Private boat Komodo hiking viewpoints

Three hills carry this trip, and each has its own hour and its own effort. Short ones. Steep ones.

• Kelor · late morning on the route · a short, steep hill, 15 to 30 minutes · about 60 minutes at the stop, day 1 of every route
• Padar · first light, sunrise from the east · 25 to 45 minutes to the main viewpoint over three bays · about 90 minutes at the stop, day 2 of every route
• Gili Lawa Darat · a hilltop viewpoint over bays, with a reef nearby · about 90 minutes at the stop, day 3 of the 4D3N route only

Rangko Cave, on day 4 of 4D3N, is a trek stop too, with shoes with grip and a head torch on the list.

Padar and Kelor are short climbs, and either fits into a morning without wearing out the rest of the day. Gili Lawa Darat shows up only on the longest route.

Shoes with grip come first. Kelor and Padar are dry, steep and loose in parts, and trainers with a flat sole slide. Komodo Island asks for closed shoes.

A head torch is on the Padar list, since the climb starts in the dark. Water goes in the bag for every hill. A hat helps on the way down, when the sun is up and shade is thin.

Bring a passport or ID for boarding, and reef-safe sunscreen for the swim stops between climbs. Fins are optional. Personal medicines go in the bag too.

Carry less than you think. A small bag that leaves both hands free beats a large one on a steep path, where a swinging strap catches on every rock.

Neither the park ticket nor the ranger fee is part of the fare. Ticket prices: IDR 250,000 for international guests, IDR 50,000 for Indonesian guests on weekdays. The park fees page lists the rest.

Komodo Island is the stop that needs a ranger. Treks start at Loh Liang, and no one walks them alone.

Padar entry is timed. The session for your date is confirmed in writing before you pay.

The order of stops and the anchorage stay with the captain, decided on the day. Where the boat spends the night is set by the weather and the captain's decision that day.

2D1N holds two hills: Kelor on day 1 and Padar at first light on day 2, with a ranger-led trek at Komodo between them and the swim stops. 3D2N holds the same two hills, plus Taka Makassar and Kanawa on day 3.

4D3N adds a third hill. Gili Lawa Darat sits on day 3 with Sebayur, with no timed stop behind it, and day 4 ends with Rangko Cave. For hikers it is the route with the most ground.

Up to 10 guests: Akassa Cruise, Derya or Giona. 11 to 18: Semesta Voyages. A group of 6 on Giona pays IDR 8,670,000 (≈ USD 532) each for 3D2N. A group of 8 on Derya pays IDR 8,120,000 (≈ USD 498) each. A group of 12 on Semesta Voyages pays IDR 12,750,000 (≈ USD 782) each for 4D3N.

A guide and documentation are not included on a private charter. Both are on request, quoted separately.

January to March is the wet season. Showers are heavy, and a wet path at Padar or Kelor is slick and loose. The when-to-go page sets the months side by side.

The captain decides on the day whether a climb goes ahead, moves or is dropped. Light is weather, and no hour of light is guaranteed. A closed sky does not close the hill, but a wet path can.

The routes are examples. If a hill is dropped, the boat has other stops: a reef, a beach, a swim. We tell you before the boat moves. Check the month on the best time page first: a hill in March is not the same climb as a hill in October.