Our 12-day Trek represents to this day the most comfortable and authentic way to discover the Mentawai culture and the tropical forest. The journey starts at the airport of Padang. We will reach Siberut Island by a local ferry. The next day, the pirogues will take us up a large river to our Atabai camp set up on the lands of the Sakekele clan. We will share the life of the clan for four days and return by ferry to Bungus Beach, exploring West Sumatra shores during 2 days before the flight back home.
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Day 1 Welcoming of the group at the airport.
Transfer to Padang. Possibility to buy gifts for the Mentawai people. Transfer to the harbor. Departure of the ferry between 8 and 11 pm. In case there is no ferry, or the ferry is delayed for several days, we will organize a transfer by speedboat. According to the weather conditions, you may spend one night at the hotel and depart on Day 2, arriving at Muara Siberut on Day 2. In this case, the cost of the hotel is included in our prices.
Day 2 Visit of Muara Siberut.
Visit of the small coastal village of Muara Siberut. We may go to the beach, visit a mangrove, take the time to adapt to the slow paced tropical life style.
Day 3 Departure for Atabai.
The third day, departure by speedboat (light motor pirogues) to Atabai. We venture through a mangrove until reaching a river. The river's water draught is quite limited. When the water level is very low, we may ask our guests to get off and walk up the riverbed. About noon, we arrive at the departure point of the trek, where we meet our porters. According the time of arrival, we may take a rather easy path, but usually very muddy, for a 4 to 6 -hour walk or sleep in Madobag. There is only one difficult passage: about 300 meters of a slippery uphill path. Arrival at the end of the day. Setting up camp. To not disturb the Mentawaians and for the comfort of our guests, we have built a camp about 200 meters away from the uma, the main house of the Mentawai clan that welcomes us. This camp is made of platforms sheltered by palm leaf roofs, where we set up large Coleman "dome" tents. We provide each hiker with a comfortable camping mattress. There are two people per tent. Individual tents are available for an extra cost.
Day 4 to day 7 Stay at Atabai.
Wake up for a bath in the river. Breakfast: Indonesian tea and coffee, bread, sago, jam, eggs. Daily activities: fishing with the women; sago processing, manufacturing a rattan basket, manufacturing a basket for transporting the sago (the staple food of the Mentawaians), making the sago, and baking it; manufacturing a bow and arrows, and making the poison for the arrows; bark cloth processing. And if we are lucky, we will witness a shaman ceremony. We can explore at leisure the surroundings and visit other clans. At dusk, dinner at our camp, the food is a mixture of Indonesian classics and Western favorites .
Day 8 Back to Muara Siberut .
Hike back to the river and the pirogues (4 to 6 hours). Then a pirogue ride back to Muara Siberut in 4 to 6 hours. Arrival at the end of the day. Dinner and night in a simple guest house, with shared bathroom, at Muara Siberut.
Day 9 Transfer to Padang.
After breakfast or lunch, according the ferry time, we will depart to Padang. In case there is no ferry, transfer by speed boat. Day 10 Bungus Beach Arrival early morning at Padang. Transfer by minibus to a small beach, 20 km. south of Padang. We will discover Bungus area during a 4 to 6 hours stroll: rice fields, visit to farmers, bath at a cascade, and share a nice evening with good music in a cool restaurant on the beach. Night in a simple hotel (double or single rooms with attached bathroom). .
Day 10 Bungus Beach.
Arrival early morning at Padang. Transfer by minibus to a small beach, 20 km. south of Padang. We will discover Bungus area during a 4 to 6 hours stroll: rice fields, visit to farmers, bath at a cascade, and share a nice evening with good music in a cool restaurant on the beach. Night in a simple hotel (double or single rooms with attached bathroom).
Day 11 Bungus Beach.
We visit some small islands by canoe: snorkeling, lunch on the beach, nap under the coconut trees, and in the evening, we will go fishing onboard a large wooden traditional boat. Night in a simple hotel (double or single rooms with attached bathroom)
Day 12 End of the trip.
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for the travellers departing the same day. Transfer to Padang town centre for the others.