Sulawesi explorer

The countryside surrounding Makassar is filled with rice fields, limestone karsts and caves which were once used by ancient settlers. These settlers left their mark on these caves in the form of simple prehistoric drawings which can still be seen today. With your private guide, you will explore this region by foot, canoe and bicycle, visiting small villages among the rice fields and Leang-Leang, where you will have the chance to see one of these cave paintings.

Today, you will have a private transfer to the town of Sengkang, which is renowned locally for its silk weaving. In and around the town it is often possible to see women weaving under their houses using large, traditional wooden looms. Sengkang is also home to Lake Tempe where some fishermen still retain the tradition of using floating houses. You will have a boat tour of this lake and stop for refreshments at one of the floating houses.

You will continue your journey north today to Toraja, Sulawesi's most famous destination. As you get closer you will notice a change in the scenery with mountains and rice fields. You may also spot a change in the clothes of the locals with a slightly cooler climate and a change in the main religion from Islam to Christianity. Before reaching Toraja you will stop for lunch with a family who are renowned locally for their cheese.

Today you will have a private walking tour through traditional Torajan villages with their unique and characterful houses and visit some of the area's unusual burial sites. The funerals and burial customs are an important part of the Torajan culture and are unique to this area in Indonesia. For lunch, you will have the opportunity to meet a local family and dine in their traditional Torajan house complex.

Early this morning, you will visit the region's animal market, where water buffalo can cost more than a car due to the importance they have in Torajan culture. In the afternoon, you will have a cycling tour through the Torajan countryside, passing local villages and small plantations and stopping at the area's unusual cultural sites.

Today you will fly back to Makassar in preparation for your journey to the north of Sulawesi. In the afternoon, you will visit a local family to assist them in preparing popular regional dishes, which you can then enjoy in the comfort of their home.

Morning flight to Manado, the gateway to north Sulawesi. Your guide will be waiting to greet you and will transfer you to your accommodation by the Tangkoko Rainforest. In the afternoon, you will join a ranger for a guided nature tour in the national park, looking for a number of the park's endemic species, such as the critically endangered Celebes crested macaque and the park's most famous resident: the tarsier. The park is the best place to see these in the wild. During your stay, all your meals are included.

This morning your guide will transfer you to the highlands town of Tomohon, renowned for its market and volcanic scenery. After lunch, you will visit a local temple and have a guided walk in the countryside surrounding Tomohon, where you have views of the volcanoes that stand over the city.

Today you will have a private cycling tour through villages and past the volcanic sulfurous Lake Linow. There is a lot of geothermal activity in this area and by the lake you can see fumaroles, whilst nearby a power plant converts this geothermal activity into electricity. The tour ends with lunch by Lake Tondano, north Sulawesi's largest lake.

Early start for your hike up an unusual river bed that was formed by an ancient lava flow to reach the edge of the active crater. On a clear day, you will be rewarded with panoramic views over Tomohon and the sea. Later this morning you will transfer by car and boat to your hotel on the island of Siladen to spend your last three nights by the sea.

Day at leisure. Located within the Bunaken Marine Park, this is a great place to enjoy diving and snorkeling or simply relax in the grounds of your resort. During your stay, all your meals are included.

Day at leisure to relax or enjoy activities on the sea. The resort is ideally located for watching the sunset over the sea and nearby volcanic island.

The resort's boat will take you back to the mainland this morning where our guide will be waiting to take you back to the airport for your flights home.