The paths of the gods : Bali differently

Pick-up from Denpasar airport and transfer to Ubud, a hilltop town north of Denpasar, set in a rolling landscape of green rice paddies and ravines. Ubud is famous for its painting school. Despite the exponential growth in tourism in recent years, the town has managed to preserve its tranquillity and beauty.

During the welcome dinner, you will have the opportunity to get to know your accompanying team.

A day exploring Ubud and the surrounding area. In Ubud, elegant temples and palaces with sculpted facades line the streets. During your stroll through the city, you'll discover Puri Saren and the detail of its wooden doors, Pura Saraswati and the finesse of its ornamentation, Pura Puseh and its splendid sculptures, as well as many other museums and galleries.

Another of Ubud's tourist attractions, slightly set back from the town centre, is the "Monkey Forest" temple. In the afternoon, you can take a lovely walk outside Ubud, taking in breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, so unspoilt is the rural landscape.

This morning, you set off on a walk through superb rice fields towards Tampaksiring.

A family of Balinese artists will welcome you to their traditional home and offer you a meal, no less typical, accompanied by Balinese dances.

Return to Ubud in the afternoon via the temples of Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi.

In the morning, transfer to Belimbing, a small village surrounded by superb rice fields. On the way, you pass through some of Bali's most extraordinary rice terraces. In the afternoon, you embark on a superb walk to discover the surrounding nature.

Morning transfer to Pemuteran, a small seaside resort on Bali's north-west coast, far from the tourist crowds. The rest of the day is free to enjoy the fine sandy beach. A veritable polychrome aquarium awaits you in these coral reefs! You can hire a boat to observe the underwater world around the island of Menjangan, where Bali's richest fauna seems to have gathered. It is here, for example, that the rare Bali starling has found refuge.

Short transfer to Munduk, located in a region of Bali steeped in history and considered to be the cradle of Balinese culture. Former Dutch colonists used to enjoy holidaying here from the old colonial capital of Singaraja (on the north coast).

In the early afternoon, take a stroll around the village to discover the beauty of the surrounding nature. The area around Munduk is indeed picturesque, with coffee and clove plantations next to forests and waterfalls.

Today's trek takes you to Candi Kuning, along the Tamblingan and Buyan volcanic lakes. These two lakes were once a single body of water until the huge landslide of 1818 permanently separated them. This magnificent hike is an opportunity to discover the local agricultural and cultural life, as you walk along and through the island's beautiful tropical forests.

You will visit the superb Hindu-Buddhist temple of Ulun Danau. This is an enchanting place, with its huge banyan tree at the entrance and its superb gardens. One of the temples is entrenched on a small island, and its 11-storey roof is elegantly reflected in the waters of the lake.

In the afternoon, you can take the pulse of Bedugul's picturesque market before returning to your nearby hotel.

This morning, you take the road to the caldera of Mt Batur (1,725m), through a region renowned for its coffee plantations. From Penelokan, you have an exceptional view of the caldera, which is 14km long. This imposing size bears witness to the volcano's tumultuous past, and to the fact that it must once have been larger than today's Agung. At your feet, you'll discover the cone of Mount Batur in the middle of an immense caldera, half of which is occupied by Bali's largest lake and the other half by plantations and lava fields left over from the eruptions of 1917 and 1926.

You then descend into the caldera to get up close to the lava flows. Near the lake, where you can rest in anticipation of waking up early the next morning, you can enjoy the pleasant hot springs.

At the end of the night, you begin your ascent of Mount Batur. Just before sunrise, you first reach the summit of the oldest crater, then begin your descent, skirting the adjacent craters and pausing near (but at a safe distance from) the newest and most active crater.

The day continues with a visit to the Pura Kehen temple in Bangli. This temple is one of the most revered in Bali. Its plant garden and eleven-meru temple make it a place full of spirituality and tradition.

Transfer to the royal baths of Tirtagangga (whose exact translation means "The waters of the Ganges"), on the south-eastern slopes of Agung. Officially known as Tirta Ayu, this complex of freshwater pools was one of several water palaces built by a Karangasem king. Surrounded by magnificent rice terraces, it's the perfect place to relax after hours of walking.

The morning is devoted to a Balinese walk through fields and rice paddies to the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, which has preserved the Balinese culture that predates the Javanese influence of the Hindu Majapahit dynasty. To protect their village from the harmful effects of intrusion by those uninitiated in the cult of Batara Indra, all visitors are welcomed from midday until nightfall, after which they are asked to continue on their way. There was a time when the villagers of Tenganan would even sweep away the footprints of their visitors to completely erase their presence.

Transfer then to Sidemen, one of Bali's most beautiful valleys (with its many rice fields, salak plantations and weaving workshops for the famous ikats…).

The final drive through Bali is a real highlight, as it takes you to the hillsides in the south-east of the island, offering superb views of both the Agung volcano and the Indian Ocean.

You continue on to Sanur, arriving there in the late afternoon.

A free day in Sanur, one of Bali's oldest seaside resorts, but one that has retained its charm and refinement. Sanur's beaches stretch for several kilometres, ideal for a stroll along the water's edge. Sanur's main street is a goldmine of small shops and good restaurants.

Take advantage of your free time as a couple or with the family to swim in the pool or lagoon, discover Balinese massages, stroll along the beach or in the centre… In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner by the sea.