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Trail Run Tour La Rende! Trail

• Arrive: Dili at 3.10pm QF 351
• Your guides will meet you at Dili International Airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
• Accommodation: Hotel Timor
• Activity: Orientation of Dili – Cristo Rei
• Dinner: L’Aubergine Restaurant (own cost)

• Breakfast: Hotel Timor
• Drive from Dili to Bazatete
• Lunch: Traditional Timorese meal, on route
• RUN 1: 12km + 440m descent + 880m ascent – Asumanu – Fatubessi 
• Dinner: Fatubessi
• Accommodation: Fatubessi Tents / Guesthouse
• NOTE: Fatubessi is of historic significance as a place of resistance during the 1975 – 1999 Indonesian occupation. Fatubessi is home to an intricate cave system that was used as a place of shelter by FALINTIL (Forças de Defesa de Timor Leste) combatants and resident communities. We will hear stories from this time. The area of Fatubessi is also occupied by the former coffee plantation of the SAPT company, a Portuguese colony exploratory company in Ermera District. Fatubessi is the home of the “Hybrid of Timor” rust-resistant coffee tree, a natural hybrid of Arabica and Robusta, whose seed was sent out into the world in 1953, begetting many other coffee trees.

• Breakfast: Fatubessi Guesthouse
• RUN 2: 14.5km + 530m descent + 290m ascent – Fatubessi – Hatolia
• Lunch: Hatolia
• RUN 3: 15km + 570m descent + 565m ascent – Hatolia – Datu Rua
• Dinner: Datu Rua
• Accommodation: Datu Rua Tents / Camping
• NOTES: Situated high in the rugged mountain region, Hatolia was a significant gathering point after the Japanese invasion. On Friday, March 13, 1942, David Ross, the British Consul-General who had been held under house arrest in Dili, arrived in Hatolia with a Japanese surrender demand. The initial reaction was reportedly terse and typically Australian: “Surrender! Surrender, be f…d.” This trek gets its name from this altercation, with the Tetun translation for “No surrender” being “La Rende!” Tonight will be spent in Datu Rua, the most remote and challenging village to reach along our trek. In line with Maddog Adventures’ commitment to supporting the economic development of rural communities, we have worked closely with the local community over the past three years to construct camping platforms, with plans for further development along the trek.

• Breakfast: Datu Rua
• RUN 4: 13.5km + 360m descent + 975m ascent
• Lunch: Atsabe
• Activity: Visit Ameta’s Coffee Farm
• Dinner: Atsabe
• Accommodation: Atsabe Guesthouse
• NOTES: Run along rugged foot pads, across swollen rivers and through coffee country flanked to the north by Mount Cailcao and to the east by Mount Ramelau, which you’ll summit tomorrow. As far back as 1942 Atsabe was lauded for its allure with a tourism pamphlet suggesting an investigation of Bandeira waterfall. Today Mota Bandeira, located near the Raimutin Wet Mill, remains a popular waterfall and one of the country’s main tourist destinations.

• Breakfast: Atsabe
• RUN 5: 16.5km + 1,745m ascent – Atsabe – Mt Ramelau (2986m ASL) 
• Lunch: Expo Lunch (on trail)
• RUN6: 14km + 670m descent – Mt Ramelau – Hatobulico
• Dinner: Hotel Ovalido
• Accommodation: Hotel Ovalido
• NOTES: Run to Hatabulico, navigating over Mount Ramelau, the tallest mountain in Timor-Leste, standing at 2,986m. Today promises to be a long and challenging run, as the higher altitude and unpredictable weather can add an extra layer of difficulty. Be sure to pack thermals, a beanie, and a raincoat in your backpack for the journey. Mount Ramelau holds deep religious and cultural significance, crowned by a statue of the Virgin Mary at its peak. On a clear day, the view from the top stretches across a patchwork of dense green forests and rolling hills, with the coastline visible in the distance. Enjoy the surreal experience of seeing the entire nation from a single vantage point. Take care on the steep, zigzagging descent into Hatobulico.

• Breakfast: Hatobulico Guesthouse
• RUN 7: 14.5km + 920m descent 
• Lunch: Expo lunch
• Drive to Dili
• Dinner: Osteria Italian (own cost)
• Accommodation: Hotel Timor
• NOTE: Today is truly special and a wonderful way to conclude a spectacular run. The first 8km of the trail follow a gently undulating dirt road, offering beautiful mountain views. Keep an eye out for soaring eagles overhead. Afterward, prepare for a steep 2km descent to the breathtaking Mota Dokomali waterfall. Once you pay the entry toll, navigate carefully along the slippery rocks to reach the base of this natural wonder, which holds deep spiritual significance for the Timorese. From there, it’s a 2km descent along a well-formed mountainous path to the outskirts of Ainaro, where our 4WD vehicles will be waiting for you. Enjoy a 3-hour return shuttle to Dili, where you can indulge in a well-earned warm shower and a scrumptious dinner.

• Breakfast/Brunch: Beachside
• Lunch: At own cost
• Depart: Dili 1.30pm

Adventure Extension:

• Breakfast / Brunch: Beachside
• Depart: Dili 10:00am MAF flight to Atauro Island
• Lunch: Barry’s Place
• Activity: Snorkelling
• Dinner: Barry’s Place
• Accommodation: Barry’s Place

• Breakfast: Barry’s Place
• Activity: Snorkelling or run to Adara
• Lunch: Mario’s Place
• Activity: Snorkelling or return boat ride to Beloi, tuk tuk village tour
• Dinner: Barry’s Place
• Accommodation: Barry’s Place

• Breakfast: Barry’s Place
• Depart Atauro: 11:00am MAF flight to Dili
• Lunch: Airport (own cost)
• Depart Dili: 1.30pm flight to home

Limited credit card and ATM facilities are avilable in Dili. Outside of Dili you will need to carry small value cash and coins (maximum USD $20 notes). Please note only Visa debit and credit cards are accepted. No Mastercards are accept at this stage in Timor-Leste.

Yes, you will need to purchase a 30-day visa on arrival. Visa’s cost USD $30 per person. This must be paid in cash.

Yes, all participants will require travel insurance. It is highly recommended that this cover is taken out at the time of booking. A copy of your travel insurance policy will need to be supplied to Maddog Adventures prior to your trip.

We work closely with Lisa Malnar from Travel Managers and highly recommend contacting her to book domestic transfers and international connections to Dili, Timor-Leste. Lisa is based in Darwin and is an all round Timor-Leste travel expert. She can assist with transiting accommodation in Darwin, group bookings, travel insurance and most importantly she will ensure your international connections fit our travel itineraries.

We do not recommend drinking tap water in Timor-Leste, so avoid it and stick to sealed bottled water which is readily available. This includes steering clear of ice in drinks and brushing your teeth with tap water.

All our lead staff are Wilderness First Aid trained and we carry a comprehensive First Aid Kit with us at all times and can offer first response care. For more serious ailments we will take you to Stamford Medical, which is an international standard private healthcare provider based in Dili. We also Care Flight Darwin in case of an evac emergency. **Please note as per our T&Cs any medical care or evacuation organised by Maddog Adventures is at the personal cost of the participant or their travel insurance.

To travel to Timor-Leste make sure all your routine vaccinations are up to date. We recommend visiting your doctor prior to travel to discuss any additional vaccines or medications you may need.

We use a variety of in-country transportation methods depending on which district we are traveling too. We use 4 Wheel Drives for in-land travel and a combination of Dragon boat, catamaran, and local charter boats for sea travel. Sometimes, we even take a MAF charter flight.

USD is the main currency in Timor-Leste. Limited ATMs (Visa only) are available in Dili, but it’s always advisiable to bring cash with you. Smaller notes (maximum USD $20) and coins should be carried for travel outside of Dili, as is can be difficult to get change for larger notes.

Timor-Leste has a hot tropical climate, with a dry season from May – November and a wet season from December – April. Coastal temperatures range from 25 – 35 C. It’s cooler in the mountains and can be damp and misty, a perfect retreat from the heat.

We take participant health and wellbeing very seriously. Risk is an inherent part of all tours, but we do our best to mitigate, manage and reduce the risk of these hazards causing harm. We work with our staff and suppliers to ensure that all of our products and experiences meet our high standards. 

The 1942 2/2 Commando campaign pre-dates that of Kokoda and is arguably as important as the campaign in Papua New Guinea. In 1942, the 2/2nd Independent Company, a small force of approximately 320 Australian commandos fought a successful guerrilla campaign in Timor-Leste holding down over 20,000 Japanese troops, and inflicting 1,500 deaths with the loss of only 40 Australians killed in action.

On the 19th of February 1942, the 2/2nd took to the hills and carried out the most successful guerrilla warfare of any units in WWII against the Japanese. With the loss of communications with Australia, these troops were thought to have either surrendered or been captured. It was not until 20th April 1942 that contact was re-established with Australia. In that time the men of the 2/2nd lived off the land with the help of the people of Portuguese Timor and their Portuguese administrators, and with the great help of the Kriadu, the men and boys of Timor who personally supported the Australian soldiers. 

The story of the 2/2nd is one of great leadership, steadfastness and courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Under-supplied in every sense these men showed what a determined unit can achieve in the most difficult circumstances. The exploits of the 2/2nd Independent Company are without doubt some of the most inspiring of any unit in the Australian Army during World War II.