Komodo flores sumba 23 days tour

DISCOVER KOMODO – FLORES – SUMBA. unforgetable tour
23 days / 22 Days

Day 1. Arrival in Denpasar and transfer to Seminyak
Meeting service at the airport and transfer to Seminyak in around 30 minutes. The rest of the day is free to spend.

Seminyak is located near a very wide white sandy beach. It is near Kuta, but is much more quiet. There is a good choice of excellent restaurants here as well as good shops. A nice place to enjoy Bali’s beaches and to relax.

Day 2. Seminyak, free program
You can relax on the beach or at your hotel.

Day 3. Seminyak, flight from Denpasar to Labuanbajo
In the morning you will drive to the airport of Denpasar and fly to Labuanbajo, the most western town on Flores. You will be picked-up by your driver and taken to your hotel. Rest of the day you have the time to explore this charming somewhat cluttered town situated on a beautiful bay with many small tropical islands. This is one of the few Muslim towns on Flores. Don’t miss the spectacular sunset here.

Day 4 & 5 Boat trip to Rinca and Komodo
Early in the morning you leave by boat and head for the island of Rinca, one of bigger islands belonging to the national park of Komodo. It is also one of the islands where the Komodo dragons live. Rinca is more untouched and less visited than the neighboring island of Komodo. It has secluded bays and is grown over with lontar palms, grasses, small shrubs and cacti. Walking here means walking through an open landscape with vast views of the green-blue waters of Komodo National Parks. Sometimes you meet wild horses, buffalos and monkeys.

After a visit of Rinca you will continue sailing to Komodo, on the way there will be time to do some great snorkeling. Your boat will be anchored for overnight at a seclude bay. In the morning you head for Komodo island. There is more dry and bare forest on this island and you will see gecko’s peeking from their holes in trees, hear the shrieks of the cockatoos and spot more colorful birds. After Komodo you will return to Labuanbajo, if time allows you can stop at some uninhabited islands and do some snorkeling.

Boats are very simple, but have basic facilities for sleeping and washing. The crew will cook for you during your stay on board.

Day 6 First day of an unique trip visiting a remote part of Manggarai; from Labuanbajo to Wailiang
The western part of Flores is inhabited by an ethnic group called Manggarai. They have their own culture and tradition, which in some parts of the area is still quite strong. They are dressed in beautiful textiles called sarong, that are woven according to a special method using yarns of bright colors. Their traditional architecture is a very unique one, the houses are cone-shaped and offer space up to 100 people! Just a few of these house remain and our goal for this unique trip is to visit a remote village that still has several of these houses still inhabited.

This first day we will drive by truck to a small village called Wailiang. We have to use a truck as some parts of the road are too bad for other means of transportation. There are wooden benches and a roof. It is a long road entering a seldom visited area and allowing for spectacular views of the rough south coast of Flores. You will spend the night at local people’s homes.

Day 7. From Wailiang to Wai Rebo: second day
You will continue a short while by truck before you start a trek through a beautiful landscape, several times descending and ascending. You will enjoy great views on rice terraces and on the south coast of Flores. In the afternoon you will reach the village of Wairebo, where you can still find several typical Manggarai communal houses. You have all the time to witness the life in this small and unique village. You will spend the night in one of the Manggarai houses sleeping on thin mats.

Day 8. From Wai Rebo to Denge: third day
You have all the morning to look around in this unique village before heading down to the village of Denge. In this very friendly village you will be staying at the house of the local school teacher. Off course you can have a look at the primary school.

Day 9. From Denge to Ruteng
From Denge you drive by truck via a scenic but quite bad road until you meet the main road to Ruteng. Ruteng is the centre town of the Manggarai country. Very unique here is the shape of the rice fields: they are laid out in the form of a spider web, with each part belonging to a specific family. You are in Ruteng in the afternoon and still have time to visit the colorful market where typical Manggarai sarongs are sold.

Day 10. From Ruteng to Bajawa
The scenery in Flores is never boring: rice terraces, volcano’s, traditional villages, beaches and rough coasts. On this day you will witness all of these different landscapes. You will stop to enjoy the incredible rice terraces near Ruteng, walk to a serene blue lake and hear typical birdsongs. Near the coast you witness people originally from the island of Sawu, making strong liqueur of the juices of lontarpalm. You will picnic on the beach and afterwards follow a mountainous road which allows you views of the Inerie volcano. Arrival in Bajawa will be in the afternoon.

Bajawa is the centre of the Ngada area. This mountainous area is still very traditional, partly due to its isolated location. Villages here consist of traditional wooden houses with specific decoration. Women and men sit on the veranda’s engaging in small handicraft work while chewing betel nut. Every village has a number of totems which symbolize the male and female ancestors. The scenery is wonderful, with high mountain peaks and views of the Sawu sea. A great area for walking.

Day 11. Bajawa, trekking and transfer to Riung
In the morning you will be taken to the starting point of your trekking. During several hours you will pass traditional villages and great landscapes. The walk will end in the village of Bena, a magnificent village. You will be driven back to Bajawa and after lunch continue your way to Riung. There is still time left to enjoy the hot springs of Soa, in which you can take a bath and relax. Half an hour before you enter Riung you will have a stunning view of all the islands belonging to the national sea park Tujuh Belas.

Riung is a small fishing town and quite primitive. There is only electricity in the evenings and many of its inhabitants still live in stilted wooden houses.

Day 12. Riung, excursion to the National sea park Tujuh Belas
With a small motorboat you will explore a part of the national sea park. You will sail to an uninhabited island and enjoy great snorkeling here. Your lunch will be barbequed fish and salad on the beach. Afterwards you will sail to mangrove forest and see many flying foxes hanging on the trees, waiting until dusk to fly off with thousands in search of fruits.

Day 13. From Riung to Moni
A long but beautiful trip through central Flores. After crossing the island you end up at the south coast of Flores and will have the opportunity to walk along the beach partly covered by green stones. After passing rice terraces and driving through an impressive steep valley you will reach the town of Moni, on the slopes of the Kelimutu volcano. The area here is known for its beautiful ikat textiles.

Day 14. Kelimutu volcano and transfer to Maumere
Early in the morning you will drive and walk to the to the top of the Kelimutu volcano to see the sunrise near its three colored lakes: a special experience. On the way to Maumere you will stop at a traditional house, special for this area, and will see women weaving and decorating textiles. In Maumere you will be sleeping in wooden houses near the beach. You will be able to swim and snorkel.

Day 15. From Maumere to Kupang
Flight from Maumere to Kupang and transfer to your comfortable hotel in Kupang.

Day 16. From Kupang to Sumba - Waingapu
You will continue your journey to the island of Sumba by taking the flight from Kupang to Waingapu on Sumba. After arrival you will be taken to your simple hotel in town.

Sumba is a very unique island were people still adhere to their ancient merapu-religion, based on the worshipping of ancestors and spirits. Traditional houses with huge roofs are very impressive, huge carved stones are sometimes still erected to honor the dead and the ikat textile is famous throughout the world. The western part of the island is more traditional but the ikats from the eastern part are more famous. Not too many tourists visit this island, facilities are therefore limited.

Day 17. Waingapu
Today you will learn about the complicated process of ikat making by visiting small villages where women engage in making ikat textiles. It can take years of dying, drying, weaving etc before a cloth is finished. You will see how women bind the threads into patrons, see how they prepare the dyes using roots, leaves and tree bark and witness how they weave their textiles.

Day 18. From Waingapu to Marosi in western Sumba
A long but interesting drive will take you to the traditional western part of Sumba. You will pass Waibakul and Pasunga were you can see the huge and fine decorated megaliths. At the end of the day you will arrive at your very comfortable accommodation an a hill. From your hotel you can enjoy great views.

Day 19 & day 20 Exploring Western Sumba
Using your comfortable hotel with swimming pool as a base, during these days you will visit several areas and make a trekking of around 4 hours to see and visit the traditional houses and markets. You will have tea at people’s home and try some of the betel nut chew which is a very important way for the villagers to welcome guests.

Day 21. Flight from Sumba to Denpasar, transfer to Sanur.
You will fly to Denpasar and check in at your comfortable hotel in Sanur.

Day 22. Sanur, free program
Relax, swim and perhaps do some shopping.

Day 23. Sanur – next destination