King Cirox 2
King Cirox 2 Phinisi
Kelor Island hike: a short steep climb that opens day one on King Cirox 2
Updated 11 October 2026
Kelor, a small hilly island 50 to 70 minutes by boat from Labuan Bajo, has a short, steep path that takes 15 to 30 minutes to reach a viewpoint over the bay. It is the first stop of every King Cirox 2 Phinisi route, reached soon after the 10:00 to 11:00 pickup, so you climb near midday. No dragons live there.
A short hill, not a long trek
Fifteen to thirty minutes, up, and the Kelor walk is done. The path is short and steep, over dry ground, and the walk is moderate, mainly because of the gradient and the loose ground underfoot. At the top is what the boat's booklet calls a 360-degree view: the bay below you and water on every side.
Kelor is not a dragon site. There is no ranger walk and no wildlife to look for; it is a climb and a view. Nor is it a long trek. A proper hike comes on day two, at Padar, where it takes 25 to 45 minutes to reach the main viewpoint.
Sturdy sandals or shoes with grip are the one thing to have on your feet. Bare feet and flip-flops slide on this path. Trek time, difficulty and crowd months follow in the table.
- Best window
- morning
- Time ashore / in water
- 15–30 min
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Tide
- Not tide-dependent
- Busiest months
- July, August
What it is not: short steep hill, not a long trek · not a dragon site · often the last stop of a trip, so do not expect to have energy left for much more
First, not last
Many Komodo itineraries use Kelor as the last stop on the way home. On King Cirox 2 it comes first, on every route: the full-day sample, the 2D1N, the 3D2N open trip, the 4D3N and the 5D4N all open with it.
The arithmetic of day one explains the timing. Pickup is between 10:00 and 11:00, the run from Labuan Bajo to Kelor is 50 to 70 minutes, and the climb is 15 to 30 minutes. So you are on the hill somewhere around midday, in the strongest sun of the day. Climb steadily, drink before you start, and wear a hat.
From Kelor the boat goes on to Manjarite, 30 to 60 minutes away, for the first snorkel of the trip from a long wooden pier. Lunch is served aboard, before or after Manjarite depending on the route. The leg table below lists each run on day one, with our time estimates.
| From | To | Minutes | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labuan Bajo | Kelor | 50–70 | Verified |
| Kelor | Manjarite | 30–60 | Operating range |
| Manjarite | Kalong | 50–70 | Operating range |
| Padar | Komodo | 60–90 | Estimate |
| Komodo | Pink Beach | 30–60 | Operating range |
| Pink Beach | Manta Point | 45–75 | Estimate |
| Manjarite | Strawberry Rock | 20–40 | Estimate |
| Strawberry Rock | Kalong | 30–60 | Estimate |
| Manta Point | Taka Makassar | 20–30 | Operating range |
| Seture Island | Labuan Bajo | 30–90 | Estimate |
| Gili Lawa | Manta Point | 60–120 | Estimate |
| Taka Makassar | Siaba | 60–90 | Operating range |
| Kanawa | Seture Island | 30–60 | Estimate |
| Senator | Kanawa | 60–120 | Estimate |
| Kanawa | Sabolon | 30–60 | Estimate |
| Rangko Cave | Seture Island | 30–60 | Estimate |
| Kelor | Rinca | 60–90 | Estimate |
| Rinca | Manjarite | 60–90 | Estimate |
| Manjarite | Labuan Bajo | 60–90 | Estimate |
Real photo from a Komodo Explorer trip · 8 photos
Ready at the landing
Carry three things off the tender at Kelor. A bottle of water, because the climb is short but the heat is not. Sunscreen and a hat. And a camera with a charged battery, since the view from the top is the first wide panorama of the trip and the light at midday is hard and bright.
Leave the snorkel gear on board for this stop; Kelor is a walk. Your bag should be soft, not a hard suitcase, as the route notes ask: you carry it from the harbour onto the boat at pickup, and it stays in your cabin from then on.
If you are joining the 3D2N open trip, the fare from IDR 3,350,000 (≈ USD 206) a bunk covers the guide on this climb and the documentation crew who film it. On a private charter the guide is an extra, priced on request. See where Kelor sits in the full route below, then choose your date.
Day 1
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | Labuan Bajo — Hotel / airport pickup, 10:00–11:00 | — | soft bag, not a hard suitcase |
| · | Kelor Island trek (hill with a 360° view) | 50–70 min | sturdy shoes |
| · | Snorkelling at Manjarite (long wooden pier) | 30–60 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Strawberry Rock, pinkish-red rocks (conditional) | 20–40 min | camera charged |
| · | Sunset at Kalong Island, fruit bats | 30–60 min | camera charged |
| · | Dinner | — | |
| 🌙 | Night on board: at anchor or under way, as the weather and the captain decide that day. | ||
Day 2
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Breakfast aboard | — | |
| · | Padar Island trek, or Gili Lawa: your choice, subject to quota | — | sturdy shoes, hat |
| · | Komodo dragons at Komodo village, or Rinca: your choice, subject to quota | 60–90 min | |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Snorkelling at Pink Beach (or Namong) | 30–60 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Snorkelling at Manta Point Tide | 45–75 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Snack | — | |
| · | Taka Makassar sandbar and snorkelling Tide | 20–30 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Dinner | — | |
| 🌙 | Night on board: at anchor or under way, as the weather and the captain decide that day. | ||
Day 3
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Breakfast aboard | — | |
| · | Seture Island, beach and snorkelling | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| 10:00 | Back in Labuan Bajo, 10:00–11:00 | 30–90 min |
Tide and wind decide whether these stops trade places: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar.
Treat the times as planning figures, not a timetable; the sea sets the real ones. The pickup is the one time we hold ourselves to.
FAQ
Are there Komodo dragons on Kelor Island?
No. Kelor is not a dragon site; you see dragons on day two.
How long is the boat ride from Labuan Bajo to Kelor?
50 to 70 minutes. It is the first leg of day one, straight after the pickup.
Is the Kelor climb hard?
It is short and steep: 15 to 30 minutes up a dry path with loose ground. Anyone who can climb a few flights of stairs can do it, slowly. The difficulty is the gradient at midday, not the distance. If you have bad knees, the descent is the part to take carefully, and walking poles help.
What comes after Kelor on day one?
On the overnight routes, Manjarite, 30 to 60 minutes away, for a snorkel off a long wooden pier, then Strawberry Rock if conditions allow, and Kalong at sunset.
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