Uncover A Library’s Hidden Gems

Today, embark in the morning after breakfast on a journey to witness a grand dream for a better community come to life. Head to Karangrejek Village in Gunungkidul District, an arid region on the outskirts of Yogyakarta known for its barren soil.

Upon your arrival, Riza will extend a warm welcome at the Narapuspitan learning house. Here, amidst the well-ventilated interior of the wooden house, he will offer a brief introduction to his various purposes.

Your next stop is the library, an eclectic building established in 2020. This hub for innovative ideas and a birthplace of fresh activities for the local populace houses over 4,000 personal books, offering a contemplative space for self-reflection and literary immersion. The library aims to promote widespread reading, believing in its significant positive impact on lives. Riza has fostered a thriving and supportive community around the library, in collaboration with local village stakeholders.

After exploring the library, a local guide will lead you on a short tour of the neighboring village. This village is distinguished by its many local heroes who actively collaborate with Riza, dedicating their efforts to community empowerment. During the walk, you will hear stories of village life and have the opportunity to learn about ‘Jamu’ traditional herbal medicine. This will be followed by a tasting of freshly fried tempeh, a local comfort made from fermented soybeans.

The journey culminates with lunch at a local resident's home. This authentic-traditional house is devoted to preserving the integrity of its Javanese architecture. Savor daily delicacies from the villagers for lunch hosted by Riza and team. (L)

Inclusions:

🥘 Lunch

Notes:

- Insider encounter profile: With over 25 years of experience, Riza Perdana Kusuma is a seasoned professional generalist spanning the Airlines, Airports, and Ferry Port Properties industries. His international career includes more than six years as General Manager for Garuda Indonesia, overseeing operations in Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Riza is a passionate professional practitioner speaker, leveraging his expertise in Leadership, Change and Strategic Management, and Service Design Management. He is dedicated to sharing  inspirational experiences with diverse companies and institutions across Indonesia. He also established Rumah Belajar Narapuspitan (Narapuspitan learning house) in Gunungkidul. This center focuses on literacy development and leadership training. Narapuspitan's impact extends beyond its participants, contributing significantly to the development of the local community and surrounding area.
- Minimum 2 pax to maximum 10 pax. 
- Departures are available in both the morning and afternoon. The morning tour concludes with lunch, while the afternoon tour ends with dinner.
- The costs associated with these activities cover employee salaries on library upkeep, and support for local participants including local guides, warung owners, home industries, and homestays.
- Our rates are nets and quoted in American dollars (USD), however some services (like transportation, guide fees, entrance fees, some activities, meals, air tickets and train tickets and sometimes accommodations) are based on local prices in Indonesian Rupiah in (IDR). In the case of a major change in the exchange rate (5% or more) between the Indonesian Rupiah and the American dollar (USD), we reserve the right to correct our quotes to align our rates and revise the value of the American dollar (USD)
All rates are based on the current gasoline price. Should the gasoline price increase by more than 10% we would readjust transfer rates with a 30 days prior notice.
- During the important religious festival of Idul Fitri, which falls on 19th-20th March 2026 and 9th-10th March 2027 significant travel activity is expected across the country, especially within Java. Travelling will be extremely challenging due to heavy traffic, expect significant delays and congestion on roads, trains, and flights. You might find limited-service availability, as some tour guides could be returning home and certain restaurants may be closed. The busiest travel periods will be just before and immediately after the holiday. Given the anticipated severe disruptions, we strongly advise against overland travel from 12th-27th March 2026 and March 2nd to March 17th, 2027.

Pick up and drop off timing from alternate destinations
from Yogyakarta 08:00 - 15:00 (morning tour with lunch) or 14:00 - 21:00 (afternoon tour with dinner)
from other area is not recommended