Tesso Nilo National Park

Tesso Nilo National Park is an Indonesian National Park in central Sumatra's Riau province.

Created in 2004 to help preserve Sumatran tigers and Asiatic elephants, development of tourism within the park is still in its infancy.

Sunset at Tesso Nilo National Park - |Sunset at Tesso Nilo National Park

Tesso Nilo National Park Halal Travel Guide

History of Tesso Nilo National Park

In 2004 Indonesia created the park Tesso_Nilo_National_Park, and more than doubled its size in 2007.

The people of Air Hitam have a history of opposing the park and its purposes. In 2008 people from the village burned a ranger vehicle due to anger at the restrictions placed on their activities by the park. In late November 2010, 5 wild elephants were killed at Air Hitam, despite ongoing education efforts and the work of the Flying Squad elephant patrol.

In late November 2010, a two day major operation involving around 300 police, rangers and military personnel resulted in clearing from the park many of the oil palms planted there illegally.

How is the Landscape of Tesso Nilo National Park

Tesso Nilo contains some tropical lowland forest, and it also contains land that was used as production forest and oil palm plantations but that is now being allowed to revert back to jungle.

Flora and fauna

Elephant near Camp Flying Squad at Tesso Nilo National Park - |Elephant near Camp Flying Squad at Tesso Nilo National Park

Fauna include the Sumatran tiger, Asian elephant, Malayan tapir, medium-sized primates, deer, large monitor lizards and pigs.

The WWF estimates the tiger population is around 50, while the elephant population is between 60 to 80.

Despite degradation of even the best jungle within the park, its flora displays the highest vascular plant Vascular_plant diversity of anywhere in the world, including the Amazon regions.

Many 200-m² plots of forest when surveyed yielded more than 200 species each, and more than 4,000 species of plants have already been found within the park. Botanists anticipate that a number of species unknown to science live in the park, as well.

How is the Climate in Tesso Nilo National Park

Tesso Nilo has hot days and nights, like most of the rest of Riau province.

Travel as a Muslim to Tesso Nilo National Park

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Tesso Nilo National Park

If you are coming from outside of Sumatra, you may fly into Pekanbaru.

From there, go to the WWF headquarters. Along with tours and they may be able to arrange passage for you to the park.

Travel on a Bus in Tesso Nilo National Park

No regular bus service to either the park or the cities and villages near it exists.

By motorbike

The park headquarters are in Kerinci Pelalawan in Riau, about 5 hours by motorbike from Pekanbaru. Their telephone number is (061) 0761 494 728.

To get to the park from the headquarters requires 2½ to 3 hours of travel down a dirt logging road that now passes through large tracts of oil palm plantations and tree farms, as well as cleared jungle awaiting conversion.

Fees and permits

You will need a permit signed by the head of Tesso Nilo National Park, and you will have to be accompanied by a ranger.

The permit will cost about Rp65,000.

You will pass through two military check-points on the way in, requiring the letter and the ranger.

What to see in Tesso Nilo National Park

The observation tower - Located near Camp Flying Squad in the north central part of the park, climbing the tower can give you a great for getting a good overview of the park and provide a magnificent vantage point for seeing sunsets and sunrises.
Animal tracks, signs and homes - Fresh tracks from wild tigers are frequently seen near Camp Flying Squad. In other parts of the park, rangers will probably be able to locate tracks made by Malayan tapir, wild pigs and deer. You might also see trees that have been clawed by hungry Malayan sun bears seeking food. Large mud mounds constructed as homes by ants, as well as hive-like mud structures about six feet high smaller trees, may be readily seen within the park.
Primates - A species of larger primates live along a small waterway in a remnant forest near the main ranger station where visitors stay, and one may spot them in the morning and in the evening. One may also walk through that section of the park. As you drive through the park with the rangers and there is also a good chance of spotting primates on the road and in the trees that were planted for tree farms before the creation of the park.
Silang (wild honey trees) - Sialang trees, from which local residents sustainably harvest wild honey, grown in and around the park. Depending on what part of the month one visits, watching a sialang ceremony conducted by local people prior to climbing sialang and gathering honey may be feasible. See below for more details.

What to do in Tesso Nilo National Park

From_aboard_a_boat_on_the_Nilo_River_en_route_to_one_of_the_most_intact_parts_of_Tesso_Nilo_National_Park's_lowland_rain_forest - |The Nilo River near the park

Riding on an elephant - as a part of a patrol by the Flying Squad is feasible for Rp350,000.
Boat Trip - Charter a boat for Rp500,000 to go up the Nilo River to just past where it joins with the Tesso River. The rangers and guide indicate that part of the jungle is the most intact in the park.
Honey Gathering Ceremony - You may be able to arrange to see a ceremony that local people do before sustainably harvesting honey from sialang (wild honey trees). The ceremony includes casting of shadows of the hands and head of prospective climbers. If the shadow of one's hand shows only four digits or if one's head is not connected to the rest of one's body, one is not allowed to climb the tree and harvest the honey.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Tesso Nilo National Park

Purchase sustainably harvested honey from sialang (honey trees) at Lubuk Kemgang Bunga, a small village near the park, or at WWF headquarters in Pekanbaru.

You may also purchase the honey directly from the WWF web site.

Lodging

The only lodging in the park is the central ranger station.

Kerinci Pelalawan and the town with the park headquarters, has hotels, including the Hotel Melanti where a double bed, cable TV and air conditioning costs Rp350,000 per day. They also have laundry service, but it is expensive.

Camping Places

Camping in the park's backcountry can be arranged for as many days as one might wish.

Backcountry

Trips into the backcountry with a guide, who has guided professional biologists and others on extensive treks, may be arranged.

Stay Safe

Tigers, bears and elephants are the largest animals in the park.

Tigers have killed people on Sumatra, so be sure to stay with the rangers and local guide.