DAY 1 - UK/Medan
Depart on your scheduled flight to Medan via Kuala Lumpur.
DAY 2 - Medan
Arrival in the Sumatran city of Medan. Transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay. Sumatra is the third-largest island in Indonesia and the fifth-largest in the world. Standing at one of Asia’s major crossroads it has an ancient and illustrious past. Scenically it contains some of the region’s most beautiful sights.
DAY 3 - Parapat
Your journey today takes you to the mountain resort of Parapat, located on the shores of Lake Toba. En route you will pay a visit to the market town of Brastagi, which is famous for its fruit and flowers, and a traditional Batak Karo village. Lunch at a local restaurant is included. During the afternoon visit the splendid Sipisopiso Waterfall before continuing to your hotel for a two night stay.
DAY 4 - Samosir Island
After breakfast a boat cruise takes you across Lake Toba to Samosir Island. Situated at 3,000ft above sea level, Lake Toba fills a vast crater that was created by the world’s largest volcanic explosion. It is also the largest and deepest lake in South East Asia. Head into the highlands around the lake to visit the traditional villages of Tomok, Ambarita and Simanindo. Here you will see the classic houses of the Batak people, with their high roofs and carved beams. You will also see how the Batak people live their lives on a daily basis. Lunch is included today.
DAY 5 - Jakarta
Return to Medan, passing cocoa, palm oil and rubber plantations en route. Enjoy an included lunch in a local restaurant before boarding your flight to Jakarta on the neighbouring island of Java. On arrival Jakarta transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay.
DAY 6 - Bogor
Java is Indonesia’s principal island, rich in culture and tradition, verdant rolling countryside, lakes and towering mountains. The US President, Barack Obama, lived here between the ages of six and ten, and this morning you will visit his former home and school in Jakarta. You will then drive to the famous botanical gardens at Bogor. Founded in the early 19th century, the gardens cover an area of 110 hectares and contain 15,000 species of trees and plants, as well as rolling lawns, lily ponds and lush woodland. Towards the northern end of the gardens stands the elegant white summer palace built in 1856 as the residence of the Govenor General of the Dutch East Indies. Leaving Bogor behind, climb steadily up the Puncak Pass for lunch and to admire the spectacular views across Java’s patchwork jade blanket of tea plantations. After lunch your journey continues to the highland city of Bandung, known locally as the ‘City of Flowers’, for a two night stay.
DAY 7 - Bandung
Join our included excursion today to the ‘upturned boat’ volcano – Tangkuban Prahu. The narrow road leads you right to the rim so that you can see and smell the sulphurous hot geysers as they jet from the crater. Returning down the mountain, you will stop at the Ciater spa resort, where there is a chance to bathe in the restorative spring waters that are heated by the volcano itself. Return to Bandung in the afternoon.
DAY 8 - Yogyakarta
Transfer to the railway station this morning for the full day journey to Yogyakarta, with lunch served on board. From the train you can watch the beautiful scenery of Java unfold, with rice fields, coconut groves, tapioca, rubber plantations and clove trees lining your route. You will stay in Yogyakarta for two nights.
DAY 9 - Yogyakarta
Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of the sprawling city of Yogyakarta, located in the heart of the ancient region of Mataram, site of the great central Javanese empires renowned for building the magnificent temple of Borobudur. In Yogykarta you will visit the Sultan’s Royal Palace in the centre of the city, strolling through its many chambers. Traditional crafts are still widely practiced in Yogyakarta and you will have the opportunity to see the skilled craftsmen at work, producing beautiful batik textiles, silverwork and leather puppets. After an included lunch you will continue to the Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist monument in the world. Over the centuries this magnificent temple became buried under jungle growth and volcanic ash until a massive ten-year restoration project returned it to its former glory.
DAY 10 - Malang
After breakfast this morning leave Yogyakarta and journey to Malang for a two night stay. En route you will visit the Mangkunegaran Palace in Solo and enjoy an included lunch.
DAY 11 - Malang
For those who wish to see the fabled Mount Bromo at sunrise we have included a special visit which, although strenuous, is immensely rewarding. You will depart in the early hours for the pre-dawn ascent of this smoking volcano (weather permitting). Quite a bit of walking is involved. This is followed by a ride in the darkness on sturdy mountain ponies over the ‘sea of sand’ veiled in the mist of the volcano. Return to the hotel for breakfast and spend the rest of the day relaxing.
DAY 12 - Bali
This morning you will drive to Ketapang and take the ferry to Gilimanuk on the island of Bali, continuing to your hotel in Legian where you will stay for the next four nights. Bali will hold you spellbound throughout your stay. Outside the capital, Denpasar, you will encounter local village life which forms the basis and cohesion of Balinese society. Traditions and rituals, especially exotic and hypnotic dances, are still adhered to with ceremonious detail and the deep fascination with Bali’s cultural heritage is matched only by the sheer beauty of its beaches and mountains.
DAYS 13 TO 15 - Bali
You are free to relax on one of Bali’s countless beautiful beaches or explore the unique delights of the country. There are numerous optional excursions available including village displays of the Barong and Legong dances, or a full day visit to the highlands of Kintamani and the Ubud villages.
DAY 16 - Bali/UK
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK via Kuala Lumpur.