A Flores overland package is a multi-day car hire that carries you right across the island — Labuan Bajo to Ruteng, Bajawa, Ende, Kelimutu and Maumere — in one vehicle you keep for the whole journey, driven by a chauffeur who knows the road. Labuan Bajo Car Hire runs it as a hire rather than a seat-in-coach tour: an SUV or Toyota HiAce is assigned to your party alone, and the rate is quoted in USD per vehicle for the package, not per person. Sample formats are 3, 4 and 5 days, and most guests finish one-way in Ende or Maumere and fly onward.
Labuan Bajo Car Hire is operated under Komodo Luxury, and every overland hire is confirmed with a written quote before any payment.
What does a Flores overland package by car include?
The hire covers the vehicle, your chauffeur, fuel, parking and any road charges, and the driver’s own meals and accommodation for the nights he is away from Labuan Bajo. You receive a written day-by-day driving plan with agreed departure times and overnight towns.
Outside the hire, and paid by you directly: hotels, your meals, entrance and conservation fees at sites such as Kelimutu and the traditional villages, customary guide fees where a village requires one, and any onward flight. We list these as exclusions on the quote so there is no ambiguity at the roadside.
Which vehicle should you hire for the Trans-Flores route?
Vehicle choice matters far more on an overland hire than on a town transfer, because you live in the car for several days on climbing, twisting road. Two categories cover almost every booking:
| Vehicle | Realistic capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Midsize SUV or 7-seat MPV | 2–4 guests with full-size luggage | Couples, small families, the most economical overland format |
| Toyota HiAce (commuter or premium seating) | 5–10 guests with full-size luggage | Groups, dive or camera gear, anyone wanting standing headroom on long legs |
Overland hires are chauffeur-driven only; we do not release vehicles for self-drive across Flores. If you need the car for the Labuan Bajo end of your trip instead, our car hire with driver and SUV hire pages cover half-day and full-day formats.
What do the sample 3, 4 and 5-day itineraries look like?
3-day sample: the direct crossing
- Day 1 — Labuan Bajo to Bajawa via the Cancar spiderweb rice fields and Ranamese lake; a long first leg.
- Day 2 — Bajawa to Moni, calling at Bena village below Inerie and the Soa hot springs.
- Day 3 — pre-dawn ascent to Kelimutu for sunrise, then down to Maumere for an afternoon flight.
4-day sample: the pace we usually recommend
The same corridor with a night in Ruteng added. It splits the two heaviest driving days, leaves a proper morning in the Ngada villages, and gets you into Moni in daylight rather than after dark. Day four adds Koka Beach and the Sikka weaving villages before the Maumere drop.
5-day sample: with a detour
Five days buys either the northern Riung leg with a 17 Islands boat day, or a slower southern run taking in the blue-stone beach at Penggajawa and more time around Ende. It is also the only length with real slack if a road closure forces a reroute.
Distances look short on a map and are not: the Trans-Flores highway runs roughly 600–700 km end to end and is sealed for most of its length, but narrow and continuously winding. Plan on 4–7 hours of driving on a working day before stops. Our airport transfer can meet your inbound flight the evening before so day one starts early.
Can you drop us one-way in Ende or Maumere?
Yes, and it is the most common way this hire is booked. We drop at Maumere (Frans Seda) or Ende (H. Hasan Aroeboesman) airport, timed to your flight. Because the vehicle and chauffeur then return west without passengers, a repositioning element sits in the quote as a visible line rather than being hidden in the day rate. East-to-west works identically if you are arriving from Kupang or Timor. Flight schedules on these routes change seasonally, so confirm your ticket before we lock the final day.
How do you book a Flores overland hire?
- Send four details — arrival date in Labuan Bajo, number of guests and luggage, how many days you can give the road, and which airport you want to finish at.
- Receive a written quote — vehicle recommendation, day-by-day plan, a USD total for the package, and inclusions and exclusions listed line by line.
- Confirm with a deposit — this holds the specific vehicle and chauffeur for your dates; the balance is settled at the start of the trip.
- Driver details before you land — name and contact number shared in advance, with hotel suggestions for Ruteng, Bajawa and Moni if you want them.
- Changes en route — possible, and any cost difference is confirmed with you before it applies.
How much does a Flores overland package cost in 2026?
Because the vehicle is hired whole, cost per person falls sharply as the group grows. Indicative package totals, one-way with an eastern drop:
| Package | SUV / MPV (2–4 guests) | HiAce (5–10 guests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | approx. USD 390–520 | approx. USD 470–620 |
| 4 days | approx. USD 500–660 | approx. USD 600–790 |
| 5 days | approx. USD 610–820 | approx. USD 740–980 |
Pricing disclaimer: these ranges are indicative guidance as of 2026 and are not a booked rate or an offer. Season, routing, drop point, fuel cost at the time of travel and the number of nights the chauffeur is away all move the figure. The binding number is the written quote we send you.
Flores overland package FAQ
Is this a guided tour or a car hire?
A car hire with a chauffeur. Your driver handles the road, timing and local logistics and speaks working English, but he is not a licensed interpretive guide. If you want commentary at Bena or Kelimutu we arrange a local guide there and show it as a separate line.
When is the best time to drive across Flores?
The drier months, broadly April to November, give the most dependable mountain roads and the clearest Kelimutu sunrises. Travel in the wet season is still workable, but fog, road works and landslide clearance can force changes, so we build extra buffer into the plan rather than promise fixed timings.
Can we bring dive gear or oversized luggage?
Yes — tell us the piece count when you enquire. Four guests with dive bags usually need a HiAce rather than an SUV, and sizing the vehicle correctly at quote stage costs less than fixing it on day one. Our HiAce hire page covers the seating layouts.
What happens if a road is closed?
Your chauffeur reroutes and we tell you the same day what it means for the schedule. On a 3-day package there is little slack, which is the main practical argument for taking four or five days if your onward flight cannot move.
Plan your Flores overland hire
Send your dates, group size and finishing airport, and we will reply with a day-by-day driving plan and a written USD quote — no obligation to book. Message us on WhatsApp at wa.me/6281138105742 or email sales@komodoluxury.com. Labuan Bajo Car Hire is operated under Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group, operating from Bali across Indonesia since 2015.