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Trekking Timor Leste

Timor Leste offers the perfect terrain for trekking! From grassy plains to high treacherous mountain ranges, trekking can be set at start to be low, medium or hard to cater for the level of physical fitness of any individual trekker.

The country has roads covering all major cities and towns, with the main ones surfaced, but it is a network of thousands of dirt tracks that connects the country’s main towns to the most remote of areas.

Many of these tracks are very old but busy, with children using them as shortcuts to go to schools which are kilometres away from their homes, or villagers who move fast and effortless, and with a smile and a “Bom dia” greeting, they are on their way, leaving even the most serious and fit trekkers way behind...!

Most Timorese villagers in these remote areas are farmers and still walk or ride Timor stock horses, especially on market days which can be in the weekday but generally happens on the weekends. Sunday is a day of rest.  Away from their daily chores, villagers come together to meet and trade their goods in a day that is also a big social gathering.

Ancient traditional settlements, set in remote areas, where clans once lived proudly in their own social structure distinguished by their own specific clan laws are fewer these days in their whole, but they are places of incredible cultural heritage. They can still be visited, many of them set so remote or cut off by bad broken roads, and they are not reachable by vehicle.

Trekking this country can be a very rewarding experience if you are looking to challenge yourself, physically or mentally, as well see the raw side of Timor Leste most tourists never get to see. 

The hot midday sun scorches, but cooling comes when one reaches the tropical forests, the scenery is breathtaking and ever changing within the course of a trekking day.

As you reach the top of each of many mountains, especially the likes of Mt Matebian in the East and the highest of Timor Leste Mt Ramelau in the central ranges, peaking at approximately 2963 meters above sea level and many times above the clouds, one cannot help but feel on top of the world and at peace with nature at it’s best...magnificent and unspoilt!