2025 April 25 to May 8
Prices listed are per person:
Shared Room: $8498
Private Room: $10,098
Physical Challenge
Highlights
Snorkel Pink Beach with over hundreds of varieties of corals and fish
Explore Rinca Island and the Komodo Dragons!
Cruise the Kumai River and watch for Macaques and Proboscis monkeys
Visit Borobudur Temple at sunrise
Relax on the beach and swim in the Indian Ocean
Tour Prambanan Temple and the surrounding grounds
Sip on coffee and tea at the coffee & spice plantation
Enjoy a Kecak and Fire Dance performance
Overview
This tour is filled with culture and adventure as we fly from island to island. We will set foot on 7 different Indonesian Islands during our stay, all beautiful in their own ways. We will start off with our arrival into Jakarta(Java) for a night, then off to Borneo for 2 nights at the rustic Rimba Lodge. It is a truly unique experience as we stay in the middle of the rainforest each night and spend our days aboard our Klotok looking for a variety of monkeys in the wild. We will enjoy hikes to feeding stations to see Orangutans. Our journey has us back to the island of Java, this time in the central region to enjoy the sunrise at Borobudur Temple and a stop at Prambanan Temple.
Next up is the beautiful island of Bali! Here we will be submerged into the culture of woodcarving, a visit to Kintamani, with a lunch view overlooking Lake Batur and Bali’s highest volcanic crater. Our next destination is the holy spring of Tirta Empul and we will finish the day off with a visit to a coffee & spice plantation. The last day in Bali will be a free day and then we will meet up in the evening for a Kecak and Fire Dance performance at the open stage of The Chedi Club.
Our next flight will take us from Bali to Labuan Bajo, where we will enjoy the next 3 nights. Here we will have a free day and a full day of adventure as we enjoy a speedboat journey over to Padar Island for a hike with amazing views, then Pink Beach for gorgeous snorkeling, and lastly Rinca Island for a chance to see the Komodo Dragons!
Our final island will be back to Bali for 2 nights at our beachfront hotel and free time to explore on your own. We will wrap up our journey with a farewell dinner before departing ways the next day.
Day 1: Arrival in Jakarta (CGK)
Welcome to Indonesia! Upon arrival in Jakarta, we will be transferred to our hotel to check in and freshen up before our orientation and Welcome dinner this evening.
Day 2: Off to Borneo
This morning we will enjoy a marvelous breakfast and head back to the airport for our amazing 3-day adventure in Borneo!
Upon arrival at Pangkalan Bun airport, we will meet our local guide and transfer to Kumai River to board our Klotok(wooden riverboat). We will enjoy the views of the river and the surrounding rainforest as we cruise along the river and look for a variety of monkeys in their natural habitat.
Be on the lookout for Proboscis monkeys, Macaques, and maybe even a Gibbon or Orangutan hunting for food. We will enjoy lunch on board our vessel as we make the two-hour journey to Rimba Lodge where we will stay for two nights.
The lodge is rustic but has us in the best location for our full day of exploration on Day 3. It’s quite a unique experience. Macaques tend to hang around the lodge, so remember to look up to the rooftops as you are walking past buildings.
Day 3: Pondok and Camp Leaky
After enjoying breakfast at the lodge, we will set out for a full day of adventure. Our journey will be onboard our Klotok today as we navigate the river and enjoy a couple of stops throughout the day.
Enjoy a walk through the forest and views of the unique pitcher plants and tropical trees.
We will visit two feeding stations to watch Bornean Orangutans and if we are lucky, hopefully, a Gibbon will make an appearance.
These feeding stations are very important in aid for the Orangutans to have a reliable food source as their home continues to be destroyed around them.
Day 4: Pangkalan Bun-Jakarta-Semarang-Magelang
After breakfast at the lodge, we will say our goodbyes to Rimba Lodge. We will board our Klotok for the last time and cruise down Kumai River to Tanjung Puting to board our plane back to the island of Java.
Upon arrival on the island of Java, we will gather our belongings and drive to our amazing accommodation outside of Magelang. Lunch will be at a local restaurant along the way and dinner will be on our own tonight at the hotel. Rest up as tomorrow will be an early morning.
Day 5: Sunrise view of Borobudur Temple – Prambanan Temple
This morning will be another unique experience as we enjoy the sunrise toward the biggest Buddhist temple in the world. The sun will rise over Mount Merapi(weather permitting) and we will experience a quiet dawn. After breakfast and freshening up, we will make our way to Candirejo Village. This is a traditional village that we will explore by Andong(horse-drawn carriage). Here we will gain insight and knowledge of the local customs and traditions, art/crafts, traditional health drinks, and the agricultural system of intercropping.
Later, we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before making our way to Prambanan Temple. This Hindu temple is known as the “slender virgin” and the complex of Lorojongrang. It was erected in the 9th century while Java was ruled by the Hindu Sanjayas of Old Mataram. It consists of 3 major temples/shrines in the main area. Enjoy your time walking and observing the beautiful carvings and the neighboring shrines, such as Candi Palosan and Candi Sewu. This evening we will check into our hotel and the evening is on your own to relax after this long day.
Day 6: Yogyakarta – Bali
Today we will spend time at the Sultan Palace(Kraton). The grand and elegant Javanese architectural style structure lies in the center of the municipality and was built in 1970. This is an active palace and we will have the privilege of enjoying it and visiting the intriguing Tamansari(fragrant garden). Next, we will visit a Batik workshop and see the process of traditional cloth being drawn on using hot wax.
We will grab some lunch and then off to catch our flight to Bali! Upon arrival in Bali, we will transfer to our hotel in Ubud(approximately a 1.5-hour drive) After we check in to our hotel for the next three nights, the rest of the evening is on your own.
Day 7: Ubud – Kintamani
After breakfast, enjoy time at a woodcarving workshop in Mas Village. Here we can watch the woodcarvers at work and enjoy time shopping and viewing some of the creations.
Next, we will make our way to Kintamani, a spectacular mountain resort overlooking Lake Batur and Bali’s highest volcanic crater. We will enjoy a local organic lunch while taking in the view.
Our next destination is the holy spring of Tirta Empul, surrounded by a large shrine to honor the God Indra. There are bathing pools here that are believed to have a strong curative power. The day continues as we visit Pura Kehen Temple, a smaller yet beautiful ornamented temple.
We will wrap up the day with a visit to the coffee & spice plantation. If you are brave, give the famous Kopi Luwak coffee a try. It is made from Asian palm civet droppings. Called a toddy cat, the animal eats coffee beans and digests them. Although Kopi Luwak is a form of processing rather than a variety of coffee, it has been called one of the most expensive coffees in the world.
Day 8: Free Morning
Today is yours to explore. Stay at our amazing resort and relax poolside or head into town. The hotel offers shuttles into the main area of Ubud.
This evening we will enjoy a Kecak and Fire Dance performance at the open stage of The Chedi Club. The dance involves a chorus of at least 50 men. They sit in concentric circles around an oil lamp and begin to chant. The sound they make is “cak-cak-cak’ up to seven different rhythmical combinations that are interwoven, creating a tapestry of vocal sounds that accompany the dance. After the performance we will enjoy a Balinese Royal dinner at the hotel’s pavilion open-air restaurant, overlooking lush rice paddies.
Day 9: Labuan Bajo
This morning we are off to a new island. We will fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo for the next 3 nights. This beach bungalow resort will be a nice place to spend the rest of the day relaxing.
Day 10: Padar Island – Pink Beach – Rinca Island(Komodo Dragons!)
After an early breakfast this morning we are off for a full day of adventure. We will jump aboard our speedboat and make the 2.5-3 hour crossing to Padar Island. Here we will enjoy some magnificent views across the islands, bays, and beaches.
Next, we will cruise over to Pink Beach for some of the best snorkeling in the world. Or enjoy time laying back and relaxing on the beach. The beach gets its color from the red coral fragments and the water is full of hundreds of varieties of hard and soft corals and thousands of species of fish. After our refreshing dip in the water, we will enjoy lunch on board our boat as we continue to Rinca Island.
Once we reach Rinca we will enjoy a 2-hour hike with great opportunities to see dragons and their prey. We will pass by their nests and out into the exposed savannah that is studded with lontar palms. Our hike will take us to Waewaso, a permanent waterhole that has breathtaking views.
Day 11: Labuan Bajo Free Day
Today we are free to relax, snorkel, dive, read a book, and do anything you desire. The beach hotel has a variety of activities to choose from or head into downtown to explore.
Day 12: Back to Bali
This morning we are off to the airport. We will arrive back in Bali and spend our last 2 nights in the Seminyak region. This is a beach resort area at the southern end of Bali, with high-end shopping and restaurants. Sleek bars and clubs with busy sunset scenes line Seminyak and Petitenget beaches, which are wide, west-facing stretches of the Indian Ocean shoreline with gray sand and good surfing conditions. There are no activities planned for the next day and a half. Enjoy your free time exploring, and maybe take in a morning yoga session. This is known as the gay place to be in Bali.
Day 13: Farewell Dinner
Enjoy your last day in Bali exploring. Tonight we will walk the beach and enjoy our farewell dinner together before departing tomorrow.
Day 14: Departure
Have breakfast this morning and then a transfer to the Bali airport at your designated time.
Price Includes
Price includes: Airport transfers in Indonesia at beginning of the tour, and on all the Islands; Accommodations in a shared room (everyone-except for couples-will have private rooms at 3 of the hotels(4 nights), due to lack of twin beds); All breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners; Domestic airfare in Economy Class during the tour; Transportation by air or boat between islands; Services of knowledgeable local guides, and of a knowledgeable HE Travel tour host (with a minimum number of participants); All hotel service charges, government taxes, porterage, and meal gratuities for included meals. HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage.
Not included: International flights to and from Indonesia; 5 lunches and 6 dinners; Airport departure fees (though these should be included in air ticket fees); Gratuities to local guides and HE host; Personal items including alcoholic beverages, snacks, laundry, and telephone calls.
Tour Insurance
We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance to protect your vacation investment in case of unforeseen circumstances such as flight delay, illness, or injury. Click Here to learn more about our Insurance partner.
Extensions
- What is the physical activity level of this tour?
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Physical Activity Level
Traveling in Indonesia requires being able to walk for hours each day, at times on uneven surfaces. You need to be able to get on and off boats, requiring you to step over 2-foot railings at times.
- Where does the tour start and end?
- This tour starts in Jakarta(CGK) and ends in Bali, Indonesia.
- What will the hotels be like?
- Most hotels are 5-stars. However, due to limited accommodations on Borneo, we will be in a rustic 2-star hotel for 2 nights. It’s quite the experience to spend time in the rainforest without phones and tv. Some hotels can not accommodate twin beds, so at 3 hotels, all guests(except couples) will have a private room.