparison against top A5 quality Hida Beef, take a look at the Hida Beef in Hoba Miso at Shirakawago's Shiraogi restaurant.



The next morning we started our routine with another hotspring dip in the private Kama-furo bath, then went to the restaurant for breakfast at 07:00. Once again the breakfast was simple by Ryokan standards, but of course the rice was all-you-can-eat, and we did find our meal quite enjoyable due to two of our favorite breakfast items ...



It was my wife's favorite again -- the Onsen Tamago (hotspring egg) served in Dashi broth. Even though we've been having this dish practically once every couple mornings, we just couldn't get enough of this incredible smoothness of the soft-boiled yolk surrounded by the even softer egg white. I should try to make this at home sometime ... once I get a decent water thermometer to help me keep the water at exactly 70 degrees Celcius for half an hour.



Then it was time for my favorite -- the quintessential Central Japanese dish of Hoba Miso, prepared simply by placing the local red miso and vegetables on top of a dried magnolia leaf and grilling on an open flame. The portion here wasn't quite generous enough for my liking, but it was still memorable as this turned out to the my last encounter with Hoba Miso on this trip. I still wish I had bought a stack of Hoba leaves back in Hida Takayama ... I'm missing this dish so much as I ponder what to cook for breakfast on lazy weekends.

Now we've seen it all ... the hotspring, the room and the meals ... but was it worth the 9000 yen (CAD$90) per person? Frankly the main selling point here is the wide selection of open-air hotspring baths, and it almost seemed that everything else was deemed secondary by the Ryokan management. The room was comfortable but really nothing to write home about, and the meals were quite ordinary really, in terms of both quality and quantity ... or perhaps we're just spoilt by the Ryori Ryokans (gourmet inns) we visited earlier during this trip. Nevertheless 9000 yen was still a fairly cheap price for a full-service Ryokan with excellent hotspring facilities, and taking into account its excellent location as a base for visiting Kamikochi on a day trip, I really should have no complaints.



TRANSPORTATION


Forget about train service to this treacherous region in the middle of the Japan Alps -- highway buses serve as the main form of public transportation here, operated mostly by the Nohi Bus company. The bus terminal at Hirayu Onsen (shown above) is the major transportation hub of the region and the gateway into the other four hotspring towns, as well as to the National Park resort of Kamikochi.

Multiple daily connections run to Takayama (1 hour to the west) and Matsumoto (1.5 hour to the east), both being popular tourist destinations and well worth your visit (see the two articles on Takayama here and here if interested). Both Takayama and Matsumoto are major stations on the JR Train network, and you should have no problem connecting to Tokyo or Osaka in one or two transfers. See Nohi Bus' English website for the latest bus timetables.



If you're planning to arrive from Tokyo directly without stopping over at Matsumoto or Takayama, Nohi Bus operates a daily service from Shinjuku that will take you to Hirayu Onsen in about 5 hours. But this bus is by reservations only, and you need to either phone up Nohi Bus' reservation centre (and be able to speak Japanese), or book through a bus ticket reservation website such as J-Bus (and be able to read Japanese). For most foreigners it's probably easiest to just hop on the Chuo Line train from Shinjuku to Matsumoto, then transfer to the Nohi Bus.

MY WIFE'S CORNER The fermentation of soy beans into Miso paste is a tradition dating back at least a couple thousand years, especially in the remote mountain hamlets of Central and Northern Japan where the effective storage of summer crops was essential for surviving through the long and snowy winter. To this date the areas surrounding Suwa and Niigata in Central Japan remain some of the best known Miso-producing regions. And one of the most popular national brands of Miso? Suwa's own Shinshu Ichi Miso with its three-centuries-old corporate history as well as one of Japan's most recognizable brand-mascots -- the colourful Miko-chan. This cellphone pendant presents a funny cross-over with Kitty and Miko-chan bathing in a bowl of Miso soup among the tofu cubes. It was bought for about 450 yen somewhere in Central Japan ... but we don't really remember where.

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A Day-Trip to the National Park at Kamikochi

Between visiting the world-class destination of Hida Takayama and a dip in the hotspring pools of Oku-Hida Onsengo, we spent a leisurely day walking the National Park trails at Kamikochi.

This is a pristine mountain valley carved out by the glacial water of the Azusa River and surrounded by some of the tallest peaks of Central Japan's Northern Alps. For years it has been a favourite expedition base for Japanese mountaineers, a mecca for hikers and nature seekers, and most recently, a re-discovered destination for international tourists.



So Kamikochi is well worth a trip anyway you look at it, especially since we're right in the neighbourhood on our way from Hida Takayama to Matsumoto. But for any potential visitor, the main issues are ... 1) it's only open from late April to mid November due to heavy snowfall through winter and spring, and 2) even in summer the mountain climate can get very unpredictable, and the only road into Kamikochi occasionally gets closed off after rock slides. As a result we actually had a Plan B -- we would spend our day in Hida Furukawa instead if we couldn't reach Kamikochi.

Fortunately it turned out to be a glorious sunny day, albeit a little misty amid the moist mountain air of late May. Starting out from Hida Takayama we first took a one-hour bus ride to the hotspring resort of Hirayu Onsen where we dropped off our backpacks, then took another 25 minute bus into the vicinity of Kamikochi (see Transportation section below).



We got off the bus at the scenic Taisho Pond at 10:30, about the same time as a hundred or so Taiwanese and Korean tourists -- definitely not an ideal introduction to the supposedly serene Chubu Sangaku National Park. I suppose it was just like Banff or Yellowstone, but then I realized that at least the Japanese Government is doing its part in banning private cars and most forms of non-public transportation into Kamikochi, so I shouldn't complain.



Back to the scenery -- this picture was taken under the shadow of an active volcano as we walked around Taisho Pond, which came into being only after 1915 when the lava from a major eruption blocked off the water of the Azusa River and flooded this wide valley. The dead trees still standing in the middle of the lake form one of the most recognizable images of Kamikochi, and have been designated Natural Monument status.



The fuming volcano of Yake-dake (literally "Burning Peak") erupted as late as 1995, but it's much more famous for the eruption during the reign of Emperor Taisho which gave birth to the Taisho Pond. Today you can still see the tree-less path of the lava down the side of mountain, and if you're really adventurous, there's a hiking path to the summit where you can get close and personal with one of the less active craters. For us though, gingerly treading the other side of the lake is quite close enough.



There are a few famous and easily accessible scenic spots in Kamikochi -- the lava-formed lake of Taisho Pond at the downstream, the stretch of the Azusa River around the Kappa-bashi bridge at the middle, and the smaller lake of Myojin Pond further upstream. According to the park pamphlet, it should take 65 minutes of non-stop walking from the Taisho Pond to Kappa-bashi, and another 60 minutes from Kappa-bashi to Myojin Pond. But from our own experience, the scenery was so beautiful and the mountain streams so crisp and refreshing that it was impossible not to walk down to the river bank, take a drink from the bluish glacial water, then lounge around on the rocks while playing with the wild pigeons. Feel free to call us slackers, but it really took us nearly two and a half hours just to complete that 65 minutes walking distance from Taisho Pond to Kappa-bashi.



This was in late spring when the snowy glaciers started to melt into the rushing Azusa River, turning into an incredible ribbon of turquoise blue that went on for miles before draining into the Taisho Pond. I live in mountainous Western Canada where glacial streams are quite common, but I had never seen another that comes even close to this remarkable display of colour. There's nothing different about the water content of course, as the optical phenomenon is really caused by the white granite rocks on the river bed.



The spectrum of colours came into a full bloom about half-way towards the Kappa-bashi, where the underground hotsprings grant their warmth and minerals to the shallow Tashiro Pond and the surrounding wetland. In the winter the rust brown bottom of the Tashiro Pond would stay visible in a world of silver, even when the much larger Taisho Pond freezes solid.



The surrounding wetland also supported an amazingly colourful collection of algae growth, from deep emerald green to bright orange. And being in Japan, you'd have to expect running into a few painters and photographers who would sit there for hours just to capture the perfect moment.



The unspoilt wetland along the trails sprouted thousands of fresh, young fiddlehead ferns, organically grown inside a National Park and looking so succulent and crisp, which reminded me of last night's dinner ...

Just joking ... I better stick to our topic of eco-tourism!



We finally reached the Kappa-bashi bridge, possibly the most-photographed landmark of Kamikochi, after 2.5 hours ... I suspect that even the most elderly Japanese hikers would have overtaken us along the way. At this point of convergence of two upstream branches of the Azusa, white water roared underneath while the snowy peaks of the Hotaka mountain range tower over everything else in sight.



Even though it's Japan's third highest mountain after Mount Fuji and Mount Kita, the looming Hotaka appeared so close that you'd think you can reach out and touch it. It may not look to be 3190 metres tall from here, but one shouldn't forget that Kamikochi itself is a plateau of 1500 metres.



We did wander a little further upstream, but not quite as far as the Myojin Pond. The lush green underwater vegetation here attracted a pair of gorgeous Mandarin ducks, which in turn attracted a small crowd along the shores. Sorry I don't have a picture to show, as the pair grew uncomfortable with the crowd and flew away (I didn't know Mandarin ducks could fly!) before either of our cameras could get a decent shot.



A collection of optical equipment in front of the Visitor Centre, just a couple minutes walk from the Kappa-bashi. The cause of amazement here wasn't the numbers or the sophistication of the equipment, but the way their owners would just leave them unsupervised while going inside for souvenirs and maps.



Raw cedar pillars and wooden beams abound, the Visitor Centre serves its informational purpose quite well besides just plain lookin' good. It provides the mountain weather forecast, 1:25000 topographic maps for mountaineers, trail maps for the rest of us, flora and fauna guidebooks, and a gallery of absolutely stunning Kamikochi photos from some of Japan's top nature photographers. We just couldn't resist buying the Kamikochi Visitor's Guidebook containing all these amazing shots, and for 1500 yen (CAD$15), it was well worth the money.



What About Food?

Lunch options are few as expected in the middle of a National Park. For those who have the time and money to splurge, the dining room of the magnificent Kamikochi Imperial Hotel is located about 10 minutes walk from the Bus Terminal. But being the cheap backpackers we are, we just followed the local crowds towards the Kamikochi Shokudo, a large canteen located on the second floor of the Bus Terminal.



I remember there being six or seven items on the menu on this day: Tonkatsu, a few kinds of curries, Hayashi rice, ramen, Shogayaki pork, and smaller snacks like Onigiri riceballs. Even though it's cafeteria food, the warmth of Curry Tonkatsu looked inviting after a few hours in the cool mountain air.



This was definitely not the place for exciting culinary discoveries. Everything tasted as average and uninspiring as you would expect from a cafeteria, but then it's really about having a quick lunch and getting back to the outdoor playground. At less than 2000 yen for two lunches, we've got no complaints.

Bill for Two Persons

Curry Tonkatsu Teishoku	~900 yen
Shoyu Ramen with Onigiri	~900 yen
TOTAL	~1800 yen (CAD$18)

Accommodation

We didn't stay in Kamikochi for the night -- at the end we chose to stay at the nearby hotspring resort of Hirayu Onsen instead -- so I can only refer you to the cheap accommodation choices that were under my consideration:

Nishiitoya - Room + 2 Meals for 8000 yen per person, 5 minutes walk from Bus Terminal

Kamonji-goya - Room + 2 Meals for 7000 yen per person, 1 hour walk from Bus Terminal

Myojinkan - Room + 2 Meals for 8000 yen per person, 1 hour walk from Bus Terminal



Transportation

As mentioned above, the only road into Kamikochi is opened only from mid April to late November -- it simply gets way too treacherous once the snow season arrives.



The easiest way to reach Kamikochi is to take the Nohi Bus, which operates a frequent service between the local transportation hub of Hirayu Onsen and the Kamikochi Bus Terminal near the Kappa-bashi bridge. A round-trip costs 1800 yen (CAD$18) with the bus departing from both terminals at roughly 30 minute intervals between 08:00 and 17:00, making it the most convenient way to get in and out. Multiple buses connect to Hirayu Onsen from the nearby cities of Takayama (1 hour), Matsumoto (1.5 hours), and even as far away as Tokyo (4.5 hours). See Nohi Bus's English website for the latest schedules.

One little trick about the bus from Hirayu Onsen is that it will make a quick stop at the Taisho Pond on the way to Kamikochi Bus Terminal, which means that if you plan on visiting Taisho Pond anyway, you can get off there and follow the trail to the Bus Terminal without having to do a return trip. The reverse doesn't quite work since the bus departing for Hirayu Onsen generally gets filled at the Kamikochi Bus Terminal and won't stop at Taisho Pond to pick up any passengers. You may want to keep that in mind as you plan your hiking route.



An alternative way is to start from Matsumoto, taking the cogwheel railway to Shin Shimajima and transferring to a bus to Kamikochi. The entire trip takes about 1.5 hours, departs every 45 minutes and costs 4400 yen roundtrip. Check the official Alpico website for the latest timetables.

MY WIFE'S CORNER The Kitsune, or Japanese red fox, is a well-respected character in traditional folklores, rumored to be exceedingly wise and proficient with various magical abilities. In real life though, habitat destruction has marginalized the Kitsune to beyond the outskirts of civilization. The sale of this "Mountain Meadows Edition" cellphone strap doesn't seem to be subject to any geographical restriction, as it is said to be sold in Hokkaido as well. We came across this at the little souvenir stand just outside the Kamikochi Bus Terminal.

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Tangkahan, The Hidden Paradise

You could enjoy a range of adventures in the hidden paradise, Tangkahan, the ancient rainforest of North Sumatera in the mount Leuser where you will discover Indonesia's best kept secret. You will be amazed with the views of canopies and incredible wildlife, rivers with pure and clear water and various tropical flowers.

Tangkahan is located next to Gunung Leuser National Park about 105 km from Medan City or it takes time about 3 to 4 hours by vehicle. You can go to Tangkahan by renting a car or by public buses (Pembangunan Semesta) from Pinang Baris Bus Terminus directly to Tangkahan. Buses run three times a day, started at 08.00 am, 01.00 pm, 03.00 pm or with the following route; Pinang Baris-Simpang Robert and then two wheelers from Simpang Robert to Tangkahan.

The followings are what you'll get in the hidden paradise.

Forest Trekking
You could learn more about flora and fauna in the rainforest while enjoying your trekking inside the heart of the paradise. You could hike over mountains and across rivers to encounter the natural wonders of the rainforest. There are some fasilities that are provided for full day trek+caving+tubing.

River Cruising
Experience the River safari by tubing along the Batang Serangan River while taking pleasure in watching around, see the long tailed monkeys, wonderful rainforest vegetation, various birds, and if lucky you will meet Kedih (Presbytis Thomasi) an endemic primate in Gunung Leuser National Park. You can also swim in the clear blue water and then drift yourself away back to Tangkahan shore.

Camping
If you want to experience staying at the camp, there also available a camping ground area between the jungle and the river, sufficient for 30 tents. Feel the rare occasion living in harmony with nature.

Caving
This is a kind of adventure trek and you must be fit and healthy enough to walk through the ancient rainforest and crossing a lot of rivers, streams and hilly areas. You need 3 hours to reach the Bat Cave. A skillful guide will accompany you. To return back, you have a choice of tubing down the fast flowing river, or walking through the fruit trees in the Orange and Durian groves.
(Pathway through the jungle)
Elephant Trekking
It is an exciting package as you could experience the sensation of riding over an elephant's back for an exploration by using the Conservation Response Unit's patrol elephants. These elephants help to monitor the forest from any crimes and at the same time could accompany you to explore the forest.


Accommodation
Visitors could choose four comfortable accommodations next to the park, namely Jungle Lodge, Bamboo River, Mega Inn and Green Lodge, designed for family, standard and deluxe. The restaurants provide Traditional Karonese food & beverage, Indonesian food and western food and beverage.
(Restaurant)

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