Two gentle outings for the day after a jungle trek: a plantation walk to a limestone cave full of bats and daylight shafts, and an afternoon by a clear tributary with a swim, a short forest walk and lunch on the stones.
Your legs will thank you for an easy day after the jungle. These two walks stay on the village side of the river, among farms and smaller patches of forest, and show another side of life around Bukit Lawang.
The Bat Cave, Gua Kelelawar, is about two hours there and back from the village through rubber, cacao and durian plantings, where you may see tappers collecting latex. The limestone cave has chambers lit by shafts of daylight, colonies of bats on the ceiling and a few tight squeezes. You need a torch, and should expect some scrambling inside. Go with a village guide for the cave scramble.
The Landak river is a clear tributary near the village, good for swimming in deep green pools, with a short forest walk to the Batu Rongring area and lunch cooked on the stones by the water. The afternoon option for a rest day.
Do both in one easy day.
Walk out of the village past houses and gardens into plantations of rubber, cacao and durian.
Pay the small fee at the entrance and follow your guide with torches through chambers, squeezes and daylight shafts.
Retrace your steps or loop back by a different plantation path.
Head to the Landak with a guide for a short forest walk, a swim in clear pools and a lazy hour on the rocks.
Any guesthouse can find you a village guide for the cave and the river; prices are modest and worth it.
The cave charges a small entry fee, collected by the family who own the land.
Don't swim in the main Bohorok after rain: it rises quickly. Ask locals which pools are safe.
Bukit Lawang practical notes →Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences.
