Mystical Journey to the World's Largest Buddhist Temple, Indonesia's most active volcano and sacred caves

Embark on a transformative spiritual odyssey through Central Java's most sacred landscapes. This immersive 4-night retreat weaves together the ancient wisdom of Borobudur and its surrounding Temples, the primal power of Mount Merapi volcano, and the mystical depths of Kiskendo Cave. Journey through realms of enlightenment, witness nature's raw force, and discover profound connections between earth, spirit, and self in Indonesia's most enchanting setting.

Programme Highlights

Day 1

The Departure:

Letting Go of the Old World

Arrival in Yogyakarta, transfer to our retreat hotel
Welcome dinner with Sean Lee-Davies
Evening talk: The Cosmos & Psyche — Navigating the Aquarian Age and the Archetypes of Transformation

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Day 2

The Initiation: Prambanan & Plaosan Temples

Sunrise teaching at Plaosan Temple
Lunch with views of Prambanan
Guided exploration of Prambanan Temple — learning its cosmic symbolism and spiritual codes
Evening integration session

Day 3

The Descent: Caves & Borobudur’s Outer Temples

Visit Kiskendo Cave — a mythic underworld in Javanese lore
Afternoon at Pawon & Mendut Temples — spiritual gateways leading to Borobudur
Dinner near Borobudur

Day 4

The Treasure: Borobudur at Sunrise

Private exploration of Borobudur Temple — walking the mandala, layer by layer
Lunch at Dagi Hills
Purification ritual at Selogriyo Temple

Day 5

The Return: Bringing the Elixir Home

Closing sunrise at Borobudur
Integration & departure

What You’ll Experience

Borbodur

Borbodur is the world's largest Buddhist monument, constructed in the 8th-9th century. This UNESCO World Heritage site isn't merely an architectural marvel; it's a physical representation of Buddhist cosmology and a sacred pilgrimage destination that symbolizes the path from earthly desires to enlightenment.

The temple's mandala design represents the universe in Buddhist cosmology with three distinct zones of consciousness: Kamadhatu (the realm of worldly desires), Rupadhatu (the transitional realm), and Arupadhatu (the formless realm of Nirvana). As you ascend the monument's nine platforms, you symbolically journey toward enlightenment, mirroring the spiritual path of the devout Buddhist.

Surrounding you are 504 Buddha statues and 2,672 exquisitely carved relief panels that narrate stories of karma, spiritual teachings, and the life of Buddha. These silent stone witnesses invite you into deep meditation on human existence and the possibility of transcendence, beginning your retreat with profound spiritual immersion.

Kiskendo Cave

A mystical natural formation shrouded in local legend. This cool, shadowy sanctuary is believed by locals to function as a sacred gateway, a threshold between our mundane reality and higher spiritual dimensions. The cave's contemplative atmosphere provides retreat participants with a powerful space to reflect on the temple's teachings and meditate on life's impermanence. The contrast between Borobudur's soaring architecture and Kiskendo Cave's subterranean chambers represents the complementary aspects of spiritual awakening, reaching upward toward cosmic understanding while journeying inward toward self-knowledge.

Mount Merapi

Indonesia's most active volcano stands as a powerful counterpoint to Borobudur's serene spirituality. This fiery mountain holds profound historical significance; its eruptions once buried Borobudur under volcanic ash, inadvertently preserving the temple for centuries until its rediscovery.

In Javanese cosmology, Merapi is revered as a conscious being, the abode of spirits and ancestral guardians who maintain balance between the human world and natural forces. This encounter with Merapi's living energy offers a profound lesson in the sacred relationship between humans and nature's most powerful forces, a central theme of your journey through Central Java's mystical landscape.

Your Sanctuary

Stay in the Grand Deluxe Room — a space of elegance and calm. Soak in a deep bathtub after temple explorations, sip tea overlooking serene landscapes, and rest in comfort before each day’s journey.

This is more than travel.

It’s a return to the source.

To where wisdom was carved in stone and aligned with the stars — waiting for you to remember.