Immersion in the Island of the Gods - Authentic Bali

This first day is free, so you can get to know your host family and discover the environment in which you will be living for a few days. It is also an opportunity to relax by experiencing Balinese massages, which will quickly help relieve the fatigue from a long journey and jet lag.

Today, traditions and sharing will be the focus. Total immersion in daily Balinese life: cooking, making offerings, dance, music… At the heart of your host family, you'll head to the market to buy the ingredients needed to prepare the meal.

Then return to the house, where you'll spend most of the day exchanging and participating in various activities of daily Balinese life: making tuak (traditional beer made from fermented rice or palm, yeast and sugar), preparing offerings. You'll then participate in a cooking class and taste what you've prepared.

In the early afternoon, a walk through the village and the surrounding nature.

Return to the house for a friendly refreshment… A day full of sharing!

The morning is dedicated to a session of typically Balinese yoga. To the sound of a chanted prayer (the Tri Sandya Mantra - considered as oral literature in the form of magical poetry, the Tri Sandya Mantra has been transmitted orally in Bali and consists of six strophes), a Balinese priest then initiates you into the techniques of Hindu-Balinese spirituality, first teaching you the technique of creating canang sari, these typically Balinese offerings, which can be seen notably in temples, on sidewalks, etc.

The aim is to have you participate in a purification ceremony, called Melukat. This is a tradition or ceremony commonly practiced by Balinese people, which aims to purify the soul of bad things. The term Melukat itself comes from the word Sulukat, where Su means "good" and Lukat means "purification".

The morning is dedicated to a lovely walk through jungle and rice fields to discover some surrounding temples: Gunung Kawi Temple in Sebatu, first of all: unlike other famous temples in Bali, Gunung Kawi Sebatu is relatively peaceful and less crowded, thus offering a serene and harmonious setting amid lush vegetation and terraced rice fields. This temple is distinguished by its magnificent water basins adorned with water lilies, lotuses, and colorful fish. These basins are fed by natural springs, and the water is considered sacred. The temple is dedicated to the deities of water and fertility, particularly to Vishnu, god of preservation.

You continue with the temple of Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring, one of the most sacred and emblematic on the island. Founded in the 10th century under the Warmadewa dynasty, this temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and is particularly famous for its sacred water basins used for purification rituals. You end your hike later with the temple of Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring, an ancient sacred site located near the Pakerisan River. This temple is unique because of its candis, imposing funerary sanctuaries carved directly into stone cliffs, dating from the 11th century under the Warmadewa dynasty. These monumental sculptures, measuring approximately seven meters in height, are said to have been built to honor King Anak Wungsu and his royal family.

In the afternoon, the vehicle takes you finally to the Goa Gajah Temple, also called the "Elephant's Cave". A sacred and historic site, this temple dates from the 9th century and is both a place of prayer and meditation, offering a mystical and captivating atmosphere. Although its name means "elephant's cave", there are no elephants on the site; the name probably comes from one of the ancient sculptures or connections with Ganesh, the Hindu god with an elephant's head. Return to Sebatu at the end of the afternoon.

Today, you discover Balinese music and Balinese dances. You first learn about the Balinese gamelan, a traditional Indonesian musical ensemble, characteristic of the island of Bali. This instrumental ensemble is fundamental to local culture, as it accompanies not only religious ceremonies, but also traditional dances, theatrical pieces and various community rituals.

The music of the Balinese gamelan is vibrant, dynamic and complex, with rapid variations in rhythm and volume that produce a sensation of intense energy.

The day ends with an extraordinary dance performance offered by the village's artistic community.

This morning, you take the road to the Mt Batur caldera (1.725m), through a region renowned for its coffee plantations. From Penelokan, you enjoy an exceptional view of the caldera, measuring 14 km long. This imposing size testifies to the volcano's tumultuous past and a size that once must have exceeded that of the current Agung.
At your feet, you discover the cone of Mount Batur in the middle of a vast caldera occupied halfway by the largest lake in Bali and covered on its other half by plantations and lava fields, residues of the 1917 and 1926 eruptions.

You then descend into the caldera to get a closer look at the lava flows. Near the lake where you can rest in preparation for the early morning awakening tomorrow morning, you enjoy pleasant hot springs.

During this final day of immersion in the heart of Balinese culture, you discover the arts of sculpture and painting. Balinese sculpture is one of the most refined and distinctive aspects of local culture, skillfully blending craftsmanship, spirituality and aesthetic beauty. Rooted in centuries-old traditions, this art form is visible everywhere on the island, whether in temples, palaces, homes or even natural landscapes, where statues and reliefs adorn sacred places and family sanctuaries.

As for Balinese painting, it is a rich and diverse artistic expression, rooted in spiritual culture and indigenous traditions, but also influenced by cultural exchanges with the outside world. Balinese paintings are easily recognizable by their narrative style, meticulous details, and vibrant color palette. This traditional and symbolic art, often inspired by mythology, Hindu epics, nature and everyday life, has been practiced for centuries and continues to develop.