Family Java Explorer and Indonesian Borneo
Bespoke Holiday Itinerary / Experience Tour

Culture meets wildlife on this incredible Indonesia discovery trip. It’s perfect for families travelling with teenagers and older children as there is something to stimulate the most jaded of teenagers and experiences for everyone to enjoy and share. Explore ancient cities full of architectural wonders and get up close and personal with Indonesia’s most famous inhabitant, the fascinating orangutan. There are also volcanoes to climb, spectacular views, cycling, horse-cart rides and boat trips to enjoy as a family.

Highlights include:

• Trek and journey by boat through the Borneo jungle to spot exotic wildlife, and in particular, orang-utans.
• Climb to the top of Mentigen Hill ahead of the crowds to watch the incredible sunrise over Mount Bromo.
• Explore temple ruins on horseback at Gedong Songo.
• Discover amazing Borobodur with its stupas and backdrop of volcanic peaks.
• Tailor the holiday to incorporate a visit to the beaches of Bali. 

Combining Indonesian Borneo (Kalimnatan) with Java, Indonesia’s most populous and visually striking island, provides a fantastic contrast of scenery, wildlife and culture. With some sensible prior planning, the internal connects work well and the logistics can be made much easier with the right balance of hotels and adventure/relaxation.  

All Experience Travel Group holidays are tailor made, privately guided and delivered by the best guides in the country. The prices shown are inclusive of all services and there are no hidden extras. We are fully bonded and your money is 100% protected. Please contact us today for your complementary travel consultation. Fill in the form or call the number below. 

Your personalised quotation with Experience Travel Group will include.

• International Flights (which can be omitted from your quotation if you prefer)
• Accommodation as described
• Privately guided tours and transfers 
• Original Experience Travel Group "Signature" experiences 
• Full financial protection (full ABTA and ATOL bonding)
• Meals as described
• 24 hour in-country backup whilst away
• Your own dedicated travel expert in the UK 

For more on our pricing policy read here.  

Day 1 – Depart the UK

Depart the UK.

Day 2 – Jakarta

You will be met by your guide when you arrive at the airport, where they will assist you with immigration and your visa procedures. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Jakarta where you can spend the rest of the day relaxing at leisure.

Day 3 – Rimba Lodge

Transfer to the airport and take a short flight to Pankalan in Indonesian Borneo. Then take a small local ferry across the Seikonyer River to a small harbour, where you will join another boat and cruise for 2 hours to reach Rimba Lodge, your base in the Borneo jungle for exploring and looking for Orang-utans.

Day 4 – Rimba Lodge

After an early breakfast at the lodge, a 2.5 hour cruise up the Leakey River will take you towards camp Leakey for a chance to see Proboscis monkeys, Macaques, crocodiles, lizards and numerous bird species. From the camp, you will be led by a local Ranger and your guide on a trek through the Jungle. It is possible that you will get a sighting of TOM, the King Orang-utan; he is about 30 years old and weighs over 100 kilograms. You can also see and help with the feeding of these amazing creatures.

Day 5 – Rimba Lodge

This morning you will head to Pondok Tanggui orang-utan breeding station. You will witness the feeding of, and have the opportunity to play with, the young orang-utans. After a short walk through the jungle, a simple lunch will be served on the boat while cruising to Tanjung Harapan village, where you can see the Malayan and Semi Dayak ethnic tribes and see them producing local handicrafts. Leaving Tanjung Harapan village you will stop at Tanjung Harapan rehabilitation camp to see orangutans that are being prepared for release back into the wild.

Day 6 – Borobudur

Transfer to the airport by ferry and car to take a short flight back to the island of Java. Start your journey towards Borobudur by car, stopping en route at Gedong Songo. Rising about 900 metres above sea level, on the slopes of Mt. Ungaran, you will ride on horse-back up to Gedong Songo, which is a group of nine small 8th century Hindu Javanese temples. The temples belong to the earliest antiquities of Java and are spread over the higher parts of the mountains, which guarantee a splendid views.

Day 7 – Borobudur

Leave your hotel before sunrise and head to Borobudur temple, a stunning Buddhist temple on a forested plateau surrounded by dramatic volcanic peaks, including the highly active Gunung Merapi. Watch the sun rise majestically from in between the two volcanic peaks and then explore the temple in the misty morning light.

In the afternoon, your guide will return to take you to Candirejo, a traditional Javanese village in a beautiful natural setting. Take a ride in an “Andong”, a traditional Yogyakartan horse-drawn carriage.

Day 8 – Yogyakarta

Transfer by road to the historic capital city of Yogyakarta, where the rest of the day can be spent at leisure.  

Day 9 – Yogyakarta

This morning visit the Kraton; the traditional home of the sultan and the royal court. After a tour of the site, you will then visit the Taman Sari Complex, also known as Water Castle. After lunch at a local restaurant and a few hours rest at your hotel, visit the Sambisari temple and then set off on an hour-and-a-half bike tour through back roads of Jogjakarta, ending at the Suryo Cultural Center behind Perambanan temple. Renowned as one of the most beautiful Hindu temples in the world, you will have special access to visit the temple at sunset for breath-taking views.

Day 10 – Malang

Take the Sancaka Express Train to Jombong, East Java. Then drive through beautiful countryside to Malang, via the small plantation villages of Pujon Batu, where you will have a chance to stop and take in the scenery and explore the villages. The drive takes about 3 hours.

Day 11 - Malang

Explore the ancient city of Malang, sometimes referred to as the Paris of East Java and famous for its cool mountain air and the breath-taking surrounding countryside. Soak up the interesting mix of traditional Javanese temples, Dutch Colonial architecture and modern Indonesia society. You will visit two 13th Century temples and have the opportunity to experience the contrasting architecture of the city and the dramatic volcanic peaks and lush countryside that surrounds it.          

Day 12 & 13 – Mount Bromo

Transfer by road for 3 hours to the foot of Mount Bromo. 

During your stay you'll take a jeep ride to Bromo, visiting Bromo crater and Penanjakan Mountain, where you can take in the magical experience of the sun setting behind the mountains. 

Day 14 – 15 Surabaya

Transfer to Surabaya by car and spend a day with your guide exploring Surabaya before flying back to the UK overnight.

Alternatively you can fly directly from Surabaya to Bali in just 55 minutes and continue your Indonesian adventure with a beach holiday or further adventures. Call us on 020 7924 7133 to design the holiday to suit your timeframe and interests.