Java Overland: Semarang to Bromo

Arrive at Achmad Yani International Airport in Semarang, where a local guide and driver will be waiting for the private transfer into the city center. Located on the north coast of Java, Semarang is the capital of Central Java and has been an important port on the Java Sea since the Dutch colonial era. Visit Lawang Sewu, the city's main landmark and a masterpiece of Dutch colonial architecture, built between 1904 and 1907 as the former headquarters of the Dutch East Indies railway; its Javanese name means 'thousand doors.' Lunch is served at a local restaurant in Semarang. In the afternoon, continue to the hotel near Ambarawa in Central Java's highlands, with the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner is served at the hotel. Overnight in Salatiga.

Spend the morning at leisure before departing for a brief tour of a coffee plantation en route to Borobudur. Continue to a small village on the slopes of Mount Sumbing for the start of a soft trekking experience, walking through rice fields and plantations and seeing local villagers at work tending their crops or processing charcoal. Visit Selogriyo Temple, a modest but beautifully sited sanctuary reached by a scenic, easy walk of around two hours. Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a neighbourhood cafe overlooking the valley's rice fields, then visit the Oey Hong Djien (OHD) Museum in Magelang for a look at the area's contemporary art and one of the best private collections in the country. Continue to the Borobudur area and check in at the hotel, with dinner at leisure this evening. Overnight in Borobudur.

Rise early this morning, departing the hotel between 4:30 and 5:00am for the short transfer to Dagi Hill. From the summit, 275 metres above sea level, watch the sunrise cast its golden glow over Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, with a picnic breakfast served atop the hill. Continue to Borobudur itself, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its intricate stone carvings and towering stupas, before returning to the hotel for a bit of downtime. Around midday, visit the nearby Pawon and Mendut temples, both older than Borobudur: Mendut is a pyramid-shaped temple housing three impressively carved stone statues, while Pawon is a simple monument known for its precise symmetry. After lunch at a local restaurant, travel to the village of Candirejo for a taste of local life, starting with a horse cart ride known as a dokar through this peaceful, architecturally charming village. Travel along small lanes lined with traditional houses, stopping to see village activities such as cassava cracker making and learning about the rotating seasonal plantations and coconut harvesting, before an opportunity to play the gamelan, a traditional Indonesian instrument, accompanied by tea, coffee and a local snack. Return to the hotel late in the afternoon. Overnight in Borobudur.

After breakfast and checkout, travel to Kaliurang, in the cool highlands near Mount Merapi (2,925m), where magnificent views take in the active volcano and the ravines carved by past lava flows. Visit Ullen Sentalu, a privately owned heritage museum offering an intriguing insight into the world of the Sultans of Solo and Yogyakarta and the Mataram Kingdom. Continue to Kaliadem Village for the start of a cycling adventure. With Mount Merapi as a backdrop, set off by bike on a 15-kilometre ride, mostly downhill, passing through villages and countryside with plenty of chances to stop for photos or chat with locals, and learning about the local tobacco, rice and snakeskin fruit plantations along the way. After the ride, take lunch at a local restaurant with magnificent views of Prambanan Temple. After lunch, visit the huge Prambanan complex, a set of temples built in the middle of the 9th century and thought to have been constructed to commemorate the return of a Hindu dynasty in Java. Follow the guide around the temple grounds to learn its history, construction and religious significance, before transferring back to the hotel in Yogyakarta. Overnight in Yogyakarta.

Visit the Sultan's Palace, known as the Kraton, part of the historical landscape recognized by UNESCO for the Yogyakarta Philosophical Axis and still home to the Sultan today. Built between 1756 and 1790, this living museum showcases Javanese culture and relics, with the chance to see a cultural performance such as Golek Menak puppetry or classical Macapat poetry, depending on the day of visit. Continue with a 30-minute ride by becak, a traditional cyclo, through the neighbouring Kauman Village, the central keeper of Islamic scholarship under the Sultanate, whose narrow laneways are designed to preserve the quiet study of its Islamic students. End the ride at Taman Sari Water Palace, built over 200 years ago by the first Sultan with bathing pools for his harem, then attend a short demonstration of Wayang Kulit, the famous Javanese leather puppet art. Lunch is served at a local restaurant in Yogyakarta. Drive to Kotagede, a charming suburb known for its traditional Javanese atmosphere and silversmith workshops. Set off on a leisurely bicycle tour of the area, visiting a master baker's house for a taste of kembang waru, a cookie produced only in Kotagede, and exploring the traditional Pasar market. Continue to the oldest mosque in Yogyakarta, dating from 1575, borrowing a traditional Javanese costume as a sign of respect before entering, and explore the historical compound of the Mataram Kingdom and its royal cemetery. End with a walking tour among Kotagede's narrow laneways, discovering the Kalang-style architecture unique to the area, a blend of Javanese and Colonial styles. Return to the hotel, and in the evening enjoy a performance of traditional Ramayana dance after dining at a local restaurant. Overnight in Yogyakarta.

After breakfast, tour Solo, also known as Surakarta, founded in 1745 and today the capital of Javanese batik, with some of the most intact Dutch colonial architecture in Indonesia. Visit Keraton Mangkunegaran, a classical repository of Javanese art built as a palace for a junior line of the royal family in the 18th century, with an extensive collection of 14th-century jewelry, silverwork, traditional weapons and classical dance ornaments. End the morning at a well-known batik museum, learning about this famous Javanese art form and watching craftspeople at work on new creations, with lunch served on-site. In the early afternoon, depart for a half-day excursion to Sukuh and Cetho, two of the last Hindu temples built in Java before the island's courts converted to Islam in the 16th century. Set on the western slopes of Mount Lawu, on the border between Central and East Java, the area offers spectacular landscapes covered by tea plantations. Explore Sukuh, at 910 metres in elevation, with its unique pyramidal shape recalling the Mayan temples of Central America, then continue through the tea plantations to Cetho, a multi-tiered Hindu temple set even higher on the mountain and rarely visited. Return to the hotel in Solo late in the afternoon, with dinner at leisure. Overnight in Solo.

After an early breakfast, transfer to Solo Railway Station for a scenic train ride to Jombang in East Java, accompanied by the guide. Traveling by train is a wonderful way to meet local people and enjoy the volcanic landscapes of Central and East Java. Upon arrival in Jombang, meet the local driver and continue to nearby Trowulan, once the capital of the Majapahit Kingdom, which ruled Java for centuries. Visit the archaeological museum and the temples of Candi Bajang Ratu and Candi Tikus, then take lunch at a local restaurant. Continue towards Mount Bromo, passing the coastal town of Pasuruan before a scenic mountain drive to one of the entrances of Bromo-Tengger National Park. Check in late in the afternoon, with dinner served at the hotel. Overnight in Bromo.

Rise before the sun for the unforgettable experience of watching Mount Bromo's Martian-like landscape at sunrise. Travel by 4WD jeep to a viewpoint at Penanjakan with stunning views of the volcano and surroundings, watching the sun crest over Bromo, then continue by jeep down into the mist-covered caldera. From the jeep's drop-off point, walk 45 minutes across the sea of sand to the crater's edge, then climb a further 15 minutes to the rim of the active Bromo crater for an otherworldly view. Return by jeep to the hotel for a hearty breakfast and time to refresh, before checking out and driving to Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, with a lunch stop along the way. Continue to Juanda International Airport in Surabaya for the onward flight home.