Arrivals & Welcome Dinner

Selamat datang (welcome to) Indonesia, a country comprising over 17,000 islands and one of the world’s largest and most diverse human populations. Begin your journey on the island of Java, the geographic and economic center of Indonesia, in its sprawling capital city, Jakarta.

After you land at Jakarta’s Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK), meet your English-speaking guide outside the terminal and transfer to your hotel, located in the city center. This drive may take up to two hours, depending on traffic.

Take some time to settle in and enjoy a festive Welcome Dinner at the hotel this evening.

Overnight: The Hermitage

Sightseeing in Jakarta

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning, then head out for a day of sightseeing in Jakarta.

Begin your tour of the capital with a visit to Glodok, the largest Chinatown district in the country. Small streets are lined with numerous shops and vendors selling all manner of commodities, and much of the architecture is still traditional in style.

Next, visit the Sunda Kelapa, the old harbor of Jakarta and one of its most recognizable sights. Dating back to the 17th century, the harbor has a rich and varied history, but today, it is mainly used to accommodate the traditional Indonesian two-masted sailing ships known locally as Pinisi. Continue to two of Jakarta’s most interesting landmarks. First, the Fatahillah Museum was originally built by the Dutch in 1710 as the Jakarta City Hall, or Stag Huis. Today, the building displays many antiques, fine ceramics, ancient maps, and paintings from the colonial era. At Fatahillah Square, take a break for lunch at Café Batavia, believed to be the oldest restaurant in all of Indonesia, built in the 1830s.

Proceed to the Puppet Museum, located in an old Dutch colonial house, which showcases an excellent collection of Javanese leather puppets used in Wayang Kulit, the ancient Indonesian art of shadow play.

Return to the hotel this afternoon, take some time to rest, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

Overnight: The Hermitage

Travel to Kalimantan

Enjoy an early breakfast this morning, then check out of your room and transfer to the airport to fly to Kalimantan, the Indonesian side of the island of Borneo, where Together Women Rise partner, Health in Harmony, does their work. This journey will take two domestic flights, first to Pontianak and then to Ketapang, to reach your destination. Boxed lunches will be provided for this trip.

Flight information will be provided to you before departure.

Once you arrive in Ketapang, representatives from Health in Harmony will take you to their rainforest community in Sukadana, where you will spend the next three days. This drive is approximately two hours long and will include small roads that may be bumpy and windy.

Take some time to settle into your hotel and enjoy a group dinner together this evening.

Overnight: Makota Kayong Hotel

Full Day with Health in Harmony

After breakfast, begin your time at Health in Harmony with a meeting and tour of the offices and clinics. Health In Harmony and ASRI are partner organizations in Indonesia. Their programs embrace the links between human health, ecosystem health, and planetary health. The two organizations work hand-in-hand, with ASRI operating the medical, conservation, and economic development programs in Indonesia.

After the morning session, visit the widows who benefitted from the “Goats for Widows” program that was funded by Together Women Rise. This program addresses the needs of rural women while also reducing deforestation by teaching organic farming methods.

Enjoy lunch before your next site visit, where you will interact with local women who are learning to make organic fertilizers and plant vegetable gardens with polybags and seeds. Hear from the women and ASRI representatives about how materials like polybags can bring further independence to women and how this extends to local communities.

This evening, you will have some free time to rest or enjoy the local beach before gathering for dinner together.

Overnight: Makota Kayong Hotel

Full Day with Health in Harmony

Enjoy breakfast and another full day with Health in Harmony. Today, visit a nearby reforestation site to plant trees. What was once just grass is now a thriving area with growing trees, in which you will have the opportunity to plant trees inside the national park. Observe the progress of Health in Harmony’s work from 2009 until now. Lunch will be hosted at the Health and Harmony office in between today’s site visits.

After lunch, embark on a hike to immerse yourself in the vibrant community that cultivates gardens within the forest. Long before the land was designated as a national park, it was cherished as ancestral territory by the older generations of this community. As you explore, you’ll uncover the forest’s unique features, including its fruit trees, and actively participate in a reforestation initiative. Together with the local community, you’ll contribute to planting approximately 600 trees within the national park.

Dinner will be served on the beach this evening.

Overnight: Makota Kayong Hotel

Full Day with Health in Harmony

After breakfast, begin your final day with Health in Harmony. Learn about the Chainsaw Buyback program, which raises funds to provide capital assistance to loggers so they can shift away from illegal forest logging and rebuild their careers.

In the afternoon, you’ll meet the inspiring women who collaborate with ASRI, including the forest guardians who work to persuade loggers to cease deforestation and adopt ASRI’s sustainable programs. You’ll also visit the Kitchen Garden program, which supplies meals for ASRI, as well as the garden behind their office, nurtured with support from Rise. Take some time to cook alongside the staff and savor a relaxed and enjoyable lunch together.

If time allows, enjoy a bicycle ride along the beach before returning to the hotel and gathering for dinner. Take time to pack this evening, as you will depart Sukadana early the next morning for your flight to Bali.

Overnight: Makota Kayong Hotel

Travel to Bali

Check out of your room this morning, then transfer to Ketapang Domestic Airport (KTG) to travel to Denpasar, Bali. This journey will take three short domestic flights. Lunch will be at your own discretion and expense today as you are in transit.

Flight information will be provided to you before departure.

Upon arrival in Bali, transfer to the hotel, about a 75 minute drive. Check-in, settle into your room, and reconvene for a group dinner at the hotel this evening.

Overnight: Purana Suite Ubud

The Story of Ibu Sari

Start your day with a leisurely breakfast before heading to the nearby village of Payangan to experience the heart of Balinese culture. Here, you’ll learn about the story of Ibu Sari, the inspiring founder of the Women’s Centre dedicated to empowering Balinese women. Driven by her own struggles with divorce and a 12-year separation from her daughter, Ibu Sari created this safe haven to support vulnerable women, offering shelter, skills training, and hope for a better future.

At the center, engage with the women and participate in two hands-on workshops of your choice, such as herbal tea making, batik painting, soap making, cooking, paper recycling, or sewing. Explore the center’s garden, harvest fresh local ingredients, and enjoy a delicious Balinese lunch prepared with care by the women of the center.

This enriching experience, including lunch, lasts approximately four hours, leaving the rest of the day free for relaxation or personal exploration.

Dinner will be at an outside restaurant this evening.

Overnight: Purana Suite Ubud

Sightseeing in Ubud

After breakfast, head out for a day of sightseeing around Ubud to see some of Bali’s most spectacular sites. Your excursion begins with a drive into Central Bali and the small town of Mengwi. Mengwi is home to the superb temple complex of the Balinese Royal Family at Taman Ayun. Translated as ‘beautiful garden’, Taman Ayun is considered to be one of the island’s most attractive temples and is still used today by people from all over Bali for special ceremonies and events.

Next, head to Alas Kedaton Monkey Forest. This small forest is populated with giant nutmeg trees and home to hundreds of macaque monkeys. Observe their characteristics and mannerisms before heading out to lunch at a local restaurant.

Return to the hotel and enjoy some free time before gathering for dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Purana Suite Ubud

Full Day at Bumi Sehat Foundation

Start your day with breakfast at the hotel before visiting one of the three clinics operated by the Bumi Sehat Foundation, a Together Women Rise grantee. Immerse yourself in a full day of activities with Bumi Sehat, including a guided clinic tour, a prenatal yoga session, and the opportunity to meet patients. Witness the profound Baby Ceremony, a beautiful tradition marking the moment a newborn touches the earth for the first time. Enjoy lunch with the Bumi Sehat team, gaining deeper insights into their impactful work.

Return to the hotel this afternoon to rest and refresh. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant within walking distance of the hotel.

Overnight: Purana Suite Ubud

Half Day at Bumi Sehat Foundation

After breakfast at the hotel, head to the Bumi Sehat Youth Educational Center to spend the morning with the midwives who visit these schools to teach children about menstrual cycles and pregnancy.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then visit a bustling market where locals from all corners of Bali come to sell their produce and wares. Once you have finished shopping, return to the hotel to freshen up before this evening’s cultural experience.

Go to Tanah Gajah Ubud for a special dinner and to see a traditional Kecak Dance performance. The spectacular 30-minute-long Balinese Kecak and fire dance performances are held at Tanah Gajah Ubud’s candle-lit outdoor Amphitheater every Tuesday and Friday. You will have the opportunity to take photos with the talented performers before heading to The Tempayan restaurant for the Royal Rijsttafel dinner experience.

This is a wonderful evening to celebrate Bali’s vibrant culture and artistic heritage.

Overnight: Purana Suite Ubud

Departures

After breakfast this morning, check out of your hotel and meet your driver for your transfer to the Denpasar airport in Bali. Safe journeys home or onward to your next destination!

For more information about this incredible journey to Indonesia with Together Women Rise, be sure to visit the following pages:

Pricing & Registration
Pre-Departure Information
Health & Safety
Destination Information
Extend Your Travel
About Elevate Destinations