Kete Kesu Village is a toraja tour destination village, having beautiful panorama located in Bonoran, North Toraja, Sulawesi. This tourism village offers you a complete condition of Tana Toraja society-life which respects the tradition a lot. If you go here you need to respect the rules made by the local people.
Kete Kesu village is part of a culture conservation program and known as one area producing world class carving, painting and sculpture handicraft. Also there are well-arranged Tongkonan along the way. Tongkonan is the well-known house of Tana Toraja. A Tongkonan house is wooden stage house where local people usually make the space underneath to keep buffalo.
The characteristic of Tongkonan is the upside down door, the roof is covered by black palm fiber, the shape looks a lot like facing downward ship with stern, there even some people describing it as buffalo’s horn and Tongkonan has to be built facing north. Local people believe that their ancestors’ spirit lives in the north and if someone dies, they believe this person’s spirit joinstheir ancestors in the north.
If you’re lucky you can watch several traditional ceremonies, mostly there ceremonies are held between June to December. Among those ceremonies there’s Rambu Solo (mass and enliven funeral ceremony done in 3 to 7 days in a row), Rambu Tuka (traditional ceremony in entering new house) and other traditional ceremonies.
Best to bring some food and drinks with you as it may be difficult to find in the village. There is no hotel either in the village. But you can find one in Rantepao City located 5 km away. You can find many small shops though selling typically souvenirs of Tana Toraja.
Kete Kesu is only located 5 km away from Rantepao City, which is the tourism base in Tana Toraja. Kete Kesu village can easily be reached by tour bus, local bus or even by walking as it is just a 5km walk.
We had a wonderful journey around Toraja area. Our tour guide, Ms Rita, was a well qualified one. We met the driver at the hotel in Makassar and drove through the Toraja mountain. We took part in a funeral ceremony; it was so impressive. The place where we stayed was so quietful and in a great natural environment. I warmly… Read more “Toraja Tour”
Perfect!!! Everything has been perfect. The drivers were always waiting me ad the airport, the guides were expert, gentle. the cars were very good.Hotels and flights too. a very interesting mix between nature, culture, religion and traditional uses. A suggestion.. Bring from your own another sheet for the bed on the borneo’s boat and a jacket for the kelimutu volcano…it’s… Read more “Borneo, java, flores and sulawesi”
Hernan Halim provided an excellent tour of Sulawesi. Comfortable air con car, excellent company, fantastic English and very knowledgeable. I really liked his use of local guides who provided in depth local knowledge. This was particularly great in Toraja- understanding the importance of funerals as well as the complex social networks. Trips to togean islands and Bunaken islands were superb.… Read more “Trans Sulawesi”
Hernan Halim responded quickly to our info request on the internet. We wanted to travel for 3 weeks in Sulawesi. Unaware of all the possibilities to visit the Togean Islands and the norther parts, we decided on a trip along the coast to Toraja. Hernan proposed a cross Sulawesi trip including the Togean Island and Manage, northern part plus Bunaken.… Read more “Perfectly organized trip from Makassar to Manado”
My husband and I visited Java the first time in late April to early May 2018 during our 2 week private tour that was fully organised by Hernan at IndoGlobal Adventure, the head office now based in Jakarta. This is the second time we used Hernan’s services. First time we traveled with him to Sulawesi. We were so impressed with… Read more “The best and most reliable local tour company in Indonesia!”
I was looking at several tour operators in Indonesia for Toraja trip and found IndoGlobal Adventure looks promising – the complete itinerary and the owner, Hernan, speaks fluent English. They also replied my email fast. Being an Indonesian myself, my parents were worried me travelling solo. They thought European country would be safer to do so. If you read this… Read more “Wonderful Solo trip in Toraja”
