Help choose tour agency for trip to Tana Toraja

I am planning a 4-day tour of the Toraja highlands in Sulawesi in June. I would be staying in Rantepao and visiting the villages each day. I would be interested in hearing the experiences of travelers who have used any of the following agencies. Based on the information I received from several of them they all offer the same types of itineraries. So the key factor for me would be the quality of the guide – knowledge of the customs and English fluency.

Toraja Land tours

Smailing tours

Celebes Shangri La tours

Explore Sulawesi Travel

Cempaka Travel

Pacto Tours

Indo Sella Expeditions

Help choose tour agency for trip to Tana Toraja

Hi Crushdummy,

I know of a young guy Daud who does tours around Sulawesi and lives in Tana Toraja- his family own a rice farm and when he is not busy he works on the farm.

I met him in November 2006 when I was visiting Tana Toraja- I had already done my funeral trip with another guide I had met through my frined Dodo in Makassar.

Daud and I spent hours talking and his English is excellent.

Since my return to Australia, Daud and I have kept in contact via sms and he let me know last year he now has a website.

Another western traveller who was impressed with Daud, his command of the English language and his knowledge of the area made him a website and it can be viewed here.

http://www.daudtoraja.com/

Daud also has a small contract with a travel agent in Slovenia and takes groups from that country through Sulawesi a couple of times a year.

He has taken groups of up to 23 people.

Daud can speak other languages and after meeting him in Nov 2006 and discovering he wanted to learn Spanish, I sent books from Gramedia Bali including a Spanish-Indonesian dictionary to him.

Hoping I have been of some help to you.

Pamela.

P.S.I have an excellent map of the area around Tana Toraja and the town of Rantepao I can copy for you and send in an email attachment.

My email address is pamela_fuge@yahoo.com.au

Help choose tour agency for trip to Tana Toraja

Hi crushdummy

Seconded pamela suggestion

Very efficient and friendly.

http://www.daudtoraja.com/

Hi Leopang,

Did you meet Daud when you went to Sulawesi last year?

Pamela