Northern Sumatra Orangutan Jungle Trek

[fiddlehead]

I realize there's not much interest on whiteblaze for international trekking, but, since I do a fair amount of it, I will post a link to the writeup I just finished for last week's jungle trek to Northern Sumatra with lots of pictures of the many orangatans I saw there as well as other wildlife and strange insects. And of course I'll be glad to help anyone who is interested in going there.
Here's the blog entry link:
https://fiddlehead.wordpress.com/201...king-and-more/

And one picture from it: IMG_6405.JPG

[Shutterbug]

I realize there's not much interest on whiteblaze for international trekking, but, since I do a fair amount of it, I will post a link to the writeup I just finished for last week's jungle trek to Northern Sumatra with lots of pictures of the many orangatans I saw there as well as other wildlife and strange insects. And of course I'll be glad to help anyone who is interested in going there.
Here's the blog entry link:
https://fiddlehead.wordpress.com/201...king-and-more/

And one picture from it: IMG_6405.JPG

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed your blog entry.

[Leo L.]

Awesome trip, thanks for sharing!

[Feral Bill]

Drooling with envy here. Many thanks.

[Odd Man Out]

Thanks for the post. Yes, I am interested in international trekking. I just finished reading the new edition of trekking in the Everest region by McGuinness. That, and the Kungsleden in Sweden are at the top of my wish list. It sounds like you had a good time, despite the poor guide experience. I too prefer to hike solo. I question the assertion that requiring a guide helps the local economy. This claim is made by guides because it helps them. But the money you spend on guides is money you are not spending on food, lodging, gifts, etc... And when people stay home because they can't afford a guide, the amount of money they bring in is zero. Too often guide organizations use fear mongering to push these self-serving regulations in place, claiming that solo trekking is too dangerous.

[fiddlehead]

Glad to see some interest in overseas hiking.
Odd Man Out: I too have the Kungsleden trail in Sweden on my list.
Possibly next summer.
I like to hike with my niece from Maine when she can (she's a high school principal so doesn't get a whole lot of time and only in the summers)
She wants to do a hike in Scotland next summer, and I am trying to talk her into a part of the E1 trail in Sweden.
Possibly I can do her hike in Scotland AND the Kungsleden.
Are you interested in doing it next summer? Maybe around late July or early August.
I am flexible (but my niece won't be)

I did a bunch or hikes in the past 15 months. 9 different countries all told. Mostly in Asia but also last summer's Via Dinarica.
I'm enjoying retirement and the cheap flights that are available now-a-days.
This last trip to Sumatra was only $200 round trip for me from Phuket, Thailand, via KL Malaysia and the on to Medan, Sumatra.
Unbelievable price. Malaysian air was offereing 45% off for about 2 weeks there in August.
If you're interested in doing the hike next summer, let me know.
I have a friend who lives in northern Sweden and will help us get to the trailhead. (and probably back to an airport after we finish)

[Odd Man Out]

Glad to see some interest in overseas hiking.
Odd Man Out: I too have the Kungsleden trail in Sweden on my list.
Possibly next summer.
I like to hike with my niece from Maine when she can (she's a high school principal so doesn't get a whole lot of time and only in the summers)
She wants to do a hike in Scotland next summer, and I am trying to talk her into a part of the E1 trail in Sweden.
Possibly I can do her hike in Scotland AND the Kungsleden.
Are you interested in doing it next summer? Maybe around late July or early August.
I am flexible (but my niece won't be)

I did a bunch or hikes in the past 15 months. 9 different countries all told. Mostly in Asia but also last summer's Via Dinarica.
I'm enjoying retirement and the cheap flights that are available now-a-days.
This last trip to Sumatra was only $200 round trip for me from Phuket, Thailand, via KL Malaysia and the on to Medan, Sumatra.
Unbelievable price. Malaysian air was offereing 45% off for about 2 weeks there in August.
If you're interested in doing the hike next summer, let me know.
I have a friend who lives in northern Sweden and will help us get to the trailhead. (and probably back to an airport after we finish)

I'm not retired yet, but as a University Prof, my summer schedule is a little flexible. I will think about it. Mostly interested in the northern section, from Abisko south. Flights to Sweden are a little more expensive. You can fly to Kiruna from Stockholm (ARN), or there is an overnight train you can take from the Stockholm Airport directly to the northern end of the trail (don't you love public transportation).
As a 100% Swedish American I'm related to about half the country (if you go back far enough), but mostly from the SE, not the NW (alas). I should ask if any of my cousins are trekkers.

[Leo L.]

Regarding local (mandatory) guides:
My favorite hiking area, Sinai/Egypt, basically is not allowed without guides. I still did solo hike there many times.
Now that I got to know the locals better I understand that they are really suffering as after the revolution tourism broke down to a fraction of what it had been before, and local families have to leave their rented "houses" (more like huts) because they cannot afford rent and electricity (as cheap as this might be) and go into the desert with hardly more than a sack full of flour. Undernourishment to kids happens.
In the last year or two I switched to taking a guide when in the Sinai, and am happy to pay knowing the money ends up straight in the locals' pocket, and doesnt vanish into some obscure mission or developement aid.

Meet you on the E1 (north) in 2020?
2019 I will take my pilgrimage of 40 days on the Sinai Trail, if health goes well.

[T.S.Kobzol]

I've done the northern section from Abisko to Nikkaluokta in March, on skis. It was so awesome I want to go back again, one day.

We did take the Arctic Circle Train from Stockholm to Abisko. It was positively great although flying from Stockholm to Kiruna would save You at least a day of your vacation that could be used on the trail, for example summiting Kebnekaise ...

Cheers.

I'm not retired yet, but as a University Prof, my summer schedule is a little flexible. I will think about it. Mostly interested in the northern section, from Abisko south. Flights to Sweden are a little more expensive. You can fly to Kiruna from Stockholm (ARN), or there is an overnight train you can take from the Stockholm Airport directly to the northern end of the trail (don't you love public transportation).
As a 100% Swedish American I'm related to about half the country (if you go back far enough), but mostly from the SE, not the NW (alas). I should ask if any of my cousins are trekkers.

[fiddlehead]

The train sounds great.
I like to travel by train. Especially sleepers (did the trans-siberian from moscow to bejing back in '92, did Hanoi to Sapa this year)
Of course I have time, since retiring.
TS Kobzol: How often did you see the northern lights?

Leo, 2020 sounds like a good possibility for maybe more of Sweden.
I am thinking that Norway is too cold for me anymore. Even in summer.
Sweden cold too but not quite as much, maybe southern Sweden LOL.
Good luck with your Sinai hike.

Another one I'm very interested in and keeping an eye on is the extension they've made of the Via Dinarica, now into Kosovo and Macedonia.
I have some friends did it this year and it looks awesome.
I know when we finished in Albania, seeing the mountain range extend into Kosovo looked great.
And Skopje was my favorite city we hit after our hike when we visited more of eastern Europe.

[Leo L.]

Glenn,

My wife and one daughter did a railroad trip 2 weeks Scandinavia (they won two "All Europe" tickets) and they suffered from an incredible heat wave. Scorching sun 23hrs a day.
Hiking up there reportedly is some of the greatest (friendliest) in the world. They came back reporting Absico is a must-see.

This one daughter is hooked into the E1 and she's just gathering money to get going in 2020. She wants to do it N2S, but its impossible to do the whole length in one season.
I still have to turn her mind a bit so we start off from Austria in early spring heading North, ending at the Northcap in autumn, and do the southern leg the other year.
Sinai next Spring will be a testrun, looking whether my health is up again.
(sorry for misusing your thread)

[fiddlehead]

No Problem with changing the thread over to Scandinavian discussion as far as I'm concerned.
I don't think very many whiteblazers are into hiking in SumatraIdd anyway. LOL.
The E1 looks awesome.
So does "Odd Man Out's" and "Kobzuls" Kungsleden trail.
Although the Kungsleden is further north than I really feel comfortable with as I don't like very cold temps anymore.
I'd have to take my big sleeping bag and that won't fit in my "Burn" pack.
Or something.
I don't understand how you or your daughter thinks you could start in Germany or thereabouts and make it to the northern end in one year.
Impossible (except for Karel Sabbe obviously)
But northbound from the southern tip of Sweden would be OK with me too.
I would have about 6 weeks probably, starting June or July. Maybe slightly more time.
Let's see how this 2019 goes and if I get up there to the Kungsleden and can handle the cold nights.
All the pictures that I see of that trail, the people are bundled up pretty good.
Also, my friend from Sweden will be wintering here in Phuket again this year so I'll discuss logistics with him and where he can meet us.
He's not a hiker but might try to meet us in his van from time to time.
2020 might also work for my buddy Ray, who I did the Via Dinarica with last year.
He's on a "Round the World" trip in 2019. (wants to hike in Papua New Guinea. I told him he was nuts, I ain't going there!)

Do you know Sweden has a national law that says landowners can't stop you from camping one night on their land.
Love it.

[Traffic Jam]

Thanks for the post. I may never hike in Northern Sumatra, but I sure enjoy reading about it...and seeing the pictures.

[Odd Man Out]

I've done the northern section from Abisko to Nikkaluokta in March, on skis. It was so awesome I want to go back again, one day.

We did take the Arctic Circle Train from Stockholm to Abisko. It was positively great although flying from Stockholm to Kiruna would save You at least a day of your vacation that could be used on the trail, for example summiting Kebnekaise ...

Cheers.

Flying to Kiruna may not save you any time, depending on the connections. The last time I checked, flying from Chicago, I may not arrive early enough to make it to Abisko that day and if I did, it would be too late to hike. So I would have to overnight somewhere (ARN, or Kiruna, or Abisko) and hike the following morning or later depending on the connections. But the train leaves from the airport late afternoon (no problem making that connection) and arrives Abisko mid morning the next day so you overnight on the train and at worst miss a few hrs of hiking or at best you get there faster. And if you need to get supplies, you could take a commuter train from the airport to Uppsala, shop there, hang out with cousins Lars and Ulla, and then catch the overnight train north as it comes through.

I was in Norway last summer (not for hiking, just touring by car around Geiranger and Ålesund. It was amazing. I'm not so sure the cold would be too much of a problem, especially if you were by the coast. We were there in early June and it wasn't too bad. They too have the Freedom To Roam law (or All Man's Right, as it's know in Sweden) where you can hike anywhere you want on unoccupied or unused land (with a few restrictions).

[Leo L.]

AFAIK, Kungsleden is part of the E1 (the E1 basically being a patchwork of existing trails stitched together).
"Hiking the E1" is more of a rough idea than a task of hiking literally every single step of it. Lots of highly populated and industrialized areas between here and there one could easily skip without missing much.

Weather up north can be anything, when I had been up there by motorbike in the early 80ies it was raining every day, which changed to slush sometimes. Gave up after 3 weeks and turned back home, people told me later that the day after I've left, a high pressure bright weather periode started which lasted for 6 weeks.

Hiking or any other kind of outdoor activity in Scandinavia is really great. The All Mans Right has been mentioned, which makes hiking a really great experience. Along better known trails there is a Hut System you are free to use. Lots of camping places near civilisation where you can rent a hut for to take a zero, too.
Downside is, Scandinavia is pretty pricy, especially Norway, where you hardly can afford a beer.

[T.S.Kobzol]

Only once. :-) It was either cloudy at night or we were so exhausted we were already sound asleep when someone could have mentioned them appearing. I went out to pee and saw it - it was awesome. I wish I have seen more of it.

The train sounds great.
TS Kobzol: How often did you see the northern lights?

[Odd Man Out]

As for Scandinavian weather, the Swedes have an expression. They say there is no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing choices. I have observed that they do have a passion for getting outdoors in all seasons as all weather.

[T.S.Kobzol]

We took the Arlanda Express from the airport to Stockholm. I wasn't aware the Arctic Circle Train leaves from the airport but it would make sense if it did. I recommend sleeping in the Abisko Bunkhouses as part of the Sweden Tourist Club. They have a room where you can leave your city clothes and duffels etc for free. They also have a mini grocery store with freeze dried food and backpacking items. The trail starts right from there after a nice breakfast at the center.

We actually joined the STF and got discounts at every hut of the Kungsleden trail as well as at the Jumbo Motel right next to the airport.

Flying to Kiruna may not save you any time, depending on the connections. The last time I checked, flying from Chicago, I may not arrive early enough to make it to Abisko that day and if I did, it would be too late to hike. So I would have to overnight somewhere (ARN, or Kiruna, or Abisko) and hike the following morning or later depending on the connections. But the train leaves from the airport late afternoon (no problem making that connection) and arrives Abisko mid morning the next day so you overnight on the train and at worst miss a few hrs of hiking or at best you get there faster. And if you need to get supplies, you could take a commuter train from the airport to Uppsala, shop there, hang out with cousins Lars and Ulla, and then catch the overnight train north as it comes through.

[Leo L.]

Interesting thread, from the Orangutans of Sumatra to the Polar Lights of Scandinavia!

My wife was told that their touristic high-season nowadays is in winter, when all rooms are fully booked by Asians looking for Polar Lights.

[fiddlehead]

I have a good friend near Ramsele (pretty much in the middle of the country)
I would stop and stay with him a few days and hopefully get back on the train to meet you in Abisko.
I see it's about 200 miles NORTH of the Arctic circle.
Man that sounds cold.
But i checked this past July's weather and it was near 16-18 most days for the high (C) I can live with that.
But I don't think that's normal.

Odd Man Out: Do you have any dates or aprox dates in mind?
I am visiting my niece in Maine in Oct to go over plans.
She usually can't get away until mid-July but, I don't know that she wants to go there anyway.
She wants to do Scotland so, we'll see who talks who into what.

Give me some possible dates to work with.
I'm the flexible one and would be waiting there in Abisko for you most likely.

What kind of mileage hiker are you?
I used to be 20 mpd pretty consistently but now a little slower.
Last year's hike in Bosnia/Croatia/Montenegro/Albania, our biggest day was 27 miles, but most days we were around 15-20.

If we have 24 hour daylight (which I guess we will) then I don't know what to say or even think about mileage.
Walk till your tired I guess.
A different experience for sure.