Kerinci Seblat National Park
Park and Volcano Info
Spanning 1.37 million hectares across four provinces West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, and South Sumatra Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest protected area on the island of Sumatra and a proud member of the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is not simply a park, but an enormous living system a place where geological history, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage meet in one breathtaking landscape.
The park forms the backbone of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, safeguarding a continuous stretch of rainforest along the Barisan Mountain Range. Here, the air is cool and clean, the forests are ancient, and the silence is alive with the nephentes, rustle, and call of thousands of species.
Biodiversity at Its Rarest
Kerinci Seblat is a biological treasure chest, home to:
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139 species of birds – including rare hornbills.
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36 species of mammals – from secretive clouded leopards to wide-ranging of Sumatran tiger.
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10 reptile species and 6 amphibians – adapted to the park’s diverse microclimates
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8 primate species – from agile leaf monkeys to the melodious siamang gibbons
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Many of these species exist only here. Some, like the Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhinoceros, and Sumatran Elephant, are critically endangered and depend on the park for survival. Even its plant life holds world records the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), or “corpse flower,” is the tallest flower on Earth, famous for its fleeting bloom and pungent scent.
Landscapes of Wonder
Mount Kerinci
At 3,805 meters, it is the highest mountain in Sumatra and the tallest volcano in Indonesia. Its slopes are cloaked in forest, and its summit rewards climbers with sweeping views of both land and sea
Lake Gunung Tujuh
The highest lake in Southeast Asia, surrounded by seven steep peaks and often wrapped in morning mist
Lake Kaco
A small but enchanting lake of striking blue, hidden deep in the jungle.
Vast lowland and montane rainforest
giant dipterocarp trees, mossy highland forests, and crystal-clear streams form a green network that sustains life on every level.
Facts
A Land Born of Fire
The park lies on the volatile edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” Mount Kerinci, a stratovolcano formed about 23 million years ago, still releases steam and gases from its 600-meter-deep summit crater. Its recorded eruptions stretch back to 1838, with the most recent in 2009. Every layer of its rock tells a story of geological upheaval, shaping the fertile soils that now feed the surrounding forests and farmlands.
Why This Park Matters
Kerinci Seblat is not just a destination for trekkers it is a living classroom, a refuge for species found nowhere else, and a vital carbon sink for the planet. Its sheer size and relative isolation have allowed it to remain one of the last true wildernesses of Southeast Asia.
Walking here is to walk through time past volcanic slopes, through untouched jungle, and beside ancient lakes. Every step connects you to a web of life that has been evolving for millions of years, and that still beats with the wild heart of Sumatra.
