Sulawesi accommodation, mountain lodge
| country: | Indonesia |
| location: | South Sulawesi |
| price: | From US $25 per person per night for a group of 4 people |
description
Eco lodge in South Sulawesi is a true community-based, wilderness experience built and run by the local people, for adventurers who crave an experience far removed from their western lifestyle. The lodge provides comfortable rooms and all meals are included during your stay.
We can accommodate fifteen guests with four bedrooms, a kitchen, ablution facilities and two terraces providing panoramic views over the Kandora mountain pass. The lodge facilities, although basic, are aimed at walkers and local people including school children, and provide a true experience of life in the area.
There is no electricity which adds to the sense of wilderness, and with local people cooking home-grown specialities, the guests can really emerse themselves in the rich culture and heritage of the region.
We can also arrange trips in Laos with trained local ecoguides:
We can accommodate fifteen guests with four bedrooms, a kitchen, ablution facilities and two terraces providing panoramic views over the Kandora mountain pass. The lodge facilities, although basic, are aimed at walkers and local people including school children, and provide a true experience of life in the area.
There is no electricity which adds to the sense of wilderness, and with local people cooking home-grown specialities, the guests can really emerse themselves in the rich culture and heritage of the region.
We can also arrange trips in Laos with trained local ecoguides:
- Trekking in Phou Hin protected area (2 days) US $32 - US $45, price depending on group size (2-8 people)
- Buddha cave: trekking and caving (1 day) US $17 - US $13, price depending on group size
- Konglor cave / waterfalls / trekking (3 days) US $55 - US $60, price depending on group size (3-8 people)
rooms, food and facilities
Trekking
Trekkers to spend one or two nights exploring local culture, history and enjoying magnificent scenery. Local Torajan guides are knowledgeable on local history, culture and legend and can accompany you throughout your trip. On foot you can visit the cave burial site of Tampangallo and the nearby baby graves. A short walk across the paddy fields leads to Suaya, a royal cliff face burial site.Passing through traditional rural communities and pine forest you now begin the approach to the Kandora mountain pass. After lunch, begins the steep climb to the Kandora pass with magnificent views of Torajaland. From the summit is the first view of our lodge. You will arrive at the lodge mid afternoon for refreshments. Later, dinner will be served and guests can relax on the lodge balcony enjoying the magnificent views and sunset.
After breakfast the following day, you descend into the valley below and follow a different trail. You will visit Potok Tengan where ceremonies are held annually to commemorate the legend of the first arrival of Torajans to Kandora Mountain from heaven. Following lunch you now continue southwards to join the main road, south of Makale (km 6) and return by public transport to Rantepao, arriving late afternoon.The lodge provides comfortable private rooms and all meals are included during your stay.
Trekkers to spend one or two nights exploring local culture, history and enjoying magnificent scenery. Local Torajan guides are knowledgeable on local history, culture and legend and can accompany you throughout your trip. On foot you can visit the cave burial site of Tampangallo and the nearby baby graves. A short walk across the paddy fields leads to Suaya, a royal cliff face burial site.Passing through traditional rural communities and pine forest you now begin the approach to the Kandora mountain pass. After lunch, begins the steep climb to the Kandora pass with magnificent views of Torajaland. From the summit is the first view of our lodge. You will arrive at the lodge mid afternoon for refreshments. Later, dinner will be served and guests can relax on the lodge balcony enjoying the magnificent views and sunset. After breakfast the following day, you descend into the valley below and follow a different trail. You will visit Potok Tengan where ceremonies are held annually to commemorate the legend of the first arrival of Torajans to Kandora Mountain from heaven. Following lunch you now continue southwards to join the main road, south of Makale (km 6) and return by public transport to Rantepao, arriving late afternoon.The lodge provides comfortable private rooms and all meals are included during your stay.
how this holiday makes a difference
 Our mountain lodge was constructed in 1998 from a donation from KAS, Germany. It is managed by a local foundation, WALDA, and promoted by VSO and Friends of the World Bank. The lodge is sustainably run as a private business, selling shares to the public to fund major maintenance projects. Employees of the lodge are all local, indigenous people as are the tour guides and construction/maintenance workers. We are a prototype community ecotourism project in Tana Toraja, and the only one in the area with the aim of benefitting local people who live around the tourist attractions. One philosophy of the project is that the community see this as an additional income, not an alternative income, so their traditional lifestyles and occupations are not lost as a result of tourism. For the foreign visitor, a feeling of contribution in helping the local community and an increased awareness of the cultural norms in Tana Toraja is achieved. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |