Bali: Discovery from Ubud

After your breakfast, departure for Goa Gadjah also known as the Elephant Cave. Dated from the 11th century and built at the intersection of two rivers, this temple is one of the oldest Balinese archaeological sites.

Stop in the village of Tampaksiring to visit the Gunung Kawi temples. This site is surely the most impressive in Bali with the 9 tombs of the family of King Wungsu, carved into the cliff.

Then you visit Yeh Pulu, a historical relief telling the ancient life of the Balinese. Visit Tirta Empul and its sacred pools where hundreds of Balinese come every day to purify themselves.

Return to Ubud in early evening where you can freely stroll through the village.

You discover this verdant environment during a short walk. An opportunity to become aware of the beauty of nature.

This morning, you set off to discover the terraced rice fields of Tegallalang. Located north of Ubud, they offer sumptuous panoramas.

Continue towards Kintamani, a high-altitude village that offers a breathtaking view of the lake and Mount Batur volcano.

Then you head towards Trunyan, along the Batur Lake.

Boat visit to the cemetery where the bodies of the deceased decompose in the open air.

Free day to discover Ubud and its surroundings.

In Ubud, elegant temples and palaces with sculpted facades line the streets. During your city stroll, you discover Puri Saren and the details of its wooden doors, Puri Saraswati and the fineness of its ornamentations, Puri Puseh and its splendid sculptures as well as many other museums and galleries.

Another tourist curiosity of Ubud, slightly away from the city center, is the temple "of the monkey forest". The hikes and walks outside Ubud, meanwhile, take you to places where the view of the surroundings is breathtaking, as the rural landscapes are so well preserved.

Today, traditions and sharing will be in the spotlight. Total immersion in daily Balinese life: cuisine, making offerings, dance, music… In the heart of a Balinese family, let's go to the market to buy the ingredients needed to prepare the meal.

Then head to the house, where you will spend most of the day exchanging and participating in the different activities of daily Balinese life: coffee making, preparation of offerings. You then participate in a cooking class which you taste afterwards. Early in the afternoon, a walk through the village and the surrounding nature. Return to the house for a farewell snack with our hosts… A day rich in sharing!

Late in the afternoon, you discover Tanah Lot temple, which means "Land of the sea" in Balinese. It stands on an islet battered by ocean waves, and is a place of pilgrimage highly prized by tourists and photographers. Tanah Lot temple was built in the 16th century on the advice of the famous Javanese priest Danghyang Nirartha, to pay homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. This remarkable site also benefits from one of the most splendid sunsets on the island.

After breakfast, departure towards the upper Ayung River. After receiving basic recommendations and being equipped, you board the raft (maximum five people). River descent (approximately three hours).

Shower and lunch on site. Rest of the day free.

Continuation of the day on Pasir Putih beach, one of the most beautiful on the island. 400 meters of white sand beach, azure blue water, a row of palm trees… An idyllic setting that earned it the nickname "Virgin Beach" and even "Hidden Beach"

Then, a short stop in Kusamba, a small fishing village and its black sand beach to discover traditional salt harvesting methods.

Continuation towards the Goa Lawah cave, founded in 1007 by Empu Kuteran, it has the reputation of bringing good luck. It is one of the nine directional temples of Bali (called "kayangan jagat") protecting the island against evil spirits. The main attraction is the bat colony and the legends associated with it.

Rest of the day free

This morning, you head towards the Kehen Temple. This temple is one of the most venerated in Bali. Its vegetable garden and its temple with eleven "meru" make it a place filled with spirituality and traditions.

Then, you visit Besakih temple. Located on the misty slopes of Mount Agung at 1000 meters altitude, it is the most important temple on the island comprising a religious complex of 22 separate temples, spread across seven terraces. Between its 11-story "meru" roofs, the almost constant religious ceremonies and its viewpoint "between sea and mountains": this temple is surely one of the most spiritual. It is also the oldest and most venerated temple in Bali.

Next, it is in the city of Klungkung that you discover the courthouse where the punishments once inflicted on outlaws are represented, like threats hanging over the heads of the accused.

Return to Ubud late afternoon.

This morning, you will visit the forest of the Sangeh monkeys. This forest, much less touristy than its big sister in Ubud, is composed of 3 temples and more than 500 monkeys in the wild.

Then, you will visit Pura Taman Ayun temple, a state temple located in Mengwi. It is one of the only temples where royal ancestral deities are celebrated. Its peaceful gardens, its architecture with its alignment of merus make it a place where calm and serenity reign.

Then you head towards Jatiluwih, a small village located in the heart of the most beautiful rice fields in Bali, in the centre-west part of the island. You then begin a superb hike through this veritable ocean represented by the terraced rice fields surrounding us.

3 hours of walking

Finally, you visit the temple of Luhur Batukaru, which emerges in a setting of lush greenery and where several "meru" with multiple roofs stand, some dating back to the 17th century, dedicated to the ancestors of the Tabanan dynasty and to local protective deities.

This morning heading to the beaches of southern Bali, more particularly the Balangan Beach. This peaceful beach is an ideal place for swimming and dining in the small stilt restaurants along the beach. It's also a very good surf spot…

In the early afternoon, heading to the Uluwatu temple a few kilometers from Balangan. This temple perched on the cliff is the landmark of monkeys. It is also and above all an important place of prayer for Balinese people.

In the late afternoon, you discover the Tanah Lot temple, which means "Land of the sea" in Balinese. It stands on an islet beaten by the ocean waves, it is a pilgrimage site very popular with tourists and photographers. The Tanah Lot temple was built in the 16th century on the advice of the famous Javanese priest Danghyang Nirartha to pay homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. This remarkable site benefits, moreover, from one of the most splendid sunsets on the island.