07 Mar 2023
I arrived in Makassar, Sulawesi on January 10th, 2023, and reached out to Pacébo about the 3 day tour to the Toraja region. Adi contacted me via Whatsapp and shared itineraries and lots of helpful information. The next day we were on the road. Adi and Mr. Panda showed up in a new air-conditioned SUV with warm greetings. On our way out of town, we made visits to the exquisite Grand Mosque of Makassar, the enchanting Karst Mountains of Ramang Ramang, and a peaceful shoreside restaurant in Kupa Beach with delicious fresh fish. After stopping for lunch, we geared up for the long, windy haul to Toraja. It took several hours with a few stops along the way to stretch, enjoy some coffee and a bite, and then back on the road to our destination. We arrived in Rantepao Toraja in the evening and checked into the guesthouse which was humble but comfortable. We visited the incredible cliff burial sites of Lemo, the megalithic ritual grounds of Bori, the open-air buffalo market of Tallunlipu Matallo, the vast rice fields, and iconic Tongkonan homes of Lembang Parinding, majestic views of the Torajan highlands from Lembang Lempo lookout point, leisurely walk through intimate countryside villages, traditional funeral ceremony in Laang Tanduk among many other highlights. Adi was very friendly and knowledgeable. Mr. Panda was an excellent driver and knew the roads very well. He was very cautious and always on time. Thank you guys and looking forward to meeting again. Greetings from San Diego, California!