Ukui’s strongest connection as a tourist destination is through Tesso Nilo. A 2020 planning document listed Tesso Nilo among the four leading tourist destinations in Kabupaten Pelalawan and associated it with Kecamatan Ukui. A 2010 WWF publication described Kecamatan Ukui as the main access point to Taman Nasional Tesso Nilo. This makes the national park a regional point of reference for a trip to Ukui. When planning, it is worth considering the administrative area of Ukui alongside the broader Tesso Nilo natural area: they represent different geographical levels.
Lowland forest on a regional scale
The Tesso Nilo forest is one of Sumatra’s remaining lowland forest blocks. The area extends across the kabupaten of Pelalawan, Kuantan Singingi, Indragiri Hulu, and Kampar. These four kabupaten show that the natural area extends beyond its tourist association with Kecamatan Ukui. For travellers, this distinction is useful when they want to connect a specific destination with a broader natural landscape. The term “lowland forest” also gives the landscape a clear character. Tesso Nilo is a vast forest area whose regional extent draws attention beyond a single place.
Designation and subsequent expansion
On 19 October 2009, 38,576 hectares of Tesso Nilo forest in the kabupaten of Pelalawan and Indragiri Hulu were declared Taman Nasional Tesso Nilo. A 2020 plan records this historic step and gives 83,068 hectares as the area following a subsequent expansion. The sequence helps explain the area figures as different stages in the development of the protected area. It also puts the natural area’s regional status in a temporal context: the designation was followed by a later expansion.
Historical visitor experiences with elephants
A 2010 WWF report described elephant patrols, as well as bathing and feeding elephants from the Flying Squad, as visitor experiences at Taman Nasional Tesso Nilo. The activities mentioned are distinct: alongside patrols, the report describes close-up encounters while bathing and feeding the elephants. The timeframe is important. If you are planning specifically around any of these activities, ask before your trip whether they are currently offered.
Plan your journey and accommodation
A 2010 WWF report gave an approximate travel time of three and a half hours for the drive from Pekanbaru via Jalan Lintas Timur to Taman Nasional Tesso Nilo. This estimate applies to that specific journey and is historical; check current travel times in advance when planning a trip today. When looking for a holiday apartment in Ukui, you can also decide first whether Tesso Nilo will be the main nature-focused part of your trip or a supplementary destination.
Discover more destinations: Tembilahan, Moro, Bonai Darussalam, Kawal, Toapaya, Pekanbaru, Dumai, Tanjung Pinang
For the broader travel overview: Riau.
