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Meet the MinangkabauWest Sumatra is the home of the Minangkabau, a traditional tribe considered by many to be one of the most interesting ethnic groups of Indonesia, and it's a brilliant area for some real Sumatra adventure travel. Scattered throughout the highlands you’ll see the typical traditional Rumah Gadang (clan houses) of the Minangkabau. Buffalo feature heavily in Minangkabau culture; the roofs of the houses are shaped like the horns of a water buffalo and even the traditional headdress of the local people is inspired by the buffalo horns, or Kabau. The name Minangkabau is actually derived from a legendary victory in a battle between a Sumatran and Javan water buffalo.During this Sumatra adventure travel module, you'll leave Lake Toba and head south to Bukittinggi to experience the fascinating local culture and spectacular scenery. Bukittinggi is the heart of Minangkabau culture and the city is surrounded by several volcanoes - Gunung Aman, Gunung Singgalang and Gunung Merapi. You’ll take a trek through a steep, narrow gorge and you’ll explore some of the local traditional villages or go hiking in the countryside around Bukittinggi. |
| Duration | 6 days / 5 nights |
Accommodation |
Atmospheric, comfortable hotels |
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Price |
£398 perperson - based on 2 people |
Includes |
Accommodation with breakfast, transport by private air-conditioned car from Parapat (Lake Toba) until Padang airport. Guided excursion through canyon. |
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Transport |
Private car, guided excursion |
Excludes |
Entrance fees, other meals, independent itinerary Day 3, optional bike or canoe hire on Day 6 |
Day 1: Samosir Island - SipirokThis Sumatra adventure travel module links perfectly with our Fairytale in Samosir tour. The ferry crossing from Samosir island to Parapat is easy enough to arrange yourself, but we’ll take care of the transfer from Parapat to Sipirok. It’s a 8-9 hour drive so you’ll need to leave early to arrive in Sipirok on time. The first part of the drive follows Lake Toba so you can make another photo stop for the fantastic views across the lake. On the way to Sipirok, you can stop off along the way if something interesting catches your eye. Not many tourists come to this are of Sumatra, and it’s great to stop for a while and stretch your legs or grab a bite to eat.In the late afternoon you’ll arrive at the hotel built on a hilltop with views across the Sipirok jungle and the fields. You'll stay in a cottage built in typical Sumatran Batak style, surrounded by lush green vegetation. The hotel has a pool, perfect to freshen up after the long drive. In the evening, you can enjoy the local specialities in the hotel restaurant. Bring a sweater when you go for dinner because it can get quite chilly in the evening. |
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Day 2: Sipirok - BukittinggiYou’ll leave early this morning for the drive from Sipirok to Bukittinggi. It’s another long journey across hills and valleys, through plantations and past small villages. In the late morning you’ll pass a river where gold-diggers come looking for (you’ve guessed it) gold. They’re generally rice farmers but because there’s not always work for them, they come here to try their luck. You'll also pass the equator on the way. It is said that crossing the line backwards will bring good luck – it’s worth a try…In the late afternoon you’ll arrive in Bukittinggi. It’s been a long trip to get here, so it’s great to know that you’ll be staying here for a while, giving you plenty of time to relax and explore the area. Bukittinggi is surrounded by volcanoes, lakes, canyons and traditional villages so there’s plenty to see and do. It lies at 930m above sea level high on the Agam plateau above a deep river valley known locally as the Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon). You’ll stay in a quiet, comfortable hotel with a nice pool, close to the centre. For the ladies among us, this is the place to take charge and play boss for a while. Bukittinggi is the home of the Minangkabau culture in which the women play the dominant role. Their wealth is expressed in beautifully woven traditional dress and the adat houses with the distinctive roofs shaped like buffalo horns. |
Day 3: BukittinggiToday you can explore Bukittinggi and the surrounding area. You’ll have a private car with driver at your disposal for the entire day which will make it easier to get around.You could start the day with a visit to the town, which you can do on foot. The Pasar Atas market is a colourful market selling fruit, vegetables, clothes and souvenirs. The market is open daily but on Wednesdays and Saturdays are particularly interesting when the people from the local villagers come here to sell their ware. On your walk around the town you can also visit the Fort de Kock, named after the Dutch lieutenant Governor-General Hendrik Merkus de Kock. Bukittinngi was actually built around a Dutch fort, which has an excellent view point across the entire town. You can also visit the Minangkabau museum, which is built in Minangkabau style and houses an interesting collection on this fascinating culture including clothing, weapons, sculptures and wood carvings and even some historic musical instruments. Besides all these cultural sights you can also head out into the surrounding area by car. You can go hiking through the green countryside with its vast rice paddies and wonderful views across the volcanoes Gunung Merapi and Gunung Singgalang. There’s also a nature reserve with some impressive waterfalls in the jungle. You could also pay a visit to a traditional Minangkabau village to learn more about their way of life. |
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Day 4: Ngarai Sianok CanyonToday, you'll visit the impressive canyon, accompanied by a local guide. The hike starts around 8:30am and takes about 4 hours. From your hotel you’ll walk to the Panorama Hotel for a great view across the deep gorge. Having taken a couple of pictures you’ll follow a steep path (slippery in places) down into the canyon. At the bottom of the canyon you'll find yourself surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered in tropical plants. The Ngarai Sianok canyon is 4km long and you’ll follow the river that runs through it, wading through the water several times. At the end of the canyon there’s a steep climb to the top. The climb takes about 20 minutes and the whole walk through the canyon takes around 1½ hours.The trip ends in the small village Kota Gadeng, a small silversmith village with several historic colonial Dutch houses. Here, you can take a look around the different shops and see how they make the silver jewellery. Kota Gadeng is the ideal place to buy solid silver earrings or bracelets. The town hall is also worth seeing. After this canyon trek you can walk back to Bukittinggi through the canyon (1 hour) or take an Ankot (small minibus) back to the hotel for around 50p. |
Day 5: Bukittinggi - Lake ManinjauToday, you'll leave the friendly town of Bukittinggi already and continue your trip through the beautiful countryside to Lake Maninjau. After an hour’s drive and if the weather’s clear you can see the lake from a village high up in the hills. The lake is a lot smaller than Lake Toba, so you'll get a much stronger sense of standing in the middle of a volcano crater. The last stretch from Bukittinggi to the lake follows 44 nervewracking hairpin bends, each time offering an amazing view across the crystal blue lake and forests, with the jungle running all the way down to the water’s edge.When you arrive at your hotel, you can go for a swim in the clear waters of the lake. The hotel is basic but it’s still the best hotel directly on the lake. The simple rooms all have a balcony with unlimited views across Lake Maninjau. In addition to swimming, you can also rent a bike or explore the area on foot. You can also rent canoes in several places - the locals use the same boats for fishing out on the lake. They’re also very difficult to steer, so be careful not to tip over... |
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Day 6: Lake Maninjau - Padang airport - End of moduleToday you'll leave Lake Maninjau for Padang airport where this module and your Sumatra adventure travel ends. From Padang, you can fly on to Jakarta or Denpasar to start one of our Java tours or Bali adventure tours. |
