Trekking in Toraja, Meet the death rituals

Welcome to Sulawesi and more precisely to Toraja country, a blurred boundary between the Living and the Dead.  This superb sportive trek between mountains and rice fields allows you to discover a little-known but incredibly rich culture.  Accompanied by a local guide, this animist culture will no longer have any secrets for you. Come and meet the Torajan people as a couple or with friends.

Itinerary

  • Day 1 Arrive in Makassar

    Arrive in Makassar You will arrive in Makassar, you English-speaking guide will wait you at the airport and send you to check in at your hotel. Relax at your hotel for your following days trip in Toraja.

    - 15m drive
    - Night in Aston Makassar: deluxe room
    - No meals

  • Day 2 Makassar - Toraja

    Makassar - Toraja Today, you reach the Toraja country directly by following the coast of the flat Bugis country, a region of sailors and boat builders of the Muslim faith. The Torajas are Protestant mountain people, but they continue to perpetuate the religion of their ancestors. The latter is based on large ceremonies, particularly funeral ceremonies, which are sacrificed by hundreds of head of cattle.

    - Transport : 8h
    - Night in Toraja : Hotel Sahid deluxe room
    - Meals: B, L, D

  • Day 3 Toraja - Kandora - Randan Batu

    Toraja - Kandora - Randan Batu Beginning of the trek through the Toraja country, towards Kandora, the starting point of the trek. Departure of the hike through plentiful landscapes made of jungle, rice fields and bamboos, and punctuated by tongkonan, traditional Toraja houses that stand up to the sky their amazing roof in the shape of boats. On the way, you meet the torajas and observe their daily activities...

    - 6h hiking
    - 45 min transport
    - Night : Traditional homestay
    - Meals: B, L, D

  • Day 4 Randan Batu - Paniki - Buntao

    Randan Batu - Paniki - Buntao Hiking to Paniki and Labo through the rice fields and villages. After a picnic lunch, you reach Buntao and settle into a village house.

    - 4h hiking
    - Night : Traditional homestay
    - Meals: B, L, D

  • Day 5 Buntao - Palawa - Batutumonga

    Buntao - Palawa - Batutumonga After a short walk you take the road to Palawa, one of the most beautiful Toraja villages. You hike to Lempo, walking through beautiful rice terraces and small typical villages before reaching Batutumonga.

    - 4h hiking
    - 1h : transport
    - Night : Traditional homestay
    - Meals: B, L, D

  • Day 6 Coffee plantation - Rantepao

    Coffee plantation - Rantepao You will take the road to Rantepao, capital of the Toraja country. You will transfer to the coffee plantation and hiking inside with a local guide. Depending on the season, you will watch local people harvesting coffee as well as learning how they process it. Lunch at a local restaurant, then you will go to discovery of the famous villages of Lemo and Londa, with their “dead on the balconies”. Called Tao-Tao by the Torajas, these statuettes represent the deceased looking at the living from the top of balconies built in the cliffs or caves. You will also encounter baby trees. When a baby dies before teething, the family forgoes the normal funeral ritual, and goes to the tree at night by torchlight. They carve a hole in the side of the tree, place the baby’s body in vertically, and cover it with palm fiber. By the time the fiber cover falls off years later, the tree has regrown and absorbed the skeleton. Unlike the funeral, only a small percentage of Torajans still bury babies this way.
    At the end, you will go back to Rantepao for your last night.

    - 2 -3h hiking
    - 2h : Transport
    - Night in Rantepao : Hotel Masiliana deluxe room
    - Meals: B, L, D

  • Day 7 Rantepao - Ujung Pandang - Makassar

    Rantepao - Ujung Pandang - Makassar Transfer to Ujung Pandang with a lunch break at Pare-Pare. You say goodbye to your guide when you arrive at your hotel in Makassar. Next morning, only the driver will drop you off at the airport according to your flight time.

    - 8h : Transport
    - Night in Aston Makassar: deluxe room
    - Meals: B, L

  • Day 8 Farewell Makassar - End of your trip

    Farewell Makassar - End of your trip Free time in Makassar, according to your flight time, the driver will drop off at the airport of Makassar. You are taking a flight to your next destination.

    - 30m drive
    - Meals: B

The local guide reserves the right to modify the itinerary for meteorological or logistical reasons.

Period & budget

When to travel?

The best period for travelling is during the following months:

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Price

1190 euros per person (booking from minimum 2 people)

The budget is an indication of the price per person, subject to availability. Your local agent will send you a customized quote with the exact price. The price can vary according to availability, level of services, period of travel, number of participants, booking time frame and other items.

Included

- 7 nights with breakfast (4 nights in a hotel, 3 nights in a local house)

- Meals as indicated in the detail of each title day by day * ( B=breakfast - L=lunch - D=dinner)
- All the private car transfers during the stay
- The services of 1 local ALTAI English-speaking guide for the whole trip
- All site entries
- Local porters from J3 to J6 (1 porter for 2 travelers)
- 1 local guide for coffee plantation hiking
- The activities on the program
- Mineral Water


Not included

- International and domestic flights ( Makassar arrival - Makassar departure)
- Beverages other than mineral water
- Personal expenses
- Tips (advise: 4€ - 8€/traveler/day)
- Travel Insurance

Notes

- Accommodations are noted for information only and are subject to availability at the time of booking

- In Toraja country, the itinerary may be modified according to funeral ceremonies or other rites in order to attend.

- For the traditional homestay, comfort is basic, with sleeping accommodation that can be shared and toilets to be shared. These accommodations, although more rustic, allow you to immerse yourself in the local life. Hot water is sometimes not available in all accommodations.

* If you wish, you can plan a little attention for your hosts (ex: local specialty of your region,...)

- The local guide reserves the right to modify the itinerary for meteorological or logistical reasons.

Terms and conditions

Booking conditions 

Booking a trip with Altaï Indonesia implies acceptance of the terms and conditions of sale. Each customer is required to complete a registration form and, subject to availability at the time of registration, travellers are expected to pay a deposit of 30% of the total price to complete their booking. Payments can be made online or by bank transfer. You will receive an e-mail with your booking confirmation.

Invoice procedure

Once your booking is confirmed you will receive an invoice by e-mail. The full balance of the trip must be received at least 30 days before your departure date. Altaï Indonesia reserve the right to cancel your booking, free of charge, if this deadline is not respected.

Cancellation policy 

If for any reason you have to cancel your trip, Altaï Indonesia require written confirmation of your decision. The money you have paid will then be refunded according to the following deductions:

  • Cancellation received more than 30 days prior to the departure date: a sum of €50 per person will be retained
  • Cancellation received 30 to 21 days before the departure date: your deposit, 30% of the total trip price will be retained
  • Cancellation received 20 to 14 days before the departure date: 50% of the total trip price will be retained
  • Cancellation received 13 to 7 days before the departure date: 75% of the total trip price will be retained
  • Cancellation received less than 7 days before the departure date: 100% of the total trip price will be retained

Special cases:
Please note that, regardless of the date of cancellation or modification if you have agreed to pay for services such as hotel reservations, flights or additional activities, these services are usually non-refundable so additional fees may apply.
  • Fixed airfares: if your airline ticket was issued in advance, often done to avoid significant surcharges, you will be charged 100% of any non-refundable fees if you wish to change or cancel your flight plan.
  • Fixed in-country costs: early charges for firm bookings will be charged if you cancel or modify your trip.
  • Insurance costs: if you have taken out comprehensive or cancellation insurance, the cost of insurance is due and cannot be refunded.

Please note that fees apply according to the date Altaï Indonesia receive your cancellation or modification request in writing.

If we have to cancel a departure due to an insufficient number of participants, you will be informed no later than 21 days before departure and a full refund will be issued, you will not be entitled to further compensation. We reserve the rights to cancel departures due to exceptional circumstances which may impact the safety of participants. Such circumstances include those amounting to 'force majeure' in which case participants will receive a full refund but they will not be entitled to any compensation.

Changes to travel contract 

If you wish to make a change to your booking please contact Altaï Indonesia in writing; you will be expected to pay any fee which might arise from this change. In the event of unforeseen external events, Altaï Indonesia may change some aspects of the travel contract. If any changes are necessary you will be informed as quickly as possible.

Pricing

The prices on our website are updated regularly and all of the prices we advertise are accurate when published. We reserve the rights to make changes to any of these prices. Before you make a booking we will give you the up-to-date price of your chosen holiday including any supplements, upgrades or additional activities you may have requested. If the number of travellers is fewer than the indicated number of participants on the website, a small group surcharge may be applied. For all of our trips we include details of services, prices and what is/is not included but please be aware that changes to the prices may be necessary in accordance with exchange rates or price changes of various components of the journey.

Contract transfer

If you are unable to travel for any reason, you can transfer your booking to another person in which case our modification conditions apply. Both the transferor and transferee will be jointly and severally liable for payment of the total holiday price and other associated expenses. Some airline carriers treat name changes as cancellations and you may be required to pay for the cost of a new ticket.

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you take out personal travel insurance for your trip with Altaï Indonesia as soon as your booking is confirmed. We advice you to purchase a travel insurance policy which covers flight cancellations, luggage loss and emergency health care. Please look carefully at which activities are covered by your insurer and do not forget to bring all necessary documents and information with you (name of the company, name of the contract, insurance policy number, telephone number...)

Practical info

Food

Please be aware that the tap water in Indonesia is not drinkable.

Please let us know about any dietary requirements when you book the trip and we will work with you to cater for your needs.

Accommodation

- In hotels in a double / twin room (standard equivalent to 2 or 3 * French). Private sanitary facilities.

- Homestay: basic comfort, sleeping can be common, sanitary to share. These accommodations, although more rustic, allow you to immerse yourself in local life.
 If you wish, to promote the exchange and sharing, you can provide a little attention for our guests (eg local specialty of your region, ...)

* Hot water is sometimes not available in all rooms.

Transportation

You only carry your belongings for the day, your big luggage stays in the bus during the day and your activities.

Budget & exchange

The currency in Indonesia is the Indonisian Rupiah, Rp (IDR)
Visit http://www.xe.com for the latest currency converter and exchange rates. You can withdraw Indonesian Rupiahs from in-country ATMs or exchange money at the airport/local currency exchange offices. ATMs and exchange desks are only found on bigger islands like Bali (Denpasar, Ubud, Sanur). The cost of an average meal in Java is around 3€ to 8€; in Bali it is 4€ to 11€.

When purchasing souvenirs, we ask that our travellers resist the tempatation to buy traditional items which are part of local families/the countries heritage. We also ask our travellers to respect the Species Protection Agreements (CITES) which aims to protect more than 2,500 species of animals and 30,000 species of threatened plants by prohibiting the trade of hides, ivory, scales, corals, shells, and the import of live exotic animals.

Tips

Tipping is not an obligation and must be left to everyone's discretion.

Nevertheless, in Indonesia it is customary to leave one when you are satisfied with the service rendered. Its amount depends on the appreciation of it and must take into account the local economy.

Tips too important, given the general standard of living of the country visited, destabilize local economic balances. As a reminder, the tip is a supplement and does not replace their remuneration. Indeed, anyone acting on our trips being paid elsewhere.

We recommend a budget of 3€ to 4€ per person per day for tips.

Vital equipment

We recommend packing:
For your head:
  • A cap or sunhat
  • A good pair of sunglasses (level 3 or 4, glacier)
For your core:
  • 1 or 2 sets of thermals: long-sleeved thermal tops and full-length long johns
  • Long sleeved and short sleeved t-shirts, appropriate for hiking in
  • 1 fleece or equivalent
  • A breathable wind proof, waterproof jacket (Gore-Tex...)
  • A rain cape or protective waterproof bag for your daybag
For your legs:
  • 1 or 2 pairs of long shorts
  • 1 pair of walking trousers
For your feet and hands:
  • Your hiking boots (high-cut, thick soles...)
  • A pair of trainers
  • A pair of sandals for wearing in the sea
  • Thick walking socks
To keep you hydrated:
  • A good water bottle (min. 1.5 l)
And do not forget:
  • A good sun-cream (SPF 50+, water resistant, biodegradable...)
  • Insect repellent
  • Towel(s)
  • A wash bag
  • your personal toiletries

Helpful equipment

You may also want to bring:
  • A camera and spare batteries/portable charger
  • A power plug travel adapter
  • A head torch and spare batteries
  • A pocket knife
  • A fast drying micro-fibre beach towel
  • A bath towel
  • Blister plasters
  • A small personal first aid kit
  • Zip lock bags to protect your important documents and electronics
  • A laundry bag/bin bag for your dirty clothes
  • Tissues
  • Earplugs

Luggage

Please bring a small rucksack to use as a day bag. You can bring this as hand luggage on the airplane. You will carry your lunch, water, spare layers and any personal medication with you each day in this bag. You will also need a larger bag to store your other clothes and belongings in, please ensure that this is a soft bag like a rucksack or holdall rather than a hard cased suitcase because it is more practical. We recommend packing all of your clothes in plastic bags so that they stay dry in the event of wet weather.

Medicine

Your guide is a trained first-aider and will carry a full first aid kit at all times during the trip. We recommend that you bring a small personal first aid kit containing any medication you may need such as inhalers, plasters, antiseptic and painkillers.

Passport

To go to Indonesia travellers need a passport which is valid for at least six months after the date of entry. It is your responsibility to confirm your specific passport requirements and proof of onwards travel is required.

Visa

Travelers staying in Indonesia for less than 30 days do not need to obtain a visa. It is your responsibility to confirm your specific visa requirements.

Health information & recommendations

It is your responsibility to check that your personal insurance covers everything in this trip. A consultation with your doctor is a prerequisite for any trip. Malaria prophylaxis is advised if your trip goes to Flores, Komodo, Sumatra, Sulawesi, the Sundra Islands or Kalimatan. Anti-malaria treatments are not necessary in Bali, Java or Lombok. Avoid contact with mosquitoes as much as possible: apply repellents, wear long trousers/sleeves and sleep with a mosquito net. The World Health Organisation can provide further details of the latest health news and medical advice.

Weather

Indonesia is positioned on both sides of the equator making it subject to a similar climate year round. As a rule the South is generally drier and less hot. The average temperature ranges between 24°C and 35°C (75°F and 95°F). We cannot guarantee no rain but we can suggest that the best season to visit Indonesia is the dry season, from mid-April to October/November.

Electricity

Indonesia uses European-style plugs with two round pins. Voltage is normally 220 V 50 Hz except in a few places where it is 110 V.

Local time

Indonesia is spread across three time zones. The Lesser Sunda Islands use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)/ Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +8.  Indonesia does not use Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Sustainable tourism

As adventure and wilderness travel experts who run trips to some of the most remote parts of the world, we take responsible tourism very seriously.

We respect the ‘Leave No Trace’ outdoor ethical code and try to explore this beautiful location whilst causing minimal environmental damage.

The Leave No Trace policy can be summarized in 7 simple steps which we hope you will follow during our trip...

  1. Be prepared
  2. Stick to trails and camp overnight right
  3. Stash your trash and pick up waste
  4. Leave it as you find it
  5. Be careful with fire
  6. Respect wildlife
  7. Be considerate of other visitors

Over the years we have built up good relations with our local suppliers and we are keen to support local businesses as much as possible. We are a small company and we pay our local partners and suppliers directly insuring fair rates.

Our small group sizes not only provide a more intimate adventure but also cause less impact on the environment and local communities.

We expect all who travel with us to support and uphold our Sustainable Tourism philosophies.
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Adrien

My local agent
Adrien

  • Passionate and eager to travel, meet and discover new experiences.
  • Fond of hiking, meditating, snorkeling and diving.
  • Everything the outdoor, nature and different civilizations have to offer
  • I am at your service to share my passion with you and create with you the best tailored trip possible.
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Region
Sulawesi
Activity
Bestseller Hiking & Outdoor Trips Travel to unknown corners
Duration
8 days
Code
ALINTOR
Price
From €1,190
Level
4/5
Comfort
2/5

Strengths

- 4 nights with the locals
- 5 days of sports trekking
- A local guide at your disposal

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