Borneo, Java and Bali Adventure
Bespoke Holiday Itinerary / Experience Tour

Indonesia has thousands of islands with astonishingly variety. This itinerary offers you the opportunity to explore the three very diverse islands of Borneo, Java and Bali; a holiday taking in wildlife, volcanic landscapes, ancient temples and exotic beaches. 

Highlights include:

• Staying in a lodge in the Borneo rainforest.
• Spotting orangutans and a huge range of other mammals, birds and reptiles in the wild. 
• Discovering the magical temples of Borobudur and Prambanan with their otherwordly volcanic backdrop.
• Exploring the city of Yogyakarta, the cultural heartland of Java.
• Relaxing on the idyllic, less-explored east coast of beautiful Bali.  

- International and local flights 

- Accommodation

- Private guides

- All tours, meals and transfers as mentioned above.

Note that the price of flights in particular, can be higher during peak travel periods

DAY 1 - DEPART THE UK

Depart the UK.

DAY 2 - JAKARTA

Arrive at Jakarta Airport to be met by your guide. You will be transferred to your quiet and traditional hotel in the heart of the city.

DAY 3 - JAKARTA

You will have a free day to explore the sights and sounds of Jakarta.

DAY 4 – BORNEO

After a short flight from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun in Borneo, you will be met by your tour guide. After a brief drive you will take a two hour river cruise on a living boat to your Lodge in the rainforest. Lunch will be prepared on board while you enjoy the landscape. After checking in at the lodge you will take a boat trip along the river to try and get a glimpse of Proboscis or 'the Long-nosed Monkey'. It is also possible to see crocodiles, lizards and numerous bird species, including the magnificent Horn Bill.

DAY 5 – BORNEO

After an early breakfast at the lodge, a 2.5 hour cruise up the Leakey River will take you towards Camp Leakey, an orangutan research and breeding centre. You will be led by a local Ranger and your guide on a trek through the jungle and, if you're lucky, you will get a sighting of TOM, the King Orangutan of the area; he is about 30 years old and weighs over 100 kilograms. The trek will take you to the feeding platform where you will be able to see and help with the feeding of the orang-utans. You will then cruise back to Rimba Lodge in time for dinner.

DAY 6 – BORNEO

Today you will visit the Pasalat forest rehabilitation where you will see the attempts to reverse the effects of the human destruction within the rainforest and go for a 2 hour walk through the forest to see the heterogenic jungle. In the afternoon you will take a short walk through villages for a chance to see how the destruction of the forest is affecting the local Dayak people.

DAY 7 – BOROBUDUR

After a morning flight to Semerang in Central Java you will travel south, through the ridge of volcanic mountains that bisect the North and South of Java. En route to Borobudur you will stop to visit Gadung Songo, an eighth century Hindu temple complex devoted to Shiva and Vishnu that is the oldest surviving Hindu temple in Indonesia. It is a collection of nine temples 1000m above sea level and provides a magnificent view that compares favourably with almost all of the spectacular vistas that Java can offer.

DAY 8 – BOROBUDUR

After a few busy days you will have a day to relax in your hotel in the stunning setting around Borobudur temple.

DAY 9 – BOROBUDUR

Today you will rise before the sun rises and be taken by your guide to climb Borobudur in order to reach the top in time to witness the majestic sun rise over Mount Merapi and the forested plateau to the east. Built in the 8th century and constructed from two million individual bits of stone, the Buddhist temple is made of 6 square terraces with three circular terraces and 72 small stupas on top. The temple is covered by delicately sculptured reliefs representing the life of Buddha and the Buddhist belief in kharma and reincarnation. After the temple you will have the choice of going back to the hotel to recoup or to spend the afternoon visiting a range of smaller temples in the area.

DAY 10 – YOGYAKARTA

After breakfast you will head into Yogyakarta, part of the only sultanate remaining in Indonesia. You will visit the Kraton, the traditional home of the sultan and the royal court, and the elaborate two story mansion retreat known as the Water Palace. In the afternoon you will leave the city and visit the magnificent tenth century Hindu temple, Prambanan. While it is not as well restored as Borobudur, it is a magnificent piece of architecture consisting of 8 main and 8 minor temples on a central courtyard, surrounded by 244 small temples in the outer compound. You will stay at the temple until the sun sets, when on a clear day the temple will appear as a silhouette against the backdrop of a sky of bright reds, pale blues and wisps of white clouds.

DAY 11 – CANDI DASA

Today you will fly to Bali where you will be transferred to your hotel to your peaceful beach hotel in Candi Dasa, and spend time relaxing by this small bay’s exotic white sand beaches and picturesque lily lake.

DAY 12, 13, 14 and 15 – CANDI DASA

Four free days of leisure to enjoy the beach and the good range of local restaurants.

DAY 16 – FLY HOME

Transfer by vehicle to Denpasar airport for your flight home. Alternatively we can tailor your tour so that you continue on to one of the neighbouring islands.