Liang Bua — Hobbit Extinction Secret
Uncover the chilling mystery of the Flores Hobbits' sudden extinction. Decode clues from their cave and ancient sites to expose what force wiped out Homo floresiensis 50,000 years ago.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
Deep in the limestone caves of Liang Bua on Flores Island, the tiny Homo floresiensis—nicknamed 'Hobbits' for their 3-foot stature—thrived for millennia, crafting tools, mastering fire, and hunting in
Liang Bua — Hobbit Extinction Secret
You are a lead paleo-anthropologist, dispatched by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences to Ruteng, Flores Island, to re-examine the 50,000-year-old
<b>Homo floresiensis: The little human who rewrote our history</b>
« The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. »— Marcel Proust
The Flores Enigma
For decades, the narrative of human evolution was dominated by the idea of linear progression and the supremacy of Homo sapiens. Africa was thought to be the exclusive cradle of humanity, from which our ancestors dispersed to replace all other hominid species. The isolated, volcanic island of Flores was considered a mere stop on migratory routes, without major significance for the deep history of our lineage. Yet, its caves held a secret that would shake this simplistic view of the past.
Everything changed in 2003. A team of Australian and Indonesian archaeologists, led by Mike Morwood and Thomas Sutikna, unearthed remarkably small hominid remains in Liang Bua cave. These 'Hobbits,' named Homo floresiensis, stood barely one meter tall and possessed brains the size of an orange. Their existence only 50,000 years ago, in parallel with Homo sapiens, contradicted the notion of a single dominant hominid and opened new questions about adaptability, insular dwarfism, and the unexpected diversity of the human family tree.
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
The game downloads to your phone on start. Once the "✓ Downloaded" indicator appears, everything works without data — narration, AR, GPS and puzzles. Perfect abroad without a data plan.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
5-10 curated sites across the territory
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Paleontological Mystery
Dive into one of the greatest enigmas of human evolution: the little human of Flores.
Volcanic Lands
Explore Ruteng and its surroundings, shaped by a unique geology that preserved millennia-old secrets.
Scientific Revolution
Discover how a single discovery challenged the foundations of our human family tree.
Yesterday's small steps, today's great truths.
Unveil the fate of Homo floresiensis.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Is this an outdoor escape game in Ruteng, Flores or a classic scavenger hunt?
Both at once: it's an outdoor escape game — team puzzles, narration, clues, final code — but in the streets of Ruteng, Flores, at your pace. The classic scavenger hunt mechanic plus augmented reality through the camera.
Q02How long does it take to finish Liang Bua — Hobbit Extinction Secret?
Plan 1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. Some finish in 1 h 10, others take 3 h in slow-mode. No pressure: the clock only counts for the leaderboard, you play at your tempo.
Q03Is Liang Bua — Hobbit Extinction Secret good for a hen / stag party?
Great fit: no costume required, the team really collaborates (it's not a linear path), and the final code earns you a souvenir photo. Pick a calm time slot — early afternoon usually.
Q04Is Liang Bua — Hobbit Extinction Secret stroller-accessible?
Depends on the exact route in Ruteng, Flores. The vast majority of stops are downtown, on sidewalks or squares. If a stair or narrow passage is involved, it's flagged on the product page. Generally: yes, doable with a standard urban stroller.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Untangle the threads of an unsuspected evolutionary history and rewrite the great narrative of humanity.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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