Intense heat, a few near death experiences and whole load of sweat...a jungle trek in northern Indonesia is by no means a walk in the park. My advice would be to only partake in such a thing if you’re as fit as Mr. Motivator and have an irrational desire to put your life in the balance.

 

I class myself as neither of the above but was blissfully unaware of what was to come.

The locals have you hooked on the idea of a jungle escapade from the moment you plant your feet in the magical land of Bukit Lawang- all smiling faces and colourful descriptions you can’t resist. Dedi, our jungle guide, did such a good job that myself and travel pal signed on for not a one, but a two day trek.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that was it. Backpacks on, water bottles at the ready and hair scraped back. I attempted the effortlessly chic look that jungle trend requires, but a few minutes in and I looked like a steamed lobster, all red and sweaty. Be warned, this is not a glamorous affair, and with crazy temps and vertical hikes, this trek was not the jolly gander I’d had in mind.

 

We climbed and trudged, fell and heaved. There was literally blood, sweat and tears. However, do not misinterpret the sheer physical agony for disappointment. Our first sighting of the Sumatran orang-utans made all the pants and pains disappear.

 

These regal creatures swung low between the trees and munched away on the bananas we offered. Their rusty fur and button features had us thinking they were cute and cuddly, but their strong physique means they are anything but.  We found that out the hard way...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mina, orang-utan celeb of the treetops, decided to take a member of our trekking group hostage. We were six hours in and far enough away from civilisation. Mina put up quite a fight to keep her newly acquired friend- she twisted and pulled poor Jenna’s arm until tour guide Dedi surrendered all the fruit we had. Near death experience number one.

 

The hours crept by as we delved deeper into the foliage. By this point Dedi had taken pity on me, the girl who clearly thought she was going to zumba class with her crop top and matching bag, and had relieved me of my rucksack. With a nice mud stain coming up the rear, no amount of Dove deodorant was rescuing me here.

 

Dedi navigated us through the trees as if each branch were clearly signposted. When asked how he finds his way he said he simply says: “I’m a jungle boy”.

 

When exhaustion started to creep in and my Primark pumps began to rub, we finally began what can only be described as a death descent, an almost vertical climb down a cliff face. All it would need was one wrong foot and I would be lost to the jungle forever with no Tarzan to rescue me. Near death experience number two.

 

When the river below finally came into sight I don’t think my body could have heaved a bigger sigh, but it wasn’t over. In order to reach our overnight camp we had to cross the rough river.

 

Once again, totally unequipped, we waded through as Dedi tried prevent each of us from being washed away. Near death experience number three. Oh, and note to self, white top and water, not such a good idea.

 

When we finally made it to camp- and by camp I mean a piece of plastic sheeting- we all collapsed with exhaustion. Day one was over, we were still alive and had cups of condensed milk to perk us up.

 

However physically demanding day one had been, the moments to come made it worth every second; bathing in the waterfalls, Myleene Klass style of course, watching the baby monkeys and the games by the campfire with the jungle natives.

 

That night we lay beneath the stars and couldn’t have been closer to nature. I feared we were a little too close as the sounds of the animals echoed in the distance, but the overwhelming events of the day let us drift into the deepest of comas.

 

Sunrise saw another day of wading through waterfalls and observing the monkeys, but this time it ended with a raft downstream between the jungle’s valleys.

 

The views were breathtaking, the animals astounding and the moments surreal. How the girl from Leeds survived with nothing but her Topshop joggers and Impulse body spray, I’ll never know...terrifying pleasure.