| The village |
| Guesthouse |
| Restaurant |
| Trekking |
| Rafting |
| Contact |
Most people arrive in Sumatra by airplane in MEDAN or by ship from Malaysia in Belawan (the harbour of Medan).
If you want to go from MEDAN to Ketambe you have to go first to Kutacane by a 24-seater propeller airplane or by road with an 11-seater public minibus. From the city Kutacane its a 30 km ride by public transport with a mobil to Ketambe.
The flight service on the route Medan - Kutacane - Banda Aceh depends on annual contracts. In 2010 the airline NBA offers flights 2 times a week. The airline Susi Air has service only between Medan and Kutacane 4 times a week. Schedule and prices here.
Another option is to use an aircon car (called taxi) with a driver and comfortable seats. Two companies offer a public taxi service, where up to 7 passengers will share the car. If you hire a private taxi, it can pick you up where ever you prefer and it will bring you all the way to Ketambe.
Guides hang arround at the guesthouses in Medan, want to bring you to Ketambe. They offer you trekking into the jungle near Ketambe. Its a good idea to do the ride to Ketambe on your own and to take a local guide over there.
If you want to reach Ketambe from BANDA ACEH its best to use an airplane. By the inland road via Takengon and Belangkeceren it will take up to 2 full days, with a minibus.
Airline NBA
Tickets can only booked by showing up in the office. Staff normally don't speak English. Offices are closed on Sundays.
Addresses and phone numbers:
Medan: Jln. Brig. General Katamso 100, Phone: 061-4534680
Banda Aceh: Jln. Tengku Nyak Arif 1, Phone: 0651-333777
Kutacane: Jln. Gen. Ahmad Yani 33, only mobile phone: 0812-6003434
Airline Susi Air
Tickets can be booked by phone or email:
Hotline: +62 (0)811 211 3080 / 3090
Email: info@susiair.com
The website is not really up to date. You will not find the new route and schedule between Medan and Kutacane yet.
www.susiair.com
Address and phone number:
Medan: Counter at the airport, Phone: +62 (0)61 785 2169
If you ask Ahmad (owner Friendship Guesthouse) in Ketambe he can help you to make a ticket reservation for flights with departure from Kutacane for both airlines. Ahmad has a friend working at the airport Kutacane. He gives him always the latest information about the timetable and prices (see the following tables).
Weekday |
Airline |
MES - KUT |
KUT - MES |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday |
no service
|
--- |
--- |
--- |
Tuesday |
NBA
|
07:00 WIB |
11:30 WIB |
146.000 IDR |
Wednesday |
Susi Air
|
09:00 WIB |
10:00 WIB |
250.000 IDR* |
Thursday |
NBA
|
07:00 WIB |
11:30 WIB |
146.000 IDR |
Friday |
Susi Air
|
09:00 WIB |
10:00 WIB |
250.000 IDR* |
Saturday |
Susi Air
|
09:00 WIB |
10:00 WIB |
250.000 IDR* |
Sunday |
Susi Air
|
09:00 WIB |
10:00 WIB |
250.000 IDR* |
Weekday |
Airline |
KUT - BTJ
|
BTJ - KUT
|
Price
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday |
no service
|
--- |
--- |
--- |
Tuesday |
NBA
|
07:30 WIB |
09:30 WIB |
268.000 IDR |
Wednesday |
no service
|
--- |
--- |
--- |
Thursday |
NBA
|
07:30 WIB |
09:30 WIB |
268.000 IDR |
Friday |
no service
|
--- |
--- |
--- |
Saturday |
no service
|
--- |
--- |
--- |
Sunday |
no service
|
--- |
--- |
--- |
The airport tax is 25.000 IDR and has to be payed seperatly at the airport.
Ahmad offers a shuttle service by car from the airfield Kutacane direct to Ketambe. Please ask for the price.
Now there are different kind of road transport available. There is an 11 seat public minibus, a 7 seat public taxi or an aircon private taxi. All these transports have own "stations" at the main road in Padang Bulan.
From the area of Grand Mosque (Masjid Raya) walk to a main road (Jln. Sisingamagaraja or Jln. IR Juanda) and take the local minibus No. 41 direction Padang Bulan (it costs about 3000 IDR*). Ask the driver to drop you off at the minibus-stand at the companies BTN or Karsima, or at the taxi companies Borneo or Adi Guna (about 30 min from Jln. IR Juanda).
From Medan Airport take a becak (moto-rikshaw). Pass all taxi- and rikshawdrivers inside the airport area, go out of the gate - its cheaper over there. The price until Padang Bulan (BTN, Karsima, Borneo, Adi Guna) is about 15000 to 20000 IDR*.
If you arrive at Padang Bulan from Medan city you will first pass the minibus station of BTN on the left side, about 500 m further is the station of Karsima. Both have a small ticket counter and a waiting area.
The service and the ticket price is equal at both companies 50000 IDR*. Beside the driver are 2 seats and behind are 3 rows with 3 seats each (together space for 11 passengers).
Try to get a seat behind the driver for more leg space.
Women should ask a front seat. Avoid the last row.
Minibusses leave when full or every hour until late afternoon. In the morning they go more frequent.
There are few night busses. You can catch the minibus to Kutacane in Berastagi, if not full.
All the way you will "enjoy" loud indonesian house, pop and dangdut music. About half the way in Tigabinanga the bus will stop for rest and a meal. Try ayam gulay or rendang.
If you arrive in Kutacane let drop you off at the station for local transport to Ketambe.
The "station" is also at Padang Bulan opposite the "Citra Garden" (see left picture). Adi Guna Travel and Borneo Travel are close to each other.
The taxis will stop for rest and a meal at a restaurant (see right picture) in Kabanjahe (near Berastagi), where the food prices are quite high.
If you want to book a private taxi, you can phone Ahmad or send an email. Its not that cheap as public transport, because the driver has to go back with an empty car.
If no more public transport available after 5.30 pm, you can hire a becak for 50000 to 70000 IDR* for this 30 km ride.
For the same price its possible to find accomodation in Kutacane. The first mobil to Ketambe leaves in the morning at about 7 a.m. WIB*.
NEW: We can pick you up with a car in Kutacane if you arrive after the public transport is not available anymore. Please call Ahmad by phone.