Java, Kalimantan & Lombok

Relics, Rainforest and Relaxation

DAY 1 International Flight

Depart from London for your flight to Indonesia. You will travel overnight arriving in Singapore in the morning, before connecting to your onward flight to Yogyakarta in Java.

DAY 2 Borobudur, Java

You will be met at the airport by our representative on the ground before being privately transferred to your hotel in the countryside, near to the ancient Buddhist Stupa Borobudur. The drive will around an hour and a half as you travel through the bustling city of Yogyakarta and out into the countryside, passing verdant rice fields, small villages and farmers tending to their crops. Arrive in time for lunch on the terrace - perhaps your first taste of Indonesian speciality Nasi Goreng (fried rice). Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool after your long journey.

DAY 3 Borobudur, Java

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up for the journey to the charming village of Kotagede. Kotagede is known as the 'Silver Village' due to the number of silver artisans that live here and the village is also home to some of the best examples of traditional Javanese architecture on the island. Explore by bicycle with your private guide, sampling the best Kembang Baru from a master baker, exploring the lanes of the vibrant local market and visiting the oldest mosque in Yogyakarta before enjoying lunch in a local family home.

After lunch, travel on to Prambanan, an impressive 9th century Hindu Temple complex. Explore the temple site with your private guide before returning to your hotel in time for dinner.

DAY 4 Borobudur, Java

Wake early today in order to visit the beautiful Buddhist Stupa of Borobudur at sunrise. Watching the sun rise over the temple and surrounding Menoreh hills as the early morning mist lifts is a serene experience. As day light appears, explore the intricate bas-reliefs of Borobudur with your private guide before retreating to a quiet hilltop to enjoy a hot drink and snack with a view of the whole of Borobudur.

After refuelling, continue on to explore the temples of Pawon and Mendut - both pre-dating Borobudur - before returning to your hotel in time for a leisurely late breakfast. The rest of the day is yours to relax. One fun activity we can arrange is an Indonesian cookery class.

DAY 5 Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan

An early start today as you travel to the north coast of Java, from where you will take a flight across the Java sea to the island of Borneo. You will be met at the airport by your private guide who will accompany you for your days in the rainforest. After a short transfer to the port town of Kumai board your private klotok boat which will be home for the next few days.

Set off amid the bustle of this shipping port before turning into a narrow channel - the Sekonyer River - which weaves its way through the Tanjung Puting National Park enjoying lunch on deck as you go. Reed-laden riverbanks give way to palms and in turn to thick jungle as you journey deeper into the national park. Spend the afternoon cruising along the Sekonyer River, keeping your eyes peeled for sightings of proboscis monkeys, macaques, lizards, bird life and possibly even your first glimpse of an orangutan. Moor up in a secluded spot and fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle.

DAY 6 Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan

Breakfast is prepared by your private chef and served on deck this morning, with a view of the thick jungle and resident wildlife, and a soundtrack of birdsong and cicadas. The crew will start up the engine for your journey toward Camp Leakey, a once world-renowned orangutan research centre. Since the camps foundation in the 70's, over 200 orangutan have been rehabilitated and released into the national park. Today, the centre serves as a feeding platform and ranger base. Enjoy lunch aboard your klotok before a 30 minute walk along the boardwalk to the feeding platform; on route you may be lucky enough to spot wild gibbon, long tail macaque and wild pigs. As the park rangers lay fruit on the platform, some of the parks resident orangutans will begin to appear through the trees, often showing off their agility and climbing prowess before enjoying a feast of fresh fruit. You will have plenty of time to sit and observe the orangutans, and take plenty of photographs before returning to your klotok for another night on board.

DAY 7 Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan

This morning you will visit Pondok Tanguy, the second of the parks three feeding platforms. You will have time to sit, observe and photograph the orangutans and any other wildlife that may appear before travelling on to the Pesalat Rainforest Station where you can learn about the rainforest conservation and research efforts from the resident NGO's and researchers. A third and final chance to spot an orangutan this afternoon, at Tanjung Harapan Camp. This is often the quietest feeding platform (in terms of human visitors, not orangutans!) and should offer a fantastic chance for a close up view of these beautiful animals. After the orangutans have left, make your way across the river to Tanjung Harapan Village, a traditional Malay settlement within the rainforest. Wander along the narrow pathways between wooden homes, rice paddies and inquisitive village children with your guide, learning about life in the rainforest as you walk. Enjoy dinner aboard before a final night in the rainforest.

DAY 8 Lombok

Enjoy breakfast on deck and leave the rainforest behind as you sail back to Kumai Port in plenty of time for your departing flight. Early afternoon you will fly back to Java, before connecting on to a flight to the idyllic island of Lombok. Your driver will meet you on arrival at the airport for the drive north, which will take around two hours. Settle into your beachfront retreat for some well-earned R&R.

DAY 9 Lombok

Although Lombok is a more arid island than neighbouring Bali, it still has its fair share of lush, tropical scenery. Today, you'll leave the coast behind as you travel inland to visit local villages and waterfalls and explore the forest. First up you'll visit traditional Sasak Village of Karang Bayan where the villagers still hold true to ancient Sasak traditions in terms of both the village architecture, and their 'Wektu Telu' customs, which fuse Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. From here, travel on to the protected ancient forest at Suranadi where you will have the chance to trek through the forest and spot the resident monkeys.

Afterwards, enjoy a simple Lombok lunch at a local restaurant. Lombok locals love their 'sambal' chilli sauce, so if you like it hot, be sure to try some! After re-fuelling, you'll visit the Benang waterfalls. Set off on foot for around 30 minutes to access Benang Kelambu; the falls are 40m high and flow over caverns which are densely covered by indigenous herbs, flora and fauna.

After visiting the falls, you'll return to your hotel to relax and perhaps enjoy a well-earned massage in an oceanfront spa cabana!

DAYS 10 & 11 Lombok

Enjoy your final holiday days at leisure on the beach in Lombok and enjoying the local cuisine - fiery sambal (chilli) is a common theme on local menus. While away hours floating in the pool or the ocean and being pampered in the spa. We can also arrange a private snorkelling and beach hopping trip to the Gili Islands; Indonesian cookery classes, temple tours and waterfall hikes.

DAY 12 Home

Sadly the time has come to head home. You'll be picked up from your hotel late this afternoon for the transfer south to the airport. From here, it's an overnight indirect flight back to the UK.