Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Indonesia - Sulawesi - Toraja Country - Manado - Rantepao
100% customisable for you
Your Indonesian adventure begins today. Head to the airport, whizz through security and relax in the lounge before hopping on a 17-hour overnight flight to Jakarta. You’ll arrive the following day, so settle in, grab some much needed shut-eye and start dreaming of jungle-clad mountains and coral reefs.
Once you touch down in Jakarta, board a second two-and-a-half-hour flight to Makassar. You’ll be met on arrival and transferred to a comfortable hotel near the airport.
Take the afternoon to unwind after your journey, perhaps with a swim or a massage. Tomorrow, the real exploration begins.
Wake up bright and early. This morning you’ll have an early one-hour flight east to Palopo, followed by a winding drive into the Toraja highlands. Watch the scenery change as lush lowland greenery gives way to misty mountains and rice terraces carved into steep slopes. By the time you reach Rantepao you’ll feel a world away from the city.
Check into your hotel, inspired by traditional tongkonan houses with their distinctive boat-shaped roofs. After lunch, stretch your legs with a gentle walk around town or simply relax by the pool, soaking up the cooler mountain air. Tonight, tuck into a delicious dinner at the hotel. This is your chance to settle in and prepare for the days of exploration ahead.
Today, Toraja culture comes into focus. With your private guide, visit Pasar Bolu, one of the world’s largest water buffalo markets, where these magnificent animals are not just traded and admired but play a central role in local ceremonies. Then, continue on to the nearby villages, where cliffside tombs and wooden tau-tau effigies stand quietly watchful over the valleys below.
Later, travel up to Keppe, perched high above the terraced rice fields. From here, set off on a two-hour walk through lush landscapes, following narrow paths that thread between paddies and forests to reach a remote village tucked deep in the valley. Tonight, you’ll stay with a local family. Share dinner, swap stories and experience Toraja hospitality first-hand.
Wake to the sound of birdsong and a delicious breakfast with your hosts, before setting off on a three-hour downhill hike to Salu village, passing bamboo groves, coffee plants and tiny hamlets along the way. It’s the perfect insight into local life, with plenty of opportunities to stop and chat with locals.
Return to Rantepao for lunch, then spend the afternoon exploring at a gentler pace. Visit traditional weaving workshops or watch coffee being roasted the old-fashioned way. This evening, head back to your hotel, where a hot shower and comfortable bed await.
Head south today to explore a different side of Toraja’s traditions. Visit Suaya, a dramatic hillside burial site, once reserved for the Sangalla kings and their royal families. Then visit Kambira (where tombs were once carved into living trees), before continuing to the burial caves of Tampong Allo – each offering an insight into the Torajan relationship with life, death and ancestry.
After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to the traditional village of Karuaya before setting off on a gentle walk through emerald rice paddies, framed by muscular mountain backdrops. It’s a peaceful stretch of the day and a good chance to slow down before returning to Rantepao for your final night in the highlands.
Rise and shine. This morning, you’ll fly via Makassar to Manado. From there you’ll be privately transferred by car and speedboat to the tropical Siladen Island in Bunaken Marine Park, where you’ll stay for the next four nights. Swap the mountain air for the sea breeze as you arrive at your beachfront villa, surrounded by palm trees and turquoise waters.
Spend the rest of the day unwinding: swim in the warm shallows, stroll along the beach or simply relax with a cold drink in hand.
Over the next three days, you can snorkel or dive in one of Indonesia’s richest marine playgrounds. Glide past colourful coral gardens and tropical fish, keeping an eye out for turtles, reef sharks and eagle rays. Prefer to keep things low-key? Take a refreshing ocean dip, lounge by the pool or book a well-deserved spa treatment.
Tuck into fresh, flavourful meals during your stay and enjoy sunset drinks on the sand as the days wind down. It’s the perfect contrast to Toraja’s intensity: no schedules, no rush, just salt air and soft horizons.
Make the most of your final morning in paradise. Whether that’s one last dip in the sea, a lazy breakfast overlooking the water or a farewell snorkel with the reef fish, today is all about soaking it in. Late morning, you’ll travel back to Manado by speedboat, then fly on to Jakarta.
A hotel room is waiting on arrival, giving you time to freshen up, repack and reflect on everything you’ve seen, from mountain villages to coral reefs. Fancy one last Indonesian feast or a quiet drink before your flight? Your Concierge can point you in the right direction.
This evening, head to the airport for your 17-hour overnight flight home, arriving back in the UK the following day.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
