Borneo Orangutans, Yogyakarta Temples & Bali (10D/9N)

Have your luggage ready, because today the day has come to get to know one of the most important centers of biodiversity in the world and the third largest island on the planet. Borneo!!! After breakfast and at the indicated time you will have the transfer to the airport to take the direct flight to Pangkalan Bun.

Arrive at Pangkalan Bun Airport, on the island of Borneo, better known by the Indonesians as Kalimantan. Upon arrival at the airport, your guide will be waiting for you. You will transfer to the port of Kumai in about 15-20 minutes by car, where you will embark on a great adventure! You arrive at our traditional wooden boat, called a klotok. Our guide will reconfirm with the crew that everything is ready and start the cruise up the river in the famous Sekonyer River aboard a klotok. If your flight arrives early (before 11.30 AM), you can arrive in time to the rehabilitation center of Tanjung Harapan, where at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the rangers of the national park feed the orangutans, and you can have your first close encounters with them. The translation of Tanjung Harapan is Cape of Hope. This first camp is one of the ones with more wetlands, and in the afternoon there can more mosquitoes, so make sure you put on enough mosquito repellent. Here you also can do the reforestation, where you can be volunteers to plant a tree, and so take pride that you have contributed a grain of sand to conservation with your step over there.

After visiting this Rangers Camp, you will continue upstream, resting on the boat, while you search for animals in the vicinity of the Sekonyer River. This afternoon, it is very frequent to see groups of proboscis monkeys and monkeys in the treetops, jumping from one branch to another, or even crocodiles, and lizards in the shallow waters of the sides of the river.

Prepare for sunset. The boat moored on one side of the river to spend the night. Tonight, you can do a walk into the jungle to look for night animals like snakes, tarantulas or if you are lucky luminescent mushrooms or tarsiers.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Accommodation: Standard Klotok Boat

Today you will wake up to the sounds and colors of the jungle. Without a doubt, you will never forget how you woke up on the river, surrounded by overflowing nature.

After an extraordinary breakfast, you will go in time to see the Pondok Tanggui Camp at the time of feeding (9 AM). Sooner or later, you will see how the branches of the treetops begin to move, and then you will see the silhouettes of the Orangutans arriving at the feeding platform. Pondok Tanggui was a release camp for young Orangutans that were rehabilitated, and they continue to add food every day to prevent the Orangutans from leaving because of a lack of food. They end up outside the National Park, with the following risk of falling into traps of settlers or fields of palm oil plantations. After the Orangutans begin to leave, you will return to the klotok again to go further up the river. You will see how the coloration of the river changes, and you will have the opportunity to see crocodiles and large lizards, together with Gibbon’s and proboscis monkeys.

Arrival at Camp Leakey, the old orangutan research and rehabilitation center since 1971, when a student at UCLA Los Angeles University, Birutte Galdikas began studying the Orangutans there. The name Camp Leaky comes from Birutte’s own teacher, the Paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey. At least 200 orangutans had already been cured and returned to the jungles, thanks to this center. However, since 1995, the Government of Indonesia has banned the introduction of more Orangutans into this camp, so Orangutans are increasingly adapting more to freedom. To this day, this camp is used as an investigation into the behavior and feeding of Orangutans.

You will take advantage of your guide to explore the interiors of the jungle a bit to look for orangutans in freedom and other animals. At 14.00, you can see the feeding time of the Orangutans. You can also visit the small museum made by the scientist Dr. Birute Galdikas.

When you are finished observing the orangutans in this camp, and if the weather and conditions permit, you will make a short trek through the jungle on our way back to the boat to look for wild orangutans and other animals. You will have the opportunity to learn from our local guides, some of whom were born in the jungle, how to look for animals or plants, or simply listen to their experience of life in the jungle. The jungles of Borneo have given life and have been home to the settlers for many years. The jungles, under the eyes of the grandparents, are able to give you everything you need. Food, water, medicines, etc. Yes… Never put anything in your mouth without the recommendation of your guide. In the afternoon, if the circumstances permit, the boat will be docked near a firefly congregation, and you can enjoy the show of its luminescence.

Note: The Birate Galdikas Museum at Camp Leaky is currently closed for maintenance purposes. Regrettably, visits to this site will not be possible until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will keep you updated on the reopening of the museum.

*If your return flight leaves early in the morning (around 7 a.m.), tonight the klotok will sleep closer to the port in order to get you to the airport in time.

Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner  

Accommodation: Standard Klotok Boat

Early in the morning, you will enjoy the last moments of the sounds of the jungle, before heading to the port, in turn, being transferred to the airport to catch the flight to Semarang.

Arriving at Semarang Airport, your Java guide will be waiting for you to start exploring one of Indonesia’s most traditional islands. In about 2 hours of driving, we will arrive at Magelang where one of the most important Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia is located. The Candi Borobudur, (Temple of Borobudur), the great Stupa, is the largest Buddhist monument in the world and one of the seven wonders.

You will tour the temple, observing the hundreds and centennial statues of Buddha and observing how dozens of Buddhists come to preach from all over the world. Historically it was made during the relatively brief Sailendra dynasty of Central Java between 778 and 856 BC and is in constant restoration due to the breaks that the tremors of the neighboring Merapi volcano has been producing during its history. After visiting the Borobudur Temple, and after about an hour and a half, you will arrive in Yogyakarta, a tourist destination for its ancient palaces, temples, batik workshops, gamelan music orchestras, court dances and wayang puppet shows.

Your guide will take you to your hotel. Check in and rest of the day for you.

Meals: Breakfast 

Accommodation: Hotel in Yogyakarta: Three options across different categories

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at the hotel and together you will head towards the heart of the city. You will visit the Keraton, or also known as the Sultan’s Palace. The palace is a complex building two centuries old. Next, you will hear the song of the “freedom” of the birds in the bird market, you will visit the “Water Castle” that occupies the highest part at the northern end of the vast complex of Taman Sari. Then, stroll around Malioboro Street, one of the main streets of Yogyakarta, with its merchants, horse carriages, taxi-bikes and markets. An incredible experience that will make the hours fly by.

Finishing the tour in the centre of the city of Yogyakarta, you will head northeast towards Prambanan, the temple of Hinduists and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1991. This temple was completed in 856 AD to commemorate the victory of the descendant of Sanjaya dynasty, Rikai Pikatan, against the last Shailendra sovereign of Central Java. Take your time to enjoy each carving on the rocks and feel the spirituality that each of the stones perched in this set of more than 200 Hindu temples that are dedicated to Shiva, one of the Trimurti which is an expression of God as the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer. After this unforgettable day, you will take you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast 

Accommodation: Hotel in Yogyakarta: Three options across different categories

At the indicated time, transfer to the airport to catch the flight to Bali.

Arrival at Denpasar airport, Bali. Our representative will be waiting to take you to the planned hotel in Ubud. Ubud is a place full of rice fields and unspoiled nature, located in the center of the island of Bali. During the journey to Ubud you can already discover the different villages of Bali, each of them specialized in one of the many typical crafts, with woodwork, stone sculptors, silver goldsmiths or painters. During the journey you can begin to admire the thousands of temples that dot the country, and feel the aroma of incense that perfumes the whole island.

Arrival at the hotel and after that you will have the rest of the afternoon for yourself.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Ubud: Three options across different categories

At the agreed time, we will meet at your hotel and we will begin to mark your footprints in this “home” of the Gods. Today, we are taking you on Fantastic Route created by Come2Indonesia.

The first site will be the Taman Ayun Temple founded in the seventeenth century and located in the village of Mengwi, which until 1891 was the seat of a powerful king dating back to the Gellel Dynasty.  The temple is surrounded by a moat that looks like a landscaped shrine, which explains the term taman or garden. The temple is a penyawangan or place to worship other sacred sites.

From Taman Ayun, the compass heads towards Jatiluwih, where you will undoubtedly admire and enjoy a beautiful view of the rice paddies that encompass the entire landscape of South Bali. The name Jatiluwih is composed of two words, Jati which means truly, and Luwih which means beautiful, good and special. Undoubtedly, this place not only has a beautiful name, but is also reflected in its landscape.

From Jatiluwih, you will go to Bedugul where you will visit the Ulun Danu Bratan Temple, the famous temple that stands in a small promoter located on the shore of Lake Beratan that has a beautiful landscape with the lake and the mountains as a backdrop. It is, without a doubt, one of the most photogenic temples on the island. This temple is dedicated to Dewi Danu, the goddess of waters.

You will close the visit of this Fantastic Route watching the sunset at the most famous and photographed temple in Bali, the Pura Tanah Lot. Torn off from the earth on a stone pedestal sculpted by incoming tides, the solitary black towers of the Tanah Lot and the plumes of foliage spilled from the precipices, recall the delicacy of Chinese painting. The Pura Tanah Lot or the Temple of Earth in the middle of the sea was built in the sixteenth century. After finishing the day, you will have the transfer to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast 

Accommodation: Hotel in Ubud: Three options across different categories

The wonderful tour begins today at Kehen Temple. It is an ancient Hindu temple complex with unique architectural features. The stairs that extend from the floor to the courtyard of the temple are mythical figures of sandstone animals and Balinese folk statues and also the central vestibule. The walls of the temple are also adorned with Chinese porcelain dishes, which are a tribute to the historical relations between the local kingdom of Bali and China.

Afterwards, you continue to Penglipuran, a village that managed to preserve its 75-hectare bamboo forest located in the northern part of the village. The members of this village have a strong commitment to the system of “ayahan desa”, a philosophy committed to respecting the land on which the village sits.

You continue your march to reach Kintamani where you will enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Batur along with Mount Batur in the background. Lake Batur is the largest lake in Bali that functions as a source of irrigation for all the farmers around it and use for the entire Balinese society in general. Since 1800, Mount Batur has erupted about 24 times and is still active so far. Mount Batur, with 1. 717 meters high, is considered the female element, along with the male element of Mount Agung.

You return to the hotel to rest.

Meals: Breakfast 

Accommodation: Hotel in Ubud: Three options across different categories

Today you will quietly enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and the rest of the day will be for you. You can take advantage of the day for what you want, you can hire a massage, enjoy a spa, walk and go shopping or simply relax and enjoy the hotel facilities. You are in Ubud, here you can stroll through the local market, visit the hundreds of craft design workshops, sculptures, paintings in the shops that are on each side of the street. It is a perfect day to learn more about the daily activities of the locals, find a coffee overlooking the jungle or cross paths with a naughty monkey on Monkey Forest Street. At night there are performances of Balinese Dances, you can contact the hotel reception and request information to attend any of them.  If you need recommendations of places to visit this day, do not hesitate to call us and we will advise you the best ones!

Meals: Breakfast 

Accommodation: Hotel in Ubud: Three options across different categories

Today is the end of your stay on this Nusantara land of Indonesia. You will have your breakfast at the hotel, and at the right time depending on the time of your flight, you will have transfer to the airport. Thanks for writing your adventure experience with Come2Indonesia. We wish you a happy and safe trip. See you in other tours with other experiences. Sampai Jumpa!

Meals: Breakfast 

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