WE BEGIN IN SINGAPORE for an overnight stay to rest after our long flight from the USA.
From Singapore we fly direct to Parapat, and then drive to Lake Toba, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

The journey starts in Singapore, where we have a day to rest before taking a direct flight to Lake Toba, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, part of a volcanic caldera eruption about 25 million years ago. On a day cruise to Samosir, the island at the center of Lake Toba, we will explore the culture of the Toba Batak. Once a warlike people, the Bataks were “headhunters of Sumatra” who practiced cannibalism; today they are gracious and welcoming to visitors. In Tomok, we see the Batak Toba’s traditional boat-shaped houses, which have upswept, thatched roofs and intricately carved gables. One of these houses is King Sidauruk’s home, which has been restored and is now a museum. We wrap up the day with a visit to one of the island’s most famous sights—the 200-year-old stone sarcophagus of King Sidabutar, with the king’s likeness carved on the front and that of Anting Malela, according to legend the woman who spurned him, on the back.

Leaving Lake Toba, we make a scenic back road across the Karo plateau to the town of Berastagi, a cool mountain retreat on the northeastern edge of the Toba caldera.
The next day we drive through the forested foothills of the Barisan Mountains to Medan stopping at Simalungun, a highland palm oil and rubber estates.

Leaving Sumatra, we fly to Sumba, where we have received a privileged invitation to attend the funeral of a nobleman. Although Indonesia’s social system no longer recognizes nobility as legally approved, the title is accepted socially by many people especially on the island of Sumba. The family of the deceased has extended this invitation to only eight people to witness his megalithic burial. Accommodations will be best available hotel with all meals included. (The funeral involves some sacrifice of animals, but travelers can avoid seeing this part of the traditional ritual.)

Sumba Island is one of most culturally intact islands in Indonesia. During our visit, we will be walking through traditional villages with peaked, thatch roofed homes and massive stone tombs, some of the most traditional and fascinating are found here. Sumba textiles, highly prized for their symbology and fine weaving quality, have drawn traders and collectors worldwide. The pieces are made for a variety of reasons: ritual purposes, clothing, marriage gifts, or barter. Today, great numbers of textiles are still produced by a relatively small number of women, mainly on the eastern coastal districts of the island.

We wrap up with four nights in Bali, one of the most beautiful islands in the Indonesian archipelago. The Balinese, devout Hindus, built thousands of intricately carved temples offering thanks to the spirits for providing bountiful harvests and protection against evil spirits. Magnificent processions, festivals, and dramatic dances are a daily part of life.

Artisanship has reached the highest levels in Bali, where woodcarvers and painters create masterpieces to share with the world.

Please inquire about our day-to-day itinerary for more details.

Land/Air Cost