94 Travel | Tangkahan
© Louise Firth / My Portable Life ; © David Metcalf
“ I am so passionate about working with the local community here ,” Jessica said . “ These people I now call family , and I am thrilled to watch their hard work pay off . They are finally getting the support they desperately need for their community and to protect these critically endangered ecosystems that they so deeply care for .”
Another way to get intimate with the jungle environment and explore nature at its most pristine is to go river tubing . This involves being carried along on five tubes tied together with rope . You sit yourself in a comfortable rope cradle strung across the inner tubes and bounce merrily down the river at a very exciting pace , now and again taking on a few rapids .
“ I made this oar from forest bamboo ,” our boatman told us proudly . “ You sit back for the ride and relax . Let me show you our beautiful jungle . I steer from the back here ,” and off we went , soaking in the jungle river vibes . The Buluh River is perfect for tubing , as it ’ s flat with just very few rapids and flows with a swift current . “ Tiger footprints were spotted just over there on the riverbank ,” the boatman pointed out . “ That was only two weeks ago . Many of the villagers spot the tigers regularly . I personally have not seen one , but I am told they come down to the river to drink and then they quickly retreat into the jungle – but they are here . We all get excited when we hear of a sighting ,” he said with a wide smile .
Helping bathe the rescued elephants who form part of the Conservation Response Unit as they cool off in the river in Tangkahan .
The river flows pretty swiftly , and this baby stays near her mother for safety and security .
Just knowing I was sharing this space with wild tigers was enough for me , but as we cruised smoothly down a flat section of the river , we also sighted orangutan nests high in the trees . Orangutans make a new nest every night and then move on . These huge hairy jungle primates are a common sight around the buffer zone of Tangkahan and are also found in the adjoining Gunung Leuser National Park . If one or more are in close proximity to the lodge , word spreads quickly as the rangers and guides are in constant phone contact , so there is a good chance you will see wild orangutans .
After floating down the river for 30 minutes , we were in for our next highlight . We tied our tubes to a tree and walked up a shallow river to arrive at our picnic spot at a waterfall . Somehow , by divine magic , when we entered the waterfall area , a beautiful picnic setting had been laid out , complete with red hibiscus flowers in a tall shrine-like tower and a delicious array of local food including a rich tomato eggplant dish , hot rice , marinated tempe and spicy chicken .
Deep in the jungles of the Gunung Leuser National Park , a pristine forest environment , awaits you . Run away , explore and soak in the pure pleasure of a gentle place with a local community that cares about the future of the forest .
5 Senses – Sounds GIBBONS
At dawn , you can hear the shrill hooting call of the gibbons across the jungle canopy . This signifies territorial ownership , and it ’ s a way of warning other gibbons to stay out of their territory and away from their particular source of food ( local fruit trees ). Gibbons co-exist in family groups and live in old-growth rainforest . The calls last around 30 minutes and are usually started by the adult female .
Saat fajar , Anda dapat mendengar suara melengking bersahutan dari owa di hutan . Hal itu untuk menandai daerah kekuasaan mereka sekaligus cara memperingatkan owa lain agar tidak mendekati wilayah dan sumber makanan mereka ( pohon buah-buahan lokal ). Owa hidup berkelompok di hutan hujan ini . Suara lengkingan owa tersebut berlangsung sekitar 30 menit dan biasanya dimulai oleh betina dewasa .
This Thomas leaf monkey appeared in the early morning by my jungle lodge cabin .