Tengkulese Waterfall, which is also referred to as Cunca Lega (cunca means ‘waterfall’ in the Manggaraian language) is named after the nearby village. The water drops over two levels with a promising altitude. Surrounded by a lush forest and rice terraces, it can even be spotted from a distance.
The waterfall can be reached by way of a nice short hike. From Nanu Village, you will have to walk for about 2.5km through a beautiful panoramic landscape with soft green hills, terraced rice fields, and farmers plowing the land with their water buffalos to get to the waterfall. Arriving at the foot of the waterfall, let yourself be impressed by the breathtaking two-tiered waterfall tumbling down from 100m with a massive roaring sound, as well as rays of light creating small rainbows. Hopping over the big brown rocks that spread around the waterfall’s base is a fun thing to do – but watch your step, as it can be slippery. Though the waterfall is indeed very inviting to jump into, it is strongly recommended not to do so because the water is very rough. Further down the stream you can find smaller, calmer pools, which are safer and more relaxing to swim in.
This rewarding trip to Tengkulese can be easily done in combination with a one-day trip to the spider-web rice fields of Cancar or to the Liang Bua archaeological site. The trip to Liang Bua may also be combined with a visit to Liang Nggalang, a limestone cave next to Liang Bua Cave, as well as to Beokina Village, which is wellknown for its traditional houses. Countless beautiful scenic views of rice terraces and villages are spread along the road to Tengkulese. Tebo, which is the closest village to the waterfall, makes a perfect stop or coffee break (ask the local people if you can get a coffee by way of small donation) after the hike to the waterfall.
TO GET THERE ..
From Ruteng, it takes about a two hour drive to reach the starting point of the hike. There are a number of routes that lead to Tengkulese, but the shortest recommended one is from Liang Bua, which is only 15km from Tengkulese; from Ruteng to Liang Bua, add another 13km. The best option is to go there by private vehicle (car or motorbike). The access road ends at Nanu Village. From there, you will have to walk for about 2.5km to get to the waterfall.
