Introduction
Minahasa highland is a region in the Province of North Sulawesi of Indonesia that is a beautiful destination for visitors who love nature. When taking this tour, participants will do walking tour through agricultural land that is covered with crops such as corn, aubergine, tomatoes, cabbage, kidney bean, potatoes, chilli, rice paddy, coconut, clove, and etc.
Farmers in Minahasa highland run fish, pig and poultry farms in their agricultural land. The tour program will bring participants to explore farmlands in Minahasa and see how local farmers live and work in their daily life.
Duration: 4 days
Activities: walking tour through farmland and forest, sightseeing, birdwatching, butterflywatching.
ITINERARY
Day 1
We will meet you at Sam Ratulangi airport of Manado city and then organize your transfer by car through a long winding road to a hotel in Tomohon town of Minahasa. Check into the hotel and then rest for around 2 hours.
We will start our tour to paddy field areas at the outskirt of Sonder town. There, we will be able to see terraces of rice field and at the same time enjoy the beautiful landscape view of the surrounding environment. Local villagers in Sonder raise pigs and run poultry farms in the same area. They also have fish ponds with tilapia and carp in them.
We could also enjoy some birdwatching activity to see Collared Kingfisher, White-breasted Woodswallow, Black-naped Oriole, Pale Blue Monarch, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Crimson Sunbird, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Black-faced Munia and other birds that occur in the paddy fields. Lunch in Sonder town. When we walked along the streets and alleyways of Sonder, we will see that the frontyards of many of the houses are covered with cement floors. The town dwellers dry their harvest of clove, rice and vanilla pods, corn, peanuts and other grain by spreading them on the floor.
A visit to Pine Forest of Lahendong village to enjoy the beautiful landscape of the hotspring lake and the surrounding hill forest of Minahasa highland. Birds that can be watched include Sunda Teal, Gray-rumped Treeswift and Barn Swallow. Back to hotel, dinner and rest.
Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, we will see the vegetable gardens at the slope of Mount Mahawu. Local farmers grow cabbage, kidney bean, corn, potatoes and etc. to earn a living. After that we will continue to the top of the volcanoe to see the beautiful scenery of the Minahasan landscape.
We will return to Tomohon to see its traditional market and then have lunch. After that, we will continue our trip to Woloan village to see the pre-fabricated wooden house which is the traditional house of the Minahasan people.
If there is still time, we will visit Pine Forest area in Lahendong to see hot spring lake and do some birdwatching to see Gray-rumped Treeswift, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Collared Kingfisher, Sunda Teal, Barn Swallow, White-nest Swiftlet. Back to hotel, dinner and rest.
Day 3
After having breakfast at the hotel, We will start our tour by doing a sightseeing walk from District town of Sonder to Tincep village. We will be able to see agricultural lands and paddy fields that are the habitat of birds such as: Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Sunda Teal, White-browed Crake, Cinnamon Bittern, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, and etc. When we reach Tincep village, we will see various colorful flowers along the roadside. City dwellers from Manado like to buy these flowers for decoration in their houses or for certain events like wedding celebrations and religious ceremonies.
We will continue our trip to waterfall to see its natural lanscape and enjoy its fresh air. Back to Tomohon, dinner and rest.
Day 3
Breakfast at the hotel. We will go birdwatching in Mount Lengkoan to see such birds as Mountain (Warbling) White-eye, Crimson Sunbird, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Sulawesi Drongo, White-eyed Drongo, White-faced Cuckoo Dove, and then continue to Kanonang village's Love Hill to do some hiking and sightseeing.
We will continue to Kawangkoan town and then further to Langowan. Lunch.
On the way back, we will stop at Lake Linow. At around 18:00, we will arrive at the hotel. Dinner. Take a rest.
Day 4
After taking breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Lake Tondano, and then do some stop at Moraya fortress. Lunch in Tondano town. After that, we will visit Pulutan village to see the production of earthen ware. We will return to hotel. Dinner and take a rest.
Day 5
Check out of the hotel, transfer to Sam Ratulangi International Airport of Manado city. We will say good bye. You could continue your trip. End of Tour.
We could organize an extended tour for you for the next few days to Bunaken National Park or Tangkoko Nature Reserve. Or further to Sorong city so that you could enjoy wildlife tour in Raja Ampat and Tambrauw.
Where is Minahasa? How to get there?
Minahasa highland is a region in the Province of North Sulawesi of Indonesia. To visit it, tourists need to fly from their country to Manado city. There are direct flights from Guangzhou of China, and from Singapore to Manado city. For domestic flights to major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Balikpapan and Sorong, the flights are available everyday and are served by such airlines as Garuda, Citilink, Batik Air, Lion Air and TransNusa.
Booking
If you want a guide to arrange your sightseeing, nature and birding tour in Minahasa highland, and guide you during the trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
