For full description and itinerary, download document [here]

Tana Toraja, the “the land of heavenly kings”, is located in the central highlands of Sulawesi in what is arguably the most beautiful landscape in all of Indonesia. Here bright green rice terraces, towering limestone outcrops and bamboo groves are set against a majestic backdrop of blue misty mountains. Traditional “tongkonan” houses and rice barns with intricately carved walls and upwardly sloping roofs create an iconic image that immediately tells the visitor you are in Toraja land.

The National Geographic photo stories are true; there is no place on earth quite like this. The Toraja are not only known for their distinctive clan houses, but for their cliff burials, baby burial trees, their “tau tau” ancestor dolls, ancient stone monoliths and elaborate week-long funeral ceremonies during which over a hundred water buffalo and pigs can be sacrificed.

Trekking in Toraja Land will take students well off the beaten path and engage them in the daily activities of these indigenous peoples. Students will help to plant, harvest and thresh rice, cook traditional Torajan dishes in bamboo, learn to carve elaborate panels for rice barns and take part in the rituals and ceremonies that are at the very heart of Torajan culture.

In addition to wonderful treks through the scenic countryside, visiting students will have opportunities to share their cultures with local Torajan children in village schools. They will raft down a wild river, past waterfalls and canyons through the heart of Toraja Land, spotting giant iguanas sunning along the shores and stopping to swim in quiet pools. They will learn about Sulawesi’s amazing biodiversity while spotting high elevation birds in the mountains and endemic macaque monkeys and butterflies in the lowland forests. They will learn about Sulawesi’s Neolithic past by exploring caves with paintings 5,000 years old and learn about the island’s rich maritime and colonial history. Ultimately, they will come to know how Sulawesi’s unique environment helped to mold a distinct culture and how the Toraja maintain their proud traditions in a world of globalization and rapid change. 

For full description and itinerary, download document [here]