Lore Lindu National Park

Lore Lindu National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Danau Lindu lake in the national park
Lore Lindu NP Location in Sulawesi
Location	Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Nearest city	Palu
Coordinates	1°28′S 120°11′E / 1.467°S 120.183°E / -1.467; 120.183Coordinates: 1°28′S 120°11′E / 1.467°S 120.183°E / -1.467; 120.183
Area	2,180 km2 (840 sq mi)
Established	1982
Visitors	2,000 (in 2007)
Governing body	Ministry of Forestry

Lore Lindu National Park is a protected area of forest on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, in the province of Central Sulawesi. The Indonesian national park is 2,180 km² covering both lowland and montane forests (200 to 2,610 meters above mean sea level). It provides habitat to numerous rare species, including 77 bird species endemic to Sulawesi. The national park is designated as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. In addition to its rich wildlife, the park also contains megaliths dating from before 1300 AD.

The easiest access to visit the national park is from Palu to Kamarora (50 kilometers in 2.5 hours drive). Due to a lot of rainfall up to 4,000 mm a year in the southern part of the national park, the best time to visit is from July to September.

The boundaries of the park are defined by the Palolo Valley to the north, Napu Valley to the east and Bada Valley to the south. The western boundary is formed by a series of narrow valleys, known collectively as the Kulawi Valley. The Palolo, Napu, Lindu and Besoa Valleys were once lakes, now partially filled with sediment. Lake Lindu (Danau Lindu) is the only large lake remaining today. The altitude ranges from 200 to 2,500 m above sea-level.

The climate is tropical with high humidity. Temperatures vary only a few degrees over the course of the year, between 26 °C–32 °C in lowland areas. The temperature drops in the highland areas about 6 °C (11 °F) with every 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) rise in altitude. The heaviest rain period occurs during the monsoon which lasts from November to April.

Lore Lindu National Park stretches over multiple ecosystem types, including lowland tropical forest, sub-montane forest, montane forest, as well as sub-alpine forest at altitudes over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).

Plant species include Eucalyptus deglupta, Pterospermum celebicum, Cananga odorata, Gnetum gnemon, Castanopsis argentea, Agathis philippinensis, Phyllocladus hypophyllus, medicinal plants, and rattans.