The best known (a relative term) hike in Timor-Leste is to the summit of the 2,986m high Mt Ramelau / Tatamailau, the highest point in the country, and a sacred place for Timorese. It requires a fair amount of effort to climb ~700m but there is a decent path to the summit, and the views reward the effort.

Around 25,000 people reach the summit every year, but 99% of these are Timorese, with a large proportion visiting in March and October for pilgrimages to commemorate the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Interestingly this popularity is a relatively new thing, sparked by a Catholic priest installing a statue of the Virgin Mary at the summit in 1997. Usually people start around 3am to make it to the summit for sunrise. Instead I headed up around 3pm to watch the sunset. If the weather holds this is a great option as you’re likely to have the summit to yourself, and you can get some sleep!

You can walk from Hatu Builico but it’s a pretty steep and dull concrete road (with some walking shortcuts) so most people get transport to the road end, a small plateau. Here there is a lovely fenced off meadow in front of the entrance gate to the walk.

The track starts with lots of steps, but these soon give way to wide path.

There are a couple of campsites along the way but I believe that Timorese have been discouraged from using these due to the lack of facilities.

There are a number of bins along the track, but their maintenance appears suspect. There are also no toilets on the mountain, but plenty of bushes.

Most of the track is through the bush but it does open up at a few points to offer expansive views.

About 500m from the summit is the Chapel, rebuilt after the original was destroyed by fire in October 2020. Services are held here during pilgrimages.

Closer to the summit is a large telecommunications tower, which is manned overnight, explaining the house and toilet next to it.

The summit is marked by a reasonable sized platform and an impressively robust alabaster statue of the Virgin Mary, known as Nain Feto Ramelau (Our Lady of Ramelau), which gifted by Italy in 1997.

It is very windy up here! But the views are pretty stunning.

I had the place to myself as I watched the sun slowly set, casting colour across the landscape.

Around 6.30pm it was time to return, somewhat faster downhill, back to the entrance gate.

For the detailed route and logistical information please select this hike below (click top left for the list of hikes).