Essential North Moluccas

Welcome at Ternate airport by your English-speaking guide and transfer to your hotel.

The afternoon is dedicated to a first discovery of the city. You will visit in particular the old Sultan's palace, transformed into a museum. Ternate was indeed the first region of the Moluccas to convert to Islam with the conversion around 1495, under the influence of the Muslim principality of Gresik in Java, of its sovereign, who took the name of Zain al-'Abidin (1486-1500).

Morning departure for the neighboring island of Tidore, once a rival, whose Sultans controlled the south of Halmahera and, at certain periods, Buru & Ambon, as well as several of the islands off West New Guinea.

The day is devoted to discovering the remnants of its past (Tahula & Tore forts), as well as its crafts (traditional forges, textiles, etc).

You will also visit the Sultan's palace.

Morning transfer by speed-boat to Jailolo port, on Halmahera island, from which you then head towards the foot of Mount Ibu volcano.

You then begin an approach hike towards the summit. The trail involves several kilometres of fairly flat walking through vast coconut plantations with many wooden shelters, and it is often possible to take motorcycles for about two kilometres up to an altitude of over 200 metres.

The trail then passes through nutmeg and clove plantations before entering the forest at around 600 metres. A pleasant wooden shelter, known as Pos 1 (675m) is generally reached after about 2-3 hours and is an excellent place to rest for a while. This was once used by wild boar hunters to prepare meat before returning to the villages below. The trail then descends into a ravine (655m) filled with black sand and rocks, and you may find a water source if it has rained recently.

Depending on volcanic activity and wind direction, it is often here that you will hear rockfalls and volcanic activity for the first time. This noise is particularly strange and remarkable at night. The trail follows this ravine for a few hundred metres before crossing to the right side and entering the forest proper (673m). A few small grassy areas soon follow, which the guides call Pos 2 (780m). The volcanological sensor station is located on the right at around 800 metres. This is where you will bivouac for the night.

Elevation gain + 670 m

Return to camp at the end of the morning, then to the foot of the volcano, where you have the opportunity to freshen up by refreshing waterfalls.

Transfer to Tobelo in the afternoon.

Morning transfer to the village of Ruko, where you board a three-wheeled motorcycle that takes you, through coconut plantations towards the foot of Dukono volcano.

You then begin an approach march on its flanks, starting from Pos 2 (370 m). This trekking is a steady climb to the initial crater edge (3.5 kilometers) with the exception of eight small streams/ravines to cross, notably at 647 m and 795 m where, after rain or during the rainy season, it is likely that you will find water.

The forest zone is reached at approximately 500 meters and the dense zone of cane grass omnipresent in the mountains of Halmahera, at the interface between the forest and the bare summit of the mountain, at approximately 800 meters. Views of Mt Mamuya (933 m), smaller, and of the coast near Tobelo are possible from approximately 838 m onwards. Finally, the outer edge (940 m) is reached. On a small hill to the left, you will see volcanic detection equipment. This small summit is Mt Dilekene.

Below, a plain of black volcanic sand resembles a miniature version of the sand sea of Bromo. This outer edge is known as Tanah Lapang. Crossing it takes only a few minutes and it is from here that you get the first view of the active crater of Dukono, with its ash plumes and rumblings.

Your walk to the edge of the active crater is approximately one additional kilometer and lasts between 1 hour and 90 minutes, depending on the amount of ash. On the other side of the Tanah Lapang sand plain lies a vast expanse of ancient lava flows, jagged in places and smooth in others. When covered with very deep ash, the landscape below the active crater is completely surreal.

You establish your bivouac at the last Pos, at 946 m altitude, on the crater side of the sand plain, so that you can observe, at night, the fireworks in the active crater

Elevation gain + 575 m

Late at night, you resume your hike towards the volcano summit. The higher you climb, the clearer the view of the peaks of Mt Gogodom (1,102 m) and Mt Bale-Bale (923 m) becomes. You should be able to spot the small islands off the coast near Tobelo and perhaps even the large island of Morotai in the distance.

Finally, you reach the edge of the Dukono crater, at approximately 1,150 m altitude. The crater is almost circular and funnel-shaped - about 400 m in diameter and 200 m deep (estimated!). It is possible, with caution, to crawl up to the crater's edge and peek inside - impressive, stunning, frightening, frightening - while the vent roars and emits huge clouds of ash.

With extreme caution, looking over the rim, you can see directly into the chimney from which eruptions emerge from the earth's depths. Ash plumes are emitted almost every minute, rising some 500 m above the rim, before being gently swept away in the direction of the wind. The sight of ash clouds emitted by the chimney below precedes the sound of the chimney's roars themselves (sound travels more slowly than light). Please also note that it is dangerous and inadvisable to reach the highest point of the ridge.

Elevation gain + 200 m

Elevation loss - 780 m

After approximately one hour of observation, you head back to camp and then descend towards the village of Ruko, where your vehicle awaits to take you back to Tobelo.

Morning transfer to Morotai Island. During World War II, Morotai was a Japanese air base. American forces captured it in September 1944 and used it as a departure point for an Allied landing in the Philippines in early 1945, and in eastern Borneo in May and June of that same year. The Allies were also preparing a landing in Java for October 1945, but this was cancelled with Japan's capitulation on August 15. The day is dedicated to exploring the island.

You will visit in particular the World War II museum, and pay your respects at the statue of the last combatant. You will also approach the stunning Raja waterfalls, among others, and finish with a beautiful sunset along D'Loha beach.

Transfer day to Tobelo, then Sofifi, and finally Ternate.

Free time until the transfer to the airport. End of services.