Sunda Islands: Komodo & Flores Round Trip

Day 1: Arrival Maumere, Flores Island and onward journey to Moni

• Your local Flores guide will be waiting for you at Maumere's Wai Oti airport. After a warm welcome on Flores Island, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, you will travel with him and a driver to Moni by private vehicle. The drive takes about four hours, but you can take a few breaks on the way to Moni, especially for photo opportunities.
• Maumere is the cultural centre of Flores Island. From there you will now cross Flores Island from east to west via the locally famous road that crosses the island, known to the locals as Transflores.
• Lunch & dinner (both included).
• Overnight at the charming Kelimutu Crater Lakes Eco Lodge in Moni, on the edge of the rainforest.

Day 2: Moni - Kelimutu volcano - Bajawa 

• Today, a very early rise is called for, as the aim is to experience the impressive sunrise from the Kelimutu volcano. The approach is by car. Only the last 20 minutes will be on foot, which you will not really find more difficult than a walk. When you reach the summit, you will notice 3 craters, which in the meantime have become 3 lakes with different colours. One crater lake appears in black, the second in yellow and the third in light purple. The great thing, however, is that they change colour, especially at dusk! Take a jacket with you, because it can sometimes get a bit nippy up here while you're waiting for the sunrise.
• Now it's time for a hearty breakfast (included).
• After this wonderful colour spectacle of the crater lakes and the morning refreshment, it's time to pack.
• But before you continue on to Bajawa, you have the opportunity to take a look at traditional weaving just a stone's throw from your hotel in Moni. You can watch the women of the village weaving sarongs in the traditional way with their looms - very impressive indeed, because there is no pattern; the weaving pattern is in their heads!
• On your way to Bajawa, you will stop in Flores' island capital Ende, which stretches across a huge bay open to the Indian Ocean.
• Here you will have lunch (included).
• You will also visit the local market and stop at the edge of the town to visit a small bay, which the locals call the 'beach of the blue stones', although they are more green in colour. There you can see dozens of workers busy collecting and classifying these stones. Due to their unusual colour intensity, these gems are very popular and, after their export, can be found in exotic gardens in Hong Kong and Singapore.
• Your accommodation for the night will be the Manulalu B&B, a simple bed & breakfast guesthouse, but with a picture-book view that is second to none. Let yourself be inspired.
• Dinner there (included).

Day 3: Bajawa - Bena - Ruteng

• Your morning starts with a hearty breakfast (included), where you can enjoy the great view.
• Afterwards, you will gradually start your journey. Today you will go to Bena, one of the traditional villages on Flores, known for its houses with their eye-catching roof constructions and the home of the Ngada tribe, a megalithic tribe that still follows its animistic beliefs despite Christianisation. Definitely an exciting experience!
• Lunch is en-route in Bajawa (included).
• Afterwards, you will travel for another 4-5 hours by private vehicle towards Ruateng.
• Before you get there, you will have the opportunity to stop in a small village called Aimere along the way and see the old tradition of palm brandy distillation. Of course, you can also taste the final product, known as arak. Cheers!
• After arriving in Ruteng in the afternoon, you check into your accommodation. But it's off to the front door again, as you have the opportunity to see 'Flo's House', which is actually a cave.
  
  The large Liang Bua cave was the site of an amazing archaeological discovery in 2003, as the skeletal remains of a small humanoid, the so-called Homo Floresiensis, were found there. There is a small museum on site with some exhibits. Let yourself be enchanted by the beautiful landscape on the way there.
   
• Alternatively, you can visit the tiny and culturally significant village of Ruteng Pu'u, known for its traditional houses (unlike Bena) but even more for its megaliths and home to the Manggarai tribe. After a short exploration tour, during which you will make the acquaintance of some of the tribe's inhabitants, you will return to your accommodation in Ruteng.
• You can end the day with a simple local dinner (included). 

Day 4: Ruteng - Labuan Bajo - Rinca Island

• After a very early breakfast (included), you will leave for your onward journey to Labuan Bajo.
• Upon arrival there, you will go directly to the harbour to continue your journey by private boat to the dragon island of Rinca. In about 2 hours you will finally get to see the Komodo dragons. Until then, enjoy the unbelievably beautiful view of the many small islands and boats that pass you by on your water journey. It's a sight you can't get enough of :-)
• Lunch (included) is taken on the boat. 
• Arriving on Rinca, the island with the highest density of dragons in the Komodo National Park, you will be met by a ranger. He will accompany you for the next 2 hours and with his trained eye will not only point out the Komodo dragons, but also give you a hint when he spots water buffalos, macaques, kakatus or wild horses. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the landscape and the island atmosphere and to capture your impressions in photographs.
• Then it's back to the boat, where you will drop anchor in a small bay. There, around sunset, you will have the opportunity to observe thousands of bats. A truly wonderful spectacle.
• You can end the day in an atmospheric way with a simple local dinner (included) on the boat...
• ...where you will then set up your bed and spend the night with an unobstructed view of the Milky Way above you. 

Day 5: Komodo Island - Red Beach - Manta Point - Labuan Bajo

• A quick breakfast (included) in the morning and you are on your way to Komodo.
• Your boat trip will take about 3 1/2 hours. You will hardly notice this, however, as the passing islands will captivate your senses. Hundreds of small island dots, mostly uninhabited, as well as small fishing boats will pass you by and offer a lot of variety to your eyes and mind. Let yourself be impressed by the unique scenery that awaits you. 
• Once you arrive at Loh Lian, the campsite near the Komodo ranger station, you will first register (entrance fee not included) and be assigned a ranger who will accompany you - equipped with a machete just in case - on your hike through the wonderful hilly landscape of Komodo.
• Before you set off, however, your ranger will give you a short instruction on how to behave in the park and what there is to see in the park. In general, and as in every nature park, the following applies: Open your eyes and be very quiet ;-)
• In Komodo you can see Komodo dragons, Timor deer, wild boar, different kinds of ratites, sulphur-crested cockatoos and snakes. Your ranger will always go ahead and indicate when he has come across any of the animal or bird species as they show themselves during the trek.
• At the end of the trek, which can take either 1 hour or 2.5 hours, you will return to the jetty for a short crossing to Pantai Merah, also known as Pink Beach. The lively offshore coral reef offers great snorkelling. Welcome to the centre of the Coral Triangle, the melting pot of endemic underwater species of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean!
• From 'Pantai Merah' you will sail to another enchanting marine spot, 'Manta Point', where you can see the giant sea creatures up close from the boat and then in the midst of snorkelling.
• In the afternoon we return to Labuan Bajo and an eventful day draws to a close.
• Lunch en-route on board and dinner in Labuan Bajo Hotel (both included).
• La Prima Hotel will be your accommodation for the night. 

Day 6: Labuan Bajo, Transfer to the Airport - End of Adventure

• After a final breakfast (included), your guide will take you to the airport. Before this stop ends your journey, you will have the opportunity to visit another cave. The Batu Cermin Cave (Mirror Cave) is a limestone tunnel and cave system that - only 4 km from Labuan Bajo town centre - has become famous for the reflective light that penetrates the cave ceiling and is reflected by the various 'mirror rocks', which in turn illuminate whole sections of the cave. Be inspired by the interplay of light and shadow. 
• But now it is really time to start the journey to the airport. Your 'Nusa Tenggara: Flores & Komodo round trip' comes to an end and a new journey begins. Whether it is a return journey or a connecting programme for further adventures, we wish you a safe journey and an exciting time.