Sulawesi Island Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival Makassar

Welcome to Makassar! Upon your arrival at Sultan Hassanuddin Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel, found in the heart of the city. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure and get your first taste of Makkasar!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Makassar
Distance: None
Meals: None

Day 2 Guided City Tour of Makassar

Today following breakfast you’ll set out to explore the capital of South Sulawesi—the beautiful port city of Makassar.

First up, you’ll visit Fort Rotterdamn, one of the best-preserved examples of Dutch architecture in Indonesia. Next stop is Paotere Harbor. Paotere Harbor represents a bustling hub of seaside life and fishing activity. Survey the locally built, famed Bugis ships, which dock here throughout the day and watch as friendly locals load and unload their goods. Together with the locals working the fisheries, these ships provide a valuable insight into the day-to-day life of the area. Walk down the dock to visit a variety of stalls then head south to experience the vibrant fish market.

In the evening, walk around Losari Beach and savour some delicious Indonesian food to top of the day!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Makassar
Distance: Flexible
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Drive to Rantepao

This morning you’ll set out the long, but scenic 11-hour journey to Rantepao with a few stops along the way. The first part of the route will follow the coastline for about 3 – 4 hours until you reach Pare Pare. On the way short stops can be made to take pictures and enjoy short walks to take in the varying landscaepes. In Pangkep, stop to taste some traditional cookies called Dange that are well worth the stop. Later, grab a bite for lunch in Pare Pare before continuing the last stretch to Rantepao with a short stop at the picturesque Sa’dan River along the way.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Rantepao
Distance: Flexible
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Explore Rantepao

Today you will have the chance to explore Rantepao, a town rich in culture and tradition, in -depth. You will visit Lemo Village. This funeral site is a place where you can see carved wooden effigies of the dead. The wooden statues are a symbol of social status. Called “Tau-Tau” in Indonesian, each effigy represents a Torajan noble from the area that passed away. Continue to visit King Suaya Graveyard. The graveyard lies on one of the hillsides and is carved as the resting place of the kings and king’s family. Next is a visit to Londa, a steep rocky side grave. One of its sides is located on a higher place from the hill with deep caves where coffins are arranged and grouped based on the family lines. On the other side of the hill, on the balcony, dozens of “Tau-Tau” stand up high, as if they were alive, eyes open, looking over the green landscape.

From here continue to visit Kete Kesu, a vibrant small village which is still traditional in its character. If you take a look from the front side, you will find it lying in the middle of the wide paddy fields, set against the backdrop of curved roofs and carved barn walls. Return back to your hotel to the enjoy an evening at your leisure in Rantepao.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Rantepao
Distance: Flexible
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 Toraja Hiking and Homestay

This morning you’ll be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the trailhead of today’s hike which starts from Salu Village. The beautiful hike unfolds through a unique part of Toraja and you will have the opportunity to spend the night in a small typical Toraja village, staying in a Tongkonan (traditional house of Toraja). The hike leads through rice terraces balancing on narrow rice dikes and winding small dirt roads, crossing meandering rivers via bamboo bridges. The villages you’ll pass through are very traditional and along the way you’ll stop to have tea, coffee and lunch alongside the locals.

Tonight, you’ll stay in a Tongkonan house and enjoy a mouth-watering dinner featuring a local specialty, known as ‘papion manuk’, which is chicken cooked in bamboo tubes with veggies and rice.
Overnight Location: Homestay in Toraja
Distance: 10-15km, 400m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6 Half-Day Hike in Toraja and Free Time

After breakfast this morning you’ll spend some more time exploring the stunning natural landscapes of Toraja on foot with a half-day hike before transferring to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you please, soaking up the sights and sounds of this unique area brimming with culture.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Toraja
Distance: 15km, 300m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Day 7 Transfer to Sengkang and Lake Tempe by Canoe

Set out this morning on the 6-hour bus ride to Sengkang, passing through scenic landscapes along the way and enjoying a few short stops to stretch the legs and grab some lunch.

On arrival in the early afternoon in Sengkang, you’ll then enjoy an excursion by canoe on the beautiful Tempe Lake, filled with floating lilies and exotic birdlife. On the lake you will find the village of floating houses which you can visit to meet the local fishing families.

Please note: Canoe excursions on Tempe Lake is only possible when water levels are high enough.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Sengkang
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 Transfer to Maros – Hike and Canoe to Makassar

Another day of adventures on land and water await you as you transfer this morning from Sengkang to Maros. You’ll then hike through rice fields and limestone cliffs (5km-10km) to reach a small village where you can enjoy a snack and tea in a local Bugis style house. From here, continue the walk along rice fields and continue between 2 huge walls of limestone to reach a small cave which you can explore. The final stretch is completed by a small pedal canoe to the main road which takes around 30 minutes. Return to your hotel in Makassar to unwind and enjoy another delicious dinner this evening in town.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Makassar
Distance: 1.5hours, 5-10km, 300m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 Depart Makassar

Your island adventure comes to an end this morning in Makassar. Following breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport to depart.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast