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Private guided round trip - Indonesia

Sulawesi - The unknown paradise

Highlights

  • Insight into a legendary cult of the dead

  • Hikes through the Toraja country

  • Explore diverse landscapes

  • Boat trip across the lake Tempe

  • Including transfer, English speaking tour guide & full board

Description

Sulawesi is located in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago and is often compared to the shape of an orchid flower. Mystical stone figures, gifted boat builders and especially the imposing funeral rituals are what make the island so appealing. We will take you to another world full of mysteries and legends.

Destination

Asia

Makassar - Bira - Sengkang - Rantepao - Makassar

You will land at Makassar International Airport and be greeted in the arrivals hall by a representative of our partner agency. After you have completed all formalities, you will walk together to your transfer vehicle and drive to your hotel, the Imperial Aryaduta.

The rest of the day is at your leisure. Take a rest today. The next few days are full of unforgettable adventures!

Travel time Makassar Airport - Hotel Makassar: approx. 45 minutes / 10 km

1 night stay with breakfast and dinner in Makassar, Indonesia

After enjoying a hearty breakfast, your guide will be waiting for you for a sightseeing tour through the streets of Makassar. Your first destination is the restored 17th century Dutch Fort Rotterdam with the historic Lagaligo Museum, which houses an interesting collection of archaeological findings, porcelain and historical documents. After getting your first glimpse of Sulawesi's history, head to the old port of Paotere. Trust your eyes - busy trade traffic still prevails here: the traditional Bugis schooners are heavily loaded with timber, cement and a wide range of goods for the islands to the east. In Tanu Beru, you will visit local boat builders and learn firsthand how the traditional vessels are made. There are no construction plans, however. Experience and a sense of proportion are quite enough for this nation of sailors, traders and boat builders.

In the afternoon, you will check into your hotel in Bira - far away from mass tourism on a beautiful palm-fringed sandy beach.

Duration of trip Makassar - Bira: approx. 8 hours / 200 km

1 night stay with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in Bira, Indonesia

Today your itinerary continues to the tranquil village of Sengkang, located on the shores of Lake Tempe. On the way there, you will enjoy a delicious lunch in Watampone and visit the museum of Andi Mapaasisi, the last king of the former kingdom, as well as a silk weaving mill.

Duration of trip Bira - Sengkang: approx. 8 hours / 220 km

1 night stay with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in Sengkang, Indonesia

What better way to start a day than with a morning boat ride across Lake Tempe? The special thing about this boat trip is not so much the lake itself, but rather the daily life at the lake. The marshy area between Lake Tempe and Lake Sidenreng has been declared a nature reserve and is therefore a paradise for many bird species. The inhabitants, who have lived on, with and from the water for generations, inhabit houses that are attached to the bottom with poles to drag them to better fishing grounds when needed.

Afterwards, a spectacular drive to the home of the Toraja awaits you. The drive will take the entire day - but along the way there will be plenty of time to enjoy the fabulous scenery. The closer you get to Toraja land, the more legendary rock tombs you will see. The Toraja cultivate a unique cult around their deceased. Especially the funeral rituals are spectacular. Such a ceremony lasts a whole week and hundreds of guests are welcomed and fed: For this purpose, dozens of water buffaloes and pigs are slaughtered. During this time the dead are laid out in the midst of the celebrating guests and are thus part of the celebrating community. Their food is brought to them every day, they are washed, kept happy with music and receive cigarettes and similar daily life things in order to ensure their passage to paradise.

Duration of trip Sengkang - Rantepao: about 5 hours 30 minutes / 200 km

1 night stay with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in Rantepao, Indonesia

After a fortifying breakfast, you will explore the highland region of the Toraja. Your first stop is Lemo with its hanging tombs. This is not just a simple tomb carved into a rock face, however, so-called tau tau figures - these are carved wooden figures with realistic facial features and worn clothing of the deceased, adorn the tomb. In Londa, visit ancient natural tombs where many members of the local nobility were buried.

Also worth seeing is Kete Kesu, one of the oldest Toraja villages, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The traditional houses, also called Tongkonan, are very special, especially because of their curved roofs, which are strongly raised to both gables. In addition, ornate carvings and the horns of sacrificed buffalo decorate the authentic clan houses.

1 night with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in Rantepao, Indonesia.

Today is also dedicated to the mysterious death cult of the Toraja: You will go on an excursion to the mountains of Batutumonga. Rice terraces, bamboo forests and coffee plantations offer you a dreamy panorama. In the small villages you will also come across rock tombs with their wooden figures, the guardians of the dead. Would you like to do some sports? Short hikes are a good way to combine sightseeing, village life and nature into a complete experience. The main attraction is the traditional village of Pallawa, the weaving center of Rantapeo.

1 night stay with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in Rantepao, Indonesia.

Today your trip is coming to an end. After breakfast you will be transferred back to Makassar. On the way, you will make a stop in Pare-pare, where you will be served lunch at a local restaurant. Well refreshed, you will drive to Makassar International Airport for your return flight. We hope you will travel back home with countless memories and had a great trip with us.

itravel - for that moment.

Aryaduta Makassar*****, Makassar, Indonesia.

Just a 15-minute walk from Dutch Fort Rotterdam, the Imperial Arya Duta accommodates guests in 224 rooms with all luxury amenities. Interior amenities include a private bathroom, minibar, and coffee and tea facilities. Relax on the beach or unwind by the spacious outdoor pool. At the on-site spa, you can indulge in all-around pampering after a long journey. The Bellini restaurant specializes in Western cuisine, while the Salsa Brazilian Mecxican Pub brings first-class delicacies of Mexican cuisine to the table - the ideal city hotel for you!

Bara Beach Hotel***, Bira, Indonesia

Amidst unspoiled nature, the spacious bungalows of the Bara Beach Hotel are situated on a white palm-fringed sandy beach. Snorkeling fans will get bright eyes here: about 50 meters from the beach there is a great reef with an impressive underwater world. All bungalows are equipped with a private terrace, private bathroom and minibar and offer enough space for families. In the in-house restaurant you will be spoiled with Indonesian as well as international dishes.

Hotel BBC Sengkang, Sengkang, Indonesia

In Sengkang you sleep in one of the best hotels of the city. Not only does the hotel boast an excellent location overlooking Lake Tempe, but it also offers 30 modern rooms, all of which have air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. The in-house restaurant invites guests to linger.

Toraja Heritage Hotel****, Rantepao, Indonesia.

High in the mountains of Rantepao, the charming Torja Heritage Hotel is a real gem. Around the clock, you'll enjoy courteous and friendly service. Classically decorated, rooms feature private bathrooms, complimentary toiletries and TVs. Bamboo Bar specialties include cocktails and homemade fresh juices. You can relax here after an eventful excursion through the Toroja highlands region: The hotel offers an outdoor pool, as well as professional treatments at the on-site spa. In addition, the hotel has a children's pool.

Duration of the trip: 7 days / 6 nights

Included

  • 6 nights in the mentioned accommodations or similar:
    • 1 night at Aryaduta Makassar***** with breakfast and dinner in a double room in Makassar.

    • 1 night at Bara Beach Hotel*** with breakfast, lunch and dinner in a double room in Bira

    • 1 night at Hotel BBC Sengkang with breakfast, lunch and dinner in a double room in Sengkang

    • 3 nights at Toraja Heritage Hotel**** with breakfast, lunch and dinner in a double room in Rantepao

  • Meals as per program (6x breakfast, 6x lunch, 6x dinner)
  • Transfers according to the program in an air-conditioned car or minibus
  • Sightseeing tours incl. entrance fees according to the program with an English, French or Dutch speaking tour guide

Not included

  • International Flights
  • Visa
  • Insurance
  • Meals and drinks not mentioned in the scope of services
  • Personal expenses like minibar and tips
  • Entrance fees and excursions, which are not mentioned in the scope of service

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