From Wikitravel

Kerinci Seblat National Park is in Sumatra, Indonesia, spanning no less than four different provinces.

[edit] Understand

One of the largest national parks in Indonesia, Kerinci Seblat protects almost 14,000 sq kilometres of tropical rain forests in the Barisan mountain range and its foothills. Terrains varies from lowland forests up to the peak of mighty Mt Kerinci at 3,805 m.

Unfortunately, as in many Indonesian national parks, illegal forest conversion and poaching remains a problem in some areas. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

[edit] History

The national park was formed from a collection of watershed protection forests (hutan lindung) and nature reserves and was established in 1982 although its boundaries were not legally formalised under the early 1990s.

[edit] Landscape

The park is dominated by the Barisan mountains. Scenery in many areas is very spectacular with active and dormant volcanoes including Mount Kerinci, at 3805m the highest mountain in Sumatra and Indonesia's highest active volcano. The national park forests protect the headwaters of some of Sumatra's most important rivers which flow from springs and peat swamps like Ladeh Panjang (Kerinci district) and Danau Kebut (Merangin district) high in the mountains, as well as many lakes and wetlands.

The Great Sumatra Fault runs through the centre of the national park and forms the densely populated Kerinci valley, which lies in the middle of and is surrounded by national park forests.

[edit] Flora and fauna

Kerinci Seblat is most famous amongst bird-watchers as the best place to see most of the highland Sumatran endemic bird species including the Schneider's Pitta and Sumatran Cochoa, both considered extinct for much of the 20th century before being rediscovered here. More than 370 species of bird have been recorded to date.

This is also the most important location in Sumatra for wild Sumatran Tiger and one of the 12 most important tiger reserves anywhere in the world although seeing wild tigers is unusual due both to the dense forest and the animals' shy nature. Other fauna includes elephants (best seen in national park forests in Bengkulu), clouded leopards, tapirs, bears and at least seven species of primate.

Forest edge farmers continue to report occasional sightings of the mythiocal orang pendek, a large, bipedal cryptozoological primate resembling an orangutan (which are not recorded in Kerinci Seblat).

The national park also houses the biggest and the tallest flowers in the world, the monstrous, flesh red flower of the parasite Rafflesia arnoldi which can grow up to a metre in diameter, and is best searched for in the Bengkulu area of the park - ask for flowering information in Curup. In the southern part of Kerinci district hope to see the slightly smaller Rafflesia hasselti which is a vivid dark red in colour. The huge Amorphophallus titanum and Amorphophallus gigas are also present and can grow up to 4 metres in height. A remarkable flower at higher altitudes on Mt Kerinci and Mt Tujuh is the Javanese edelweiss Anaphalis javanica, which only grows on volcanoes. This shrub can reach more than two metres in height and is colored white-green because of its small hairs; the flowers are yellow with white. Numerous orchids are also found, most often flowering at the beginning of the rainy season in late September or October.

[edit] Climate

Rainfall is heaviest between October-December and from February-April while May-August is mainly dry but with some occasional rains, there are no major variations in seasonal temperature. Photographers may wish to avoid the period July-August as these dry months are often hazy. Because much of the park is above 700m in altitude, evenings and nights tend to be cool while in the high mountains temperatures may occasionally drop as low as 5C at night and so trekkers should be prepared for cool evenings

[edit] Get in

Most visitors arrive from Padang's Minangkabau International Airport which offers quickest access for the Kerinci area of the national park (seven hours). However Bengkulu airport (domestic flights from Jakarta) is better for visits to North Bengkulu (elephants) and the Curup area of the national park (rafflesia).

There is an airstrip in Kerinci with flights from Jambi city airport: however in late 2011 these were temporarily suspended

You may want to call your hotel or homestay in advance to arrange for personal transport (you can hire a car, van, or bus) for your trip, however there are good 'Travel' minibus and Share Taxi services from Padang and Jambi and Bengkulu to district capitals which border the park. Padang to Kerinci (Sungaipenuh) or Bangko (Merangin district) is a six-seven hour bus drive, Jambi city to Bangko five hours, Bengkulu city to Curup three hours while it is four hours to the elephant sanctuary at Seblat from Bengkulu city.

It is also possible to take public buses or local angkot minibuses. Be prepared for an uncomfortable ride though as public buses are often crowded, may not have enough space for bulky luggage, and they make frequent stops however for getting around locally angkot minibuses are inexpensive and convenient.

[edit] Fees/Permits

You should bring a photocopy of your passport, which is to be given to the authorities to process your national park entry permit. Visitors planning to climb Mt Kerinci can get a photocopy made at the village of Kersik Tuo at the foot of the mountain. Photocopies of your passport and the visa section are also useful if staying in a village as your homestay must report visitors to the village headman or local police post

The price for entry to the national park as of May, 2010 is 20,000 Rupiah per person. Buy tickets at the national park headquarters in Sungaipenuh, Kerinci, at Kersiktua, at Curup (near Bengkulu) or in Bangko if you are planning to visit Renah kemumu or the national park forests in Merangin district.

[edit] Get around

There are frequent travel minibus services between district capitals, usually leaving in the morning or evening. Angkot minibuses serve villages to and from district capitals. Roads in many areas are poorly maintained so travelling even a relatively short distance can take time, and especially so in the rainy season. It is possible to hire a car and driver in many of the district capitals - expect to pay about $40 a day plus petrol and driver's food.

You can also hire a self0drive motor bike or grab a ride on an ojek motorbike taxi - always negotiate a price before, ask help from your hotel if necessary.

[edit][add listing] See

Tea plantations at Mt Kerinci - you can tour after getting permission from the locals.

Hot springs at Mt Kunyit, Talang Kemuning, Kerinci, Semerup, Kerinci or in Renah Kemumu, Merangin. Traditional dance ceremonies and maybe a Tiger calling ceremony by a Kerinci shaman

Lake Kerinci. The view of the Kerinci valley and Lake Kerinci from Bukit Kayangan (above Sungaipenuh)

The elephant sanctuary at Seblat, Bengkulu (ask permission from KSDA Bengkulu first).

Remote, rarely visited traditional forest-edge villages in Jangkat and Sungai Tenang and Muara Siau areas of Merangin district.

Megaliths in the Kerinci valley and at isolated Renah Kemumu village in Merangin district.

Lake Gunung Tujuh - South East Asia's highest crater lake and still surrounded by pristine forests.

[edit][add listing] Do

The national park offers superb trekking and climbing opportunities for both novices and the more experienced as well as bird and wildlife watching whether just going for a walk for a day or a week long jungle expedition.

Climb Mt Kerinci: the popular trek up to either Camp 2 or 3 usually takes 2 days and 1 night, including the descent, Avoid rainy season months (November-February) weekends and public holidays.Bring warm clothes and a rain cape.

Climb up to Lake Gunung Tujuh - one day return or camp over night by the lake. Avoid weekends and public holidays.

Trek (2 days, one night) to forests of Mt Kunyit (south of the Kerinci valley) to see sulphur pits and hot springs and pitcher plants or from Renah Kayu Embun (Sungaipenuh) to the peak of Mt Raya for fantastic views and rare flora such as the Kayu Embun tree and pitcher plants.

More adventurous forest treks - the trail between Lempur in Kerinci district to Sungai Ipuh in Muko Muko district of Bengkulu - allow five days though the locals do the trip in 3 days; Lempur to Rantau Kermas via the ancient enclave village of Renah Kemumu (4 days - megaliths and hot springs) or stay in forest villages in Muara Siau, Merangin district like Durian Rambun or Lubuk Bira.

Tiger watching- unlike India it is difficult to see wild Sumatran tigers even though there may be as many as 200 tigers in Kerinci Seblat but national park officers will advise on areas where tigers are present and suggest experienced guides.

The Muara Imat-Birun area on the Kerinci-Merangin district borders is one of the best places to hope to see wild tigers or at least tiger signs as well as Rafflesia and Amorphophallus, rare orchidss and good birdwatching. Ask at the national park offices.

[edit][add listing] Buy

The national park office has a range of t-shirts designed by young national park officers. Never buy wildlife products or wild plants.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Food in the restaurants in the small towns around the national park is mainly PadangPadangPadang'- rice and aa variety of meat, fish and vegetable dishes liberally spiced with chilli.If you do not like spicy food, ask for 'tidak pedas'. In Kerinci district look for restaurants offering 'dendeng batokok' - a grilled, finely sliced, smoked steak.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

For visits to Mt Kerinci or Mt Tujuh stay at homestays in the village of Kersik Tuo. There are reasonable hotels and inns in Sungaipenuh, Bangko and Curup which are gateways to the national park and easily reached from provincial capitals.

• Homestay Pak Subandi, ☎ 0748 357009 (subandi.homestay@gmail.com), [1]. Pak Subandi can arrange for a guide to bring you up the volcano, or for specialist bird watching trips. The address is Jalan Raya Muara Labuh, Desa Kersik Tua, travel minibuses from Padang will drop you off.  edit

• Hotel Mahkota. In Sungaipenuh, Kerinci offers higher end accomodation with a swimming pool and tennis courts.  edit

[edit] Camping

Even experienced climbers should avoid a solo climb of Mt Kerinci as there have been rare cases of disappearances and deaths primarily due to sudden changes in weather and the risk of poisonous gases from the crater. Forest treks involving camping overnight should be conducted with a reliable local guide - safer and much more rewarding. rewarding. You can ask your local accommodation to arrange for a guide for you or request advice from national park officers. The national park's tiger protection rangers can be asked to act as guides for short forest treks during their leave periods (27-3 of each month) A highly recommended guide is Pak Ahmad, with around 30 years of experience bringing people up Mt Kerinci, Sahar, is another excellent trekking guide in the Mt Kerinci Gunung Tujuh area. He can be contacted through Homestay Pak Subandi while Pak Agus, a former Tiger protection ranger is a good companion for trips to Renah Kemumu.

The homestays at the foot of Mt Kerinci also provide equipment rental, and your guide, or porters if you choose to hire any, will bring his own (basic) equipment and tent however in other areas you should bring a tent or ask your guide to organise camping tarpaulins etc.

The basic fee for an English-speaking guide at Mt Kerinci is about Rp 300,000 Rupiah per day, and 150,000 per porter however in other areas of the national park guide fees are less expensive althoug guides who speak English will always charge a much higher fee than forest edge villagers who often know the forest better

[edit] Backcountry

It is also possible to explore the surrounding area in motorcycles, including the tea plantations. For real back country expeditions, in particular in national park edge villages in Merangin district, give yourself plenty of time. Once away from Mt Kerinci or district capitals homestays or losmen are few and far between, if staying in villages, ask the village headman to organise accomodation. Dont forget to make a contribution to your hosts

[edit] Get out

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