What comes to your mind when you think about Komodo trip? For the majority of travelers, a rare chance to meet the last of this gigantic prehistoric beasts that have been wandered in these islands since before human civilisation is the major reasons why the Komodo has landed in so many bucket list. Others are mostly divers who are drawn to the surreal beauty of Komodo’s underwater landscape. However, Komodo is more than dragons and diving. There are tons of other awesome things to do during your trip there, and one of travelers’ favourite is trekking! Here’s our top three trekking favourites in Komodo!
Komodo Trekking Trip with the Dragons
To see the Komodo Dragons, you need to walk along trekking paths both in Komodo Island and Rinca. You will walk deep to the lair of the dragons, crossing the dense forests and sprawling meadows. In Rinca Island, they’ll give you three trekking options; the short one, medium, and long trekking. The shortest, taking only 30 minutes in total, is an easy walk passing artificial waterhole (sometimes you can see water buffalos here!) before going down to a small hills overlooking a view over the bay. It’s a nice trek for someone who don’t want to walk very long under the sun.
The medium trek takes about one hour. You will get deep into the forests, walking in between dragon’s nests and out into golden savannah fields punctuated with high lontar palms. The longest trek takes about two hours. It offers the best opportunity to see the dragons as you walk across waterholes and trekking exposed meadows in steep slopes, taking in breathtaking views in the hunt of the dragons. Whichever paths you choose, never ever walk in without the company of the national park’s official rangers.
See The World from the Peak of Padar Island
Since you look up for Komodo National Park in the internet, you now must have seen the iconic atop landscape of Padar Island viewpoint. The most stunning and famous image—probably more than the Komodo Island itself. Trekking to Padar Island is definitely a must do in Komodo trip. Hiking in Padar Island requires you to trek steep, dusty hills to make it to the peak. However, now they have engineered wooden pathway and staircase to make the climbs much easier.
With reasonable level of fitness, you will be able to reach the viewpoint in just 20 – 25 minutes. Along the way you will get bunch of panoramic treats; views of golden terrain dropping to the ocean, strips of pristine beaches, beautiful contras of the chopper-coloured islands with bright turquoise water, and many other things that cannot be put into words. The hike to Padar Island worth every step.
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Another Trekking Trip Komodo in Gili Lawa Darat
Though less famous than the Big Trio (Komodo, Rinca, and Padar), Gili Lawa Darat is no less beautiful. It’s one of the islands in Komodo’s archipelago with astonishing view. Paying a visit to the charming Gili Lawa Darat during your Komodo trip would never be disappointing. Exotic hills and savannah grassland dominates Gili Lawa’s landscape. Like other islands in Komodo, the lands glow in golden-copper colour during the dry season and turn into radiant green during the wet season. Trekking in Gili Lawa takes about one hour from the beach to the viewpoint. Infrastructure is non-existent in Gili Lawa so you have to trek the steep and sandy hills. The hiking trails start going barren from thousands of footsteps that goes through it over the past few years, resutling in slippery trails. Wear your shoes—anything than flip flops and sandals would be better for the trekking.