- Type:
- Culture – Jungle and local living
- Route:
- Siberut Island, Mentawai
- Ferry schedule:
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Jungle Experience Living With The Mentawai Tribe 5D4N
- 5 Days 4 Nights
- Starts on Tuesday
- 1–5 guests online
- From Padang
Overview
For travellers looking for a truly transformative journey. With three full days in the jungle, this is the most complete introduction to the Mentawai way of life, from daily chores to survival skills few visitors ever see.
A slower stay that gives you the chance to disconnect from modern life and take in the wisdom, simplicity and harmony of Mentawai culture.
Focus: Cultural immersion and tribal living with the Mentawai
Our journey to Mentawai (Siberut)
- Day 1
Crossing to Siberut and heading into the forest
The fast ferry leaves Muaro Padang harbour at 7:00 am. The crossing takes 3 to 6 hours depending on the day: on Tuesdays and Saturdays the boat stops at Sikabaluan for about an hour before continuing south. From the Siberut pier we travel upriver by wooden boat, then walk about 1.5 hours through the jungle with your guide to the settlement, where a Mentawai family welcomes you and you spend the night in their Uma.
- Days 2–4
Cultural experience with the tribe
Three days in the daily life of the family. Depending on what is happening, you may:
- Learn to make traditional accessories: beads, bracelets and head ornaments
- See how traditional clothing is made
- Process sago, the Mentawai staple food
- Gather rattan, make poison arrows or join a hunt in the forest
- Share local dinners and hear your hosts' stories and philosophy
- Day 5
Back to Padang
After breakfast, around 8:00 am, the motor canoe takes us back to the transit village (about 2.5 hours) and on to Maileppet harbour. Lunch at a local restaurant, then the 2:30 pm ferry to Padang. End of the tour.
Price
Per person. The price drops as your group grows.
£490
Solo traveller
1 person
£290
Group of 2–3
per person
£270
Group of 4–5
per person
£210
Children 5–12
per child · ask us
Prices are organised from Padang: we buy the ferry tickets the day before, brief you at your hotel and take you from there to the port. Family groups pay the same rates.
Include
- Mentawai Fast ferry ticket, both ways
- Meals and drinks during the tour
- Local government and Siberut National Park permits
- Specialist English-speaking guide
- Support from local Siberut teams only, not a Padang operator
- Car or motorbike transfer from Maileppet harbour to the transit village
- Dugout canoe (river transport)
- Porters for the logistics
- Accommodation in a traditional Mentawai Uma
- Mosquito net and simple mattress
- Rubber boots for the mud treks (sizes 37–43)
- Local gifts (black tobacco, coffee and tea)
- A contribution to your Mentawai host family
Exclude
- Flights and hotel in Padang
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Souvenirs
- Tips for the local team
Ferries can be cancelled because of weather or technical issues, which is outside our control.
What to expect
Walk with the Sikerei
Meet the Mentawai shaman, guardian of the forest's spirits, and learn how nature and soul are linked.
The living Uma
Become part of the family: share daily meals and conversation in a traditional longhouse.
Wilderness
Travel hidden rivers by dugout canoe and trek through the untouched rainforest of Siberut.
Things to carry
- Light, fast-drying hiking clothes. You will get wet and muddy whatever you wear
- Hiking shoes with good grip (boots recommended)
- Rain poncho, mostly for the canoe
- A change of clothes
- Sunglasses, hat and sunblock for the canoe
- Mosquito repellent
- Sleeping bag or blanket
- Cash: there is no ATM on Siberut
- Camera gear and spare batteries (there is no electricity where we stay)
- A passport photo and your travel insurance details
- Personal medication. Forget the make-up!
Optional
- • Trekking poles (we also provide natural walking sticks)
- • Inflatable neck pillow for the fast boat
- • Aqua shoes for river crossings. Avoid open sandals
Good to know before you book
Malaria and health
See a travel clinic about malaria prophylaxis and routine vaccinations well before you fly. Bring any prescription medication you need, plus extra: the nearest clinic is hours away by canoe.
Travel insurance
Strongly recommended. Make sure it covers medical emergencies, evacuation and trip cancellation. Insurance is not included in the tour price.
Packing
Pack light: everything you bring, you carry through mud. Fast-drying clothes, a rain poncho, head torch, power bank, sleeping bag or light blanket, insect repellent and cash in rupiah. We provide boots, mattress, mosquito net and all meals.
Fitness and comfort
You need to walk about 1.5 hours on muddy, uneven ground with a day pack. There is no electricity, no phone signal and no toilet in the Uma.
Arrive the night before
The ferry leaves Padang at 7:00 am, so stay in Padang the night before. Tell us your hotel and we collect you from the lobby.
Cancellation policy
Please read this before you book. You agree to it at checkout.
More than 30 days before the trip
Reschedule once, free of charge
Your deposit can be moved to a new start date once, within 12 months of the original date.
14 to 30 days before the trip
Deposit is non-refundable
If you cancel in this period, the deposit is kept by the operator.
Less than 14 days before, or no-show
Deposit kept and balance still due
The deposit is non-refundable and the remaining balance is still payable.
- • Days are counted to your tour start date, which is the day the ferry leaves Padang.
- • Ferries can be cancelled by the operator because of weather. If that happens we will work with you on a new date.
About the Mentawai
1. A brief history
The Mentawai live on the islands about 140 km off the west coast of Sumatra. Their ancestors are believed to have arrived between 2000 and 500 BC, part of the Austronesian family related to other peoples of Sumatra and Borneo.
2. Culture
The Mentawai are known for tattoos covering much of the body, each with spiritual meaning, and for the tradition of sharpening teeth as a sign of beauty and strength. Many rituals and ceremonies are still practised today.
3. Lifestyle
Traditionally semi-nomadic, the Mentawai rely on the forest and rivers for what they need: hunting, fishing and farming.
4. Traditional house
The Uma is a wooden longhouse with a thatched roof, usually shared by several families.
5. Language
Mentawai is an Austronesian language with several dialects.
6. Threats and conservation
Deforestation, climate change and cultural change put this way of life under pressure. Documentation, education and sustainable cultural tourism are part of how it is being preserved.
Things to know about living with the Mentawai
- This is not a hotel. You bathe in the clear river water that runs from the hills, so keep swimwear on.
- There are no enclosed toilets; you go in the forest.
- We sleep in the traditional house with mattresses and mosquito nets.
- No electricity (solar panels are used for lighting) and no phone signal in the interior.
- No dangerous wild animals in the interior, apart from snakes.
- We cook and bring food with us, so you will not run short.
- You can try Mentawai dishes; ask your guide.
- Treks are muddy and slippery. Spray repellent before you start.
- Days are hot, around 35°C, and nights cooler, around 26°C.
- The host Uma is arranged by appointment before the tour starts.
- Traditional Mentawai tattoos can be arranged on request (conditions apply).
- The itinerary may change depending on conditions.
Life with the Mentawai is not like life at home. Come with an open mind.
Questions before you book?
Message a Mentawai guide directly. We usually reply within a few hours.
