If talking about the tourist attractions Tangkahan, Medan, North Sumatra would surely think first is a bathing elephant. this is because in tourist sites Tangkahan is a wildlife conservation center Elephant Sanctuary and every day the handler will bathe the elephant 2 times, in the morning and evening. this activity is routinely done every day despite the conditions are heavy rain, bathing the elephant is still done and only holidays on Friday alone.
The Sumatran community has long since made elephant conservation and used it as a transport vehicle. when the Dutch colonists were in the land of Sumatra also used the elephant as a conveyance vehicle. The Dutch call the elephant by the name of Olifanten and when he sees the shower elephant call it Olifanten Wassen.
Tangkahan tourist spot is unique because it offers a very interesting adventure rides and rarely available elsewhere in Indonesia. adventure tours offered in the form of riding elephants around the forest or wading through the Buluk River, bathing elephants, sprayed water from elephant trunk, white water rafting, waterfalls, exploring untouched jungle, hot water and others.
this tour is perfect for visitors who like the challenge of nature to come into direct contact with the wild. This tour offers a Tarzan-style adventure by breaking through dense forest and wading through the swift river and staying overnight on the river in the middle of the wild forest. of course this tour is very challenging so do not be surprised if a lot of foreign tourists who come to this location.
Tangkahan tourist location located in the village of Namo Sialang, District Batang Serangan, Langkat, North Sumatra. the distance from the city of Medan about 120 km and is an area that is in the middle of tropical forest of North Sumatra far from the frenetic city. although there are in remote areas and in the middle of the forest, but this tourist spot is very popular in Europe and Australia so this tour is never deserted from foreign tourists. the tourists abroad really like this tour because it is a beautiful place in the middle of the wild and can listen to the sound of nature.
For them, the experience is a means to enjoy an actual vacation because it no longer deals with the city crowd. a lot of foreign tourists are satisfied vacation in this place because for them, Tangkahan is The Hidden Paradise in Sumatra or Paradise hidden in Sumatra.
in addition, many commented that during this time they often enjoy similar tours, but are in the artificial nature, while in Tangkahan can deal directly with the wild. Of course the tourists can share the story of his experience when returning home. most tourists already have vacation programs to some places after in Tangkahan this and usually the next destination From Tangkahan to Lake Toba and Brastagi.
usually in this tourist place will be flooded with foreign tourists during the holidays or enter the winter around June to September. Most of the foreign tourists who come from an institution that has attention about the flora and fauna that exist in the world.
there are 2 international institutions that have participated and helped preserve nature at Tangkahan tourism, namely FFI Flora & Fauna International and WWF World Wide Foundation with Global EcoTourism program. there is also another institution, but is engaged in English education for children, namely The Tangkahan Effect who founded the English study center under the name Tangkahan English Club (TEC).
Tangkahan tourism is in the tropical forest area of North Sumatra with an area of about 17,000 hectares and still a lot of forest areas rarely touching humans. Tangkahan tropical forest area is very wide and its territory stretches far to the borders of Gunung Leuser National Park. because the forest area is so large that local people find it difficult to patrol so that many wood thieves enter the forest.
this makes the Tangkahan community hold meetings and form a forum LPT or Tourism Institute Tangkahan as an organization that protects the forest area Tangkahan. LPT subsequently formed a CTO or Commuity Tour Operator as an institution that runs all the operating systems of Tangkahan tourist sites. The CTO handles admission ticketing, elephant ride bookings, promotional tours and all things related to Tangkahan tours.
on Friday, the LPT patrolled in the forest area by riding elephants so that tourism in Tangkahan can not use elephants. This is to secure the forest from illegal logging by stealing timber that will destroy the tropical forest ecosystem of North Sumatra. because that's the manager must always do patrol and alert so that thieves can not take wood by doing logging.
