General

Way Kambas National Park (130.000 ha) lies on Sumatra's southeast coast in the province Lampung and easily reachable with the ferry from Java. It consists of swamp forest, lowland rainforest, mangrove forests, dry beach forests, Nibung swamps and vast areas of grass-land.

The park is famous for his Sumatran Elephants of which a large number comes from the Elephant Training School Pusat Latihan Gajah. Moreover, the reserve supports over 270 species of birds.

Access

There are four possibilities to enter the park.

Rajabasa station in Bandar Lampung (Tanjung Karang) to Way Kambas, also named Plang Hijau. The trip will take 2-3 hours (100 km). Panjang station in Bandar Lampung to Sribawono (1 hour). In Sribawono get on a bus to Way Jepara (1 hour) and from there with a minibus to Plang Hijau. Rajabasa station to Metro (1 hour) and from Metro to Way Jepara. Merak ferry terminal in Bakaheni, where the ferry from Java arrives, to Plang Hijau.

Permits for the park are available at the entrance in Plang Hijau.

Accomodation

In Way Kanan, in the park, are some simple bungalows. You should bring food.

Adresses

KSDA Jl. Raya Hajimena 1/b, Bandar Lampung

Trekking

Plang Hijau-Way Kanan (13 km) 3 hours From Way Kanan, by boat along the rivier Way Kanan to the river mouth in Kuala Kambas

Flora

A large part of the park is overgrown with Serdang Palms (Livistona hasselti). The lowland forest consists mainly of trees from the Dipterocarpacea family.

Fauna

Because of the vast areas of grass-land, Way Kambas is a reserve where you can easily spot the animals.

Animals

Sumatran Elephant (a lot of them are very dangerous due to ill-treatment in the adjacent elephant training school!), Siamang, White-handed Gibbon, Long-tailed Macaque, Pig-tailed Macaque, Silvered Leaf Monkey, Malayan Tapir, Lesser Mousedeer, Large Mousedeer, Barking Deer, Malayan Sunbear, Wild Boar, Wild Dog, Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Clouded Leopard, Pangolin, Temminck's Golden Cat, Leopard Cat, Agile Gibbon, Common Otter.

Reptiles

False Ghavial, Estuarine Crocodile.

Birds

White-winged Wood-duck, Masked Finfoot, Milky Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Asian Dowitcher, Storm's Stork, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Brahminy Kite, Grey-headed Fish-eagle, Lesser Fish-eagle, Osprey.