On Foot to Tana Toraja, Sulawesi’s Traditional Heartland

Tana Toraja Travel Information

Getting to Tana Toraja

There are two main entry points for travellers to Sulawesi: Makassar in the South and Manado in the North. Both cities are well served with domestic flights from Bali and Java, and Makassar is a key hub for flights to the remoter reaches of eastern Indonesia. Silk Air has direct international flights to Manado from Singapore.
Most visitors to Tana Toraja arrive from Makassar. Buses run regularly to Rantepao, taking about eight hours, and there are several flights a week by small aircraft to the tiny Pongtiku Airport nearby.
To get to Mamasa there are a few daily direct buses from Makassar but it’s usually easier to take a bus or passenger jeep to Polewali on the coast and transfer there. It’s a long trip, taking about twelve hours.

Accommodation

There is plenty of accommodation for all budgets in Tana Toraja, with the highest concentration in Rantepao. Try the Wisma Maria 1 for cheap, clean rooms, or the nearby Hotel Indra for something a little more expensive. There are plenty of more remote options out in the surrounding countryside. The places on the mountain slopes at Batu Tumonga have some of the best views in Indonesia.

Mamasa receives only a fraction of the tourists that go to Toraja, so naturally accommodation options are more limited. There’s not much in the way of luxury. The slightly run-down Matana Lodge is the main hotel, but better rooms in a peaceful location are available at Guesthouse Gereja on the edge of town.

Along the trekking route from Mamasa to Toraja there are a couple of organised homestays, such as Homestay Maria in Timbaan. These are simple affairs – just a bed in a family home. Villagers along the track are used to seeing trekkers and it is possible to stay with families in most villages. Expect to pay about Rp50, 000 (US$5.50) for the night, including dinner and breakfast.

Activities and Explorations

The uplands of South Sulawesi are wonderful to explore – either independently, or with a guide. There are plenty of travel agencies in Rantepao that can set up vehicle hire, guides, treks, and overnight stays in villages. Lots of freelance guides make the rounds of hotels and restaurants, and if there’s a traditional funeral due to take place you can be sure that you’ll hear about it. It would definitely be best to take the services of a guide to get to a ceremony: they often take place in remote villages, and it’s nice to have someone to advise on etiquette. A few guides operate in Mamasa – ask at the Matana Lodge.

Car and motorbike hire is easily arranged in Rantepao, and the rural roads of Toraja are tranquil by Indonesian standards. Buying a map and heading out under your own steam is a great way to explore the area.

Toraja and Mamasa offer some of the best trekking in Indonesia. The route from Mamasa to Bittuang is simple, and there is no need for a guide or even a detailed map. But if you’d rather not carry your own pack guides, porters and horses can be arranged in both Mamasa town, and in Rantepao.
There are many other trekking routes; some are straightforward for independent trekkers; others pass through remote areas and require a local guide.

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