Orangutans, Dragons & Volcanoes - 14 days Indonesia trip

Indonesia, "land of a thousand islands". The Indonesian archipelago consists of 17508 islands between the Asian continent and Australia. The largest island kingdom in the world offers an incredible variety of cultures, dreamlike tropical nature with jungle, rice fields and beaches, mystical volcanic landscapes and flora and fauna that is unique in the world. Almost every island or group of islands is like its own world.

Indonesia stretches more than 5000 km from east to west. With well-planned flights within Indonesia, some islands can be combined with each other to create varied itineraries.

Island Hopping: Java - Kalimantan (Borneo) - Komodo - Flores

ITINERARY:
✈ Yogyakarta ➝ Borobudur ➝ Surakarta (Solo) ➝ Semarang ✈ Pangkalan Bun (Kalimantan) ➝ Orang-Utans in Tanjung Puting National Park✈ Surabaya ➝ Volcano Bromo ➝ Surabaya ✈ Komodo National Park ✈ Ende ➝ Volcano Kelimutu ➝ Maumere ✈

Arrival in Indonesia (Jakarta or Bali) ✈ Yogjakarta (Central Java)

After entering Indonesia in the capital Jakarta or on Bali, fly to Yogyakarta on the Java island. In Yogyakarta you will be picked up from the airport and stay in a first-class boutique hotel with a colonial ambience.

Late afternoon arrivals in Indonesia may require an overnight stay in Jakarta or Bali before flying to Yogyakarta. The following travel program remains unaffected.

Yogyakarta City Tour ➝ Prambanan Tempel

Yogyakarta in the center of the Indonesian Java island, together with the neighboring city of Surakarta (Solo), the center of traditional Javanese culture. With several universities, Yogyakarta is also the educational center of Indonesia. Traditional Javanese culture and arts are firmly rooted here and Yogyakarta is home to several colleges of art, music and dance.

During the city tour in the morning you have the opportunity to visit the Sultan's Palace (Kraton) in the old town (Kota Gede) with 14,000 square meters of a kind of city in the city. The complex was built around 1750. Parts of the palace are open to tourists for sightseeing. Then visit Taman Sare. The moated castle (built from 1758 to 1765) served the sultan as a pleasure palace, where his harem was located. The castle was surrounded by a reservoir and could only be reached by water. The reservoir no longer exists and the actual castle is a ruin. The Taman Sare bathing pools have been preserved and can be visited. If you are interested, you can also stroll through the traditional Beringharjo market on Jalan Malioboro and also visit a batik factory and/or silversmiths. Yogyakarta is known for fine silver and batik work throughout Asia.

In the afternoon, at sunset, visit the vast Prambanan temple complex built in honor of the Hindu gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. The Loro Jonggrang Temple, built in the 10th century, is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. The temple consists of a main building in the center surrounded by eight smaller temples dedicated to different deities and countless smaller ones. All temples have a high pointed shape. In 2006 the complex was severely damaged by a strong earthquake and not all areas are accessible to visitors.

Then transfer to your accommodation near Borobudur. You can choose between family-run bungalows in a village and the Plataran Heritage Borobudur Hotel.

Borobudur Tempel ➝ Surakarta (Solo)

After a very early breakfast, drive to Borobudur Temple, which is only a few minutes' drive away. It is a Buddhist sanctuary and one of the largest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia. The impressive Borobudur Temple is located on a hill and is designed like a step pyramid. There are nine floors on a square foundation of 123m length. Each higher level represents a further development of man. On the terraces there are many niches and Buddha statues and a total of 5 km long reliefs that tell about the life of Buddha. Six terraces are square and the top three are circular. On the top terraces, dedicated to enlightenment, are 72 stupas, each housing a Budda statue. From the top you have a fantastic view over the landscape and across to the mountains.

Then drive to Surakarta (Solo), which we reach after about 2 hours drive. In Solo visit the Antique Market, Kampung of Batik and Village of Gongsmith. Overnight at a heritage hotel in Solo.

Surakarta ➝ Semarang ✈ Pangkalan Bun (Kalimantan)

Pangkalan Bun ➝ Kumai ➝ Tanjung Harapan

Today at 9.00 am you will be picked up by your guide and drive to the National Park Headquarters at Kumai Port. Here you board a klotok, a traditional river boat, for a leisurely cruise on the Sekonyer River. Immerse yourself in the beauty of Tanjung Puting National Park with its Nipah Palm vegetation, proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques and more.

Today you will visit Tanjung Harapan Feeding Station where you will have your first encounter with endangered orangutans. It was built in the late 70's and was the original settlement of Sekonyer Village. It now serves as a rehabilitation center. At 15:00 arrive at the feeding platform where you can experience the majestic orangutans up close in a wild environment. You could also (if you wish) visit Sekonyer Village across the river and get a glimpse of the daily life of the villagers.

Depending on your choice, stay overnight in comfortable >Rimba Orangutan Ecolodge surrounded by rainforest on the edge of the Sekonyer River and only accessible by boat or you can also choose to stay overnight on the Klotok (houseboat) which is a close-to-nature camping experience.

Pesalat ➝ Camp Leakey

After breakfast your Klotok boat will take you in 15 minutes to Pesalat Reforestation Center. This regeneration area is a nice easy walk through peat swamp and dry land. Here you can see beautiful birds and some medicinal plants and you can select and plant seedlings like Ironwood here. Speak to the local ranger and learn about the different stages necessary for Ironwood to grow. Occasional clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) and sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) have also been sighted here.

At 11:30 return to the boat and travel along the Sekonyer River to Camp Leakey. Lunch is served on the boat. Camp Leakey is a renowned research and rehabilitation center founded in 1971 by renowned primate researcher, Dr. Birute Galdikas and her former husband Rod Brindamour. Observe orangutans in the wild and discover their vulnerability. Camp Leakey also offers an in-depth information center with a strong educational background.

Please follow the recommendation and do not touch or disturb the orangutans (humans can transmit diseases), do not eat or drink in front of them and keep quiet. Overnight at Rimba Orangutan Ecolodge or on the Klotok.

Transfer to Pangkalan Bun Flughafen ✈ Surabaya

After breakfast at Rimba lodge boarding the "klotok" and take a leisurely boat ride before returning to Pankanlan Bun airport throu the port city of Kumai. Revive all your senses and let them retain the magic of Tanjung Puting National Park. Listen to the sounds of Kumai all day loudspeakers emanating from tall buildings where swift nests are being commercially harvested. The swift saliva is used for bird's nest soup and can reach 13 millions Rupiah and up per Kg. Indonesia is the biggest supplier and the trade has led certain swift colonies to be critically threatened.

Pick up from airport in Surabay and driver to Volcano Bromo. Accommodation in comfortable, scenic and quiet located Jiwa Jawa Resort Bromo outside of the touristic and not particularly attractive Cemoro Lawang village.

Jeeptour & Hiking Bromo Volcano

Labuan Bajo ➝ Kelor Island ➝ Menjerite ➝ Rinca Island ➝ Kalong Island

Pick up from your hotel in Labuan Bajo and after 15 minutes drive we will reach Labuan Bajo port. Here we board your private Phinisi boat with cabins for 2 days sailing in Komodo National Park. First we sail about 1 hour to Kelor Island with 2 white sandy beaches perfect for relaxing and swimming. The view from the top of the island is breathtaking. After another 30 minutes of sailing we reach Menjerite where there is good snorkelling. During another 1 hour drive we reach the Rinca island. Here we go on a hike of about 1.5-2 hours with a national park ranger and you will see Komodo dragons and other animals such as wild boar, Timor deer and monkeys and you can enjoy breathtaking views of the slopes. Then we sail to Kalong Island where you can see a large colony of fruit bats leaving the island in all directions at dusk. Overnight on the boat.

Komodo Island ➝ Pink Beach ➝ Manta Point ➝ Labuan Bajo

After breakfast on the boat, we start very early a 2 hour hike on Komodo Island to see Komodo Dragons when they leave there hideouts and go into the sun. After returning to the boat we sail first to Pink Beach, where you have time to relax and have snorkeling and then continue to Manta Point to snorkel with Manta Rey. On the way back to Labuan Bajo, there is still possibility to snorkel or you can hike to the view point of Padar Island. Late afternoon we arrive back in Labuan Bajo. Accommodation in Labuan Bajo

Instead of overnight stay on the boat, you can make day trips with speed boat Speed Boatfrom/to Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo ✈ Ende on Flores Island ➝ drive to Moni

Pick up from the airport in Ende, continue to Moni. Upon arrival in Ende in the early morning there is possibility a detour to the Penggajawa Beach (blue stone beach), which is strewn with many colored stones. The stones are predominantly blue to turquoise, but also green and red stones are in between. On the way from Ende to Moni we can visit the village Wologai with well-preserved traditional houses in the for Ende/Lio region formerly typical Lioneser architecture. Accommodation in a bungalow in Kelimutu Eco Lodge which is remote located surrounded by beautiful natur just outside the Moni village.

Tree color lakes of Volcano Kelimutu ➝ Maumere

Kelimutu is a volcano near Moni in Central Flores in Indonesia. Kelimutu Volcano consists of three crater lakes that have different colors due to minerals. The colors of the lakes have changed drastically several times over the years.

The lunar landscape of the craters is believed by locals to be a haunt of spirits. The name Kelimutu itself means 'keli' = 'mountain' and 'mutu' = 'boiling' in the local language.

On this day we have to get up early in the morning and after a cup of coffee or tea we drive to Kelimutu volcano. After about 30 minutes we reach the parking lot and here a pleasant walk over 1.5 km and 127 steps leads to the viewing terrace of Kelimutu at 1690 meters. From here you have a wonderful view of all three differently colored crater lakes of Kelimutu and the surrounding landscape. Amidst this lunar landscape, the colors of the lakes look spectacular. It is always a surprise what colors Kelimutu's crater lakes are at the moment.

On the return trip from Kelimutu to Moni, you will pass beautiful rice fields and tropical forests. Arrived in Moni, you can have breakfast in the hotel before we continue to Maumere. On the way to Maumere there is the possibility in Wolwaru to visit very old traditional houses, which are decorated with ornaments. Later the trail leads to Sikka, a village on the south coast of Flores. Sikka is famous for unique ikats. Here you can also visit an old church from the 19th century.

Another stop is at the beautiful Koka Beach. Enjoy wonderful views of the landscape with plantations and small mountain villages. You can make any photo stops and short walks. In Maumere you will stay in a comfortable bungalow in a small beach resort

Departure from Flores Island ✈ Jakarta or Bali

The tour ends with transfer to airport in Maumere for your flight to Bali or Jakarta. If you take the afternoon flight out maumere you have in the morning the possibilities to make half day Village Encounter in the surroundings of Maumere or just relaxe on volcanic beach with good swimming and snorkeling in your beach front resort in Maumere Bay.