Does anyone know if we just turn up in Denge village say mid-morning, if we'll be easily able to pick up a guide for an overnight hike to Wae Rebo village? Or would I be better off trying to organise a guide in Ruteng?
Does anyone know if we just turn up in Denge village say mid-morning, if we'll be easily able to pick up a guide for an overnight hike to Wae Rebo village? Or would I be better off trying to organise a guide in Ruteng?
I would say don't hire a guide in Ruteng, unless you absolutely think you must. IMHO we always try and help the local economy if we can.
When we visited last May, there weren't any English speaking guides in Denge, just Blasius Monta, the owner of the homestay there. He had hurt his foot and couldn't come with us. There is also a guide called Martinus Anggo who runs the Wae Rebo Lodge (just huts) in the village of Dintor. But if you stay here, you still have to get to Denge to start your trek.
In reality, I would say you don't really need a guide. The trek is more or less straight forward. Blasius will show you where it starts at the side of the school 1 minute from his place. Then you can set off on your own. I note from a previous post that you speak some basic Bahasa Indonesian. That is all we do, and got by fine. In fact we set off in the morning early and got there about 11:00 am taking our time. In the late afternoon 2 American chaps arrived with a guide (who didn't speak English - he just showed them the way) and we ended up helping them out, as they spoke no Bahasa Indonesian.
But if you arrive mid morning, you may have to "push on" with your trek to get there before it gets dark and also you will going in the heat of the day. That's why most people stay overnight in Denge and set off early, like 07:00 am.
If you do go on your own - just one tip - when you reach a newly built lookout, if it's not misty (which is another problem with going later), then you will see the huts down below to your left. However, take the track to the right and go through the village, as the track to the left is quite narrow, steep and slippery.
Edited: 7 years agoBefore you enter Waerebo, you have to be "announced" to the villagers there are guests coming. Then you have to show respect to the village elders. Pak Blasias will explain all these to you. You do not need to arrange a guide until you reach Denge. One will be chosen for you. Pak Blasias informed me it is disrespectful walking into Waerebo unannounced or uninvited. Please be aware the guide is not only to guide you. He is also your host and your introduction to the village elders. Once again, please meet Pak Blasias in Denge BEFORE trekking to Waerebo.
Edited: 7 years agoHi sambal,
It was Blasius himself who told us we didn't need a guide, as we had asked for one. He gave us instructions of what to do when we entered the village. To go to the main hut to be announced and to offer the elders a small gift (about 20,000 each I think). They then conducted a small ceremony of thanks to the ancestors.
The guide that came with the 2 Americans simply left them to it once he arrived into the village, and it was down to us to tell them what to do.
However, I'm all for taking a guide, if an English speaking one can be found.
I also agree that you should most definitely meet Blasius before attempting the trek.
Hi infoaddict. Maybe after your visit but before mine, something must have happen. Maybe there were visitors trek to Waerebo unannounced and just turning up. Maybe they take photos before they show respect to the village elders. Maybe they not follow the correct procedure. Now Pak Blasias need to meet them before they trek to Waerebo.
"Maybe after your visit but before mine, something must have happen"
Or possibly vice versa. When did you visit?
We went in May 2013
Thankyou both for your responses. Very helpful. Also point taken about hiking in the middle of the day. As I understand it is 2.5-3 hour drive from Ruteng to Denge village so even with an early start from Ruteng, say 6:30am, and allowing an hour in Denge to see Pak Blasias and get something to eat, it's impossible to avoid the mid-morning start unless we stay in Denge. I was trying to avoid an extra night at Denge if possible but I guess we can bring our flight rom Bali forward a day to give us an additional day in Flores.
My trip was November 2013. I think Pak Blasias now strongly advise use guide even if they do not speak English. As he told me, the guide is to introduce guests to the village elders before guests can wander around and take photos. Did you know that after the last post just before entering Waerebo when the bamboo bell is rung to let the villagers know there are guests coming, guests are forbidden to take photos before they are given permission by the village elders?
Hi Flatdog. If you have private transport you may not need to overnight in Denge but it would be a very very long day. You would need to arrive in Denge about 6am, trek to Waerebo and return to Denge by about 5pm. That would be too tiring as well IMHO. If I go again to Waerebo a second time, I would bring a small packet of rice as a sign of appreciation and friendship for letting me visit Waerebo. This is because I am Indonesian. The locals would say no need but I know it would be very much appreciated.
Hi Sambal. I obviously didn't explain myself very well in my last post. I was meaning I didn't want to overnight in Denge and Wae Rebo. We definitely plan to stay overnight at Wae Rebo. Thanks for the tip re taking rice as a gift. Any suggestions about what we could take for the kids or is it unnecessary?
Too many kids! If you bring not enough gifts some kids will be disappointed.
IMHO a small packet of rice (maybe 1kg) is sufficient. This is a token to express goodwill.
When you overnight in Waerebo village, you will use the big communal traditional house. Please note the message of do and dont of village etiqutte on the toilet door. This message is not clearly posted so you might miss it. But I think it is very important the villagers are not offended. They wont inform you directly but after the visit by infoaddict and before mine, something impolite by visitors must have happened. That is why Pak Blasias strongly suggest hire guide now. Previous vIsitors behaviour have direct impact on future visitors. The extremely polite and helpful Pak Blasias inform me he feel unhappy and uncomfortable when visitors insist they not hire a guide but trek on their own to Waerebo. Once again as an Indonesian I understand his reluctance in going against the visitors wish and not upsetting them. You can understand his attitude and what I am trying to say?