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DAY 1: ARRIVE BALI Upon arrival in Bali, you will be taken to the Uma Ubud (Garden Room) in Ubud for a five-night stay. Ubud is the artistic center of Bali, and is beautifully situated among rice-terraced hills, along the Agung River. The area is considered the best place on the island to learn about Balinese religion, traditions, and fine & performing arts. The afternoon is your own. DAY 2: UBUD Begin your touring in Mas, a village famous for its woodcarving. The most important gallery here is the Njana Tilem Gallery, founded by the son of Bali’s master woodcarver, Ida Bagus Njana. A few doors down is the Ketut Puja Gallery, founded by his apprentices. Depending on your interests, you may wish to visit the stone carving town of Batubulan, or studios of prominent traditional painters in Batuan. Return to Ubud to visit the Komaneka Gallery and its impressive collection of modern paintings on display and for sale. This afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B) DAY 3: UBUD Drive along the eastern coast to visit Tenganan, a remote village whose inhabitants have preserved their ancient pre-Hindu customs. These villagers are the original Balinese. Continue on to visit Goa Lawa, an old temple filled with bats and snakes. Continue with a visit to Besakih Temple, the most important temple in Bali. More a complex than a single temple, this site offers magnificent views and is often the site of lively festivals. (B) DAYS 4 & 5: BALI Spend these days at your leisure. DAY 6: BALI - MT. BROMO Set out this morning for the ferry to Java. Continue on to Mt Bromo and check into the Grand Bromo Hotel for a two-night stay. You will want an early night to prepare you for tomorrow’s early start. (B,L) DAY 7: MT. BROMO Today will begin at 3:30 am, with a 4 Wheel-drive up a small mountain outlook point to watch the sunrise over the Mt. Bromo valley. The valley is dominated by views of Bromo, but Mt. Semeru and other extinct volcanoes also fill the valley, giving it a lunar-like landscape. After the sunrise, you’ll have the option of driving across the “sea of sand” in the valley to the base of Bromo from where you can either walk or ride a donkey to the rim of the crater. When you are ready, return to the hotel for lunch and a short rest. You will overnight here. (B,L) DAY 8: MT. BROMO - SOLO - YOGYAKARTA This morning, you will drive south to Yogyakarta. The drive is beautiful--through cool mountain areas & national parks. En route visit Solo, the ancient capital of Java, and still considered the heart of Javanese culture. Solo is considered as rich in art and culture as her better-known sister city. Visit the Radyan Pustaka Museum, the Mangkunegaran Palace, and the Royal Museum. Solo also has many art galleries, extensive markets full of unique Solonese dishes and Indonesia’s largest variety of batik and textiles. Continue on to Yogya this evening. You will be taken to your hotel for a four-night stay. (B,L) DAY 9: BOROBODUR & PRAMBANAN Set out early this morning for a trip to Borobodur. This magnificent Buddhist temple complex has one of the world's largest collections of Buddhist relief sculpture. It was "lost" in the jungle to Europeans (the Javanese always knew of its existence) until found by Sir Stamford Raffles, the 19th century explorer. He oversaw its restoration with the aid of local residents. It predates Cambodia’s Angkor Wat by 300 years, and Notre Dame and Chartres cathedrals by 200 years. It was built in the 8th century at the height of Buddhist influence in India, Southeast Asia, China and Japan. The leaders of the Mataram Empire brought over Indian artisans and architects to Java for its design and construction. It reflects little of typical Southeast Asian design of the period, combining Central Javanese, Persian, Babylonian & Greek influences. It is an excellent illustration of the history and cosmology of the Vajrayana School of Buddhism practiced in the area at the time. This organic mix of Hinduism & Buddhism is today practiced in few other areas, besides the Himalayas & Tibet. This was a result of the various influences brought into Java via trading partners through the centuries: Indian, Chinese & Malay. In the reliefs of Borobodur, the Buddha & Shiva (one of the three primary deities in Hinduism) are depicted as the same being. On the seven tiers are 72 statues of Buddha; the 3-3/4 miles of relief depict the Jataka tales--stories about Buddha's life in India. The temple complex was once a Buddhist monastery and remains an open-air text of Vajrayana; Tantric & Mahayana Buddhist doctrine. You will have plenty of time to spend here to truly appreciate this mystical site. Later this afternoon, visit the main temple complex of the Prambanan Plain, most commonly called just “Prambanan”. This main complex is located near Loro Jonggrang and was started in the 8th century under the Mataram Hindu kingdom. Originally comprised of over 54 smaller surrounding temples, with three main temples in the center, today only the three main temples, and three of the smaller temples, are standing. The reconstruction process is slow and extremely difficult. The temples have severely deteriorated since they were abandoned in the 13th century, when the Javanese Hindu kings began migrating from Central to East Java fleeing the Muslim conquerors. They were then toppled by an earthquake in the 16th century and slowly buried under ash and rock from the nearby Mt. Merapi’s constant eruptions. The dozens of temples dotting the Prambanan plain were re-discovered in the 19th century, by the Dutch conquerors who began the restoration process. Return to your hotel this afternoon. (B,L) DAY 10: DIENG PLATEAU Travel to the site where the oldest temples in Java lie: the Dieng Plateau. Its name comes from “Di Hyang”, meaning Abode of the Gods. Located in the mountains at 2,093 meters, this scenic plateau has been held sacred for over a thousand years. This extinct volcano is now an evocatively weathered plateau. Cool mountain air and unusual geothermal activity create a unique environment, with many flowers flourishing here: dahlias, lupines, marigolds, and roses. This lovely area has superb mountain views, and is comparatively cool and fresh. Spend the day exploring the environs before your return journey to Yogyakarta. Return to your hotel for overnight. (B,L) DAY 11: YOGYAKARTA Spend today at your leisure, with a car and driver at your disposal. You may like to explore Yogya’s fine markets, where you can purchase a stunning range of textiles, leather goods, souvenirs and jewelry. Yogya also has a superb range of food, from simple fare eaten on stools at the market, to fine restaurants. (B) DAY 12: DEPART YOGYAKARTA Transfer to the airport for your departure. (B)
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