Ketambe - Sumatra - 2011

At Ketambe we trekked into the Gunung Leuser National Park to look for orangutans.
The tracks were very slippery, and with an overnight pack on our backs, we had to proceed extremely cautiously.
I found it difficult,
but with the help of a stick and one of the local porters, I just managed.

We saw a couple of orangutans on the way into our campsite.










We saw some more orangutans the next morning.






















Our campsite was near the Alas River.



There was a delightful place where water, heated from thermal springs, flowed into the river.
You could work your way into a spot where there was alternating hot and cold water flowing over you.
It was a slippery 2-hour walk to it from the campsite.




Smiley, our local Sumatran guide.



There were butress-root trees in the jungle, although not as massive as those at Mosman Gorge near Cairns.