The Way Kanan river, worked by boat at dawn, is the best wildlife activity. Kingfishers, storks, hornbills and macaques line the banks, and the early light on the water is the park at its best.

The forest trails and grasslands around Way Kanan hold an outstanding bird list — white-winged duck, Storm's stork, and a long list of Sumatran specialities that draw serious birders from around the world.

The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary within the park is a captive breeding facility holding a handful of animals of a species now numbering fewer than a hundred worldwide. Visits are restricted and arranged in advance; it is not a zoo, and the breeding programme is one of the species' last chances.

The Elephant Conservation Centre near the park entrance works with captive elephants used in patrols and conflict mitigation. Its history is complicated and the welfare standards have improved over time — ask questions, and avoid any operation offering rides.

Night drives along the park roads produce civets, deer and the occasional wild elephant crossing.

The drier months from May to September make tracks passable; the wet season floods much of the park.

Practicalities

Access is from Bandar Lampung, a few hours by road, itself a short flight from Jakarta. Accommodation is basic guesthouses at Way Kanan or outside the park.

Book through operators who work with the park authority, particularly for anything involving the rhino sanctuary. Way Kambas has suffered badly from poaching and encroachment over the decades, and the tourism that exists is part of what funds the patrols.