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Kerinci is a stunning mountain valley tucked away high in the Bukit Barisan on Jambi’s western border. Much of the cool, lush forests are protected as the Kerinci Seblat National Park. To the south is picturesque Danau Kerinci and a patchwork of rich farmland. The waxy-leafed bushes of Kerinci’s profitable tea plantations transform the hilltops into rows of green corduroy. Much of the wealth in the valley is also from cinnamon plantations, which supply 40% of the world’s market.
Sungaipenuh
Sungaipenuh (Full River) is the largest town, the regional administrative centre and transport hub in the valley. It has a quiet, provincial atmosphere, with most places of importance near the large sports field in the center of town.
This is where you’ll be able to purchase supplies for hikes and entertain yourself once you emerge from the woods.
INFORMATION
BNI ATM (Bank Negara Indonesia; Jl Matadinata) Just off the main square; accepts MasterCard and Visa.
BNI bank (Bank Negara Indonesia; Jl Ahmad Yani) Exchange US dollars (cash and travellers cheques) here; opposite Hotel Matahari.
TNKS (Taman Nasional Kerinci Seblat; Jl Basuki Rahmat 11; h8am-2.30pm Mon-Thu, 8-11am Fri, 7.30am-12.30pm Sat) Park headquarters sell park permits and the informative booklet ‘An Inside Look at the Secret Valley of Sumatra’.
Post office (Jl Sudirman 1). Telkom wartel Around the corner from the post office, on the southern side of the sports field next to Hotel Aroma; also has internet access.
SIGHTS
Mesjid Agung Pondok Tinggi
This fine old mosque (Jl Sudirman; admission by donation 10,000Rp), with its pagoda-style roof, stands at the northern edge of Sungaipenuh in the village of Pondok Tinggi. Not a single nail was used when it was built in 1874 and, although it looks nothing special from the outside, the interior has elaborately carved beams and old Dutch tiles. You need permission to go inside and must be dressed in traditional attire. The mosque is west of the central square.
SLEEPING & EATING
Accommodation options in Sungaipenuh are not plentiful or particularly affordable.
Hotel Yani (Jl Murandi 1) Next door to Minang Soto, Yani is one the town’s better budget options.
Hotel Jaya (Jl Martadinata) The newest hotel in town, Hotel Jaya looks like a nouveau riche mansion, smuggling a little style into this backcountry.
Last-resort options include Hotel Matahari (Jl Ahmad Yani 25) and Aroma Hotel (Jl Imam Bonjol 14).
Kerinci is known for the local speciality of dendeng batokok, charcoal-grilled strips of pounded beef. Street stalls pop up in the evening along Jl Teuku Umar, a block from the square. The fruit and produce market is at the southern end of Jl Diponegoro.
Minang Soto (Jl Muradi; dishes from 5000Rp) On the main street, Minang Soto is the town’s favorite stop for Padang food.
Kersik Tua
Just beyond the tea plantations of the massive Kayo Aro estate, Kersik Tua is often used by Gunung Kerinci trekkers as a base, as the village is a 5km walk to the park entrance. The village is 43km north of Sun- gaipenuh on the road from Padang and can be reached via any Padang-Kerinci bus.
There are basic necessities available in Kersik Tua, including several basic homestays.
Subandi Homestay is a family home with clean, simple rooms. The proprietor, Pak Subandi, is also a jack of all trades: rice farmer, jungle guide, keen bird-watcher and environmentalist.
The other homestays include Wisma Paiman and B Darmin.
In front of the park entrance, 5km from Kersik Tua, Losmen Pak Edes has rooms with shared mandis and can arrange park permits and guides. Many people stay here before or after the trip to Danau Gunung Tujuh.
Kerinci Seblat National Park
This is the largest national park in Sumatra, covering a 350km swath of the Bukit Barisan range and protecting 15,000 sq km of prime equatorial rainforest spread over four provinces, with almost 40% of the park falling within Jambi’s boundaries.
Most of the protected area is dense rain-forest; its inaccessibility is the very reason it is one of the last strongholds of endangered species such as the Sumatran t iger and Sumatran r hinoceros. There have also been numerous reported sightings of the orang pendek.
Because of the great range of elevation within the park, Kerinci has a unique diversity of flora and fauna. Many high-latitude flowers, like a type of edelweiss, grow in the forest. At lower altitudes, there are more familiar tropical flowers - orchids, rafflesia and the giant Amorphophallus (a Sumatran native and one of the tallest flowers on the planet).
As with many of Sumatra’s protected areas, encroachment by farmers, illegal logging and poaching are all serious issues for Kerinci. Looking at satellite photographs of the park shows quickly disappearing forest cover. According to park estimates, between 2002 and 2004, a total of 23,000 hectares (230 sq km) of forests were destroyed.
Tourist infrastructure within the park is nonexistent and Kerinci sees very few visitors. Trekking opportunities typically focus on the northern region of the park, while the southern region is the traditional zone where local people are allowed to cultivate the land. Permits and guides are required to enter the park; both can be arranged at the TNKS office in Sungaipenuh (see p449) or through area losmen. There is a park office at the northern entrance, but it is rarely staffed. Surrounding the newly built office are the remnants of park-owned buildings that were torched by pro-logging interests.
Permits cost about 15,000Rp and guide rates are highly negotiable, ranging from 50,000Rp to 150,000Rp per day. Be sure to clarify with your guide what the quoted rate entails. Camping gear, food and transport may be considered additional costs.
Kerinci’s climate is very cool, and approaches cold as you gain altitude. Bring warm clothes and rain gear on treks.
GUNUNG KERINCI
In the northern corner of the park is Gunung Kerinci (3805m), an active volcano and Sumatra’s highest peak. It is said that from the summit you can see north all the way to Gunung Singgalang and Gunung Merapi on those rare clear days.
Summit treks typically start in the village of Kersik Tua and tackle the mountain in two stages. It takes approximately six hours to climb to a camping ground at about 3000m, where most people spend the night. The next day the final two-hour climb to the summit departs at dawn in order to be at the top for sunrise.
The volcano last erupted in 1934 and today you’ll find a small greenish crater lake at the top. You’ll also spot Javanese edelweiss and, if you’re lucky, a few rare bird species, such as Schneider’s pitta and red-billed partridge.
There are cave paintings in Gua Kasah on the lower slopes, 5km from Kersik Tua. On the way back down the mountain, you can stop at Sungai Medang Hot Springs & Wisma. The facility has over-
night rooms and day-use rooms - both with hot-water mandis, a wonderful elixir from the jungle chills.
Although the path to the top of the mountain is clearly defined, parts are covered in scree, making it easy to slip, and weather conditions can change very suddenly. It is recommended to hire a guide who knows the terrain and weather patterns. You’ll need to bring food, water, camping gear (which can be hired in Kersik Tua) and warm clothes, as it can get as low as 2°C at night.
Most people spend the preceding night at a homestay in Kersik Tua ( opposite) , where guides, permits and supplies can be arranged.
DANAU GUNUNG TUJUH
A much easier climb than Gunung Kerinci, this tranquil lake sits at 1966m, garnering it the superlative of being the highest volcanic lake in Southeast Asia. As the name suggests, seven scenic mountains encircle it.
It takes 3½ hours to climb to the lake from the village of Pelompek, 8km beyond Kersik Tua. An additional two-hour hike leads to a camping beach.
To reach the starting point, take a bus from Sungaipenuh to Pelompek and hire an ojek for the remainder of the trip to the park entrance.
The lake is within the park boundaries, so you need to get a permit either in Pelompek or from Losmen Pak Edes, near the park entrance.
DANAU KERINCI
Danau Kerinci, 20km south of Sungaipenuh, is a small lake nestled beneath Gunung Raja (2543m). There is a popular recreational park and an annual festival, typically held in July and displaying traditional Kerinci dance and music. Stone carvings in the villages around the lake suggest that the area supported a siz- able population in megalithic times. The best known of these stone monuments is Batu Gong (Gong Stone), in the village of Muak, 25km from Sungaipenuh. It is thought to have been carved 2000 years ago.
To reach the lake, catch a public bus from Sungaipenuh to Sanggaran Agung. The last return bus leaves around 4pm.
SENGERING CAVES
The extensive network of caves outside the village of Sengering includes the celebrated Gua Tiangko. Obsidian-flake tools found in the cave show that it was occupied by some of Sumatra’s earliest known residents some 9000 years ago. The caves are also known for their stalactites and stalagmites.
It is also locally believed that caves act as mediums for communicating with the super- natural and entrance into these sacred spaces requires a modest ritual. Hiring a guide helps both in the exploration of the physical and immaterial landscape of the caves.
Sengering is 9km from Sungai Manau, a village on the road to Bangko. Public buses leave from Sungaipenuh to Bangko in the mornings.
Getting There & Away
There is a regional airport but at the time of writing there was no contracted carrier.
Sungaipenuh doesn’t have a bus termin al, but the bus companies all have offices near the market in the centre of town.
The shortest approach to Sungaipenuh is from the West Sumatran capital of Padang (six to eight hours). Buses pass the village of Kersik Tua en route to Sungaipenuh; if you’re staying in Kersik Tua, let the driver know, as it’s easy to miss.
PO Cahaya Kerinci (Jl Diponegoro), PO CW Safa Marwa (Jl Yos Sudarso 20) and PO AYU
Transport (Jl Cokroaminoto), all in Sungaipenuh, run Padang-bound services.
Other destinations include Dumai (twice weekly), Bukittinggi (10 hours, twice weekly), Bangko (4 hours, daily) and Bengkulu (16 hours, daily).
Getting Around
You can get almost anywhere in the valley from the bus terminal in Sungaipenuh market. Sample destinations are Danau Kerinci, Kersik Tua and Pelompek.
