Lake Toba Holidays (4D/3N)

Welcome to Lake Toba Holidays! Nature, together with the culture of its traditional villages, is without a doubt the main attraction of Sumatra. Ranked as the sixth largest island in the world, Sumatra is full of tropical jungles, volcanoes, pristine beaches and majestic lakes.

This will be an adventure-filled trip around Lake Toba. Located in northern Sumatra, Lake Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world. During our tour, we will visit several plantations, we will bathe in incredible freshwater waterfalls, and we will go into several traditional villages to soak up the local culture.

Finally, we will finish our trip with a guided tour of the city of Medan, where we will discover the authentic urban Indonesia, including the ruined Dutch colonial buildings, the Sultan’s Palace and the street food stalls that come to life as the Sun.

3 Nights
Difficulty : Easy
Pickup: Kualanamu International Airport, Medan (KNO)

Itinerary: Lake Toba Holidays

DAY 1: MEDAN - SAMOSIR ▼

Upon arrival in Medan, we will head to Parapat via Tebing Tinggi. Along the way, we will make some stops at the rubber, cocoa and palm oil plantations. When we arrive in Parapat, we will cross to Samosir Island by ferry. Check-in at the hotel.

Meals:

Accommodation: Hotel in Samosir

DAY 2:SAMOSIR - EXCURSION ▼

As always, before we start our visits, we’ll have a breakfast. Later we will start the excursion around Lake Toba. We can do the tour by car or by boat, visiting the many traditional villages of Batak Toba. In the town of Ambarita, we will find the stone chair and table (used to execute criminals in those days) of the ancient palace of King Sialagan.

The next town is Simanindo, those of you who want to dance can enjoy traditional dance (Tor-Tor), we will also visit the museum.

After visiting Simanindo, the next destination is the Tomok village. In Tomok you can see the ancient tomb of King Sidabutar. In the afternoon we return to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Samosir

DAY 3:SAMOSIR - BRASTAGI ▼

After breakfast, we will cross back to Parapat and continue our journey to Brastagi via Simarjarunjung. We will make a stop at the beautiful waterfall of Sipiso-piso, Bolon House (or Long House- the traditional house of North Sumatra), the former palace of the Batak Simalangun Kingdom.

Upon arrival in Brastagi, we will visit the fruit market and the traditional village of Batak Toba in Peceran. In the afternoon, check-in at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Brastagi

DAY 4:BRASTAGI - MEDAN - AIRPORT ▼

Today is our last day. After breakfast, we will go directly to Medan via Sibolangit and the Sembahe river. This trip lasts approximately 2 hours. Upon arrival in Medan, we will take a city tour. You will visit the Sultan’s Palace, the Grand Mosque and after the city tour, we will go to the airport to take your flight to the next destination. End of our service.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

Photos: Lake Toba Holidays

Price Includes

All accommodation in double room
All transfers by AC car
Meals according to itinerary
Ticket and entrance fees of the places to visit
English-speaking tour guide

Price Excludes

International and domestic flights (If you want, we can organize them)
Photo / Video Camera Rates
Visa & Travel insurance
Juices and alcohol
Tips, Donations and personal expenses
Extra expenses caused by anything beyond our control: flight delays, cancellations, natural disaster, etc.
Anything not mentioned in the include

Map: Lake Toba Holidays

FAQ

When is the best time of the year to do this tour?

Our favourite time for travel in Indonesia is between April to October, although Indonesia is a great year-round destination, offering memorable experiences for all kinds of adventures. July to August are the peak summer months. In West to Central part of the weather is delightfully warm and it’s a popular time for travellers to visit for holidays, whilst if you wish to travel from October to April, the Eastern part Indonesia, like Banda and Raja Ampat, would be the best option.

If you wish to have a relaxing journey in Indonesia with less crowds, the shoulder months of April to June and September to October are ideal and slightly more economic. If you must travel in ‘high season’ but want to avoid the crowd, worry not, there are numbered of unbeaten track in Indonesia ready to be explored.

What should I bring?

The tropics is a warm and often sweaty place, especially if you have Borneo or Sulawesi included in your travel. Check out our suggestion on What to Wear:

Comfortable and light shirt and at least a pair of long sleeves
Comfortable walking shoes or trekking shoes if your trip include some trekking
Shorts and long pants
Couple of pairs of socks
Waterproof Jacket/Raincoat

Depends on the type of travel, you may also need these in your What to Bring list:

Underwater Trip:

Dive Insurance
Dive certificate
Certificate of Nitrox (for those who are using Nitrox)
Dive equipment except Tanks and Weights. Please consult your travel expert to find out if the equipment is inclusive or not in your booking
Swimsuit/Dive suit
Adaptor DIN or INT
Flashlight
Sunscreen SPF +40
Waterproof bags

Landtour and Trekking:

Small backpack for daily important item
Travel Insurance, which covers trekking and sport risk
Trekking shoes (check with your travel expert if you need a Goretex or simply a walking shoes)
Pullover (as in some area like Mt Bromo and some other places at high altitude, the temperature can get as low as 0 degree)
Hats
Small flashlight or head flashlight
Towel (preferably quick dry microfiber towel)
Flight tickets (keep the soft copy in your mobile)
Valid passport with Valid Visa (or check if you are eligible for Visa Free Entry)
Travel/Dive Insurance
Personal medication (include contact lenses)
Waterproof bag to put all important documents
All documents for your trip: vouchers, tickets, contact numbers
Credit card (in some major cities, credit card are widely accepted in restaurants and shops. Small charge might be applied)
Cash in Euro or USD (you may change into local currency Rupiah when you arrive here)
Camera, Battery and Charger
Adaptor (220V is used in Indonesia)
Toiletries
Sunscreen and Sunglasses
International driving license (if you plan to drive on your own)
Mosquito Repellent with DEET
Hygienic travel kits (mask, disinfectant or anti-virus spray, etc, etc)

How Do I Get to Medan?

The city of Medan will welcome you who travel by air at the Kualanamu International Airport (KNO). Located in the Deli Serdang Regency, about 2 hours drive from Medan. The new Airport was opened in 2013 to replace the 85 years old Polonia Airport, that was getting too close to the city.

You can also get to Medan by sea from Penang (Malaysia). Passenger ships also operate between Medan and Jakarta.

How Hard is Our Tour?

We have classified our tours in 3 different classes. Always check which one suitable for your condition. If you have any doubt, you may consult to our travel expert.

Easy: Suitable for most people in good health. These trips can include short walk for days with around 2–3 hours in good paths and at low altitudes.

Medium: A reasonable level of fitness or technique is required, as these trips can require sustained endurance levels as the trip may include longer days of approximately 5-6 hours of activity or/and in higher altitudes, or snorkelling in strong current.

Hard: These trips are physically demanding and best suited for people with a high endurance level, good level of fitness and exercise regularly. Days can be long around 7-8 hours of activity, often at high altitudes, in remote regions and sometimes without a support vehicle nearby. Travellers may be required to carry their backpack, trip with trekking overnights without access to normal toilets or accommodations.