Lake Kelimutu, Flores (Everything You Need to Know Before You Go)
Nestled near the heart of Flores, an island in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara region, Kelimutu National Park is home to one of the island’s most jaw-dropping sights: the magical colour-shifting lakes. These lakes sit inside the crater of an ancient volcano and are a must-see if you’re exploring Flores, Indonesia—but getting there is half the adventure! The park is separated from Labuan Bajo, the island’s capital, by winding, potholed roads that make the journey a bit tricky.
In this blog post, you’ll get all the details on how to get there, what to expect on the hike, and some tips for making the most of your adventure.
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How to get to Kelimutu, Flores Indonesia
From Labuan Bajo, Kelimutu National Park is a full 12-hour drive from the BIGGEST tourist attraction in East Nusa Tenggara – Komodo National Park.
There are still a few options to get there that I’ll list below. If you’re curious about costs, check out our Flores Travel Guide post to see the prices we paid.
The long way through Flores, Indonesia
Exploring for a few weeks may entail making stops on the way and using shared transport around the island. We did just that, taking a shared bus from Labuan Bajo, stopping in Ruteng for a few nights before continuing to Moni, which is situated at the mountain’s foot. We arranged the transfers by asking our hotel and connecting with a bus driver through WhatsApp. It seemed intimidating but ended up being super simple!
Those unafraid of riding two-wheeled vehicles should know that renting a motorbike is a popular choice on the island. This option not only allows you to travel to Moni (where the Kelimutu National Park is) before your hike but also takes you up to the car park where the hike begins. We fell off our bike in Thailand and are yet to get back on, so this wasn’t an option for us!
The Quick Way to Lake Kelimutu
Short on time but long on money? Consider flying! Smaller airlines fly across Indonesia at reasonable prices but be aware that flight cancellations and rescheduling are common. Check diligently, as airport signs may not reflect this. Fly into Maumere (MOF) or Ende (ENE) airports, and then travel to Moni.
This journey is approximately 3 hours from Maumere and 1 hour from Ende by car. Arrange transport at the airport or spend a night in Ende or Maumere for a cheaper, pre-arranged car service to Moni from your hotel. Also ‘Long on Money’ is such a funny phrase, I might use that more often.
Where to Stay to visit Kelimutu
The Lakes of Kelimutu National Park are difficult to see on a day trip. It’s made near impossible if you’re staying somewhere like Labuan Bajo. There are two main places to stay if your ambition is to see Mount Kelimutu in Kelimutu National Park.
Moni
Moni is the go-to place for a Kelimutu hike. This is despite its lack of AC and Wi-Fi in 90% of accommodations. However, its location at the foot of the Kelimutu Volcano means you can usually get to the summit for sunrise.
Arranging for a private car to take you halfway up the mountain to the hiking trail’s start is simple. The hotel will have a driver already or you can team up with others and share the cost. Alternatively, motorbike riders can drive themselves to the trailhead. The hike from there is 20 minutes but can turn into 90 minutes with stops.
We stayed at the Gecko Homestay. It was a beautiful place that included breakfast and was on the cheap(ish) side of the area. We were able to easily organise transport through the host! We have heard that the Kelimutu Ecolodge is also a great place to stay, there was no availability when we were there so get in early!
Ende
Another popular option is to stay in Ende. This means a one-hour drive to Kelimutu on the day of the hike. You can book group packages online or through travel agents or arrange transport with your hotel. Staying in Ende offers relative luxury, fast Wi-Fi, and air conditioning, however, all but sacrifices the sunrise hike. Nonetheless, hiking during the day is still an incredible experience. In Ende, we stayed at LCR, a modern, comfortable hotel a bit far from the main town, but with local shops within walking distance.
Our hike began in the late morning. We were picked up from the Gecko Homestay and drove through beautiful green fields, Passing countless smiling locals. We paid our entry fee and drove up to the start of the trail. There’s an option to park and hike from the gate, but it’s a bit far.
At the start of the hike, there’s an information centre with some information about the volcano, the lakes of Kelimutu, and the local beliefs. The pathway starts in a thick forest full of noisy animals and bugs. After 10 minutes of hiking, you reach a clearing and a bigger road that leads to various lookout spots.
How to do the Volcano Hike
Finally, you reach the first and best lookout. It’s closest to the most striking blue lake (Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai) but you can still see the green lake on the other side of a crater wall. Keep your eye out for small signs with interesting facts and info about the craters as you continue the hike up to the lookout and the final lake Tiwu Ata.
From the first viewpoint, the path gets steeper until you reach the summit. From there, you can see all three lakes and how different each colour is! Small word of warning, there are lots of monkeys up there. They’re interested in stealing people’s food and might even cling to you if you feed them. (We do NOT advise doing that) After you’ve taken in the sights, the hike down is easy and peaceful.
The only other thing to note about hiking the Kelimutu volcano is to be ready for the intense smell of sulphur. We didn’t smell it on the climb, but the wind changed on our way back down. It caught us off guard and had us coughing pretty intensely.
Travel Safer & Easier
Summary of How to Visit Lake Kelimutu, Flores Indonesia
Hiking to the summit of Mount Kelimutu is something to add to your bucket list. If you make your way to the Island of Flores you might as well journey down to the Kelimutu National Park.
If you do decide to experience the insane views I hope this guide has helped or at least eased some travel anxiety. Check out our other epic things to do in Flores Indonesia here.
Thank you so so much for reading. If you want to see all of the videos we filmed in Labuan Bajo and the island of Flores. Check out this playlist HERE!
Want to know all about visiting the Komodo Islands? Read the blog here!
