Ultimate Indonesia

On arrival in Java, you'll be met by your private guide, who will accompany you to your hotel in Jakarta.

Welcome to Selective Asia! This level of personal service (such as private transfers, private tours etc) is what you can expect throughout your trip. A few services (eg boat cruises) will be shared, but we'll always make sure you're aware of these.

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Having arrived in Kalimantan, you'll meet your local guide for the drive to Kumai Port, where you'll board the traditional klotok boat which you'll call home for the next three nights. Named after the noise that the boat makes as it travels, the klotoks are two-storey wooden river boats, traditionally used to transport goods and passengers up and down the winding waterways. A cruise on a converted klotok, now a houseboat, is a magical way to explore deep into the Tanjung Puting National Park. The journey begins on the wide Kumai River, before joining the much smaller Sekonyer River that marks the park’s border. Gaze at the wildlife appearing along the banks, and enjoy an authentic home-cooked Indonesian dinner on-board before settling down to fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle.

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Cruise upstream to Camp Leakey, renowned for its orang-utan conservation. This inspiring project has reintroduced over 200 orang-utans back into the wild since its foundation, and the camp’s rangers medically monitor the local orang population and provide supplementary food via three feeding platforms. Take a walk along a wooden pontoon and jungle path to the viewing area, where you’ll see orangs visit a feeding platform just 30 feet away. Return to the boat in the late afternoon to continue cruising as groups of proboscis monkeys - easily recognizable by their long flat nose and pot-belly - come close to the river banks to spend the night in the overhanging trees. There’s a good chance of spotting more wild orang-utans as they come down to the bank to pick up pandan fruit, one of their favourite foods.

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Head off towards the second orang-utan feeding centre at Pondok Tanguy. A half-mile walk through ferns and lush vegetation brings you to the site in time for the orang’s breakfast feed. Head downstream to the Pasalat Rainforest station to learn about the conservation work of the NGOs, based here to focus on reforesting the natural habitat of orang-utans. Step back aboard your kloktok, and head on to your last orang-utan viewing at Tanjung Harapan Camp. Make the short crossing to Harapan village, one of the only settlements along the river, where you can meet local families going about their daily lives, before heading back to your boat for a final dinner on board.

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After breakfast on board, cruise back to Kumai and head to Pangkalanbun airport for your flight to Semarang, where you'll meet your guide for the journey to Borobudur, where the rest of your day will be at leisure - perhaps catching an early night in preparation for tomorrow's sunrise over Borobudur temple itself.

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Head out early to see a breathtaking sunrise over the temple complex at Borobudur, marvelling at the carved details as they are illuminated by the first rays of the day. Comprising thousands of volcanic and river stone blocks, the temple took more than 75 years to complete. Now protected by UNESCO, these stunning ruins, decorated with 500 Buddha statues and over 2,500 relief panels, remains remarkably intact. From Borobudur, continue on to the nearby Mendut and Pawon temples, aligned perfectly with Borobudur and defined by their elaborate stone carvings.

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Start the day’s cycling tour in Kaliadem village, with magnificent views of Gunung Merapi (one of Indonesia’s active volcanoes) and ravines created by past streams of molten lava. This leisurely, predominantly downhill cycle takes you through bucolic countryside, with Mt Merapi an ever-present backdrop, stopping for photo opportunities and guided talks. Cycle 9 miles to a local restaurant, for lunch with a view of Prambanan. As the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, Prambanan originally included over 240 temples, though some have been damaged over time. Having rested your legs, head into the temple to wander around its central shrines dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the Hindu holy trinity. Having explored the temple, continue your journey to Yogyakarta.

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Set out for the Sultan’s Palace, also known as Kraton, which sits at the centre of Javanese cosmology and is still the traditional seat of Jogja’s royal court. The Palace is a vibrant showcase for Javanese culture, and you might see a classic dance or poetry performance while you’re there. Also visit the Taman Sari Water Palace, a 200 year old addition to the royal complex with bathing pools for the Sultan’s harem. In the afternoon, take a lesson in traditional batik production, including the Javanese philosophy behind the patterns, and create your own batik souvenir to take home. In the evening, one of our local Indonesian friends will meet you to show you around. Take a stroll to enjoy a drink in a local café or bar, immersing yourself further into the country’s culture, as you discover a side of Yogyakarta that only the locals know. Try the tempting street food, listen to live music, or join your companion in a game of badminton or petanque. If there’s anything particular you’re eager to experience, they’ll do their best to make it happen.

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Board the Sancaka Pagi Train at Yogyakarta Tugu Railway station to for a scenic train ride to Jombang in eastern Java. Pass through the spectacular volcanic landscapes, taking the opportunity to chat with local travellers with the assistance and translation of your accompanying guide. Disembark in Jombang and drive to Trowulan, the former site of the Majapahit Kingdom capital city, to visit the temples of Candi Bajang Ratu and Candi Tikus, before travelling along a scenic mountain route to the Bromo-Tengger National Park. The remainder of your day will be at leisure to sit back and enjoy the views of this magnificent peak.

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An early start, but we promise it’ll be worth it, as you set out at 3.30am for a sunrise jeep tour of Mount Bromo. Travel to Mount Penanjakan, which has arguably one of the best views of Bromo and its neighbouring gunungs, to watch the sun rise along with other early birds. Head into the caldera for a 40-minute walk across the otherworldly landscape of volcanic ash, known as the ‘sea of sand’, to the base of the jagged slopes. Walk up to the crater rim to gaze down into Bromo’s smoking interior, standing right on the edge of an active volcano. After this you'll be taken to the airport for a short flight to Bali, where you can head straight to Ubud and relax.

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Spend a day at leisure enjoying Ubud’s relaxed vibe, perhaps visiting the artisan village of Mas, taking a cooking class or wood-carving workshop class, or enjoying one of Ubud's many fantastic spas.

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Travelling through the outskirts of Ubud on two wheels is the perfect way to see both the beauty of the countryside and the daily lives of local people. Start in the village of Kadewatan to the north of Ubud, where you’ll meet your local cycle guide, and set off on a leisurely, predominantly downhill, cycle tour past paddy fields and temple compounds, through local villages and bamboo forest. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before your sunset culinary tour around Ubud. Begin with a cocktail and tapas overlooking the Ayung River at Sayan Valley, then head to a traditional cabin in the rice fields for an authentic Balinese feast. A stop will be made en-route at Saraswati Palace to watch a traditional dance at the beautiful candle-lit lotus pond, and end your evening tasting sweet delicacies at a favourite local restaurant.

Head out to discover the lakes, temples and stunning scenery of the surrounding area. Stop at Bedugul to explore the local market, with its stalls of eye-catching tropical fruits, vegetables, spices and flowers, before continuing on to Ulun Danu, rumoured to be the most photographed temple in Bali. Built on several small islands, the temple appears to ‘float’ on the surface of Bratan Lake, its distinctive tiered roofs mirrored in the waters below, and is one of Bali’s holiest Hindu temples. Head back towards Ubud via the UNESCO listed rice terraces of Jatiluwih, where there’ll be time for a leisurely short trek through the fields, learning about the traditional ‘subak’ style of rice farming. Take a final stop at Pura Taman Ayun, the Royal Temple of Mengwi, surrounded by a moat and boasting multi–roofed meru shrines and intricately carved wooden gates, before returning to Ubud.

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Enjoy the morning at leisure until it’s time for your journey to the Komodo Resort, where the rest of your day will be at leisure to wander the island’s deserted shoreline before settling in for a sunset dinner on the sand.

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Relax for a few days of ultimate tranquility at your leisure. You could cruise to Komodo Island for snorkelling and to search for Komodo Dragons with a national park ranger, or visit Rinca, which is smaller and less visited than Komodo, but also home to Komodo Dragons, wild pigs, indigenous birds and monkeys. You could also witness the dusk migration of flying foxes from Kalong Island.

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Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.