The Adventure of a Lifetime: 12 Days in Java, Borneo & Bali

Day 1: Arrival in Jakarta

Arrival at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, followed by a transfer to your hotel.

Overnight: Ibis Styles Airport Jakarta or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 2: Free day in Jakarta

A free day in Jakarta to acclimatize, relax and recover from your journey.

Overnight: Ibis Styles Airport Jakarta or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 3: Jakarta – Pangkalan Bun – Tanjung Puting National Park

Your journey starts early with a hotel pickup at around 4:00 a.m. After flying to Pangkalan Bun in Central Kalimantan, you continue to Kumai and board a traditional Indonesian riverboat known as a klotok. Cruise past green nipa mangroves and dense rainforest before visiting your first orangutan feeding station. There is plenty of time to observe and photograph these remarkable animals before the boat anchors for the night.

Overnight: On board, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 4: Exploring Tanjung Puting National Park

Set off early for Camp Leakey, the park's best-known research station. Along the way, stop at Pondok Tangguy for the morning orangutan feeding and take a ranger-guided walk through the rainforest. Continue upstream into the deep-black tributary that Birutė Galdikas called the Mirror of Paradise, then visit the orangutans at Camp Leakey in the afternoon.

Overnight: On board, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 5: Tanjung Puting National Park – Pangkalan Bun – Semarang

After breakfast, transfer to Pangkalan Bun Airport for the flight to Semarang. On arrival, enjoy a city tour through Semarang's historic old town.

Overnight: Novotel Semarang or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 6: Semarang – Borobudur – Yogyakarta

Travel to Magelang and stop at a small coffee farm to learn about coffee cultivation on Java. Visit Gereja Ayam, the unusual interfaith Chicken Church, followed by Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to Yogyakarta, Java's cultural heart.

Overnight: Horison Emerald Timoho Yogyakarta or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 7: Yogyakarta – Sultan's Palace – Prambanan Temple – Solo

Visit the Kraton royal palace and the ruins of Taman Sari Water Castle. Afterwards, explore the impressive Hindu temple of Prambanan before continuing to Solo (Surakarta).

Overnight: Paragon Solo or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 8: Solo – Mojokerto – Malang

After breakfast, travel toward Mojokerto. Visit the Majapahit Museum and the historic Bajang Ratu gateway in Trowulan, then continue to Malang.

Overnight: Santika Premiere Malang or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 9: Malang – Singosari – Wonosari Tea Plantation – Mount Bromo

Check out after breakfast and take a city tour of Malang. Continue to the historic Singosari Temple and the scenic Wonosari tea plantations in Lawang. In the late afternoon, arrive in the mountain village of Ngadisari near Mount Bromo and enjoy the cool air and beautiful surroundings.

Overnight: Parama Bromo in Ngadisari or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 10: Mount Bromo sunrise – Banyuwangi

At 3:00 a.m., travel by 4x4 jeep to the King Kong Hills viewpoint for a spectacular sunrise over Mount Bromo's volcanic landscape. Descend into the valley, cross the Sea of Sand and climb the steps to the crater rim. Return to the hotel for breakfast and a shower, check out at around 9:30 a.m. and continue to Banyuwangi.

Overnight: Ketapang Indah Banyuwangi or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 11: Mount Ijen Blue Fire – Ferry to Bali and Lovina

Leave by 4x4 jeep at 12:30 a.m. and reach Paltuding Base Camp at around 2:00 a.m. From there, begin the roughly two-hour hike to Mount Ijen and descend into the crater to see the extraordinary blue sulfur flames. After the hike, return to the hotel for breakfast and a shower, then check out and take the car ferry from Ketapang to Bali.

Choose a seat on the upper deck for wonderful views as Java recedes and the mountains of West Bali draw closer. Remember that Bali is one hour ahead of Java. In the late afternoon, arrive in relaxed Lovina on Bali's north coast.

Overnight: New Sunari Lovina or a comparable hotel, including breakfast.

Day 12: Lovina – Gitgit Waterfall – Bedugul – Transfer to your next hotel

After breakfast and check-out, travel inland through Bali's jungle-covered mountains to Gitgit Waterfall. A well-maintained path leads through lush vegetation, clove trees and coffee plantations to the 40-metre cascade.

Continue along the winding mountain road toward Bedugul. Near the Twin Lakes viewpoint, you may see macaques and enjoy sweeping views into the valleys. The route then descends past rice terraces and traditional villages. Transfer to your beach hotel in southern Bali or to your hotel in Ubud, where the program ends.