Bali Instagram Tour: Handara Gate, Twin Lakes & Ulun Danu Temple

A photographer travels with you to direct every shot at five Instagram-famous stops.

This is a full-day private guided tour of Bali's most photographed landmarks, starting with hotel pickup at 8am and returning by 4pm. You visit Bali Handara's iconic gate, Banyu Mala waterfall (where you can swim), the twin lakes Buyan and Tamblingan, Wana Giri Hidden Hill with its swings and bamboo lookout, and Ulun Danu Beratan Temple reflected in the lake. A photographer at Wana Giri helps you pose and directs you toward the best angles; your private English-speaking driver handles all transport and timing. Buffet lunch, entrance fees, water and an air-conditioned vehicle are included; children from age 3 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Bali Instagram Tour with Lunch

• Meet private driver at hotel
• Drive to Bali Handara Gate
• Visit Bali Handara Gate
• Drive to Banyu Mala Waterfall
• Visit and swim at Banyu Mala Waterfall
• Drive to Twin Lakes Buyan and Tamblingan
• Take photos at Twin Lakes
• Drive to Wanagiri Hidden Hills and Bali Swing
• Take photos with photographer's help
• Drive to local restaurant
• Enjoy buffet lunch with drinks
• Drive to Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
• Visit Ulun Danu Beratan Temple and take photos
• Return to hotel

The Experience

Your driver meets you at your hotel lobby at 8am and drives two hours north to Bali Handara, the iconic gate framed by smoky green hills that appears on thousands of feeds. From there, a 30-minute drive takes you to Banyu Mala waterfall, where you can swim in clear water surrounded by natural greenery and set up shots in the spray. The waterfall is small enough that you'll have room to move and pose without crowds.

Next is a 10-minute drive to the twin lakes—Lake Buyan (the larger one) and Lake Tamblingan (smaller), separated by a thin strip of land. The landscape opens up here, and you'll have time for pictures before moving on to Wana Giri Hidden Hill, where a photographer waits to help you. This is where the tour shifts: instead of just pointing a camera, you get direction on posture, angle and framing. The photographer guides you through poses at the nest swing and bamboo lookout, making sure you leave with shots that actually work. After lunch at a local restaurant (buffet with coffee, tea and water included), your driver takes you to Ulun Danu Beratan Temple around 3pm. The temple sits on the western edge of Beratan Lake with the mountain range as backdrop—the water reflects the structure so cleanly it looks like the temple is floating. This is your final stop before the drive back to your hotel by 4pm.

The pace is set by the driver and the itinerary, not by you. Transport, entrance fees, timing and lunch are all arranged, so the day holds together without anyone building it. The photographer at Wana Giri is the only stop where someone else is actively helping you create the image; everywhere else you're working with the landscape and your driver's knowledge of the best angles and light.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking driver for the full day.
• entrance fees to all five sites.
• buffet lunch with coffee, tea and bottled water.
• photographer assistance at Wana Giri Hidden Hill to help you pose and direct your shots.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by PT. Marina Bali Wisata

Is this one for you?This tour is private, so the pace and stops are yours alone—not shared with other groups. The photographer at Wana Giri is the defining feature: if you want someone actively helping you compose shots instead of just pointing and hoping, this is where that happens. The fixed itinerary and timing mean you don't build the day yourself; everything from transport to entrance to lunch is arranged, so you move through five sites without negotiating logistics at each one. Choose this if you want the Instagram stops without the planning, and you value having someone help you actually get the shot.

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Top questions

What is Bali Handara and why do people photograph it so much?

Bali Handara is an iconic gate set against a backdrop of green hills and misty slopes in central Bali. It's become one of the most recognizable landmarks in Bali photography because of the contrast between the ornate gate structure and the natural landscape behind it, and because it photographs well from multiple angles throughout the day.

Can I swim at Banyu Mala waterfall or is it just for photos?

Banyu Mala waterfall is swimmable. The water is clear and the setting is surrounded by natural greenery, so you can both photograph it and spend time in the water if you want to refresh yourself during the tour.

What does the photographer at Wana Giri Hidden Hill actually do?

The photographer at Wana Giri Hidden Hill gives you direction on how to pose at the swing, nest and bamboo lookout, helps you find the best angles, and takes pictures of you. They make sure you leave with photos that are actually sharp and well-composed, rather than just selfies from the same spot everyone else uses.

How long is the drive from my hotel to the first stop?

The drive from your hotel to Bali Handara takes about two hours. Your driver picks you up from your hotel lobby at 8am, so you'll arrive at the gate around 10am.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is it?

Lunch is included at a local restaurant in Bedugul, served as a buffet so you can choose what you eat. Coffee, tea and mineral water are also included with the meal.

What time does the tour end and I get back to my hotel?

Your driver drops you back at your hotel around 4pm. The full tour runs from 8am pickup to 4pm return, covering five stops across central Bali.