Day Trip to Merapi and Temples from Yogyakarta

The ideal tour if you aren’t one for large groups yet want the ease and convenience of not having to sort out the logistics - while getting the stories and explanations you miss when flying solo. Ardee was not only a knowledgeable and helpful guide, he was also an incredibly safe and patient driver and great company. His passion for the sites and personal stories made it such a richer experience. The sunrise over Borobudur was not only a delightful bonus but an absolute highlight. It was not part of the tour but the tour provider messaged me a few days prior to ask if I wanted to do it. Of course I jumped at the chance. We covered off the major monastery - and visited two minor temples as well - plus a quick jaunt to sample some Kopi Luwak across the road from one of the temples. If you don’t know what that is - google it! We then headed to the Volcano - which was interesting notwithstanding the absence of views due to cloud cover. We saw a home that had been excavated from the ash, got a history of the recent eruptions, took in some lava flows and views as well as the bunker where two Brooke had died during the 2006 eruption. The Jeep I got was old - and questionable from a safety perspective by western standards. Plus it is an open vehicle so you do get wet if it rains. I must admit - I did have some reservations at first - but the driver was very good and spoke good English and quickly put me at ease and the visit was very interesting. Prambanan another beautiful UNESCO heritage listed site was where we ended the day. Not at sunset - but I was trashed already as we started well before sunrise - so I didn’t mind at all. There was the option of some Batik on the way home - but I was exhausted so called it a day. We skipped lunch as I wasn’t hungry - but found a refreshing coconut to replace electrolytes as we were leaving Prambanan. Some things to bear in mind. This is a private tour so effectively what you are paying for is a driver/guide, flexibility - plus breakfast at a restaurant at Borobudur. All entry fees are extra and you should budget an additional $100 or so for those. That said - with a duration of more than 12 hours and the flexibility charm and helpfulness of the guide it’s still great value. Thanks Ardee. You were awesome.

We made it as a day trip from Jakarta and the whole tour was awesome! Agus was there to pick us up when we arrived and ready to hit the road. Our main goal was Borobudur and Prambanan, but we also fit in Merapi and few other sites and Chocolate Monggo as well. Well done guys, thanks so much for taking the work out of planning and making such a memorable day.

Jeep ride was AWESOME! Beautiful views of the volcano and such a blast getting there....