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Covid-19 Devastates Indonesians in Tourism & How to Help

May 27, 2020 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

To curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries have at the time of writing imposed social distancing restrictions, strongly affecting the travel & tourism sectors. While a luxury for travellers, tourism is the primary source of income for many locals in Indonesia. Their incomes have been wiped off by as much as 100%, and they have not had the luxury to make savings, receive little government support at best, and the end of the pandemic is not in sight. A financial catastrophe is emerging for the voiceless.

In this article we show the economic devastation of the corona pandemic for the communities in Indonesia depending on tourism, and provide a platform for those who want to help.

Covid-19 Devastates Indonesians


What You Can Do About It

Introduction

Among the hardest hits sectors of the global Covid-19 restrictions is the travel industry, which many developing countries such as Indonesia strongly depend on. The economic consequences have triggered the most basic fears in local communities in Indonesia as some are already struggling to feed their families.

Closure of Tanjung Puting National Park during corona pandemic

Poster with information about the closure of Tanjung Puting National Park, one of the best destinations in the world to see orangutans. The many visitors not only brings many locals out of poverty, a stronger local tourism industry also gives more leverage against palm oil deforestation.

How has Covid-19 impacted the local communities in Indonesia?

One way to answer this question is to look at how the corona pandemic has deteriorated business in the travel sector in Indonesia. We were not able to find official data, so let’s have a look at our own data from Local Guides showing the aggregate impact in the destinations we offer tours, including Bali, Borneo, Flores, Sulawesi and Sumatra.

Drop in Tours in Indonesia since corona pandemic

FIGURE 1. Number of tours in 2020 relative to the historical average. Since EU member states placed travel restrictions in Mid March, the number of clients has dropped by 100% until the time of writing.

In the first few weeks of 2020 – as the virus was already known to be spreading within Wuhan/China – the number of tours we organised were at a similar level as in past years.

But since the first reported Covid-19 case in France on January 24, the number of clients deteriorated as fast as the virus spread across Europe.

Vincent local guide in Maumere

Local restrictions apply since 20th March, varying from stay-at-home orders, wearing masks outside, closed schools/public places/parks and no big religious celebrations. Whenever we return home from outside when buying food (which is still allowed), we should have a 15 minute sunbath, wash ourselves and drink hot water.

With no income since then, I’m very concerned how to take care of my family: a new-born child, 9 year son, wife, and my mother that also lives with me. We have reduced all our costs to the bare minimum but still need food, milk, health insurance and paying off the debt of the loan I received last year to build a house.

So far, there has been no government support for my region. We haven’t received any support for daily needs such as food or masks, let alone a financial support.

Because the situation is impossible for me, I am talking with the bank to get permission to pay my debt later. I have been a guide for many years, but if the situation continues any longer I am forced to look for other jobs to buy food and milk for my family, knowing there are not so many jobs anyways.

The virus is already spreading in my community, so it is concerning that we cannot avoid crowded markets to buy food. Searching for a second job will further expose me and my family to the virus, but I do not many options.

Vincent with family - local guides

By the time EU member states decided in March 17 to place severe travel restrictions, many international flights, including those to Indonesia, were already canceled and the number of tours had dropped by 100%.

Some of the locals that haven’t had any income since mid March, have managed to get through with their small savings. Others spent their savings within weeks already and face a frightening period.

How much worse could things get?

Well, if the circumstances do not improve within the coming weeks, the financial impact for these local communities is dramatic because of the very strong seasonality of the tourism sector as shown in Figure 2.

Historically, he starting point for the travel season is mid March, which exactly coincides with the global travel restrictions. The months prior to this (November – March) was low-season during which the locals in the tourism sector were already living from their savings earned in the high-season.

+70% of the annual income of locals working in the tourism sector is earned in the months June-September.

Drop in Tours in Indonesia since Covid-19 pandemic

FIGURE 2. The number of tours in 2020 in comparison to the historical average. Covid-19 travel restrictions were imposed when the travel season was just about to take off.

While the borders may open again for tourists in the summer, it is believed that the tourism will be far from normal levels for at least the next months.

if I go to the jungle, I have least risk to get sick because locals stay away from the jungle as they think it is hunted.
Budi – local guide in Sulawesi

We also see that in our bookings: While most bookings for the high season are historically done in the period March-May, since mid March this year nobody has booked for a tour in the high season period.

Nur local guide in Kalimantan

Almost everything, including schools and mosques, has been closed since the social distancing measures in Kalimantan on March 17th.

Although we haven’t yet received any government support, we know they will provide some sort of support but it will for sure not be enough.

We cannot do any other work because it is difficult to find any work during the lockdown. The only big local industry that is barely impacted by the Covid-19 crisis is the palm oil industry.

Because we have little savings, we have to sell our personal stuff to survive such as laptops, cell phones, rings or necklaces. Owners of boats – the primary transportation for the orangutan tours in Tanjung Puting National Park – try to sell their boats with discounts.

We are worried to get the coronavirus, but the situation for the healthy people is also terrible.

Moreover, of those who had booked before the pandemic broke out, 80% has already cancelled its tour because of fears for the coronavirus, flight cancellations or the general uncertain outlook.

So it is hard to overstate how worrying the outlook is for these communities.

For a typical household family to have adequate food, clean water, and a roof over their head it costs €5/day/person.

So What Does Local Guides Do to Help?

We try to help out the local communities as much as we can, but sadly, our resources are limited because we barely have any income, and there are a lot of cancellations that require refunds conform our cancellation policy.

The staff at Local Guides have other primary jobs and only work on voluntary basis for Local Guides so that our reserves can be used exclusively to help local communities and refund clients. Fortunately, some of our clients that were eligible to receive a cash refund were kind to accept a voucher for a future tour, and as such support those in need today.

Budi local guide in Sulawesi

When I saw the news in February about the situation in Italy, my heart broke. When Local Guides checked how I was coping with the lost income, I told them to worry about the Italians instead as they are the ones struggling.

Later the virus arrived in Indonesia and I noticed only rich people got it. We are superstitious people so I thought that because we’re poor we won’t get sick.

Then suddenly everything was put in lockdown in Tana Toraja, and the people around me got infected.

So now I am really worried. I am mostly scared of getting the virus because my family relies on my income. I cannot help them when I am sick. Therefore, I decided that if I go to the jungle, I have least risk to get sick because locals stay away from the jungle as they think it is hunted. I myself am born and raised in the jungle, can hunt for my own food and sleep in self-made shelters.

But the problem was that I didn’t have any savings to leave for my family as I would be away. I had spent most of my savings to support the victims of the tsunami in Palu in the end of 2018. And then the tourism season in 2019 was very bad because travellers avoided Sulawesi after this earthquake.

But my friends at Local Guides sent money to my family. This gives us big relief and I really hope that I can pay them back soon. But I am very worried about my neighbours, my friends, and my colleagues. I do not know how they can get through this situation. I am sad because I want to help them but I can’t.

To the local guides most in need we provided donations worth of several months of salaries. To others, we provided loans with 0% interest rate and a friendship agreement to pay it back whenever they can.

But as we mentioned, this is not a sustainable solution as we are running out of reserves and there are more people than the local guides that need help, such as cooks, taxi drivers, cleaners, hotel staff.

We decided to write this article to act as the voice of the struggling local communities. Through this article we ask clients, readers and friends to help these communities in Indonesia. This brings us to the next point.

The road to the usually popular Canggu beach is closed amid the corona pandemic.

What Can You Do to Help?

We won’t dance around it: The best way to help is through donations directly to local communities or via initiatives that pass it directly through such as Food for the poor for the locals in the village Bukit Lawang, Bali Children’s project for the children in poverty in Bali or Kitabisa for affected low income families.

You could also donate through us via the donation form below. 100% of the donations are sent to local communities in tourism sector across Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Flores via our well connected guides.

While costs for living vary, life is generally inexpensive relative to Western standards:

  • meals: 3-6 EUR per day
  • filtered water: ±1.50 EUR per bottle
  • toiletries: 2-4 EUR per month
  • rent: 30-90 EUR per month

For a typical household family to have adequate food, clean water, and a roof over their head it costs €5/day/person.

Any donation you give will help a voiceless person in need in a big way.

Edie local guide in Bukit Lawang

I live in Bukit Lawang. It is a small village in Sumatra, where we enjoy and respect our nature as we live our simple lives as a community.

My village depends on tourism income, but since mid February the village in closed for visitors.

The government is telling us since mid March that they will help the poor after they work out the details and planning. They are still busy with planning, so we have to rely on our own community.

Now we have to work as farmers or have to do other temporary jobs to earn money. I myself am now building roofs from plants in the hope that someone will buy them. Sometimes we get rice and water from donations made by old clients or individuals.

When the flood in 2003 destroyed our village, it took us years to rebuild it and things were finally starting to improve. Recently, I received a donation from Local Guides for the education of my son which gave us a perspective.

But now, it feels like we are back to where we were in 2003, but this time we do not need to rebuild our village but have to wait for visitors to return which is beyond our control. It may take years again for things to improve.

I am looking forward to the day I can work again with my friends and family to show visitors the beautiful habitat of the Sumatran orangutan.

A final word

Because we are a small organization without marketing experience, we only reach a very small audience.

Without your help we cannot be the voice that the local communities need. Could you please help us and share this article with your network?

Thanks so much. Stay safe & healthy,
Local Guides

Update – 1st round of donations

18 June 2020

Yes! We have just made our first round of donations to 65 families (guides, cooks or drivers) in Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Flores with the € ±1.200 we have collected so far! We like to thank everyone for the generous donations, while you are probably struggling yourself as well in one or another way amid the corona pandemic!

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Sumatra
Our representative in Sumatra, Edie, has distributed sembako's to 15 families and another 15 follow in the end of June.

These are guides, cooks and hostel employees around Bukit Lawang currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 20 eggs.
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Sumatra
Our representative in Sumatra, Edie, has distributed sembako's to 15 families and another 15 follow in the end of June.

These are guides, cooks and hostel employees around Bukit Lawang currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 20 eggs.
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Sumatra
Our representative in Sumatra, Edie, has distributed sembako's to 15 families and another 15 follow in the end of June.

These are guides, cooks and hostel employees around Bukit Lawang currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 20 eggs.
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Sumatra
Our representative in Sumatra, Edie, has distributed sembako's to 15 families and another 15 follow in the end of June.

These are guides, cooks and hostel employees around Bukit Lawang currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 20 eggs.
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Flores
We helped our Flores guides Lukas (Labuan Bajo) and Vincent (Maumere) with paying their rent and buy milk for their babies.

Both Lukas and Vincent are out of work since early March, have new-born children and are struggling taking care of their families.
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Flores
We helped our Flores guides Lukas (Labuan Bajo) and Vincent (Maumere) with paying their rent and buy milk for their babies.

Both Lukas and Vincent are out of work since early March, have new-born children and are struggling taking care of their families.
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Tana Toraja, Sulawesi
Our representative in Sulawesi, Budi, has distributed sembako's to 7 families, and will distribute another 6 in the end of June.

These are Torajan guides and drivers currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 30 eggs.
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Tana Toraja, Sulawesi
Our representative in Sulawesi, Budi, has distributed sembako's to 7 families, and will distribute another 6 in the end of June.

These are Torajan guides and drivers currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 30 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP4
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP7
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP6
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP3
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP2
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP5
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
Slider-covid19update1-TP1
Kalimantan
Our representative in Kalimantan, Nur, has distributed sembako's to 20 families.

These are guides and cooks in Tanjung Puting National Park currently out of work.

Each sembako contains rice (5 kg), cooking oil (2 l), noodles and 20 eggs.
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With the donations our local guides across Indonesia have distributed 63 food bags or “sembakos”. Each sembako contains ±2 weeks of essential food products for one family and the products are slightly different per location because of local customs and different price levels.

In Sumatra it consists of rice (10 kg), cooking oil (2 l) and 20 eggs. It is similar in Sulawesi but with 30 eggs; in Kalimantan it also similar but instead of 10 kg of rice, it has 5 kg of rice and noodles.

We also helped 2 struggling families in Flores with their rent and with buying food for their babies.

Thank you so much for your contribution!

The campaign is still running and hopefully we will soon be able to make a 2nd round of donations.

Our main challenge is to reach people, so in case you haven’t already, you would help us tremendously by sharing this article with your friends or on social media. It will make a big difference.

Finally, we got a lot of warm responses and questions from concerned people, so we have now added a comment section below;-)

Thanks a lot. Stay safe & healthy,
Local Guides

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Filed Under: Environmental Blog Tagged With: Tana Toraja

Ultimate Guide to Tana Toraja

August 27, 2019 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

In A Nutshell. Tana Toraja is famous for its unique funeral ceremonies and animal sacrifices to celebrate the dead. Less known are the scenic hikes through bamboo forests, coffee & cacao plantations, rice terraces and traditional villages with Tongkanans, friendly locals and cheerful children ready to play.

Tana Toraja


The Ultimate Guide

What to do in Tana Toraja

The must-do activity in Tana Toraja is to visit several of the many mysterious burial sites of ancient villages and royal families, that are mostly located in the South. Find below a selection of the most beautiful sites in Tana Toraja.

Burial Sites in Tana Toraja

Lemo. Perhaps the best known and most crowded burial site in Toraja. The sheer rock face has a series of balconies with tau tau, wooden statues of the dead persons inside the graves.
Kambira Baby Graves. The most famous baby grave site in Tana Toraja. Torajans from Kambira would carve a hole into the trunk of a Jackfruit tree and place the baby in it. Over time the living tree would grow around the hole sealing the baby into the trunk. Unfortunately, the trees have died by now. This somewhat dark site holds around 20 deceased infants.
Kete Kesu’. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is perhaps the best known traditional Torajan village with Tongkanan houses. Visit the rice barns, hanging graves, or start a scenic trek from here.
Suaya. Seven royal families from Sangalla are buried at this famous and relatively quite burial site. The wooden effigies tau tau are in balconies that are cut in the large rock face.
Tampang Allo. Perhaps the least known of the fabulous must-sees in the Southern area: A beautiful, natural cave that has been used in the past as burial site, and where you find tau tau and some human bones.
Lampio in Tana TorajaLampio. Lampio is a traditional weaving village in Toraja. It is the authentic equivalent to the touristic and commercial Sa’dan village.
Bebo and Karuaya. Traditional villages, where the villagers still have a traditional, animistic belief. The walk from Bebo to Karuaya takes around 45 minutes, during which you see both traditional Torajan houses and beautiful nature.

Bolu Livestock Market

Another popular activity is to visit one of the animal markets. Palau Bolu (Polu Market) is the biggest market where mostly buffaloes are sold by small herders, and where significant sums of money is spent by locals. It is here where family members buy buffaloes to be sacrificed for the the deceised in a burial ceremony.

The deceased is thought to being its journey to Puya after the burial ceremony, and the buffalo is considered to be a vehicle to make the journey. Therefore, family members want to buy as many buffaloes as they can afford for the deceased to do the journey as fast as possible. The Bolu Market is open only once or twice a week depending on the season.

Another famous animal market is the Makale Market where the main commodity is pigs.

Warning: While it is interesting to witness the tradition of buying and selling animals in the livestock markets, these markets are not for the faint hearted as the animals are not always treated well. Especially when you have kids, we advice to not visit animal markets and avoid the funeral ceremonies where animals are slaughtered, and instead visit the unique burial sites and remote villages, or do scenic treks.

Beautiful Landscapes in the North of Tana Toraja

The beautiful landscapes around Tana Toraja are mostly located in the North of Tana Toraja. While the most famous village around is Batutumonga, other beautiful villages with scenic landscapes include Tinimbayo, Limbong, Parinding, Tina, Perangian, Pana, Salu, Lolai and other picturesque places that are discussed in more length in the day-to-day itinerary of the 4D Toraja & Village Stay tour below.

Recommended Tana Toraja Tours & Scenic Treks

The must-do activity is a 2 Day Toraja Tour during which you spend one day to see the burial sites in the South from Rantepao – such as Kambira, Kete Kesu and Tampang Allo – and spend another day to see the beautiful landscape and mountains in the North around Batutumonga, and ideally do a short trek through the rice fields and remote villages.

As Tana Toraja is famous for its unique funeral ceremonies, many travellers overlook that it is a paradise for hikers as well! Unfortunately, most guides are only familiar with the touristic and marked trails, and are not familiar with the beautiful off-the-path mountain treks just a bit further from Rantepao, so choose your guide wisely.

If you also want to experience the beautiful landscape around Sulawesi and stay overnight in remote villages among locals, you should do at least the 3D Toraja Tour & Village Stay Tour, but we recommend the 4 or 5 Day Toraja Tour & Village Stay to fully enjoy the serenity as you trek through rice fields, bamboo forests, cacao- and coffee plantations, and meet friendly locals as you stay overnight in their remote communities.

Local Guides is specialised in scenic Tana Toraja treks and the Tana Toraja & Village Stay Tours are designed by us. Most Torajan guides are not familiar with these treks, so in case you wish to book these tours with other operators, make sure they are familiar with the treks.

Find below the day-to-day itinerary of the 4D Toraja & Village Stay Tour. Other day-to-day itineraries can be found in our Tana Toraja Tour Page (click on the tab above the image slider).

Itinerary for 4D Tana Toraja & Village Stay Tour

Note: Below is the standard itinerary, however the actual program may be different depending on the ceremony schedule, rice field conditions, or your wishes. The overnight dates in Rantepao and in the villages are fixed, though. Because of the flexibility of the itinerary, the entrance fees at sites (~30.000 IDR per site per person) are not included. Also, meals are only included for long treks.

Day 1: Highlights of the South

Rantepao >> Lemo – Kambira – Tampang Allo – Lampio – Bebo & Karuaya – Kete’ Kesu >> Rantepao

Included: guide, car, driver, fuel, parking fees
excluded: accommodation in Rantepao, entrance fees to sites, meals

Visiting the Southern area will feel as if a cultural documentary has been brought to life. These are the must-sees of Tana Toraja.

Lemo village in Tana Toraja

Typically we will visit Lemo, Kambira, Tampang Allo, the weaving village Lampio, and the burial site in Kete’ Kesu. If there is time we could also visit the animistic villages Bebo and Karuaya.

Lemo

Perhaps the best known and most crowded burial site in Toraja. The sheer rock face has a series of balconies with tau tau, wooden statues of the dead persons inside the graves.

Kambira Baby Graves

The most famous baby grave site in Tana Toraja. Torajans from Kambira would carve a hole into the trunk of a Jackfruit tree and place the baby in it. Over time the living tree would grow around the hole sealing the baby into the trunk. Unfortunately, the trees have died by now. This somewhat dark site holds around 20 deceased infants.

Tampang Allo

Perhaps the least known of the fabulous must-sees in the Southern area: A beautiful, natural cave that has been used in the past as burial site, and where you find tau tau and some human bones.

Lampio

Lampio in Tana TorajaLampio is a traditional weaving village in Toraja. It is the authentic equivalent to the touristic and commercial Sa'dan village.

Bebo & Karuaya

Bebo and Karuaya are traditional villages, where the villagers still have a traditional, animistic belief. The walk from Bebo to Karuaya takes around 45 minutes, in which you see both traditional Torajan houses and beautiful nature

Kete' Kesu

Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is perhaps the best known traditional Torajan village and very close to Rantepao. It is renowned for its traditional tongkanan houses, rice barns and its hanging graves. Also, there are a few scenic trekking options from here.

Day 2: Trekking to Tinapu Village (L D)

Rantepao >> Pana – Kata – Kepe – Poya – Perangian – Tinapu

Included: guide, car and driver for drop-off, long trek (Pana – Tinapu), overnight at Tinapu, meals as mentioned

After breakfast, you are picked up and dropped off at Panaa. We visit the old stone grave, and then start our scenic day trek. We walk to Kata which located in the middle of rice fields.

Kata village

We continue via Kepe to the very old village Poya, where some still have animistic beliefs and who have been studied by European scientists. The next stop is at Perangian village, with many joyful children excited to see foreigners.

We hike through a beautiful and rough landscape before arriving at our final destination Tinapu village, where we meet the hospitable villagers and feel the warm Torajan atmosphere where people live simply and are happy at the same time.

Day 3: Trekking to Salu (B L D)

Tinapu – Limbong – Parinding – Bela – Salu

Included: guide, long trek (Tinapu – Salu), overnight at Salu, meals as mentioned

After breakfast we start our hike to the beautiful ricefields at Limbong village, and the many Torajan houses and rice burns at Parinding

Salu VillageSalu panorama

We will have lunch in the forest or the rice fields. And then we pass cacao- and coffee plantations and beautiful rice fields before we arrive at the remote, traditional village Salu. We meet the villagers, have diner, and spend the night in a local house.

Day 4: Highlights of the North (B)

Salu >> Lombok Parinding – Bori – Palawa – Tinimbayo – Batutumonga – Loko Mata >> Rantepao

Included: guide, car, driver, fuel, parking fees, short trek (Loko Mata – Kata – Kayurame)
excluded: accommodation in Rantepao, entrance fees to sites, meals

After breakfast in Salu village, we are picked up by car to explore the scenic Northern part of Toraja.

Lombok ParindingBori

We visit the stone graves and rice burns in the village Lombok Parinding, the megalithic stones in Bori, and the traditional village Palawa and Tinimbayo.

Batutumonga in Tana Toraja

Lunch will be served in Batutumonga, where you enjoy a beautiful panorama view. After lunch, we drive to Lokomata to see the boulder grave.

At Loko Mata we start our scenic trek of 2-3 hours through rice fields, bamboo forests, cacao and coffee plantations, until we arrive at Kayurame village, from where we return by car to Rantepao.

Reading Tip:
Day-to-day itineraries for Tana Toraja Tours & Scenic Treks
(click on the tab “Toraja Tours” above the image slider)

For a good preparation of your Tana Toraja Tour, read the The Ultimate Guide to Tana Toraja

How to get to Tana Toraja

Makassar is the gateway to Tana Toraja, and Rantepao is the base from which to explore Tana Toraja.

Fly to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar. From here you can reach Rantepao both via land and by air.

By Air. Take the morning flight from Makassar to Palopo Bua Airport (±1 hour), located ±2 hour drive from Rantepao. We pick you up here for free if your tour starts on the same day. Use SkyScanner to search for international and domestic flights.

Warning: While Rantepao also has a small airport “Pongtiku”, we advice against flying there, as occasionally flights are either delayed or canceled.

Taxi. Take a private transfer from the airport to Rantepao (±8/9 hours). You could make stops at interesting sites on route (Bugis village, Erotic mountains), make a detour to visit Rammang Rammang, or break the journey with an overnight at Sengkang.

Bus. The cheapest option is to take the bus (±9/10 hours). There are many bus companies with different prices and each bus has several seat classes. Always take the “VIP” seats as these are the most comfortable. Bus companies include Litha & Co, Manggala Trans and Primadona. Usually you need to buy the bus tickets locally, but Primadona has a (primitive) online booking system and an email address ([email protected]).

Where to stay in Rantepao

While nowhere near the high-end resorts in Bali, the best and relatively luxury accommodation in Rantepao is Toraja Misilliana Hotel .

Misiliana Hotel in Rantepao

What is the best period to visit Torajaland

From a climate point of view, Tana Toraja can be visited all year long. While the temperature is fairly constant throughout the year, chances for the best weather are in the dry season from mid April to early October. However, the rain season in Tana Toraja is not as wet as in other places in Indonesia; typically there is short rain shower in the late afternoon, if it rains at all. In the worst case it could rain half a day.

The best period to visit Tana Toraja to attend a funeral ceremony is July – August. In these months you will be able to attend a ceremony with near certainty if you stay in Tana Toraja for 3 days or more. At the same time this is the busiest period with crowds or visitors.

The best period to visit Tana Toraja for scenic trekking are the shoulder periods in the dry season April-June and September-October, although the off-the-beaten-path experiences are also fun in the rain season October-March and the super peak season July-August.

What to bring to your Tana Toraja Tour

The general pack list:

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Insect repellent (DEET 40%)
  • Small backpack for the day trips
  • Camera

Pack also the following for the Tana Toraja treks:

  • Towel
  • Pocket light
  • Mobile charger for your electronic devices (or a spare battery)

In case you visit a ceremony, you could consider bringing ceremony gifts (e.g. sugar, chocolate, cigarettes) with you, or alternatively just ask your guide to make a stop at a store on the way to the ceremony.

Where to go after Tana Toraja

The Tana Toraja Tours can be perfectly combined with visits to Rammang Rammang, Lake Tempe and Bira Beach.

  • Rammang Rammang (±1.5 hours from Makassar by car) is part of Batimurung National Park, famous for its limestones. You need to cross a mangrove river by canoe to arrive at Rammang Rammang, where you can do several short hikes, visit the viewpoint on a hill or the caves with ancient drawings.
  • Lake Tempe is the largest lake in Sulawesi and known for its floating villages. You cruise by boat between the houses, and can make stops for a coffee or desert in one of the floating houses.
  • Tanjung Bira is known for its white beaches and turquoise water and considered to be among the most beautiful beaches in Indonesia. Located ±200 km from Makassar, it is relatively remote and therefore not crowded with tourists.
Recommended Round Trip Tours from Makassar (Mak.):
  • 5 Day Makassar > Rammang Rammang – Lake Tempe – Tana Toraja > Makassar
  • 7 Day Makassar > Rammang Rammang – Lake Tempe – Tana Toraja – Tanjung Bira > Makassar
Go to our Tana Toraja Tours page for detailed day-to-day itineraries for all our South Sulawesi Tours (click on the tab “Sulawesi Tours” above the image slider).

Filed Under: blog, The Ultimate Guides Tagged With: Tana Toraja

A Surprising Experience

October 17, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

To learn about the Tara Toraja culture, the best option we took was to have Local-guides and with Budi, an excellent guide. It was a success from the beginning, until the end. The visit, of 4 days, was intense and did not leave us indifferent. The explanations, the landscape, its people and especially its culture, exceeded our expectations completely. 100% Recommmendable! Lucia

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

Very Friendly & Helpful Guides

October 15, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Haben über local guides die klotok Tour gebucht. Budi holte uns einen Tag vor Beginn der Tour abends nach einer langen Busfahrt von Makassar in Rantepao ab. Wir besprachen die Tour, aßen lecker zu Abend und er brachte uns in unsere etwas entferntere Unterkunft von Rantepao,was wohl sonst nicht so üblich ist. Eine Unterkunft Nähe Zentrum ist definitiv eher zu empfehlen, obwohl es außerhalb landschaftlich sehr schön ist. Am nächsten Morgen lernten wir dann Luther kennen, der uns die nächsten Tage begleitete. Wir besuchten eine Zeremonie, saßen direkt bei der Familie,tranken Tee und aßen Kekse mit ihnen, hautnah dabei. Die komplette Tour wurde immer wieder sehr auf unsere Wünsche eingegangen. Wir besuchten einige typisch touristische Stätten, aber auch viele, wo wir viel mehr über die Landschaft, die Kultur und den Alltag der Torajas erfahren haben. Luther ist ein super lustiger Guide, der gutes Englisch spricht, wir haben sehr viel mit ihm gelacht. Das Highlight der Tour war neben dem Besuch der Zeremonie, trekking around Salu, Besuch einer Schule und eines Krankenhauses, Besuch des Büffel Marktes die Übernachtung bei einer typischen Toraja Familie. Wir wurden super herzlich empfangen und liebevoll in ihr Leben integriert, eine unvergessliche Erfahrung. Leider erlebten wir dort auch die Auswirkungen von dem Erdbeben vor dem Tsunami, was uns eine schlaflose Nacht bereitete. Unsere Weitereise stand auf dem Spiel. Budi nahm sich unendlich viel Zeit und Geduld unsere Pläne irgendwie umzusetzen, erstellte uns zunächst eine komplette neue Variante, wie wir weitereisen können. Nach Telefonaten und Austausch mit anderen Guides konnten wir schließlich doch unsere geplante Reise Richtung Togians fortsetzen. Wir danken Budi von Herzen für seine Bemühungen und seinen Aufwand, gerade in dieser Zeit, wo er selbst nicht wußte, was mit seiner Familie und Freunden in Palu passiert war. Über die unfassbare Freundlichkeit und Herzlichkeit der Menschen (guides, Fahrer usw.) gerade in der Zeit des Unglücks sind wir zu tiefst gerührt. Es ging immer darum uns den Urlaub so angenehm wie möglich zu machen und unsere Wünsche zu erfüllen.Local guides ist zu 100 Prozent zu empfehlen, auch die Kommunikation im Vorfeld war unfassbar freundlich,super zuverläßlich und absolut zeitnah. Budi und Luther sind tolle Guides, die auf sehr authentische Art versuchen den Reisenden ihr Land, ihre Kultur und ihre ganz persönlichen Erfahrungen näher zu bringen. Wir haben uns in jeglicher Hinsicht super wohl mit ihnen gefühlt. Wir wünschen uns, daß noch viel mehr ihre Arbeit als Guide in Anspruch nehmen und sagen Danke für das was sie für uns gemacht haben. Lilly

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

Choose Guide Budi

October 11, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Have booked the excellent guide Budi for a few days with my mother and my fiance and was more than satisfied what our guide Budi shows us. He is very professional and knows so much about the torajan history, which he explains in an good english very enthusiastic (he loves his job, the nature and people.) Because of him, we could join an ceremony and felt integrated, as he knew everybody and could introduce us to the most important people there. Also we could sit with them together, have an chat and eat cookies…which gave us an warm welcome. (Its different to make just tourist pictures from outside. So we knew all the people by name, as they walked by in the ceremony with the music, surrounded by many buffalos). What an great, unique experience. Thanks to Budi! Also my mother suffers from Parkinson and he was so helpful every day and made the program possible for her. We could daily change the program perfect for our wishes as he is flexible, understood us and gave helpful advices for further travelling… We will come back and choose Budi again. We feel safe and happy with an positive guide like him. Cruiser

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

A Week To Remember!

October 8, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Sal and Budi advised me very well with a choice of itineraries and Yulius and Lia were the best guides. Once he knew my interests, Yulius planned three varied and interesting days and took me to a number of villages and burial sites round Rantepao; as well as attending a funeral, we visited a village where preparations were being made for another, and I was able to see craftsmen preparing the bier, with fascinating carving and painted detail. The sad events of the earthquake and tsunami in northern Sulawesi may make potential visitors hesitant to book a holiday on the island but Tana Toraja was not affected; indeed the region needs its foreign visitors so if you are planning to go there, don’t delay. In addition to its cultural wealth, the region is exceptionally beautiful; probably not a place to take very young children but fascinating for everyone else. For those who are travelling through the Indonesian archipelago, this region is not to be missed. Local Guides can arrange your transport from and back to Ujjain Padung (Makassar) airport and they can advise you on a hotel and all other details of your visit. Jane

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

A Week in Toraja

October 8, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Sal and Budi advised me very well with a choice of itineraries and Yulius and Lia were the best guides. Once he knew my interests, Yulius planned three varied and interesting days and took me to a number of villages and burial sites round Rantepao; as well as attending a funeral, we visited a village where preparations were being made for another, and I was able to see craftsmen preparing the bier, with fascinating carving and painted detail. The sad events of the earthquake and tsunami in northern Sulawesi may make potential visitors hesitant to book a holiday on the island but Tana Toraja was not affected; indeed the region needs its foreign visitors so if you are planning to go there, don’t delay. In addition to its cultural wealth, the region is exceptionally beautiful; probably not a place to take very young children but fascinating for everyone else. For those who are travelling through the Indonesian archipelago, this region is not to be missed. Local Guides can arrange your transport from and back to Ujjain Padung (Makassar) airport and they can advise you on a hotel and all other details of your visit. Jane

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

Leider Viel zu Kurt!

September 17, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Ich habe dort leider nur den 2 Tag und 1 Nacht Trek gemacht, das war viel zu kurz. Edi und seine Mitarbeiter sind alle sehr nett und freundlich. Das ganze Dorf ist es. Es wurde sich einfach um Alles gekümmert und sämtliche Sorgen wurden einen genommen. Die Guides sind sehr bemüht und auch lustig. Man merkt richtig dass es ihnen mega Spaß macht den Menschen ihre “Heimat” zu zeigen. Das Englisch ist vollkommen ok zur Konservation und es sind auch Alle bemüht andere Sprachen zu lernen. Die Verpflegung war richtig toll, mitten im Jungle besser wie in so manchem Restaurant. Zur Schlafen wurden für uns unter einen Dach Moskitonetzzelte aufgebaut. Aber diese wären fast nicht nötig gewesen. Hier waren weniger Moskitos wie im Rest Indonesiens. Einzig das Bett ist wohl gewöhnungsbedürftig, da man mit einer ziemlich dünnen Matratze auf einem Stein schläft. Aber Boxspringbett darf man im Dschungel eben nicht erwarten. Ich würde das ganz auf jeden Fall wiederholen. Ich würde aber einen längeren Trek buchen und noch etwas in Bukit Lawang bleiben. Das Dorf und die Menschen sind einfach Spitze. Daniel

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

Amazing Experience!

September 13, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

We had an amazing time. Our guide, Adhi, met us the evening before at our guest house (Sam’s bungalow) and went through the plan for the next couple of days and everything we’d need to bring. He then met us again after breakfast the next morning. He organised for our bags to be stored whilst we were trekking and off we went. We saw loads of orangutans and other wildlife during our trek, we had our own personal chef (Andy) who cooked amazing local food for us every day (3 meals a day plus snacks). Accommodation is basic in a tent (which acts as a mosquito net) inside a hut. If you don’t mind a hard floor then you’ll sleep well after hard days of trekking. The trek each day wasn’t particularly long (6 or 7 hours) but as the days progressed, the trekking got steeper and harder to climb. At the end, our guide told us how to get transport to our next accommodation and he organised a private car to take us to the airport. All in all we had a great few days and would highly recommend Local Guides, particularly Adhi and Andy Ross

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

Highly Recommended to Take a Guide

February 13, 2018 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

I am a very low-budget backpacker and therefore I traveled through Tana Toraja for 2 days without a guide. However, I got the feeling that I was only visiting tourist places while my impression was that there was so much that the area offered which is why I decided to contact local guides. And I don’t regret it for a bit! Wow, they really brought me to incredible places I would never have found by myself (from rice terraces to cacao plantations and beautiful viewpoints in the mountains as well as cute mountain villages!). I cannot stress enough what a great value for money this is. The service is incredible! I felt that they really tried to understand my wishes and went the extra mile to give me an incredible experience. It was so good that I didn’t even doubt hiring them again for a later destination I had in Sumatra! Harold

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Tana Toraja

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About Us

We are a community of local guides in Indonesia with a passion for the outdoors and our environment. We fight for our rainforests, we support our local communities, and we provide ecotours for local prices to promote responsible travel.

A True Treasure!
A True Treasure!

Me and my family first did an orangutan tour with LG in Kalimantan, and we were so incredibly amazed about the thorough (really unprecedented to me!!!) service and their positive mindset, that I decided to visit another location in which they also offer tours -> Tana Toraja. Wow! While everyone visits the casual burial sites, ...

Tana Toraja

Amazing Experience!
Amazing Experience!

We had an amazing time. Our guide, Adhi, met us the evening before at our guest house (Sam’s bungalow) and went through the plan for the next couple of days and everything we’d need to bring. He then met us again after breakfast the next morning. He organised for our bags to be stored whilst ...

Tana Toraja

Great Experience
Great Experience

3 days 2 nights was the perfect amount of time, spend the days searching for animals and the nights in a shanti camp, eating well prepared meals, with some card trick entertainment. Anytime less than this trekking you get stuck in a bit of a tourist trap at the semi wild orangutans and in season ...

Bukit Lawang

Just Incredible
Just Incredible

Local-Guides helped us incredibly with all our questions beforehand via email, and always replied promptly, enthusiastically and patiently! We booked through them also a very comfortable (airco, shower) accommodation, beautifully bordering the jungle, for a supergood price. And our guides were spectacular! Firstly, I was positively surprised that despite the good price we had, we ...

Bukit Lawang

Choose Guide Budi
Choose Guide Budi

Have booked the excellent guide Budi for a few days with my mother and my fiance and was more than satisfied what our guide Budi shows us. He is very professional and knows so much about the torajan history, which he explains in an good english very enthusiastic (he loves his job, the nature and ...

Tana Toraja

Fantastic 8D7N Tour!
Fantastic 8D7N Tour!

After a splendid tour with LG (local-guides dot org) in Kalimantan, we decided to do the 8 Day Sumatra Tour with them, and it was just another dream come true! We were a bit unsure in the beginning because the price was so much lower than other tour agencies, but everything was super nicely organized! ...

Bukit Lawang

Comfortable private boat tour with family
Comfortable private boat tour with family

Our boat tour in Tanjung Puting with local guides was perhaps the best holiday experience i have ever had in my life. Therefore we decided to do the komodo boat tour also with local guides, and again they were truly amazing. Upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, me and my family were picked up from the ...

Flores

Very Friendly & Helpful Guides
Very Friendly & Helpful Guides

Haben über local guides die klotok Tour gebucht. Budi holte uns einen Tag vor Beginn der Tour abends nach einer langen Busfahrt von Makassar in Rantepao ab. Wir besprachen die Tour, aßen lecker zu Abend und er brachte uns in unsere etwas entferntere Unterkunft von Rantepao,was wohl sonst nicht so üblich ist. Eine Unterkunft Nähe ...

Tana Toraja

Amazing Trek!
Amazing Trek!

We did a 3 days/2 nights trek with our guide Randy. He was so helpful, was constantly looking for animals and told us everything about the flora and fauna. Also, he was really considerate about if we could keep up. We saw many different animals and beautiful nature. The camps were also really nice, the ...

Bukit Lawang

Wundervolle Boottour!
Wundervolle Boottour!

Wir hatten im voraus die Tour über die Webseite von Local Guides gebucht und unsere Erwartungen wurden mehr als übertroffen. Es war einmalig! Wir wurden von unserem Hotel pünktlich abgeholt und zum Boot gebracht. Alles war sehr gut organisiert. Unser Guide Joe Bowo – ein ehemaliger Ranger des Tanjung Puting National Park (siehe auch den ...

Tanjung Puting

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