SUMBA (INDONESIA)
A week in Sumba, starting in Bali, combining private access, adventure, and documentary storytelling.
This itinerary is designed around the Pasola Festival, yet Sumba offers rich experiences year-round, and we can curate a journey at any season with equally remarkable encounters.
Liza Angèle joins to capture the journey and its defining moments through fine art photography.
She curate each experience from start to finish, tailored to your schedule, interests, and level of exploration.
Pasola Festival with Subanese Warriors
When: End of February (exact dates depend on the priest - different each year)
Immerse yourself in the Pasola Festival, connect with Sumbanese warriors, and experience their unique way of life. Ride through Sumba’s breathtaking landscapes on horseback. Disconnect from your everyday rush, and connect with nature.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL IN BALI
Private car pick up at Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali and transfer to The Legian Hotel in Seminyak.
Relax in your comfortable suite or enjoy the spa facilities and a massage.
Oceanfront candle-lit welcome dinner with Balinese farm-to-table delicacies.
DAY 2: ARRIVAL IN Sumba - HORSEBACK ADVENTURE
Oceanfront breakfast at the Legian followed by a short transfer to the airport.
One-hour direct flight to Tambolaka airport in Sumba.
There you’ll be greeted with a cold coconut and an air-conditioned jeep.
Check into your villa at the private estate at NIHI.
Then, take a quick dip in the pool followed by a healthy lunch.
Meet the Subanese warriors and their horses from the neighboring village. Learn the basics of horse riding and join the warriors for an off-road ride through pristine nature. We end the ride with a sunset campfire on the ocean cliffs. We share a traditional local alcoholic drink* with the warriors and exchange stories**.
You return to the estate and indulge in a starry night dinner.
*Non-alcoholic alternatives available
**We have a professional translator join us to ensure nothing gets lost in translation.
DAY 3 - Pasola Festival and Village Dinner
Healthy oceanfront breakfast.
For the early birds: Options to go running, surfing, or practice yoga
Your jeep picks you up and brings you to the heart of the action, the Pasola battlefield.
Here you reunite with the warriors you met the day before. Watch them defend their village's honor against other tribes, and learn about their battle strategies and traditions.
We follow everything from the front row.
DAY 4 - Beach horse race and free afternoon
Healthy oceanfront breakfast
Jeep pickup
Lapopu waterfall
This impressively high waterfall originates at a mountain spring.
The cool water cascades down over moss-covered rocks for more than 100 meters, splashing into a natural pool enclosed within a small canyon.
This picture-perfect location is a spectacular spot for swimming, sunbathing on the rocks, and enjoying a picnic in nature.
After lunch, we drive to the warriors at the beach. Join them while they race, train, and bathe their horses. Show your horseman skills or take a swim in the ocean instead.
Join the fishermen on the beach as they prepare the day’s fresh catch. Unwind beneath the shade of palm trees, enjoy flavorful dishes, chilled drinks, and a cool ocean breeze.
DAY 5 - relaxation and departure
Enjoy a traditional lunch featuring local Sumbanese flavors and unwind before leaving Sumba and returning to Bali.
OPTIONAL - CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS
Cultural Encounters
As part of your journey, you may choose to visit women in Sumba’s local communities and learn the art of Ikat weaving, a tradition passed down through generations.
Observe their work or sit beside them to weave your own piece, sharing stories across cultures.
We can print photographs on site, allowing these moments of connection to be exchanged and remembered by everyone involved.
