Tracking Wild Tigers in Sumatra

September 2008 – A Lifelong Obsession Comes to Life

I have been obsessed with tigers for as long as I can remember. Their stealth, power, elegance, and beauty are beyond compare. Over the years, my pursuit of these incredible animals has taken me across the globe:

• Siberia – Home of the elusive Siberian tiger

• India and Nepal – Iconic tiger territories steeped in legend

• Southeast Asia – Dense jungles hiding the rarest of cats

Finally, my journey brought me here: Sumatra, the southernmost place where wild tigers can still be found, now that they are extinct in Java.

Into the Heart of Gunung Leuser National Park

Choosing One of the Last Tiger Strongholds

To maximize our chances of seeing a Sumatran tiger, my friend Tim and I set our sights on Gunung Leuser National Park, a rugged and remote sanctuary located in the Aceh State of northern Sumatra. This park is one of the final refuges for these critically endangered animals, a place where dense jungle and raw wilderness still reign.

A Wild Plan: Baiting the Beast

A Questionable Idea Born of Desperation

In an attempt to tilt the odds in our favor, I had a not-so-brilliant idea:
Bring a live goat with us into the jungle to use as bait.

• The hope was that the scent or noise of the goat might lure a tiger into our vicinity.

• It was a desperate, risky plan, but when you are obsessed with tigers, reason sometimes takes a backseat to ambition.

Whether it would work—or backfire spectacularly—remained to be seen.

The Adventure Begins

A Week in the Wilds of Sumatra

This is the story of our journey:
A week spent trekking through one of the wildest, most untouched corners of the world in search of the most elusive and magnificent predator on Earth—the Sumatran tiger.

Gunung Leuser: A Wild Frontier in the Heart of Aceh

A Reserve at the Edge of Civilization

Gunung Leuser is a sprawling mountain rainforest reserve tucked away in the north of Sumatra, located in Aceh, one of Indonesia’s most conservative Islamic states. In Aceh, Sharia law is practiced, adding a unique cultural backdrop to the region.

The area is also haunted by more recent tragedy:

• 2004 Tsunami – Aceh was ground zero for the devastating tsunami that killed almost 200,000 people, reshaping both the land and its people forever.

Despite its history of hardship, Aceh shelters one of the last great strongholds of Southeast Asia’s disappearing wilderness.

Why I Chose Gunung Leuser

A Living Ark of Endangered Wildlife

I chose Gunung Leuser for one compelling reason:
It is one of the largest and wildest wilderness areas left in all of Southeast Asia.

Here, you can still find rare and extraordinary animals clinging to survival:

• Sumatran Tiger – Fewer than 200 remaining

• Sumatran Orangutan – About 7,000 still swinging through the trees

• Sumatran Rhino – Only 20 known to exist, previously thought extinct until recently caught on camera traps

• Sumatran Elephant – A shrinking but still present population roaming the park’s hidden valleys

In a world where true wilderness is vanishing fast, Gunung Leuser felt like one of the last places where raw, untamed nature still ruled—and where a tiger might still step out of the shadows.

Location of Gunung Leuser

Singapore: Gateway to the Sumatran Wilderness

A Strategic and Comfortable Transit Point

To reach Sumatra, I used Singapore as our transit hub both coming from California and returning home. It turned out to be an ideal place to recover after the long international flight and later, after a grueling week spent deep in the jungles of Gunung Leuser. From Singapore, Tim and I flew directly to Medan, Sumatra. 

The Long Road to Gunung Leuser

From Medan to the Edge of the Wilderness

After landing in Medan, Tim and I were eager to push onward toward Gunung Leuser National Park.
To get there, I had arranged for a car and driver to meet us at the airport. Our destination: Kedah, a small, remote town that serves as a base for exploring the park.

What was supposed to be a simple journey turned into a long and unpredictable adventure.

Roadblocks and Rural Beauty

The day quickly became complicated. First, none of the local ATMs could read our cards, forcing us to stop at a bank and exchange U.S. dollars—a slow and frustrating process. Then, several hours into the drive, our vehicle broke down on one of Sumatra’s horrendous, potholed roads. With a bit of improvised jimmy-rigging, the driver and some locals managed to patch it up enough for us to keep going, but it was touch and go.

Despite the setbacks, the scenery was nothing short of spectacular. We passed through endless stretches of rural rice farming villages, where daily life unfolded in slow motion against a backdrop of green fields and misty hills. It was one of those moments when even the hardships couldn’t detract from the beauty of the journey.

Adding to the stress, we realized mid-drive that we didn’t have the correct phone number or address for our guide, Mr. Jolly. With no easy way to contact him, all we could do was push forward and hope for the best.

A Humble Arrival in Kedah

By the time we finally reached Kedah, night had fallen. After asking around town, we managed to find Mr. Jolly’s house. The welcome was informal but genuine. Tim and I rolled out our inflatable mattresses and slept on the floor of his home, exhausted but relieved to have made it.

It wasn’t luxury—but it was the kind of honest, rough-around-the-edges travel that makes for the best stories later.

Scenes From the Journey

Here are a few photos from our drive to Kedah, capturing both the rugged beauty of rural Sumatra and the hurdles we overcame to reach the wild frontier of Gunung Leuser.

Man in local dress in Aceh

Typical farm scene of a rice fields with water buffalos

Some friendly villagers we met during a lunch stop

Nothing but smiling faces in the marketplace

Equivalent of a village cargo truck

Indonesian Independance Monument in the War Against the Dutch

Typical Village we passed Through

Tim and I having lunch in a village

Preparing for the Trek: Supplies, a Goat, and a Guilt Trip

The Mission: Find a Goat

Once we were settled in the village of Kedah, our next priority was to gather supplies for our trek into Gunung Leuser—most importantly, securing a goat.

Mr. Jolly advised that it would be better if we didn’t accompany him to the market. Having foreigners tagging along would likely drive the price up, as locals might see an opportunity to charge more. Trusting his judgment, we stayed behind and let him handle the negotiations.

A few hours later, Mr. Jolly returned with exactly what we needed: a spry young billy goat.

Naming the Goat and Wrestling with Guilt

The goat was immediately full of energy and mischief. It didn’t take long for Tim and me to grow attached to him.
Feeling both amused and a little guilty about our plan, we decided to name him after our friend Daniel back home.

We outfitted him with a leash to ensure he wouldn’t wander off once we set off into the rainforest.
As we prepared to hike into tiger territory, the realization that we might be sacrificing Daniel the Goat for a tiger sighting weighed on us more than we had expected.

Into the Rainforest: The Journey Begins

No Trail, No Destination—Just the Jungle

From Mr. Jolly’s house, perched right at the edge of the dense rainforest, we began our hike.
With a few porters to help carry supplies and our goat trotting loyally alongside us, we stepped into the green unknown.

We didn’t have a set trail or a fixed plan. The idea was simple:

• Hike for as long as we needed to—maybe one day, maybe up to five days—until we felt we had given ourselves the best chance possible to encounter a wild tiger.

The adventure had officially begun. It was just us, the jungle, and a goat named Daniel.

Mr. Jolly, Me and Daniel the Goat and one of the Porters

Tim and the crew right before we entered the rainforest

The Mysterious rainforest Reserve of Gunung Leuser

The Crazy Idea: Bringing a Goat to Lure a Tiger

A Plan That Sounded Better in Theory

It was my idea to bring a goat into the jungle in hopes of luring a tiger out of the dense rainforest so that we could spot one—and maybe even capture it on camera.
To be clear, I never intended for the goat to be eaten. I love tigers. I have spent years tracking them across several different countries and have even come close to them on foot a few times. One of my proudest moments was photographing a wild tiger from an open-top jeep in India.

Although my encounters had always been peaceful, I knew better than to underestimate these animals. Tigers are dangerous, and in Sumatra, they kill people every year.

Tales of Man-Eaters and Close Calls

Before the trip, I had read plenty of hair-raising stories.
One involved a group of poachers in Gunung Leuser who had been hunting a tiger when the tables turned. The tiger chased them up a tree, where they were stranded for days until rangers rescued—and promptly arrested—them.
Other poachers weren’t so lucky. Some have been killed and eaten by the very tigers they were hunting.

The danger wasn’t just legend either. During our trip, nearly every local we met had a tiger encounter story. Even one of the village dogs we encountered bore deep scars from a tiger attack—a living reminder that these forests are truly wild.

Trekking With Daniel the Goat

More Stubborn Than Loyal

Despite the obvious risks, we pressed forward with Daniel the Goat, attached to a leash like a loyal—but very stubborn—pet.
At first, Daniel walked alongside us. But whenever we reached a creek or a fallen log, he would plop down stubbornly and refuse to budge.

To save time, one of our porters eventually picked him up and carried him like a child. After about an hour of this, it became clear that carrying a goat through the jungle wasn’t a sustainable strategy.

In a last-ditch move, we simply removed the leash—and to our amazement, Daniel willingly followed us without any more issues.
He trotted behind us like he had always belonged in the jungle.

A Flawed Plan, in Hindsight

The reality is, I never had a real plan for how the goat would attract a tiger.
I just imagined that at some point a curious tiger would come sniffing around. But in retrospect, it was a foolish idea.

Tigers are ambush hunters. If one were to attack, we probably wouldn’t even see it coming. The strike would be sudden, silent, and devastating.
The chances of us witnessing a dramatic, slow-motion tiger encounter—let alone photographing one—were pretty much nonexistent.

In short: don’t do what I did.
If a goat does successfully lure a tiger, chances are it will attack more than just the goat.

Still, at this point in the journey, Daniel remained safely by our side, and the jungle adventure continued.

Tim with Daniel the Goat on a Leash

The porter carrying the goat

Taking a break on the trail. The goat is always on the hunt for snacks from our packs

Our guide was very proud of the goats large testicles and decided to display them for my camera

Signs of Tigers Everywhere

Walking Through Their Territory

Throughout the trek, we encountered numerous signs of tigers.
Fresh paw prints crisscrossed muddy trails. Shredded remains of prey—still bearing signs of a recent kill—littered the jungle floor.

There was no doubt in our minds: the tigers were here.
They were close.
But in the dense, almost impenetrable jungle, seeing more than a few feet ahead was nearly impossible. Every step forward was a walk into the unknown.

A Moment Alone: Vulnerability in the Wild

Separated and Surrounded

At one point, I became separated from the group.
I stood alone in a patch of thick, tangled forest, completely off-trail, calling out for the others with no response.
The thought struck me: if they didn’t find me soon, I would be utterly lost in this green maze—and worse, vulnerable.

The realization hit even harder when I thought about the tigers.
One could be watching me that very moment, hidden just a few feet away, and I would never know it until it was too late.

It was a sobering reminder:
Out here, we weren’t the top predators.

Humbled by the Jungle

Being alone in tiger country was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.
The jungle wasn’t just a beautiful wilderness—it was a realm ruled by creatures far more powerful, silent, and dangerous than myself.
And despite all my preparation, I realized how small, how fragile, and how unprepared I really was in their world.

Hiking through the thick jungle

Fresh tiger kill

Tiger pug marks in mud

A Cave Best Left Alone

A Promising Find—or a Dangerous One

Deep in the jungle, we came across a small cave hidden by thick undergrowth.
Curious, I considered exploring it—until we noticed fresh tiger pug marks and the remains of a recent kill just outside the entrance.

Respecting the Danger

The evidence was clear: a tiger had been there recently, and it could easily still be inside.
A cornered tiger is far more dangerous than one encountered in the open.
As tempting as it was to explore, I made the only sensible choice—we left the cave alone and moved on.

In the jungle, survival often means knowing when not to push your luck.

Tiger hideout

Life Beyond Tigers: Encounters in the Jungle

A Living, Breathing Forest

The jungle itself was incredible—a cathedral of towering trees and endless green.
While tigers were our main focus, the forest was alive with other creatures.

High above us, gibbons shrieked from the canopy, their calls echoing through the trees, though they stayed hidden from sight.
On the forest floor, a large lizard, about a foot long, froze in front of us, staring curiously before finally darting off into the undergrowth.

A Close Call With a Cobra

The most heart-pounding encounter came unexpectedly.
Tim accidentally stepped on a cobra, which instantly hooded up in defense.
In a flash, the snake disappeared into the jungle, leaving us stunned and realizing just how quickly danger can materialize—and vanish—in a place like this.

Curious lizard

Tim in front of a huge tree

Jungle Camps and Unlikely Friendships

Clearing a Place to Sleep

Each night, we camped deep in the jungle, hacking out small clearings with machetes to pitch our tents.
We spent two nights like this, surrounded by the dense, breathing forest.

Our guide and porters, despite being Muslim and observing Ramadan, passed the time by smoking marijuana rolled up in leaves—a pretty loose interpretation of religious fasting rules.
Relaxed would be an understatement.

Daniel the Goat: From Bait to Buddy

Meanwhile, Daniel the Goat quickly became part of our little jungle family.
Playful and full of personality, he amused everyone by mock headbutting us with his tiny horns.

At night, we initially tied him to a tree just outside our tent.
But when the rain started pouring, Tim and I felt guilty and pulled Daniel under the tent’s rain tarp to keep him dry.
He ended up sleeping outside, close by our tent both nights—not as tiger bait, but as our companion and friend.

What started as a desperate idea had turned into one of the most memorable parts of the trip.

Campsite

Campsite

Rain shelter we set up for our goat

A Wild Encounter: Sumatran Orangutan

An Urgent Call

Just as we finished hiking to the bottom of a steep, muddy hill, one of our porters came running after us, shouting urgently:
“Follow me—orangutan! Come now!”

Without hesitation, I sprinted back up the hill, exhaustion forgotten.
It didn’t matter that we were crashing through thick forest or risking snakes hidden in the undergrowth.
We had a chance to see a wild Sumatran orangutan—and nothing else mattered.

Face to Face in the Jungle

Only about twenty feet up in a tree, we spotted her—a mother orangutan with her baby clinging to her side.
It was a breathtaking sight, but our presence hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Clearly agitated, the mother began breaking off sticks and throwing them at us, even hurling feces to drive us away.
We stayed back, not wanting to risk stressing her or the baby further.

After a few intense minutes, she moved deeper into the forest, and we wisely chose not to follow.

One of Sumatra’s Greatest Gifts

This encounter was exactly the kind of rare, raw experience I had come to Sumatra hoping for—
a fleeting but unforgettable moment with one of the world’s most endangered and magnificent animals.

Baby orangutan

Angry mother orangutan

An Unexpected Feast in the Jungle

A Sudden Excitement

One afternoon, while Tim and I were resting during the trek, we noticed an unusual excitement among the porters.
Moments later, one of them emerged from the jungle, carrying a wild forest antelope he had captured.

The antelope had stepped into a snare the porter had set during a previous trip through the area.
Our guide assured us the species wasn’t rare and that local villagers were allowed to hunt and eat them.

From Jungle to Dinner Plate

Without much ceremony, the porter slit the antelope’s throat, bled it out, and began carving it up right there in the forest clearing.
That night, we ate the freshly cooked antelope for dinner—a simple but memorable jungle meal.

The remaining meat was packed up and would be taken back to the village, shared with the community.
It was a reminder of how life in the jungle remains closely tied to ancient traditions of survival.

Forest Antelope

Varrying the forest antelope 

Saying Goodbye to Daniel the Goat

Parting Ways in Kedah

After three unforgettable days in the rainforest near Kedah, we decided to try our luck elsewhere.
We had heard that in Bukit Lawang, another section of Gunung Leuser, wild orangutans were practically guaranteed.

Before leaving, we had to say goodbye to Daniel the Goat.
We sold him back to Mr. Jolly for half of what we had paid, under one condition: he promised Daniel wouldn’t end up on someone’s dinner plate.
Mr. Jolly claimed Daniel would be used for breeding purposes, but deep down, we suspected he likely became part of a Ramadan feast.

Journey to Bukit Lawang

Riding Mopeds Across Sumatra

To reach Bukit Lawang, Tim and I each climbed onto the back of a motor taxi, riding mopeds for hours through Sumatra’s rural countryside.
It was a bumpy, dusty ride, but eventually, we made it to the village on the edge of the jungle.

A Final Trek and One Last Adventure

We organized one more trek into the forest, hoping for another glimpse of wild orangutans.
Aside from a few mischievous macaques, the jungle remained quiet.

Still, we made the most of our final days, cooling off with a swim beneath a waterfall and soaking in the wild beauty of Sumatra one last time.

At the end of the week, we hired a taxi back to Medan, then caught our flight back to Singapore and onward home—bringing with us the memories of a wild, unpredictable, and unforgettable journey.

Me traveling by motor taxi

Macaque

Bukit Lawang Jungle

Swimming in a waterfall