Kupu Kupu Garden Guest House & Cafe

All of the staff were amazing. Risky and Arif were super friendly. Arif organised our jungle trek which went without a hitch. Wanda and Billy, our trekking guides, were super knowledgeable. We couldn’t have asked for better guides. They knew every plant and animal in the jungle you only had to ask! They pointed out plants and told us what they were used for back in the day. The communal dining was fantastic. A really nice way to chat to people from all over the world. Risky’s cooking was incredible every night with some fabulous Indonesian cuisine. He also is super chatty and a really lovely guy! (All right mate!) The location was superb! 15 minute walk from the village next to a beautiful river. Across from the river is the jungle were we saw an orangutan whilst eating breakfast!! Arif has a great sense of community and the biggest smile!! We stayed here for a week which wasn’t long enough! We will miss all the staff and the Sumatran people who are the friendliest people we have ever met! You won’t regret staying at Kupu Kupu gardens!!! Highly recommend you book now!!

Having to leave 😔

What an amazing place and team! The Guest house is at the end of the village so it has the best of both world (village access & nature with animals and walking trails). My room is very nice with a lovely balcony and river view. The sound of water is loud and relaxing! The guide Wenda we had for a 2 days 1 night jungle trek is so knowledgeable and a really inspiring man. So many cool sightings with of course many ourangutans (my dream come true!). Arif is a terrific host, always chatting with the guests and Risky a talented cook who take great pleasure to share the Indonesian cuisine secrets with the guests (you won't be hungry after diner promise! Actually quite impossible to finish the generous portions of homemade food). Thanks also to Juli and the girls! You are well taken care of at Kupu Kupu Guest House! I already miss this place and the team, real Sumatra hospitality vibes !

Arif and Risky are great hosts. The hotel is 30 minutes walking into the jungle and in a nice quiet area. Al you can hear is the river flowing by, the animals and the rain on the roof Awesome jungle trekking with Wanda and Juli. And great local food at night made by Risky.

With suitcases the distance might by an issue but they can arrange porters for you. The rooms are basic but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. So for us these are not an issue.

This is a real hidden gem of a place - not accessible by road at all, so be prepared to walk along the river bank to get to it (staff can meet you in the local village to help with your bags). The staff were absolutely lovely, especially Risky - he is an AMAZING cook (EVERYTHING I ate there was just delicious) and he will protect you from (i.e. remove) any unwanted guests (such as spiders) ha ha. I felt very safe and relaxed here. Highly recommend it.

Nothing I didn't like!

Kupu Kupu is such a special, unique place. Nestled amidst Sumatran jungle, yet only a short way away from the charming village of Bukit Lawang and overlooking the clear running water of the Bohorok river, this place turned out to be a dream-like spot for my 7-day stay. My large, comfortable room constructed of wood and bamboo, with a wonderful balcony overlooking the river and the jungle and a fantastic outdoor bathroom which made the experience even more special (showering in the rain, with the jungle symphony in the background will always stay in my memory). And of course the people that look after it, as special and unique as the place itself. Arif will make sure everything ran smoothly and your jungle trek is superbly organised, Risky will feed you most delicious Indonesian food, seasoned with lots of laughter and wonderful chats. Kiki ans Mary will prepare exquisite breakfasts with the warmest smiles, and of course my jungle trek guides Wanda and Juli. They made the Sumatran jungle adventure such a special, unforgettable experience. They both know the jungle like the back of their hand and will guide you patiently through its mysterious paths, uncovering its unique inhabitants. We observed 7 orangutans, a siamang gibbon, many Thomas leaf and other type of monkeys as well as a turtle and a hornnbill and had such an amazing, unforgettable experience, trekking and camping in the jungle. Loved my stay at Kupu Kupu and hope that maybe one day brings me back there again.

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This is such a special place to stay , and without a doubt the best place to stay if you are visiting Bukit Lawang! The best team will look after you throughout your stay and make your time there very special. Any questions I had prior to arriving were answered promptly and accurately no matter how trivial they were! We organised a private transfer from Medan airport through Kupu Kupu guest house and our driver Eddie was ready waiting for us on arrival for our transfer , he was very informative and helpful. We arrived at the airport early evening and he stopped on our journey to allow me to get a SIM card ,cash and then for dinner. Once we arrived in Buckit Lawang we were met by Arif who had organised porters to carry our bags to the guest house and he guided us in the dark to Kupu Kupu , this is a fairly long walk from the village but so worth it ! On arrival Risky had cold drinks waiting for us ! Our room was very spacious and comfortable with outdoor flushing toilet .The veranda had the most lovely views of the river and jungle ,a great place to look out for any wildlife ! A fan in the room was more than adequate to keep us cool and the rooms are kept very clean . There is also a fridge in the room. The river on the doorstep is lovely to swim and cool down in . Arif was so informative and helpful he advised us on the most suitable trek for us and organised it with the best guides ever - Wanda and Julee who were absolutely amazing with so much knowledge to impart . We were lucky to see 6 orangutans , Thomas leaf monkeys and white handed gibbons . Risky cooked amazing traditional evening meals every night for us and he is so friendly ,helpful and fun. Breakfast every morning was delicious and cooked by the lovely ladies . Our return journey back to the airport was organised as accurately as our journey going and without any hiccups.

Leaving Kupu Kupu 😢

Fantastic location just a short walk past the village, beautifully quiet and we had direct access to the river for swimming. Saw 10 orangutans on our trek and many other monkeys daily. Risky was amazing with his cooking (you can tell he enjoys it). Arif helped us with all things trekking (Wanda and the team were expert trekkers and very informative) and also organised our transfers. Jooly (sp?) was really helpful on the trek, assisting me with steep areas and making me feel very safe at all times. The ladies were very kind. We will definitely try and get back here. A very memorable experience.

The place is just an absolute paradise!!So far my best stay in Indonesia!The bungalows are outside the crowded village, in a wonderful and a peaceful environment. The food is absolutely delicious, we had the commun dinner with others guests and had the chance to try their delicious cuisine. Thank you for the stay and thanks to Arif, Risky and Sue to make this stay a real dream!

Nothing

This place is such a gem! A unique guesthouse to stay in if you are in Bukit Lawang. The location is along side the river in the middle of the jungle, 10 minute walk from the village. The view and sounds of the river and jungle just outside your bedroom window are phenomenal! The best part is the people who work here. Communication through the booking site was excellent, they arranged the transport for me from Medan to Bukit Lawang. Julie came to pick me up in the village of bukit lawang and carried my backpack to the guesthouse. Arif is chef de activity and transport.He arranged an amazing jungle trekking for me and another guest staying at kupu kupu. I think we had the best jungle guide we could wish for, his name was Wenda and he has been a jungle guide since 1992. Loads of experience and knowledge, he was involved in lots of international research projects. His english is excellent, make sure you ask for him if you want to do the jungle trekking. We saw 9 Orangutans in one day. Risky is in charge of lots of things like the shopping and is also an excellent cook! He is such a sweet guy, always happy and loves to talk and explain about Indonesian culture, he made me feel at home. Risky took me to the friday market and told me so many things about the local products. The fruits, vegetables, fish, Indonesian snacks/sweets and chewing tobacco. We also build a dam/swimmingpool in the river which was a lot of fun! If you are travelling alone this place is great for meeting people because of the communal dinner everyday, enjoying a meal together with the other guests at the dining area while exchanging stories and experiences. The food they cook at Kupu Kupu is just amazing, I loved the gado gado and I think it was called sambal goreng telor. They also make a really good chai tea. The owner Sue and the ladies who cook are really nice. Cant recommend this place enough!

Leaving and ofcourse its hot without airconditioning but the experience was totally worth it.

The staff was extremely friendly and very helpful. We've stayed "only" 1 week, but felt straight at home and made good friends with the staff. We also did the 2-day jungletrekking with Wanda, who has more than 30 years experience in the jungle and knows everything. The food was delicious and the garden and the views from the top room were amazing. If you love nature, for us this is the best place to stay in Bukit Lawang. Special thanks to Risky, Arif, Kiki, Meri.