Port
Komodo Island, Indonesia
Activity Level
Moderate Activity
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At (prices in USD)
$230
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
Tendering from the ship, you will step ashore at the Komodo jetty and the headquarters of Komodo National Park -- a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The world-renowned wildlife island of Komodo is the desolate domain of a fierce and very rare species of reptile that looks like a dinosaur (and behaves like one, too). It is appropriately called the Komodo dragon.
Thought to be the remnant of a once-widespread ancient order of monitor lizards, fewer than 5,000 of this protected species remain, and its existence hangs in the balance. This ominous-looking creature, with its sharp, saw-like teeth and menacing eyes, leaves a lasting impression if you're lucky enough to see one up close. Up 11 feet in length and more than 300 pounds, the Komodo dragon is surprisingly agile over short distances, and it's a good swimmer as well. No wonder it's able to live on deer and wild pigs that inhabit the island.
Step ashore and meet your guide and a park ranger for your walking expedition. Traveling in a small group for roughly an hour, make your way along paths that lead through pockets of thorny vegetation and dry tropical grasslands to the viewing point. A firsthand look at Komodo will also acquaint you with other notable species that inhabit the island.
Next, embark a wooden boat for the transfer to Pink Beach and transfer to the beach in a small fiberglass boat. Colorful crinoids, nudibranches, giant clams, turtles, corals of numerous shapes and sizes, and a multitude of reef and pelagic fish, sharks, and rays inhabit the reefs not far from the beach. The swimming and snorkeling here is quite sublime.
At the end of the tour, the small boat transfers you back to the wooden boat, and you'll head back to the Komodo jetty.
Please note:
Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, reef-safe/biodegradable sunscreen, light clothing to act as a full cover-up for further protection from the sun, and a hat. Swim at your own risk. Bring bottled water. Be prepared for a very hot day. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed. The Komodo dragons are wild and are not artificially fed by the local authorities. The park rangers will decide which route the trek will follow. Please be ready for boat-to-boat transfer.