Spend eight days amid the sweeping Tongkonan roofs of South Sulawesi with this itinerary. You’ll spend most of your time in Tana Toraja, an area known for maintaining many of its historic traditions amidst a backdrop of rice terraces, limestone cliffs, bamboo groves, and mountains. Then make your way south to the floating villages of Lake Tempe and beaches of Bira before you depart.
What will you do ?
- Learn about the unique Torajan funeral culture
- Explore the highlands of Rantepao
- Stay in a floating house on Tempe Lake
- Swim with sea turtles off the beaches of Bira
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 : Makassar to Rantepao
Welcome to Makassar! You’ll meet your guide at the airport to begin your roughly nine-hour journey to Rantepao, the capital of the North Toraja Regency and cultural center of the Toraja ethnic group. The area opened for tourism in the 1970s and has been the starting point for visiting the region ever since.
The roads become smaller and more winding as you go along, the air turning fresh and cool as you start to spot Tongkonan traditional houses with roofs shaped like buffalo horns along the way. Once you arrive in Rantepao, you’ll have the evening to yourself to wander around the local market, learn about area traditions at the Toraja Village, or relax in your lodgings.
Day 2 : Explore Tana Toraja
Get acquainted with your surroundings today in Tana Toraja (Toraja Village), nestled beyond the mountains and granite cliffs of the central Sulawesi highlands. Torajans are especially known for their varied funeral rites, which you’ll learn about today.
Start off in Lemo, once of the oldest burial cliffs in Toraja. You’ll follow a small muddy path through the rice paddies up to the base of a large cliff where the graves have been dug. Continue on to Suaya in the southeast of Tana Toraja, surrounded by ponds and rice paddies and home to the tombs of the Royal Family of Sangalla. The giant rock of Suayajust houses the graves, topped with tau tau funeral effigies.
Go on to Kambira, a village known for its tree burials. Torajans believe that babies who die before they grow teeth are still pure and need to be returned to the cradle of nature, so they should be interred within living trees. This ritual is no longer practiced, however, with the last tree burial recorded more than 50 years ago. Then off to Londa cave, two natural caves where bones of the deceased can be seen tucked into crevices and hanging from the ceiling, along with coffins tucked into the cave roof.
You’ve likely noticed the tau tau effigies looking down from the rocks at these burial sites. These wooden statues indicate a high social status for the deceased.
Your last stop for the day is Ke’te Kesu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site village. The village is one of the most complete traditional Torajan complexes in the highlands, with six Tongkonan houses along the main avenue, 12 granaries, a large open ceremonial ground, and burial site. It’s also home to a museum within one of the Tongkonan, where you can learn more about its history.
Day 3 : Rantepao Village Tour
Start off your village tour today in Tinombayo Village, sometimes called a village above the clouds for its views of the rice fields and surrounding landscape. Head to Pallawa next, known for its complex of Tongkonan houses, including one of the oldest in Tana Toraja. Continue on to Sa’dan, famous for its traditional ikat weaving and wood carvings, and Bori’ Parinding, home to the area’s largest menhir field, stone megaliths that used to mark significant funeral or religious sites.
Day 4 : Market Tour
Welcome to Makassar! You’ll meet your guide at the airport to begin your roughly nine-hour journey to Rantepao, the capital of the North Toraja Regency and cultural center of the Toraja ethnic group. The area opened for tourism in the 1970s and has been the starting point for visiting the region ever since.
The roads become smaller and more winding as you go along, the air turning fresh and cool as you start to spot Tongkonan traditional houses with roofs shaped like buffalo horns along the way. Once you arrive in Rantepao, you’ll have the evening to yourself to wander around the local market, learn about area traditions at the Toraja Village, or relax in your lodgings.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 : Makassar to Rantepao
Welcome to Makassar! You’ll meet your guide at the airport to begin your roughly nine-hour journey to Rantepao, the capital of the North Toraja Regency and cultural center of the Toraja ethnic group. The area opened for tourism in the 1970s and has been the starting point for visiting the region ever since.
The roads become smaller and more winding as you go along, the air turning fresh and cool as you start to spot Tongkonan traditional houses with roofs shaped like buffalo horns along the way. Once you arrive in Rantepao, you’ll have the evening to yourself to wander around the local market, learn about area traditions at the Toraja Village, or relax in your lodgings.
Tour de Sulawesi 