Surabaya Bromo Ijen Drop Bali 3-Day Private Tour

First of all we need to give a compliment to the choice for the second resort we stayed in; Jogli, Ijen. We had room D01 and we felt like king and queen. Secondly; the drivers were great, didn’t take risks but manoeuvred easily through the traffic on Java and Bali. Third; the Bromo tour was early but great. The guide was good, English language might need some improvement, but fine enough.The very early up made sense to the tour and the followed tour. Just the day before the Bromo climb on our way to Bromo Java driver Iqbal offered us unannounced a great waterfall experience, something we didn’t want to miss. Fourth; Ijen tour - although the drive was very long and the weather was not in our advance to see the lake in the crater , it was worth it standing up super early. Fifth; as it was our intention to visit Bali anyway, it was great that the tour had foreseen the ferry to the island from Java with porter and driver taking care of us until our final destination in Ubud, Bali. All in all, a great 3-days tour , not the cheapest, I. Am the best.

My wife and I were really looking forward to this tour and had high expectations - because it wasn't particularly “cheap”. But we were not disappointed and it was definitely worth the money. First of all, we would like to mention that the agency was always very responsive and helpful and always answered us very quickly. On pick-up at our hotel in Surabaya we were greeted by our very nice driver, Itong, and someone from the organization team. Drinks and snacks were provided for us in the car - the seats could be reclined so that we could also sleep a little. Unfortunately, it wasn't clear the whole time whether we would be able to visit the Ijen volcano, as it had been showing increased activity since July. However, the agency responded really well and gave us alternative suggestions. We then decided on a waterfall tour on day 1 and to cut the trip one day short. The refund for the day was given to us directly on pick-up. The waterfall was called Madakaripura and is definitely worth a trip! After arriving at the parking lot, you continue by motorcycle, then walk a short distance through low rivers in the countryside before arriving at the beautiful waterfall. Luckily there weren't many other tourists around and we were able to enjoy the waterfall (200 meters). You should bring waterproof shoes and a rain cape if you don't want to get wet, but we didn't mind. The locals also sell flip-flops and capes if you forget. The nature there really was a highlight :) Our driver then took us to the hotel so that we could set off for Bromo early in the morning (02:30) the next day. The hotel “Lava Lodge” is nothing special, the rooms are only ok, but you definitely have the best view of all hotels in the area. The hotel wasn't that important to us in this case - there's a separate review for that. We were then picked up from our hotel room at 02:30 by our guide Heri. Heri was a treasure, he did such a great job and was very kind and helpful. Not pushy and made our tour to Bromo something special. He took us past the crowds of other tourists to a spot with an absolutely astonishing view. While waiting there in the dark for the sunrise we had lovely conversations and a great time. Bring warm clothes! Its really chilly until sunrise ;) But the view is worth the wait and the (slight) freezing. Incredible! After the sunrise you go down again by jeep into the "sea of sands" (the valley around bromo) and take a 1km walk to the volcano and then again around 500m up the volcano. As this was our first volcano visit it was really something special. After the visist we got taken back to our hotel and had breakfast and a shower. Then our driver Itong took us on a long and hard drive to the ferry from Ketapang to Gilimanuk (Bali). Indonesian roads and traffic are definitely something to get used to... In Gilimanuk we again got picked up by a driver and drove another 4 hours in the dark to Ubud. The drive was not so pleasant as it was pouring rain and the driver was taking risky passing maneuvers. But we talked to him and he adjusted. Overall, i can only recommend this tour. The organization was perfect! Everything was taken care of, perfect communication and we felt comfortable and had a great time!

My friend and I both agreed that Bromo Backpackers was one of the best tour groups that we’ve ever signed up with. A detailed personalised itinerary was sent prior to the trip and we had clear details on what to expect for the trip. The group also made accommodations to additional requests/trips that were not stated in the package, but for a fair amount of of course. Every transition in these 3 days were extremely smooth with almost no delays. We were introduced immediately to the friendly driver when we exited our hotel on day 1, to the tour guides for each venue the moment we stepped out of our car, to the porter the moment we arrived at the ferry terminal. The driver and tour guides were all fun and friendly people which made the experience even better! The service was impeccable and I would strongly recommend Bromo Backpackers to anyone looking for adventures in East Java.

We had a fantastic 3-day trip with Bromo backpackers. Tumpak Sewu, Bromo and Ijen are totally worth waking up for. We also had a lovely driver (Itong) and three amazing local guides who took us to nice spots and handled the crowd very well. The places can get quite busy so it is nice to have a guide who knows how to avoid the crowds. We would recommend to go during week days to visit these places as it can get quite busy during the weekend. We 100% recommend to book this 3-day tour, it is an amazing experience!

First : the seamless organization and personalized touch that made our journey truly exceptional. Ari, the brains behind the operation, had every detail sorted, ensuring our trip ran like clockwork. And the recap sent by mail was clean and tidy. It really built confidence from the get-go. Ari's upfront rundown of the itinerary and his flexibility with accommodation options were game-changers. It was awesome to have the freedom to choose where we crashed after each day's adventure, and Ari made sure we got the comfort we needed without a hitch. We met him at the airport and he introduced us to our Driver, did a quick recap of our trip to make sure we did not have any more question and then let us go enjoy the tour. Our driver, The real MVP ! Though his name escapes me, was a total gem. Always on point, squeaky clean, and with a smile that could light up a room, he made every ride a pleasure. Our guides in Bromo and Ijen. These guys were the real great, dishing out fascinating insights into the local culture and history while keeping the vibe laid-back and fun during our hikes. What set Bromo Backpackers apart was their knack for navigating the tourist hotspots while dodging the crowds and maximizing our time. It felt like we were getting the VIP treatment at every turn, with no wasted moments and plenty of unforgettable experiences. In a nutshell, if you're itching for an adventure in Indonesia, Bromo Backpackers is the way to go. They've got the perfect blend of professionalism and personal touch to make your journey one for the books.