Private & personal
Your tour is yours alone — no rigid big-group schedule, no rushing past the moments that matter to you.
Rated 5.0 on TripAdvisor · Yogyakarta, Java
Java, guided by locals who call it home.
Authentic, immersive journeys through Java's temples, volcanoes, villages and living culture — led by local guides who know the stories behind every place, not just the photo stops.
Ways to explore with us
City Tours
Cultural Tours
Bike Tours
Eco Tours
Factory & Craft Tours
Volcano Trips
Overland Tour / Trip
Custom Yogyakarta Package
Full Overland page
Why travel with us
Small, personal, and genuinely local
We're not a big agency with a script. We're Yogyakarta locals who design each day around your energy, your interests, and the Java we actually live in.
Real local knowledge
History, nature and everyday life — explained by guides who grew up with these places, in clear English.
Flexible itineraries
Start earlier, linger longer, swap a stop — we shape the route together around what you love.
Safe & on time
Punctual pickups, careful driving and a team that looks after you from hotel door to drop-off.
Our tours
Trips our guests love most
We start where we live — Yogyakarta, our home base — then range further across Java on our Java–Bali Overland route, through Bromo and Ijen and on to Bali (or in reverse). All our tours are private, so we don't list fixed prices — your price depends on your group size, your travel date, and any add-ons you choose. Our guests come from many countries and use different currencies, so message us and we'll give you our best price in your preferred currency, with what's included spelled out before you commit.
Borobudur Sunrise & Village Life
Watch dawn break over the world's largest Buddhist temple, then slow down in the villages around it — rice fields, home industries and real morning life in Central Java.
- Sunrise at Borobudur with a local guide
- Mendut & Pawon temples on the ancient axis
- Village walk — tofu, palm sugar & pottery makers
- Ticket choice in the form: Ground / courtyard only, Temple climb, Sunrise, or Borobudur + Prambanan combo — ticket type affects the price, quoted via WhatsApp
- A temple-side local guide is mandatory for Borobudur
- Merapi Jeep add-on: Short (usual), Medium or Long trip — priced per Jeep, maximum 4 adults per Jeep
- Lunch is not automatically included — your driver / guide will direct and inform you where to eat
Private tourAsk for price & availability
Prambanan Sunset & Ramayana Stories
Explore Indonesia's tallest Hindu temple complex as the light turns gold, hearing the Ramayana epics carved into its stone — with an option to see the story performed live.
- Guided walk through the main temple courts
- Sunset from inside the complex
- Optional Ramayana Ballet in the evening
- In the form, choose Prambanan only or Prambanan + Ratu Boko Sunset
- Lunch is not automatically included — your driver / guide will direct and inform you where to eat
- Pickup from your hotel or Yogyakarta airport, with timing confirmed via WhatsApp
Private tourAsk for price & availability
Yogyakarta Food Tour
Eat your way through the Sultan's city with a local guide — market tastings and street-side classics, with heritage stops between bites. One tour, two starts: morning or evening.
- Local guide included — Morning starts 6:00am, Evening starts 5:00pm
- Route: Pasar Beringharjo, the Kraton, Taman Sari & the bird market
- Minimum 2 guests for standard pricing — solo travellers welcome, with the price adjusted via WhatsApp
- Price excludes transport: ride as a passenger on a motorbike (food tour only), or go by car — recommended if you add a temple
- Featured combo: Morning Food Tour + Prambanan Sunset
- Temple add-ons: Prambanan Sunset, or Borobudur at regular hours (not Sunrise) — and the Evening tour follows a daytime temple visit perfectly
Private tourAsk for price & availability
Bike · Eco
Half day
Village Bike Tour — Rice Fields & Merapi Views
Pedal quiet village lanes between emerald rice fields, with Mount Merapi on the horizon. Choose your area in the form — Borobudur area, Prambanan area, or Jogja countryside — with rice fields, crafts and a tofu / tempe factory depending on the area.
- Usually lasts 4–5 hours, depending on conditions. Start time is flexible, depending on the route, confirmed via WhatsApp
- Area choices: Borobudur area, Prambanan area, or Jogja countryside — rice fields, crafts and tofu / tempe factory stops depend on the area
- Bike rental includes helmet, mineral water and a snack — regular bikes only (no e-bikes)
- Minimum age 10 years to cycle — a passenger seat can be provided
- Roads are usually village roads, with sometimes a little main road depending on the area
- Rainy season is not recommended for this tour
- Can be combined with another tour in one day, but standalone is recommended — guests are often tired afterwards
Small group / privateAsk for price & availability
Gunung Kidul — Jomblang, Timang & Pindul
Caves and coast south of Yogyakarta. Visit Jomblang, Timang or Pindul on their own, or combine two in one day — a maximum of 2 places per day, with no triple combo.
- Standalone or pairs: Jomblang + Timang, Jomblang + Pindul, or Pindul + Timang — maximum 2 places per day, no triple combo
- If Jomblang is included, it goes first to catch the heavenly light
- Jomblang: book at least 2 days before, usually closed in the rainy season, prime physical condition required — not recommended if you fear heights, dark or narrow places
- Lunch is already included in the Jomblang ticket price
- Jomblang: guide and safety equipment are already included
- Timang: gondola and bridge tickets are paid separately, and a jeep is also required for Timang
- Pindul: tubing, life jacket and guide are already included
- Please bring a change of clothes and socks — boat shoes are worn in Jomblang
- Start with hotel pickup at 6:00–6:30am — airport pickup is not recommended for Jomblang, and from the airport only Timang-only is possible
Private tourAsk for price & availability
Overland · Java–Bali
Dates set by you
Java-Bali Overland Tour
One journey across Java to Bali — or in reverse — linking Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bromo and Ijen in a single route. Follow our fixed base route, or customize the stops and pace to suit you.
- Direction your way: Jakarta to Bali, or Bali to Jakarta, depending on your request — or a Custom direction, for example starting from Yogyakarta or another city on request
- Stops include Yogyakarta, Bromo and Ijen along the route
- Duration is built around your dates — you give us your start and finish dates, and we shape the days between them (no fixed day count)
- A fixed base route you can follow as-is, or customize to your interests
- Your choice of Transport Only or Custom All-Inclusive — pick your package style in the form
- Just want Bromo or Ijen on its own? A Bromo-only or Ijen-only trip can still be requested via a Custom Java Trip or a WhatsApp message
Private tripAsk for price & availability
Full Overland page
Something else in mind?
Build a fully custom Java trip
Multi-day routes from Yogyakarta to Bromo, Ijen and beyond — or one slow day in a village most visitors never see. Tell us your dates and interests, and we'll design it with you.
City sightseeing is easy to request here too — the Kraton, Taman Sari, Malioboro and Pasar Beringharjo can all be part of a Custom day — and workshops (Batik, Silver, Wayang or Pottery) are available as an add-on.
Planning something bigger? See the full package pages
Two of our trips have their own detailed pages \u2014 day-by-day building blocks, package styles and their own WhatsApp planning forms. Start there if either of these is your trip:
About us
Based in Yogyakarta. Raised on these roads.
Java Tour by Locals is a small local team based in Panggungharjo, Yogyakarta. We started this because we kept seeing visitors rushed through Java's greatest places without ever meeting the people who live there.
With us, a temple visit comes with its legends, a village stop comes with introductions, and the pace is set by you — not by a bus timetable.
- Local, English-speaking guides and drivers
- Door-to-door pickup in the Yogyakarta area
- Honest pricing — inclusions agreed before you book
- Routes across all of Java, from day trips to 8+ day journeys
5.0★TripAdvisor rating
6+Tour styles
100%Private & flexible
Guest reviews
Loved on TripAdvisor — booked here
Our TripAdvisor page is where guests leave their reviews. Booking there isn't available, so this page is the direct way to reach us — same team, same 5-star care.
5.0
★★★★★Java Tour By Locals · TripAdvisor
City, Cultural, Bike, Eco & Factory Tours — Panggungharjo, Yogyakarta
“Eight days, Yogyakarta to Ubud — flawless”
Guests on our longest routes praise a driver who speaks excellent English, is always on time, and is quick to help with anything along the way — the kind of support that makes a long overland journey feel easy.
“Friendly, professional — we felt safe”
On private 5-day Yogyakarta tours, guests highlight how warm and professional the team is, and how safe and looked-after they felt from the first pickup to the final drop-off.
“The local way to see Java”
Families and small groups love the unhurried pace: time to ask questions, meet villagers, stop for the snacks and viewpoints that never make it into big-group itineraries.
Read our reviews on TripAdvisor
Then come back here to plan the trip itself — we reply personally on WhatsApp.
Gallery
Java, as you'll see it
Tap any photo to view it larger. Follow our daily stories on social media for more.
How booking works
Three easy steps to your Java trip
1
Message us
Build your enquiry below and send it on WhatsApp — tell us your date, group size, add-ons and preferred currency.
2
Shape it together
We reply personally with a route, timing and our best price in your currency, with inclusions spelled out — adjust it until it feels right.
3
Confirm & go
Once you're happy, we lock it in. We pick you up on the day — you just enjoy Java.
Build your enquiry
Fill this in — your message writes itself on the right, ready to copy or send. All tours are private and priced per enquiry, based on group size, date and add-ons — tell us your preferred currency and we'll quote our best price in that currency. Choose your package style below: Transport Only, or Custom All-Inclusive where you pick the extras — every choice is written into your WhatsApp message.
Your WhatsApp message
Preview updates as you type.
Prefer email or a call instead? Email us at [email protected], call or message us on WhatsApp, or message us on any of our social channels below — we answer personally, usually the same day.
Booking & Payment
How deposits, payment, confirmation and cancellations work — in plain terms, before you book.
Deposit
All-Inclusive requires a 50% deposit, with the balance on arrival. Transport Only trips longer than 1 day require a 40%-50% deposit paid on arrival.
Payment
Transport Only can be paid on arrival or on the first day. A one-day Transport Only trip can also be paid at the end of the tour. For multi-day Transport Only, the balance is paid on the last day. All-Inclusive deposit is due at the latest 7 days before arrival, with the balance on arrival.
Confirmation
Your booking is confirmed once we send you written confirmation via WhatsApp or email.
Cancellation
Transport Only can be cancelled up to 3 days before the tour. For All-Inclusive, if hotel and tickets have already been booked, their prices will be deducted. If hotel and tickets have not yet been booked, your deposit is refunded 100%.
Weather and closure
If a place is closed, we will reschedule. If it rains and tickets have already been booked, rescheduling is not possible. If tickets have not yet been booked, your money is refunded 100%.
Contact
WhatsApp +62 851-8836-8726, email [email protected], we answer personally, usually the same day.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
We pick up from hotels and addresses across the Yogyakarta area, and can arrange pickups from Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) or the train station. For Bromo and Ijen trips, pickups from Surabaya, Malang or Banyuwangi can also be arranged — just tell us where you'll be.
Yes — that's our favourite kind of request. All our tours are private, so start times, stops and pace can be adjusted. For multi-day trips we design the whole route with you, from Yogyakarta through East Java and onward.
From solo travellers to family groups — because tours are private, group size is flexible. Tell us your numbers in the enquiry and we'll match the right vehicle and guide setup, with a per-trip price quoted up front.
Our guides and drivers speak clear English — something our TripAdvisor reviews mention often. If you need another language, ask us when you enquire and we'll do our best to arrange it.
You choose. Transport Only covers a private car with an English-speaking driver, fuel, parking and pickup & drop-off — plus toll / highway where the route uses it, mainly on overland trips. Entrance tickets, meals and a local guide are not included: a local guide is a different role from your driver. Custom All-Inclusive adds only what you tick — entrance tickets, activity fees, meals, a local guide, even a hotel matched to your budget. One exception: our Food Tour already includes a local guide. Either way, we spell everything out before you confirm — no surprises on the day.
Travel plans change — we get it. Message us as early as you can and we'll confirm the rescheduling or cancellation terms for your specific booking in writing before you commit, so everything is clear from the start.