Bali Cultural Heritage Tour: Bamboo Forest, Temple & Rice Fields

Walk through a sacred bamboo forest and learn Balinese life from a local guide

A private all-day tour of Bali's cultural heartland starting with hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide who drives and narrates the day. You visit Pura Kehen, a temple complex built in the 800s with intricate stone carvings; walk through a bamboo forest where fourteen types of bamboo grow; spend time on a rice field with a local farmer; and eat lunch overlooking Mount Batur, one of Bali's active volcanoes. The tour runs eight hours and includes transportation, water, lunch and all fees.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Kehen Temple3h · entry included
2. Penglipuran Village2h · entry included
3. Mount Batur1h · entry included

Explore Bali's cultural heritage

• Private hotel pickup
• Visit Kehen Temple
• Explore Penglipuran Village
• Walk in bamboo forest
• Meet local rice farmer
• Lunch with Mount Batur views

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. Your guide is both driver and narrator, speaking English throughout, and the route takes you away from the usual tourist zones to see what the operator calls Bali's best-kept secrets. The first major stop is Pura Kehen, the main temple of the former Bangli kingdom, built between the 800s and early 1000s. You climb 38 flights of stairs lined with carved sandstone statues depicting mythical animals and Balinese folklore figures. The temple's walls are ornate with porcelain plates, a remnant of historical trade between the local kingdom and China. The stone carving and workmanship here are among the most detailed you'll find at any temple on the island.

Next is Penglipuran Traditional Village, a highland settlement in East Bali where residents have kept the traditional layout and culture intact even as they've embraced modern life. A single stone-paved street runs through the center toward the local temple, lined with manicured gardens and flanked by arched entrance gates and walls that conceal individual compounds. From the village, you walk into the bamboo forest, which covers tens of hectares and is home to fourteen types of bamboo, including endemic species found only in Bali. The forest creates its own soundscape: when the wind moves through the trunks, they rub against each other and produce sounds like an irregular musical ensemble.

You then spend time on a rice field with a local farmer, seeing how the work is done and learning about daily agricultural life. Lunch is served at a location with views of Mount Batur, one of Bali's active volcanoes. The tour lasts eight hours total and includes bottled water throughout the day. All entry fees and taxes are covered in the price.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• bottled water.
• lunch with Mount Batur views.
• all entry fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (3 to 9 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by ForeverVacation Bali

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so you travel with your guide alone rather than joining a group, and the pace follows your interests throughout the day. Choose it if you want to move beyond the main tourist sites and learn about Balinese heritage, farming and religion from someone who knows the region.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is Pura Kehen Temple like when you get there?

Pura Kehen is an ancient Hindu temple complex built between the 800s and early 1000s with unique architectural features. You climb 38 flights of stairs lined with carved sandstone statues of mythical animals and Balinese folklore figures, and the temple walls are ornate with porcelain plates that reflect historical trade with China. The stone carving and workmanship are among the most intricate at any temple in Bali.

Can you walk through the bamboo forest, or is it just a viewing stop?

You walk around the bamboo forest in Penglipuran Traditional Village. The forest covers tens of hectares and grows fourteen types of bamboo, including endemic species native only to Bali. As you walk, the wind moving through the trunks creates sounds like an irregular musical ensemble.

What do you do at the rice field?

You spend time on a rice field with a local farmer and learn about authentic Balinese agricultural life and how the work is done day to day.

Does the tour include lunch, and where do you eat?

Lunch is included and served at a location with views of Mount Batur, one of Bali's active volcanoes. All entry fees and taxes are also covered in the price.

How long is the tour, and what time does it start?

The tour runs eight hours total. Your guide picks you up directly from your hotel in Bali, and the schedule is arranged based on your hotel location and availability.