Fatu Timau

Information

Elevation

1.774 m

Country

Indonesia (ID)

Location / Range

Amfoang Tengah District, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara

Mountain type

Non-volcanic mountain

Volcanic?

No (non-volcanic)

Coordinates

-9.5806, 123.9400

Difficulty

Easy — only about 400 meters of elevation gain from the parking area to the summit, travel time about 1.5 hours

Best Season

April–October (dry season; more stable weather)

Description

Fatu Timau is a non-volcanic mountain at 1,774 metres in Amfoang Tengah subdistrict, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. It has a characteristic pyramid shape when viewed from multiple directions, and its rocky, treeless summit offers unobstructed 360-degree views across West Timor from the eastern to the western coast. Unlike the majority of Indonesian mountains, Fatu Timau is not volcanic, as the island of Timor is composed of non-volcanic rock. It is one of the most accessible Ribus (peaks above 1,500 m a.s.l.) in the country: the elevation gain from the roadside car park to the summit is only about 400 metres, a climb of roughly 1.5 hours. Official Bakosurtanal topographic maps record the peak as 'Nuaf Timau' at 1,779 m — the word fatu means 'rock' in the local Dawan language, reflecting the summit's rocky character. Gunung Mutis (2,417 m), the highest peak in East Nusa Tenggara, is visible to the north. A government-planned astronomy observatory is under construction on nearby hills, with work initiated around 2015. Note: detailed trail and access information remains limited; data above is sourced from international mountaineering databases.