Things To Do In Toraja

Toraja not just offers their unique culture that focused on the death and afterlife, but also offers beautiful architectures, amazing landscapes and scenics treks through rice terraces, villages on the mountain, bamboo forests, cacao plantations, and of course coffee plantations. But the most famous thing from Toraja is the elaborate funeral ceremonies where they spend some days of feasting, dancing, and the animal sacrifice that mark the official death of someone after keeping the body for several months even years.

This article explains why you should visit Toraja, how to get to Toraja,  and things to do in Toraja so you can make your holiday unforgetable. 

How to get  to Toraja

• By public transport (bus)

There are many bus companies that go to Rantepao, Toraja. Metro Permai, Primadona, Bintang Timur, Bintang Prima, Borlindo, Litha, Alam Indah, etc. Some bus companies leave twice a day from Daya Terminal in Makassar, one that we know leave twice a day from Daya Terminal in Makassar is Metro Permai. First at 9 am and second at 8 pm. It takes around 9-10 hours to get to Toraja with 2-3 stops for coffee break/ lunch/ dinner and for rest room.
To take these busses you can go to Terminal Daya which is located around 18 km from the downtown. 
If you need a Toraja tour package during your staying in Toraja, you can contact us here.

• By airplane via Toraja Airport (TRT)

There is only one company that flies to Toraja Airport. Wings Air flies from Sultan Hasanuddin airport in Makassar to Toraja airport and Toraja airport to Sultan Hasanuddin airport in Makassar. The flight schedule from Sultan Hasanuddin airport Makassar to Toraja airport is every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The flight from Makassar to Toraja takes 45 minutes.
Toraja airport is located around 30 km from Rantepao and there is no public transport. Make sure you book a pick up before hand. 
If you need a Toraja tour package during your staying in Toraja, you can contact us here.

• By airplane via Palopo Airports (LLO)

Wings Air flies from Sultan Hasanuddin airport in Makassar to Palopo airport. The flight schedule from Sultan Hasanuddin airport Makassar to Palopo airport is every Days at 8 am. The flight from Makassar to Palopo takes 1 hour. 
Palopo Airport or known as Lagaligo Bua airport is located around 75 km from Rantepao and there is no public transport. Make sure you book a pick up before hand. 
If you need a Toraja tour package during your staying in Toraja, you can contact us here.

• Hire a car with driver

Another option to go to Toraja from Makassar is to hire a private car with a driver to Toraja. We provide a transfer from Makassar to Toraja with an English speaking driver or you can rent a car with English speaking driver to Toraja. Minimum rent for Toraja is 3 days. We also provide a guided tour to Toraja. Please contact us here for more info. 

Things to do in Toraja

• Lemo

Lemo is a stone grave located in Lemo village, Makale Regency, Tana Toraja. It's called Lemo because there are around 70 holes in a big stone, so it looks like a pomelo or lemo in Toraja language. It takes months to make one hole and one hole can be filled with 10 dead bodies. At the balcony on the cliff you can also see effigies or tau-tau in local language. 

• Londa 

Londa is a cave grave located in Sangbua village in North Toraja. This cave is around 1 km length and you need to hire a local guys with a lantern to guide you through the cave. There are many coffins, skeletons, and offerings along the way inside the cave. 

• Kete Kesu

Kete Kesu is located around 4 km of Rantepao. Kete Kesu is a traditional village with traditional houses called Tongkonan and rice barns called Alang. Beside the beautifull architecture of Tongkonan, there are also modern graves, hanging graves, and a cave grave here. 

• Kote Baby Grave

Kote baby grave is located around 17 km of Rantepao. Babies that are buried inside a tree are babies who have not yet teethed. Torajan people believe that they are still pure and have no sin so they will get to heaven easily. 

• Tampang Allo

Tampang Allo  is located 23 km from Rantepao. Tampang Allo is a natural cave grave where you can see stack of skulls, wooden coffins on wooden frames, an ancient wooden effigies or tau-tau.

• Karuaya

Karuaya is a traditional village in North Sangalla. Around  10 km from Rantepao, Tana Toraja. Here you can see traditional houses called Tongkonan. Tongkonan houses always face north because Torajan people believe that Puang Matua or God Almighty lives in the north part of the world. The uniqueness of this village is because you can seven skulls on the balcony of one Tongkonan house.

• Tongkonan Papa Batu

Tongkonan Papa Batu is a 700 years old Tongkonan with stone roof. The total weight of the whole roof is around 10 tons. To enter the Tongkonan, one must knock  the door with head 3 times. Local people believe that if you don't do it, then you will get sick .The only cure is to pour water to the buffalo head inside the house and then drink the water.

• Buntu Burake/ Jesus Statue