BE PREPARED TO BE FLEXIBLE
Our mission is to provide the best experience possible for our guests given the current conditions and when unexpected opportunities for adventure may present themselves along our cruise routes. Sometimes weather conditions, tides or other local factors dictate that we need to vary from the published route, and at times there are special opportunities to explore and discover new locations, events and activities. These explorations will always be a definite enhancement to the published itinerary and will be undertaken after discussion and agreement among guests. Ultimately, the boat captains and your tour leader will make decisions to maximize trip safety and your overall enjoyment, so please come prepared to be flexible!
The More You Know The More You See
Our tour leaders are a wealth of information on the regions we visit and will prepare you for each activity with on board talks and presentations to give you a greater understanding of the different experiences you will have each day. They will also act as your cross cultural bridges to all the people we meet along the way, so feel free to ask them to translate when talking to local Indonesian people on your travels.
ITINERARY
D a y 1
- After arriving in Ende mid-afternoon on our direct flight from Bali we will set off immediately to see some of the highlights of Ende city, including the Bung Karno house where Sukarno lived in exile before becoming Indonesia’s first President, the cathedral and the market.
- There will be an evening presentation about the history and textiles of the Lio people of Ende and we will enjoy an excellent dinner at a restaurant near the hotel.




D a y 2
- This morning we drive to the nearby district of Ndona to visit a cooperative run by a small group of Lio weavers who make beautiful traditional textiles incorporating natural dyes.
- We then continue up into the mountains to visit a fascinating village, where textiles are a feature of daily life, but where weaving is actually banned.
- After a welcome by the local schoolchildren we will enjoy our packed lunch. The clan leader (called a mosa laki) will then escort us around the village and explain about its history and culture. We will arrive at Kelimutu Ecolodge in the late afternoon. After our welcome cocktails there will be a pre-dinner lecture about the textiles we will see tomorrow.




D a y 3
- In the morning we will head to the remote weaving village of Nggela, stopping along the way for photographs over the spectacular Mbuli Valley. The local weavers will show us how they still produce some of the best quality ikat in the Ende Regency.
- After lunch at the Ecolodge we will venture to the other side of the valley to visit an interesting mixed Christian/Muslim village that also produces textiles, but with different designs and motifs.
- Back at the Ecolodge we will enjoy a traditional Lio feast and cultural performance.




D a y 4
- An early start today as we drive up the side of the volcano to the entrance to Kelimutu National Park. From here it is a pleasant 30-minute-walk through woodland to the first viewpoint over two of the crater lakes. From there we ascend to the second viewpoint, which gives us a spectacular view over all three of the multi-coloured lakes. If we are lucky we might also have close encounters with some of the local monkeys.
- Later that afternoon we will arrive in Maumere Harbour and board the Ombak Putih, which will be anchored in the bay.



