Gunung Leuser National Park, National park in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
Gunung Leuser National Park is a protected rainforest area in North Sumatra and Aceh covering dense jungle, rivers, and mountain ranges. The terrain ranges from deep valleys to peaks over 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) and shelters orangutans, elephants, and tigers.
The Indonesian government created the protected area in 1980 to preserve the rainforest and its wildlife from logging. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in 2004, recognizing its importance for biodiversity.
The name comes from Mount Leuser, which rises in the heart of the protected area and is considered a sacred place by local inhabitants. Visitors encounter villages at the edges where people live next to rice paddies and interact daily with wildlife.
Most travelers start their tours from Bukit Lawang, a village at the edge of the protected area where guides organize multi-day treks through the jungle. Trails often cross steep slopes and muddy sections, so sturdy footwear and plenty of water are necessary.
Two of the largest flowers in the world grow here: Rafflesia arnoldii with its diameter reaching up to 3 feet (one meter) and the titan arum, which can grow over 6 feet (two meters) tall. Both plants bloom rarely and emit a strong smell of rotting flesh during flowering to attract insects.
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