Toraja & Bada Valley — Highlands, Megaliths & Living Traditions

Meet your guide and fellow travellers at the scheduled meeting point in Makassar. Explore Rammang-Rammang by traditional wooden boat, passing limestone towers, rice fields and rural settlements. Continue north through Parepare, pausing at Bambapuang for mountain views before reaching Toraja. Settle into Santai Toraja Hotel, your base for three nights.

Begin at Buntu Burake, where the Christ statue overlooks the highlands. Discover Lemo’s cliff graves and tau tau effigies, then explore the burial caves of Londa. At Kete Kesu, tongkonan houses, rice barns and woodcarving traditions offer insight into the family ties and ancestral beliefs that shape Torajan life.

Set out for Lolai at dawn, with views across the valleys when weather allows. Visit the standing stones of Bori Kalimbuang before continuing to Batutumonga on the slopes of Mount Sesean. An easy walk follows village paths and rice terraces. Discover the boulder tombs of Loko Mata before returning to your hotel.

Depart Toraja at approximately 6:00 a.m. for a full day’s journey into Central Sulawesi. Descend towards Palopo, then continue through agricultural landscapes, forested hills and rural communities. Balinese settlements along the route reveal another aspect of the island’s cultural diversity. Arrive at Siuri Resort beside Lake Poso for the night.

Travel into Bada Valley on a mountain drive of approximately three hours, depending on road and weather conditions. Explore selected megaliths among fields and villages, then follow rural paths with your guide for a closer look at valley life. Settle into Ningsih Homestay, where your hosts prepare a simple dinner.

Return through the mountains towards Tentena, passing rural settlements and Balinese temples. At Saluopa, follow a forest path beside a succession of cascades, with time to enjoy the surrounding greenery. Continue to Torau Resort Tentena for an evening beside Lake Poso.

Travel south through the changing landscapes of Central and South Sulawesi, passing forested valleys, plantations and regional towns. Stops along the way provide time to rest and take in the countryside. Arrive in Palopo and settle into your hotel for the night.

Continue to Sengkang, a centre of Bugis culture. Explore Lake Tempe by traditional motorised boat, observing floating homes and the daily activities of fishing communities. Your guide explains how life on the lake follows its changing water levels. Return to Sengkang for the night. The boat route is adapted to local conditions.

Return to Makassar through rice-growing countryside, Bugis settlements and regional towns. Settle into Meliá Makassar for your final night, with time to rest after the overland journey before dinner.

A group transfer takes you to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport for your onward flight.