Embark on this exciting retreat to experience one of Indonesia’s most beautiful natural gem – Mount Bromo, and its most famous cultural and historical icon – Borobudur. Hop on a 4WD to catch the rising sun casting its first rays over the surreal landscape of Tengger Caldera. The fuming Mount Bromo rising from the flat volcanic sand bed of the gigantic caldera will be a sight to behold. The top of Mount Bromo can be reached via 253 concrete steps making it one of the most accessible active volcanos in the world. Continue your trip on a comfortable train ride to Yogyakarta, the cultural centre of Java, to visit the UNESCO Heritage Sites of Borobudur and Prambanan where you can immerse in the rich cultural heritage of Java.
ITINERARY
Day 01SINGAPORE – SURABAYA – CEMORO LAWANG
Fly direct from Singapore Changi Airport to Juanda International Airport. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by our local representative to your lodge in Cemoro Lawang (4-5 hrs drive).
Overnight: Lodge in Cemoro Lawang
Day 02
CEMORO LAWANG – MOUNT BROMO – SURABAYA – YOGYAKARTA
You will be given an early morning wake up call at around 3 am to prepare for Mount Bromo sunrise hike. A 4WD will drive you to the neighboring peak of Gunung Penanjakan (2770m) at the edge of the Tengger crater rim for sunrise over the Bromo landscape – a 10km wide caldera formed from the collapsed remnants of an ancient volcano. Rising from the flat volcanic sand bed of the caldera is the dormant core of Mount Batok (2440m) and the active volcano of Mount Bromo (2329m). Further south beyond the crater wall lies mighty Gunung Semeru (3676m) – the highest and most active volcano in Java. After sunrise, the 4WD will drive you over the Laotian Pasir (Sand Sea) to Poten – a Tenggerese Hindu temple beside Mount Bromo. From Poten, it is a 3km hike or pony ride to the base of Mount Bromo. You will then ascend a steep flight of 253 steps to the crater edge of Mount Bromo. Take a peep into the steaming crater where offerings of chickens, rice and money are still thrown into by Tengger Hindus to express their gratitude to the Gods. Return back to hotel for shower before transferring to the Surabaya train station to catch the train for Yogyakarta (5-6 hrs train ride). Upon arrival in Yogyakarta, you will be picked up by private vehicle to your hotel.
Overnight: Hotel in Yogyakarta
Day 03
YOGYAKARTA – BOROBUDUR – SULTAN PALACE – WATER PALACE
Enjoy a leisurely one-hour drive through scenic villages and padi fields to Borobudur – the biggest Buddhist monument in the world. From a bird’s eye view, Borobudur which sits on a square base with four entry points supporting a hemispheric body and a crowning spire forms a mandala, a geometric aid for meditation. The structure in the form of a stepped pyramid consists of 10 levels – six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit – which represents the ten levels of a Bodhisattva’s life which he or she must develop to become a Buddha or the awakened one. The rectangular storeys contain galleries of carved stone reliefs depicting moralistic fables and Buddha’s life from the Jataka tales. The top level terraces contain circles of mini stupas of Buddha statues in various mudras (meditative hand gestures) facing outward from the temple. You will follow the traditional pilgrimage route entering the monument from the east and circumambulating each level clockwise to appreciate how the reliefs, carvings and statues contributes to the whole. Travel a few kilometers to visit the two smaller temples of Pawon and Mendut which together with Borobudur form a straight line corridor. In the afternoon, you will visit the two centuries old Sultan’s Palace (Kraton) where the current Yogyakarta sultan and his family still reside. The Javanese dominated style complex consists of the sultan residence, throne hall, performance pavilions, mosque, museums and an immense royal garden. Catch the regularly performed Gamelan music and classical Javanese dances and look out for the bare footed palace guards in their traditional customs and Keris. Visit the Water Palace (Taman Sari) a partly ruined complex built as a pleasure garden by the first Sultan and be marveled by its large artificial lake, bathing pools, labyrinth network of tunnels and chambers and an imposing mansion of European design. Visit Parangtritis beach, a wide stretch of black volcanic sandy beach with big surfing waves backed by dramatic jagged cliffs. You may ride on horse drawn carriage or try out ATV (All-terrain vehicle) along the beach while waiting for sunset over the Indian Ocean. At night, visit the shopping district of Jalan Malioboro for souvenirs, handicrafts and street foods
Overnight: Hotel in Yogyakarta
Day 04
YOGYAKARTA – MOUNT MERAPI – PRAMBANAN
Explore Kaliadem (1,100m above sea level) in 4WD which is located only 5km from the peak of Mount Merapi for a close up view of the volcano. The recent 2010 eruptions had completely transformed Kaliadem‘s landscape from lush greenery to a barren treeless wilderness and covered it with layers of grey volcanic sands and rocks. The highlights include a small Pompeii-liked museum with display of burnt artifacts and an underground bunker for emergency shelter during eruption. In the afternoon, you will visit Prambanan, a Hindu temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built around AD 856 to commemorate a major battle victory. The complex which is situated inside a large, pleasant and visitor friendly park consists of 224 temples (many are in ruined state); the most important of which are the three restored temples Candi Siva, Candi Brahma and Candi Vishnu, each dedicated to the three principal Hindu gods of trimurti. An open-air theatre inside the park has majesty ballet performance of the great Hindu epic Ramayana on full moon nights between May and October.
Overnight: Hotel in Yogyakarta
Day 05
YOGYAKARTA – SINGAPORE
After enjoying your breakfast in your hotel, you will be transferred to Adisucipto International Airport for your flight home.
Package includes:
- All local land transport including airport transfers
- All accommodation with breakfast included
- English speaking guide
- Entrance fees to all places of interest stated in the itinerary including Mount Bromo National Park Permit
- 4WD for Mount Bromo and Kaliadem tours
- Train ticket from Surabaya to Yogyakarta
Package excludes:
- Return international air tickets
- Travel insurance
- Indonesian VISA (ASEAN citizens are VISA-free up to 30 days)
- All meals except breakfasts
- Horse riding at Mount Bromo
- Tips for guide and driver
- All expenses of a personal nature
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