Java & Bali Self-Launched: Yogyakarta, Bromo, Ijen & Ubud
17 days · Indonesia (Java & Bali)
G Adventures charges £1,500
No-markup version: ~£1,147 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A solo-friendly, self-launched 17-day route from Yogyakarta to Ubud covering the same highlights as the G Adventures Java & Bali tour — Borobudur and Setumbu Hill sunrise, a batik workshop in Solo, the Bromo sunrise jeep run, Ijen Crater, East Java's coffee plantations, and a relaxing Bali finish. Instead of a group coach and CEO you'll use Java's excellent cheap trains and public buses, book sunrise jeeps directly with your guesthouse, and stay in hostels and family-run homestays. Estimated budget of roughly £1,150 per person (excluding international flights) versus £1,500+ for the operator tour — and you can travel at your own pace.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta, Java
Fly into Yogyakarta (YIA) and take the Damri airport bus or a Grab to your hostel in the Sosrowijayan or Prawirotaman area. Once checked in, walk Jalan Malioboro at dusk for street food — try gudeg, ayam geprek and martabak — and get cash from a BNI/Mandiri ATM (Indonesian rupiah is still king outside big hotels).
🚌Airport Damri bus to city ~£2, or Grab ~£5
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Sosrowijayan/Prawirotaman (dorm or private twin)
- →Arrive Yogyakarta
- →Malioboro street food walk
Yogyakarta: temples, rice paddies and becak
Yogyakarta, Java
Self-launch your Yogyakarta day. Morning: cycle or Grab out to the rice paddies and villages south of the city, or head to Prambanan temple (entry ~£18) by Trans Jogja bus or Grab. Afternoon: hire a becak (cycle rickshaw) driver by the hour to loop through the old town and Taman Sari water castle (~£3-4/hour, plus a small tip). Evening: street-food crawl around Alun Alun Kidul.
🚌Trans Jogja bus ~£0.30 per ride, Grab ~£2-4
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Yogyakarta
- →Prambanan temple visit
- →Becak tour & Taman Sari water castle
- →Street food tour
Candirejo village and on to Magelang
Candirejo & Magelang, Central Java
Take a public bus or shared car from Yogyakarta's Jombor terminal towards Borobudur/Magelang (~£3, 1.5-2 hrs). Ask your Magelang homestay to arrange a village guide in Candirejo — a Javanese farming village where you walk through multi-crop fields, watch palm sugar being made and eat a home-cooked lunch at a local house (~£8-10 including lunch). Continue to Magelang for the night so you're close to Borobudur.
🚌Public bus Yogyakarta–Magelang ~£3
🛏Homestay or budget guesthouse, Magelang
- →Candirejo village walk with local guide
- →Home-cooked Javanese lunch
Setumbu Hill sunrise and Borobudur by bike
Borobudur, Central Java
Set an alarm — a driver or ojek will run you to Setumbu Hill for sunrise over the misty jungle with Borobudur's stupas poking through the fog (small entry fee ~£2-3). Back down, rent a bicycle from your homestay (~£3/day) and ride the lanes between Wanurejo and Borobudur village, stopping at the traditional market. If you want to enter Borobudur itself, book a timed ticket online (~£18) or take the cheaper Manohara sunrise package. Evening: bus or shared car to Solo (~£3, 2 hrs).
🚌Ojek/driver to Setumbu ~£4; bus Magelang–Solo ~£3
🛏Guesthouse in Solo old town
- →Setumbu Hill sunrise hike
- →Village cycling to Borobudur
- →Transfer to Solo
Solo: batik workshop and royal heritage
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java
Book a half-day batik workshop in Laweyan village directly with a local workshop (about £10-15, includes wax, canting and your own cloth to keep) — this replaces the operator's included Hands-On Moment. Then visit Mangkunegaran Palace (~£2 entry), browse Triwindhu and Gede markets, and walk the batik lanes of Laweyan. Swing by the Danar Hadi batik museum if you want more depth (~£3).
🚌Becak and walking, ~£3 total
🛏Guesthouse in Solo
- →Batik-making workshop in Laweyan
- →Mangkunegaran Palace
- →Triwindhu Market
- →Laweyan batik village walk
Solo to Ngadas village at the foot of Bromo
Malang & Ngadas, East Java
Long travel day. Take the morning train from Solo Balapan to Malang (~£8-10, 5-6 hrs) or a budget flight if time is short. In Malang, wander Alun Alun square and the rainbow-painted Jodipan village (~£1 entry). Then a shared car or the afternoon bus up to Ngadas village (~£6-8, 2 hrs) — a Javanese mountain village inside Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Stay in a family guesthouse and confirm your 3am jeep with your host that evening.
🚌Train Solo–Malang ~£9; shared car Malang–Ngadas ~£7
🛏Community guesthouse/homestay in Ngadas (shared bathroom)
- →Malang Alun Alun square
- →Jodipan colourful village
- →Transfer to Ngadas
Bromo sunrise jeep, crater hike and Sea of Sands
Mount Bromo, East Java
A 3am jeep ride (~£25-35 shared per person, book through your Ngadas host) takes you to Penanjakan viewpoint for sunrise over the caldera. Then hike the Sea of Sands (~45 mins) to the rim of Bromo crater — a short, steep staircase finishes the climb. Have a picnic breakfast nearby, return to Ngadas for lunch, and spend the afternoon on a village walk: temples, the holy forest and the tomb of Mbah Sedek. Dinner at the homestay.
🚌Shared 4x4 jeep ~£30
🛏Community guesthouse/homestay in Ngadas
- →Mount Bromo sunrise jeep excursion
- →Penanjakan viewpoint hike
- →Bromo crater climb
- →Ngadas village walk
Down to Surabaya
Surabaya, East Java
Shared car or bus from Ngadas to Surabaya (~£8-10, 3-4 hrs). Check into a budget hotel near Gubeng station. Afternoon free: walk the old town around Jembatan Merah and the Arab quarter of Ampel, or take a river boat tour along the Kalimas (~£4). Evening: try rawon (black beef soup) at a local warung.
🚌Shared car/bus Ngadas–Surabaya ~£9
🛏Budget hotel near Gubeng station
- →Transfer to Surabaya
- →Old town and Ampel quarter walk
- →Optional Kalimas river boat
Surabaya walking tour, then train to Kalibaru
Surabaya to Kalibaru, East Java
Join a free or low-cost city walking tour (check GetYourGuide or the local tourist office, ~£8-10) or self-guide the historic port area. After lunch, take the afternoon train from Surabaya Gubeng to Kalibaru (~£8, 4-5 hrs) on the scenic line that skirts the coast and volcanoes. Check into a plantation guesthouse in the village.
🚌Train Surabaya–Kalibaru ~£8
🛏Plantation guesthouse or homestay, Kalibaru
- →Surabaya history walking tour
- →Train to Kalibaru
Kalibaru plantations on foot
Kalibaru, East Java
Walk (or take a local ojek) out to Kalibaru's smallholder plantations — coffee, cocoa, rubber, vanilla and rice paddies — with a local guide arranged at your guesthouse (~£6-8). Learn how rubber is tapped and coffee is dried, and grab lunch at a roadside warung. Free afternoon for a nap, a swim or a wander through the village.
🚌Ojek or walking ~£2
🛏Plantation guesthouse, Kalibaru
- →Plantation walking tour
- →Rice paddy and village wander
De Djawatan Forest and the east coast at Banyuwangi
Banyuwangi, East Java
Bus or shared car east to Banyuwangi (~£6, 3 hrs), stopping at the giant rain-tree lane of De Djawatan Forest (~£2 entry, easy to organise with a local driver for ~£10). Arrive Banyuwangi in the afternoon. Optional: arrange a Baluran National Park jeep safari for sunset (~£20-25), or just swim and eat seafood at Boom Beach. Turn in early — Ijen is before dawn.
🚌Bus/shared car ~£6; local driver ~£10
🛏Budget hotel, Banyuwangi
- →De Djawatan Forest
- →Optional Baluran National Park jeep safari
- →Pantai Boom beach
Ijen Crater sunrise hike
Ijen, Banyuwangi
A midnight-to-1am pickup (~£25-30 per person shared, book at your hotel) brings you to Paltuding trailhead. Hike ~1.5-2 hrs up in the dark with a headtorch to catch the blue-fire sulphur glow and sunrise over the turquoise acidic lake. You'll pass sulphur miners carrying 70-90 kg loads — a striking and sobering sight. Bring a proper respirator mask (~£5 in Banyuwangi). Back by mid-morning for a long breakfast and rest.
🚌Shared pickup to Paltuding ~£28
🛏Budget hotel, Banyuwangi
- →Ijen Crater sunrise hike
- →Blue fire viewpoint
Ferry to Bali and on to Ubud
Banyuwangi to Ubud, Bali
Take the Ketapang–Gilimanuk ferry across the Bali Strait (~£1-2, 45 mins), then a bus or shared shuttle from Gilimanuk to Ubud (~£8-12, 4-5 hrs). Pay the Bali tourist levy online in advance (150,000 IDR / ~£8) via the Love Bali system. Settle into a Ubud hostel or guesthouse and hit the evening warungs on Jalan Hanoman.
🚌Ferry ~£2; shared shuttle to Ubud ~£10
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, central Ubud
- →Ferry crossing to Bali
- →Transfer to Ubud
Ubud: rice terraces and Tanah Lot
Ubud & Tanah Lot, Bali
Early walk through the Belimbing rice terraces north-west of Ubud (free, or ~£2 donation). In the afternoon, hire a scooter (~£4/day) or join a shared car to Tanah Lot temple for sunset over the sea rocks (~£3 entry) — a 45-minute ride each way. Back in Ubud for a Balinese dance performance at the palace (~£6-8).
🚌Scooter hire ~£4/day
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Ubud
- →Belimbing rice terraces walk
- →Tanah Lot temple at sunset
- →Balinese dance performance
Free day in Ubud
Ubud, Bali
Your own Ubud day. Options: the Campuhan Ridge walk at dawn (free), the Sacred Monkey Forest (~£4), a Balinese cooking class in Laplapan village (~£20-25, book on GetYourGuide or Klook), rafting on the Ayung, or a waterfall day trip to Tegenungan and Tibumana (~£15 with a driver). Or simply do nothing by a pool.
🚌Grab/Gojek ~£3-5
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Ubud
- →Campuhan Ridge walk
- →Optional cooking class
- →Optional waterfall day trip
Medahan village and Balinese offerings workshop
Medahan & Ubud, Bali
Book a community village experience in Medahan directly through a local operator (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£25-30) — welcome cake and tea, a village walk past temples, market, rice paddies and a spring. In the afternoon, join a canang sari (prayer offering) making workshop at a local foundation (~£10-15) to learn the daily Balinese craft. Final Ubud dinner out.
🚌Driver for the day ~£15
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Ubud
- →Medahan village walk
- →Canang sari offering-making workshop
Depart from Bali
Ubud to Denpasar (DPS)
A relaxed breakfast, last-minute market shopping on Jalan Sukawati, then a Grab or shared shuttle to Ngurah Rai International Airport (~£10-14, 1.5 hrs). If your flight is late, stash your bag and spend a few hours at a Seminyak or Canggu beach cafe on the way.
🚌Grab/shuttle Ubud–DPS ~£12
🛏—
- →Transfer to Denpasar airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,147 | £1,500 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £353 per person (24%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,147
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Java & Bali Self-Launched: Yogyakarta, Bromo, Ijen & Ubud cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,147 per person for 17 days in Indonesia (Java & Bali). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,500 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,147 — a saving of roughly £353 (24%) per person.
How long is the Indonesia (Java & Bali) trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 day-by-day stops through Indonesia (Java & Bali).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Indonesia (Java & Bali), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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