Private Tour: Ancient Hilltop Temple Day Trip from Semarang

Spend the day exploring the wonderful Gedong Songo Temple complex on this tour that highlights Java’s ancient culture. Boarding your comfortable air-conditioned van at the pier, you’ll begin a two-hour journey through the picturesque countryside as you make your to the complex. Constructed during the 9th century Syailendra Dynasty, the temples were discovered 1804 by Sir Stamford Raffles and are considered excellent examples of the Early Classic style of Javanese architecture.

Arriving at the parking area for the complex, you’ll disembark your van and continue your journey to the temples on horseback. As the horse’s owner leads you up the pine-forested trail, you are free to enjoy the panoramic scenery passing by. Situated at a height of approximately 4,000 feet abovesea level, the temples provide breath-taking views across north-central java and on a clear day, you can see a line of volcanoes on the horizon, from Mt.lawu in the east to Mt.Sumbing, Mt.Sundro and the Dieng massif in the west.

The temples themselves are more or less evenly spaced between 300 – 700 feet apart on individual hills and ridges that project fro the mountainside. On the main temple, which is dedicated to Siva, the statue of Nandiswara on the north side and Mahakala on the outside of the doorway, are still in place. The siva temple stands as confirmation that Javanese Hindu iconography had reached its maturity by this time in history. Within the temple grounds you will also find several hot sulfur springs that are open to bathers for a fee.

After approximately ninety minutes enjoying the wonderful architecture and history of the Gedong Songo Temples, you’ll travel to the delightful Bandungan Resort for a tasty Indonesian buffet lunch. Following lunch at this highlands location, its time to make the return trek to the Semarang.