Indonesia Off The Beaten Path – 14 Days

Cruise along the winding river with your eyes on the treetops, where monkeys and hornbills often appear. The water here is dark with tannins from the forest, and on still mornings it mirrors the jungle like glass.

Step ashore at Camp Leakey and walk through the forest with your guide, learning the story of the camp and its decades of work rescuing orangutans and returning them to the wild. In the early afternoon, watch feeding time, when orangutans swing in from the canopy to the feeding platform, sometimes mothers with babies clinging on, before you return to the boat.

Dinner on board and a night moored on the river, deep in the forest.

Enjoy breakfast on deck as your guides point out the creatures waking up around you: proboscis monkeys with their big noses, gibbons calling from the canopy and brightly coloured birds.

Follow the bends of the muddy Sekonyer River to Pondok Tanggui, where orphaned and formerly captive orangutans learn the skills they need to live in the forest again.

Continue to Tanjung Harapan for a trek deeper into the jungle with your guide, then spend a final evening aboard as the sun sets over the river.

Savour one final cruise down the Sekonyer River, with a last look for monkeys and birds along the banks.

After lunch, transfer to Pangkalan Bun Airport for your flight to Bali.

On arrival, your private driver takes you up into the hills to Munduk, a highland village of clove and coffee plantations, waterfalls and mountain mist, your base for the next four nights.

Rise early to watch the sunrise, then walk to the viewpoint over the Twin Lakes, Buyan and Tamblingan, where mist drifts over the still water.

Glide across Lake Tamblingan in a traditional canoe, with nothing but birdsong and the splash of the paddle for company.

Stop at the Handara Gate, a towering split gateway in classic Balinese style framing the mountains behind it, and one of the most photographed spots on the island. Then visit Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, the 17th-century water temple dedicated to Dewi Danu, goddess of the lake, whose tiered shrines seem to float on the water.

Head down to Lovina on Bali’s north coast and set out by boat with an experienced guide, as dolphins break the surface and leap around the bow in the calm morning water.

Continue to Banyumala Waterfall, hidden in the forest above the coast. Walk down a green path to the twin falls, which spill into a clear natural pool, the perfect place for a refreshing swim on a hot day.

Explore a landscape of savannah, rainforest and mangrove swamps by boat and on foot, home to some 300 species of animals and birds. With your guide, look out for deer, monkeys and, if you are lucky, the snow-white Bali starling, one of the rarest birds in the world.

Stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

Slip into the water to snorkel over colourful coral gardens full of reef fish, then drive back to Munduk in the late afternoon.

Fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo, a harbour town on the western tip of Flores, where your Phinisi boat is waiting. These traditional wooden sailing boats have been built by the Bugis people for centuries, and yours is your home for the night.

Set sail among the islands of the national park and anchor off Kelor Island, where you can swim and snorkel in clear turquoise water over the reef.

Dinner is served on board, and as night falls the gentle rocking of the boat lulls you to sleep under a sky full of stars.

Sail to Padar Island, whose jagged brown ridges and curving bays are one of the most famous views in Indonesia, and on to Komodo Island. Here, with an experienced local ranger, walk through the dry forest in search of the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on earth. Keep your eyes open for water buffalo, deer, wild pigs and tropical birds along the way.

Back on board, enjoy lunch surrounded by islands and sea.

Swim and snorkel off Pink Beach, whose sand is tinted rose by fragments of red coral, then at Kanawa Island, where the shallow reef is full of colourful fish. Late in the afternoon, return to Labuan Bajo and check in at your hotel.

Drive into the hills and set off on foot from Wersawe Village, following a trail through farmland and forest with lovely views along the way. At the canyon, the river has carved smooth rock walls around deep green pools and tumbling falls.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade.

On the way back, stop at Mirror Cave, known for its stalactites and the views from around it, before returning to your hotel.

Spend the day as you like: relax by the pool or on the beach at your hotel, or explore the little harbour town of Labuan Bajo, with its fishing boats, cafes and seafood stalls.

As the day ends, find a spot facing west and watch the sun sink behind the islands, turning the sky and sea to fire.

Fly from Labuan Bajo to Denpasar, where your driver meets you for the transfer to Uluwatu on Bali’s southern tip.

Check in at your hotel, high on the cliffs above the Indian Ocean, and spend the rest of the day settling in, perhaps by an infinity pool that seems to pour straight into the sea.

Let the day unfold at your own pace: relax in your villa, swim with views of the horizon, enjoy the spa or simply watch the surfers on the reef breaks far below. Meals today are yours to choose wherever you like.

Enjoy a final breakfast and a last look at the ocean.

At the agreed time, your driver takes you to Denpasar Airport for your flight home, with memories of orangutans, dragons, temples and sunsets to carry with you.