Luku Melolo
A spectacular valley, with steep limestone escarpments protecting 7,800 ha of forest. On the eastern side of the valley a mosaic of forest and open grasslands that survives along the top of the escarpment is a great place to see many of sumba’s endemic birds.
Key species
Peregrine Falcon, Short-toed Eagle, Sumba Hornbill, Citron-crested race of Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Sumba Green Pigeon, Sumba Cicadabird, Sumba Flycatcher, Sumba Brown Flycatcher, Red-headed Myzomela.
Getting there
Melolo village is 62 km (2 hrs) by road east of Waingapu. Buses leave the terminal about every hour (fare IDR 15.000). the turning up to Luku Melolo forest is the first on the right after the bridge in Melolo. Truck-buses are rare, and without your own transport you will have to rely on hitching on one of the infrequent vehicles for the 21 km, uphill drive to the forest.
General information
Bird along the road from km 21 to km 25, with frequent excursions into the forest fragments and to the edge of the escarpment to look over the valley. At the small village of Paberamanera (km 25) a trail leads down to the river.