NINNA.ID-Since July 2023, many Europeans visit Lake Toba. Until now August 2023, many tour guides especially local guides in Samosir Island, has booked by some tour travel operators.
A tour guide named Daniel Manik told to Ninna,” I got booked by some of the tour travel operators. I was so busy since July bringing European guests. It will continue until September.”
One of the writers in Ninna was invited by Nurdin Nasution to join Lake Toba Trip with 14 guests from Holland and Belgium. Friday 11th, 2023 became a wonderful day.
The trip starts at 09.00 am. We used the boat from Toledo Inn. We visited Sigapiton Village. There we trekked starting from the harbor to a school SD NO 173671 Sigapiton.
During trekking, all that joined the group listened to the explanation about this village. Here is the explanation about this village.
Sigapiton is flanked by two mountains. In Batak or Bahasa Indonesia, we called “digapit or diapit”. That is the reason it was named Sigapiton. This village was in a bay of Lake Toba.
Although it is close to Lake Toba, the people there do not use water from the lake for household.
There are some fountains that flow from the mountain and to be flowed to each house.
We can see the water from the fountains come from an irrigation ditch.
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14 guests from Holland and Belgium (photo: Damayanti)[/caption]Worthy to be Called a Geopark
“Do you think Lake Toba worthy to be called a Geopark?” asked the guide. Some of the guests who really focusing on listening to the explanation answered,” Yes! Lake Toba is worthy to be called a national Park or Geopark!”
The guide asked the guests,” As we know water usually comes from higher to lower level. Why does water from above never stop flowing? And where does the water come from?
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The guest seeing the scenery of Sigapiton Village (photo: Damayanti)[/caption]No one can answer the guide. She (the guide) explains, “The water always flows because there is much water. The mountains are the place to store water.
Mountains save water especially when there is much rain.
Mountains in Sigapiton have forested slopes that absorb the rain like a sponge, allowing it to run downhill gently to the rivers or irrigation ditch, rather than cause devastating floods,”
After the explanation, we passed some of the trees. There are candle nuts, avocados, coffee, corn, peanuts, and other plant. The guide shows and called the name of each of them.
As Lake Toba is situated 3,000 feet or at least 900 m above sea level, there are many trees that can grow here. Palm trees, pine trees, and other unique trees flourish side by side in this temperate paradise.
Visit School
After a long explanation, we arrived at a government school, there we were welcomed by the teacher and kids in the yard. They greet us using English.
It made the 14 guests feel welcome there. Later the kids do the Tor-Tor dance. They also invited all guests to dance.
It was a wonderful day. The kids were very happy especially when they met Tibo and his brother. Tibo, a guest from Holland has a big muscle.
Most of the kids noticed it. They show their muscle to Tibo. Many funny things they did with Tibo. They were having fun together.
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Kids and the guests dancing together (photo: Damayanti)[/caption]To Situmurun Waterfall
After spending a few hours in the school, we moved to our boat and we went to Situmurun Waterfall. It took around more than one hour. When we arrived in Situmurun, we have lunch. Then all the guest swam onto the Lake Toba and get close to the waterfall.
Situmurun Waterfall is around 70 meters high. Flanked between Jonggi Ni Huta and Hutanamora village. It is in Lumban Julu district, Toba Samosir.
All the guests felt wonderful seeing the natural spectacular wealth. They really admired the scenery in Situmurun. Finally, we finished our trip. We came back to Toledo Inn. It was a wonderful day joined the Lake Toba trip with 14 guests from Holland and Belgium.
Writer: Damayanti Sinaga that also work as Lake Toba Tour Guide
