Is Lapopu on the four-day trip?

No. It is on the five-day trip on day two and the six-day trip on day three, alongside Matayangu.

How hard is the walk?

Twenty to twenty-five minutes each way through forest and along the riverbank, and the final descent is steep and slippery. Trekking shoes or sandals are required, not flip-flops.

Can I visit on a day trip?

Not on its own. Every stop here is part of a four, five or six day crossing of the island that starts at Tambolaka and finishes at Waingapu.

What should I wear and bring?

Sunblock SPF 30-50, sunglasses, a hat, and trekking shoes or sandals - several stops involve uneven ground. A drybag keeps a camera safe near water.

Is the trip documented?

Yes. A photographer travels with the group with a drone and a mirrorless camera, and the files are copied to your hard disk on day three. Bring 32GB or more.

A tall waterfall dropping through dense forest into a pool

West Sumba · five and six day trips

Lapopu, the tallest cascade in West Sumba

A two-tier waterfall in the Wewewa area, inside the Manupeu Tanah Daru landscape. The upper drop runs to around 70 metres in the wet season.

Plan on WhatsApp

Upper drop, wet season: 70m
Tiers: 2
Walk from the parking area: 20-25m
Trip lengths that reach it: 2

Lapopu is a two-tier waterfall in West Sumba whose upper drop is the tallest single visible cascade on that side of the island, falling down a stepped limestone wall into a clear river and pool.

You do not see the whole height in one fall - it is a terraced, multi-tier cascade.
The lower level spreads into a broad curtain over a wide, shallow pool.
A 20 to 25 minute walk from the parking area through secondary forest and along the riverbank.
Not on the four-day route. Five-day trips reach it on day two, six-day trips on day three.

On the day

What to expect

A river environment with simple facilities and local ticketing, not a manicured park.

Trekking shoes, not sandals

The path down is steep and slippery. This is the hardest walking on the trip.

Swimmable in normal flow

The pool at the base is wide and shallow when the river is behaving.

Season changes it completely

Powerful and loud from December to March; gentler and better for swimming in the dry months.

The access road is rough

Muddy and rutted after heavy rain - this is the stop most affected by weather.

Getting there

Trips that include Lapopu

The four-day route does not reach it. These two do.

Private 5D4N

Fourteen destinations, from USD 490.

Private 6D5N

Eighteen destinations, from USD 570.

Frequently Asked Questions

See Lapopu on the trip

It needs five days or more. Send your dates and we will confirm.