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13 Day
This expedition
takes
you to the island of Sulawesi's most magnificent region, a fertile
plain
surrounded by rugged, high mountains which have isolated the area and
helped
preserve its local customs. Here are the Torajan people and their
unique
starship-shaped homes with soaring roofs, centuries-old hanging graves,
effigies to the dead, and massive megaliths. We will hike into the
remoter
areas of Tana Toraja where fewer outsiders visit, staying in
traditional
houses. This is followed by two days of white water rafting on the
incomparable Sa'dan River. Over these class IV rapids tower mountains
rising
4500' above the water. Incredibly picturesque, the river is fringed by
hanging vines and terraced rice fields. This may be one of the most
beautiful
rivers in the world.The Torajans hold amazing ceremonies called
'marante
sadan,' to honor their dead and launch them into the afterlife, 'puya.'
The
rituals are most frequent after the harvest, August to October. These
'funerals' last between three and seven days. After a lengthy
celebration,
dancing, and feasting the body is placed in a cliff grave and its
effigy
erected on a nearby stone balcony. If the opportunity presents itself
we will
certainly spend time witnessing one of these rituals that is at the
very core
of the fabric of life for the Torajans. While others may visit Tana
Toraja,
no one combines village stays with remote hiking and world class white
water
rafting. After the adventure on Sulawesi we fly to Bali for a couple
days to
relax and explore the Balinese culture.
Includes: All lodging, meals as indicated (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner), group camping gear (including comfortable bedding, bedsheets, and pillows in villages), English speaking guide services, white-water rafting services, and airport transfers. Dates: May, June, August Difficulty: Moderate |
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| Day 1 | Depart the USA late evening (about 9pm) from the west coast enroute to Denpasar, Indonesia on the island of Bali. |
| Day 2 | We lose a day as we cross the International Date Line. The day will be regained on the way back. |
| Day 3 | Arrive Denpasar early morning. Transfer to Keraton Cottages on the beach outside of Denpasar. This is actually in the middle of a residential region rather than a tourist area. In the afternoon we can relax by getting a massage on the beach or head out for some guided shopping to pick up last minute travel necessities. Overnight Keraton Cottages. (D) |
| Day 4 | Denpasar - Tana Toraja An early morning flight will take us to Ujung Pandang. From there we make an 8 hour drive to Tana Toraja. Overnight Tana Toraja. (B,L,D) |
| Day 5 | Tana Toraja Today we will explore local villages and grave sites. The houses, or tongkonan, have soaring roofs of bamboo. It is rumored that they are designed to copy the star-ships that brought them here in the legendary past. The ancient stone graves consist of cliffs where bodies of the dead are placed in carved niches. The nobility has look-alike effigies placed into carved balconies overlooking and protecting their cliff grave. We will see each of the methods by which the Torajans bury their dead: cliff graves, hanging graves, tree graves, and mausoleums. If there are any traditional ceremonies occurring we will spend time attending them. Overnight Tana Toraja. (B,L,D) |
| Day 6 - 7 | We leave the populated area of Tana Toraja by 4WD to visit outlying Torajan villages. We use a combination of trekking and 4WD to get between villages. Here is a mountainous area with exquisite rice paddies and traditional houses. By getting away from the well-traveled areas we are an oddity that attracts the locals' attention and encourages interaction. One evening the local village we are at will hopefully perform a local dance. (This is not guaranteed.) Overnights will be spent either in thatch-roofed bamboo huts called pondoks or in traditional homes, both in local villages. (B,L,D) |
| Day 8 | From the village of Malea we trek into the Sa'dan Canyon. A six hour hike down into the canyon displays incredible views and magnificent scenery. Steep canyon walls, lush scenery, the raging river, and eagles overhead makes for a hike never to be forgotten. We end up at a traditional Torajan village where we will spend the night in pondoks again. (B,L,D) |
| Day 9 | Sa'dan River Rafting Today we white water raft over 20 exciting rapids. This is a world-class rafting experience and has some of the most breathtaking scenery to be found. Hanging vines cover the stone cliffs that serve as the base for mountains towering 3000 feet above the water. Far into the hinterlands of Tana Toraja we travel into the Puri-Papi gorge and on to the climatic 'Fitri' group of rapids. These rapids can be graded as class IV (serious but safe) depending upon water levels. Deep in the wilderness, we spend the evening in comfortable pondoks at riverside mid-way along our white water journey.(B,L,D) |
| Day 10 | Sa'dan River Rafting - Pare Pare Another day of rafting through the majestic ridges and mountains in the southern gorge. The swift rapids, lively wave trains, and frequent splashes of water make this the ideal way to travel through Sulawesi's incredible backcountry. Mid-afternoon finds us at the takeout point. Then we are driven to Pare Pare and the Bukit Indah Hotel. (B,L,D) |
| Day 11 | Pare Pare - Ubud An early start gets us to the airport at Ujung Pandang in time to catch our flight to Denpasar, Bali. We will be taken to the quaint artists' village of Ubud to check-in to our hotel overlooking the ricefields. The afternoon will be spent exploring the handicraft shops with our guide. Overnight Champlung Sari Hotel. (B) |
| Day 12 | Ubud & Bali Exploration In the morning we will attend a Barong Dance at Batubulan village. The Barong is a mythical lion who helps humans avoid the bad influences of the witch, Rangda. Then a drive through the remote and non-touristed portion of Bali will reveal some of the most astounding rice paddy views to be had anywhere. Our destination is Mt. Batukau and the Watakaru Temple found in the jungle there. Sunset will find us at the temple Tanah Lot. Situated on a massive rock in the ocean, it is stupendous as the sun sets behind it. Overnight Champlung Sari Hotel. (B) |
| Day 13 | Depart The morning is free to further explore the local artists' shops or relax. In the afternoon we are transported to the airport where we catch our flight back to the United States. Due to the International Date Line we will arrive in the USA about 6:00pm the same day. (B) |
| Day 13 | Dugla to Laboche (16,170ft/ 4,930m) Leaving Dugla you continue up the face of the Khumbu Glacier terminal moraine. At the top of the moraine you will find a number of stone piles. These are memorials to the Sherpas that have given their lives to assist others to climb Everest and other peaks in the vicinity. Follow the Khumbu Glacier for a few kilometers until the hamlet of Labouche appears, another gathering of two or three lodges If you have time, walking along the top of the moraine for a short while until a strange apparition appears at the end of a valley to your left - a glass pyramid looking like something from an alien planet and completely out of sorts here. We had found the "Italian Pyramid", an Italian research center with associated Italian restaurant and hotel. Great coffee at 15,500ft! |