Check in, relax and explore the area or head to Sanur beach. In the evening head out for dinner at a local restaurant with your team and get a taste of vibrant Indonesian cuisine.

Hop on a flight from Denpasar to the town of Ende, located on the rugged island of Flores. Flights are usually indirect via Labuan Bajo so the total journey time is approximately three hours and twenty minutes. Meet your local guide in Ende and hop on the two-and-a-half-hour transfer to the remote village of Moni, where you’ll spend the night in an ecolodge at the base of the sacred Mount Kelimutu.

Rise before dawn (around 04:00) and drive twenty minutes to the trailhead to climb to the astounding Kelimutu Crater Lakes. After hiking for half an hour or so, you'll have climbed over five hundred metres through ever-changing ecosystems to arrive at the summit in time to watch the sunrise. You’ll see their unusual colours for yourself, which shift and change due to volcanic activity and acidity. After sunrise, you'll descend via a series of old local 'commuter' trails and dirt tracks passing through rural pastures, rice paddies, and villages.

Back at the hotel, you’ll tuck into a hard-earned breakfast before the long but scenic drive (approximately six hours) through the vast countryside of Flores to Bajawa, stopping at Penggajawa Blue Stone Beach for lunch and a leg-stretch. You’ll reach your hotel in Bajawa in the evening.

Start early as you trek through forests and fields to visit the mountainous villages of the Ngada people, one of the few matriarchal cultures in Indonesia, with all property and assets passed along the female line. Explore the traditional villages of Bena, Luba and Gurusina on foot and learn about life here firsthand. You'll follow paths used by the villagers, through the hilly jungle-clad volcanic landscape.

Drive on to Ruteng (roughly four hours), stopping halfway at one of the traditional distilleries of arak, the ‘rum of Indonesia’ and for lunch nearby. You'll overnight in the convent of Susteran St Maria Berdukacita. The convent was opened up to visitors to give nuns and students the chance to practice hospitality and meet people from different cultures. The nuns can be a little shy but feel free to ask questions either directly or via your guide.

Spend time learning about the nun's lifestyle and perhaps pitching in with their work before hopping in the bus for the two-hour drive to the southern coast of Flores. Eat lunch in a locally-run homestay and then trek to Wae Rebo, a traditional village located in an ancient volcanic caldera reached only by footpath. You'll be welcomed by the elders and offered a drink of wild-harvest Luwak coffee. Wae Rebo is a true example of successful community-based tourism, where the locals use your visit to supplement their traditional agricultural lifestyles and help keep their customs alive.

Spend the morning in Wae Rebo village, then walk back down to your pick-up point for the one-hour drive to Pante Hera, where you'll stop for lunch at a homestay on a clifftop overlooking the 1.7km sandy beach and the Savu Sea. There may be time for a quick dip before hitting the road for another three hours or so, to reach the port town of Labuan Bajo. There'll be time this evening to refresh and prepare for your adventure in the Komodo National Park.

Board your boat - home for the next few nights. You'll get acquainted with your kayak and begin your island-hopping journey. Visit Rangko Beach to explore a secret cave with a deep turquoise pool, perfect for a quick dip. If time and conditions permit, plunge into the underwater world with your snorkel before spending the night on board - don’t forget to look up and take in the blanket of stars overhead. (Due to the currents and changing tides in the Komodo's, the schedule for the activities during your live-aboard is flexible and will be adjusted accordingly for your safety and enjoyment).

Kayak and snorkel through the Coral Triangle. Home to migrating manta rays, dolphins, turtles and over 1,000 identified coral and fish species, it has one of the richest marine concentrations on earth.

Rise early and head to Komodo Island in pursuit of Komodo Dragons, the world's largest lizard. Averaging between two and three metres long, these legendary creatures can only be found on a handful of islands within the National Park and in order to see them in their natural habitat you’ll walk through the centre of the island alongside a guide from the local village. Do a little more kayaking and snorkelling before spending your final night on the boat, soaking up another dramatic sunset.

Depending on the flight schedule, you may have time for a final snorkel in the crystal clear waters around tiny Bidadari Island before you return to dry land and transfer to the airport in Labuan Bajo. Catch a flight back to Bali (approximately 1 hr 20 minutes, direct) for a final goodbye dinner.

Enjoy a last tropical breakfast and then head back to the airport in time for your return flight home.

Bags

• Daypack (35+ litres) for overnights and hikes

Clothes

• Fleece jacket or similar lightweight jacket for the evenings
• Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts (men and women are expected to cover knees in villages and small towns)
• T-shirts (men and women are expected to cover shoulders in villages and small towns)
• Underwear & socks
• Swimwear (acceptable to wear while kayaking and on the boat, no need to cover up)
• Sunglasses
• Sunhat
• Something to sleep in
• Hiking boots or hiking shoes (worn-in)
• Sandals
• Lightweight waterproof jacket

Sleeping

• Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner

Other

• Shawl, sarong or scarf (for temple or traditional village visits, these can be bought locally)
• Padlock for luggage
• Universal travel plug adapter
• Power bank or solar charger
• Spare camera batteries
• Passports (and visas)
• Travel Insurance documents
• Ear plugs
• Insect repellant
• Suncream (reef-friendly only!)
• Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
• Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
• Quick-dry towel
• Alcohol hand-gel
• Headtorch or torch
• Reusable water bottle (1 ltr capacity)
• Quickdry towel

Your host does a lot of work with the local community and has set up a project that donates reading glasses where needed. If you have any knocking around, or can source a couple of pairs from a charity shop, they will go a long way.