Expedition to the Lamalera whaling village, to the mangrove rice fields of Manggarai, in search of the remains of the Flores man and the Komodo dragon.
CENTRAL INDONESIA
July 8 - 17, 2025
Flores, Comodo and Lembata islands, Indonesia
Tour Central Indonesia

Tour to Central Indonesia, Kelimutu lakes, Pasola Festival

Travel to the heart of the Indonesian archipelago, where the iconic whalers of Lamalera preserve their ancient traditions on the tiny island of Lembata. Brave locals venture into the Sawa Sea year after year to hunt sperm whales.

Visit the warm waters of Flores, where Manggarai farmers cultivate the unique cobwebbed rice fields of Lingko. The remains of one of the most intriguing branches of human evolution, the Flores man, are hidden in caves and at the summit of ancient volcanoes. The Kelimutu lakes change color from time to time.

See the sacred Komodo Island, home to flying lizards and the last known dragons on Earth...

Tour to Central Indonesia, Kelimutu lakes, Pasola Festival

SCHEDULE & COST:
Dates: July 8 - 17, 2025

* This expedition can be combined with our trip to Western Indonesia.

Duration: 10 days / 9 nights

Number of participants: 6 – 12

Cost per person:

– USD 2,350 for 12 participants, or
– USD 2,490 for 10-11 participants, or
– USD 2,650 for 8-9 participants, or
– USD 2,790 for 6-7 participants, for double occupancy.

10% discount for early booking of participation (until March 8, 2025)

All inclusive (including local flight Tambolaka – Ende and three meals a day),except:
- international flight to Labuan Bajo (Flores Island, Indonesia) and back from Levoleba (Lembata Island, Indonesia),
- medical insurance for travel abroad,
- Indonesian visa (not required for Russian citizens)

Estimated cost of the flight Moscow – Labuan Bajo and Levoleba – Moscow: 1000 – 1400 USD.
The estimated cost of the flight Levoleba – Medan: 300 – 350 USD.

Surcharge for single occupancy: USD 440 (available for the entire route)


TRAVEL PROGRAM: tour to Indonesia

Day 1. July 8, 2025 (Tuesday). LABUAN BAJO

Arrival in Labuan Bajo, Flores Island in Central Indonesia. Transfer and check-in at the hotel.
Dinner and rest.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Puri Sari Beach Hotel 3*



Recommended flights to Labuan Bajo:
- from Denpasar by Batik Air Flight ID‑6335, departure from Denpasar at 15:35, arrival in Labuan Bajo at 16:55,
- from Jakarta by Batik Air Flight ID‑6524, departure from Jakarta at 14:15, arrival in Labuan Bajo at 17:40,
- or any other flight arriving in Labuan Bajo at any time on July 8th.

Day 2. July 9th, 2025 (Wednesday). LABUAN BAJO – KOMODO ISLAND – LABUAN BAJO

Early in the morning, we will take a boat trip to Komodo Island (or Rink, depending on the weather conditions) to Komodo National Park to see Komodo varans – the legendary Komodo dragons! Komodo Island is the largest of the two islands where you can see the famous dragons. Accompanied by one of the rangers, we will go for a walk in the national park, where, if we are lucky, we will be able to see flying lizards and a rare yellow-crested cockatoo.
In the afternoon, we will have an equally amazing adventure – we will stop at a place where giant manta rays come to feed. Here we will have a unique opportunity to dive with these amazing creatures!
In the evening we return to Labuan Bajo.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Puri Sari Beach Hotel

Day 3. July 10, 2025 (Thursday). LABUAN BAJO – DINTOR – VAE REBO (120 km, 4 hours drive)

After breakfast, we leave the hotel at 08:00 a.m. and head to the traditional village of Manggarai – Vae Rebo. On the way, we will have lunch in the village of Dintor, and leave our cars here. After that, we will drive another 20 minutes by motorcycle from the parking to the trekking start point, and we will walk the remaining 6 km to Vae Rebo. (at first, the road will go up for about 2 km, then another 2 km along a flat road and the last 2 km will descend to the village).
Here we will get acquainted with the culture of the Manggarai, with their daily activities and the arrangement of their homes. The Manggarai have no division into rooms in the house, and the whole extended family lives together under one roof. The house accommodates approximately 30-35 people. We will spend the night in one of these traditional houses.
We will sleep on a traditional mattress, we will have one blanket and pillow per person, the bathroom and toilet are shared. At dinner, we will taste traditional Manggarai food.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: guest house in Vae Rebo, shared accommodation

Day 4. July 11, 2025 (Friday). WAE REBO – LINGKOL RICE FIELDS – LIANG BUA RUTENG CAVE (100 km, 3 hours drive)

Today we will get up early, meet the sunrise in the village, have breakfast, and set off on our way back. We will have to get to Ruteng. Along the way, we will stop to see rare cobweb rice fields called Lingko. Here we will find out the reason why manggarai make rice fields of this shape.
After walking another 6 kilometers, we will also visit the Liang Bua cave, where the remains of the Floresian man, one of the last branches of human evolution discovered by science, were found.
Because of his short stature, the Flores man is also known as the "hobbit" (by analogy with the creatures invented by J. R. R. Tolkien). According to the skull and the most fully preserved skeletons, the height of the Flores people is estimated at about 1 meter, and the brain volume is 400 cm3, which is three times less than the brain volume of a modern human.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Spring Hill Bungalow Ruteng or similar


Day 5. July 12, 2025 (Saturday). RUTENG LERANG AIMERA MALANAGE– BAJAWA HOT SPRING (150 km, 4 hours drive)


Today we will witness the «Caci» ceremony, a ritual battle with a whip, which is one of the main elements of the cultural identity of the Manggarai.
On our way to Bajava, we will stop at Lerang village and admire the view of the rice terraces around, then we will arrive in Aimera to see the process of cooking arak, and at the end of this eventful day we will arrive at the Malanage hot spring. In the evening we will admire the sunset on Mount Volobobo.
Evening arrival in Bajava, a small town surrounded by volcanoes and located at an altitude of about 1,200 meters above sea level.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Sanian hotel or similar


Day 6. July 13, 2025 (Sunday). BAJAVA BENA – NANGAPENDA SAGA / VOLGAI MONI BEACH (150 km, 4 hours drive)

Today, after breakfast, we will visit the stunning Bena, a traditional village of the Gurusina people. Then we will have a fresh seafood barbecue near Nangapenda Beach, where the locals are looking for green rocks.
And after lunch we will go to Saga (or Vologda), a traditional village of the Lio people (depending on the situation). These are one of the few villages in the Lio area with well-maintained houses built in the traditional style of the Lio people. The villages are located on the slope of a hill, which must be climbed to reach the top of the village.
The ritual accessories are kept in the main house itself. Women are not allowed to enter some houses.
We will also visit a coffee plantation and, if time permits, hike to a nearby waterfall.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Kelimutu Crater Lakes Eco Lodge or similar


Day 7. July 14, 2025 (Monday). MONI VOLCANO AND KELIMUTU LAKES – COCA MAUMERE – LARANTUKA BEACH (250 km, 6 hours drive)

Early start to Kelimutu volcano. It's only a 45-minute walk from the parking lot to the observation deck, and we're already meeting the sunrise at the top of the volcano!
Don't forget to bring warm clothes, because it may still be cold early in the morning.
This is a mysterious place with three lakes that are constantly changing their colors. Therefore, it is impossible to predict in advance what color combination we will see!
After that, we will head to Larantuka.
On the way, we will stop at the beautiful Koka beach – with clear water and surrounded by amazing nature and mountains.
Then, after lunch, we will arrive in Maumere, where we will get acquainted with the traditional art of weaving and dyeing ikat fabric. We will also have a traditional welcome ceremony here, which welcomes the honored guests. We will see a welcome dance in a traditional house, we will be offered betel with lime, local tobacco, and we will also be given a chance to make a fire with bamboo sticks.
We will arrive in Larantuka late in the evening.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: ASA Hotel or similar


Day 8. July 15, 2025 (Tuesday). LARANTUKA – LEVOLEBA – LAMALERA (2 hours by boat and 2 hours by car)

In the morning we will leave for the port of Larantuki, where we will board a speedboat to Levoleba, the main town on the neighboring island of Lembata. The journey will take about 2 hours.
We are arriving at Lembata, the island of volcanoes and whalers! Minibuses will meet us at the port and in about 2 hours we will arrive at the Lamaleru whaling village, on the southern coast of the island, on the Savu Sea.
Upon arrival in the village of Lamalera, check into the guest house and explore the surroundings.


Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Efata Homestay Guest House


Day 9. July 16, 2025 (Wednesday). LAMALERA TRADITIONAL WHALING

After breakfast, we will leave for the port, where we will join the whalers and sail with them for the whole day.
Lamalera residents believe that whales are a gift from their ancestors, who encourage their descendants to continue hunting.
Historical legends say that the inhabitants of Lamalera come from Sulawesi, where they cast nets to catch mackerel or other small fish; gaining experience, they boarded boats and caught larger prey. Finally, they built a small fleet of sailboats in the Banda Sea and explored the aquatic world until they reached Lamalera.
Today, Lamalera whalers are one of the last two remaining Indonesian traditional whaling communities. Lamalera whalers are known for their hunting of sperm whales and other deep-sea species, while hunting has been going on for at least six centuries and is permitted by the rules of the International Whaling Commission regarding aboriginal whaling.
July is the high season when whalers often go out to sea hunting for sperm whales, as well as sharks, rays and other marine animals. We will join the hunters and observe the traditional fishing.
Return to the guest house late in the evening. Dinner and overnight at the guest house.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: Efata Homestay Guest House


Day 10. July 17th, 2025 (Thursday). LAMALERA – LEVOLEBA – RETURN FLIGHT


After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch the only flight to Kupang (Timor Island).

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: None

Recommended flights from Levoleba:
— Wings Air flight IW 1994, departure from Levoleba at 9-55 a.m., arrival in Kupang at 11-05 a.m.,
— any flight from Levoleba departing at any time on July 17.

Recommended flights from Kupang:
— any flight from Kupang to Denpasar, or Jakarta, or another city, departing no earlier than 14:00, July 17.

*Recommended flights from Levoleba to Medan, Sumatra (for those who continue to travel to Western Indonesia):
— Wings Air and Lion Air with connections in Kupang (1 hour 25 minutes) and Denpasar (1 hour 15 minutes), departure from Levoleba flight IW 1994 at 9-55 am, arrival in Kupang at 11-05 am July 17, then departure from Kupang at 12-30 and arrival in Denpasar at 14:30, then departure from Denpasar at 15-40 and arrival in Medan on July 17 at 18-20 (or another flight from Denpasar to Medan on July 17, 18, 19 or early in the morning on July 20).
— any other flight from Levoleba to Medan (with transfers in Kupang and further to Denpasar or Jakarta), arriving in Medan no later than 11:00 a.m. on July 20.

**The order of program execution depends on the external conditions and can be changed if all the main activities are preserved. If certain visits and/or activities cannot be completed due to external conditions, they will be replaced if possible.
***The participant of the expedition to Indonesia must respect the culture of the local tribes, understand the objectives of the expedition and possible changes in the program due to changes in the dates of festivals and celebrations, due to the weather, security conditions or for any other reason, be able to adapt to new conditions and culture.

Cost includes:
  • accommodation in hotels and in a guest house in Lamalera on a double (TWIN / DBL)
  • accommodation in a guest house in Vai Rebo, shared accommodation
  • three meals a day along the entire route
  • drinking water everywhere along the route
  • all ground transportation according to the program in all cities: Toyota Hiace minibus for up to 9 people, with a group of more than 9 people – 2 Toyota Hiace minibuses, with working air conditioning and an experienced driver
  • all ferries and boats with experienced motorists
  • visits to all villages according to the program
  • visit to the Komodo National Park and all permits under the program
  • all entrance tickets according to the program
  • all activities and excursions according to the program
  • local professional English-speaking guide
  • Russian-speaking and English-speaking team leader along the entire route


Cost excludes (to be additionally paid) :

  • International flight to Labuan Bajo (Flores Island, Indonesia) and back from Levoleba (Lembata Island, Indonesia),
  • International medical insurance
  • Indonesian visa (not required for Russian citizens)
  • soft drinks and alcoholic beverages and personal expenses
  • tips/gifts to the local population
  • single occupancy


To take with:

  • sun hat
  • light trekking jacket
  • comfortable trekking shoes
  • light shoes (sneakers)
  • sun hat / panama hat
  • bathing suit / swimming trunks
  • raincoat
  • sunglasses and cream
  • personal first-aid kit (analgesics, antiseptics, antibiotics, antiviral, multivitamins, rehydrone, intestinal medications, medicines necessary for you personally)
  • personal hygiene items (including towels, wet wipes, soap)
  • various repellents to apply to skin and clothing
  • medical antimalarial prophylaxis (you decide, but recommended, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax strains)
  • headlamp
  • tracking sticks (optional)
  • backpack for luggage (either a trunk or a small suitcase)
  • small backpack for personal items
  • waterproof document case (optional)
  • photo and video equipment
  • an additional set of batteries and a power bank for photo and video equipment
  • a waterproof case for photographic equipment (preferably)
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