Besakih Temple tour with Kertha Gosa, waterfall and rice fields

The Mother Temple sits facing Mount Agung at 900 meters, ringed by the island's highest views.

A private tour of Besakih Temple, Bali's largest and most sacred temple complex, with stops at Kertha Gosa palace, Bukit Jambul Hill and Tukad Cepung Waterfall. The tour runs 10 hours with an English-speaking driver, hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, and all entrance tickets included. Not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or serious cardiovascular conditions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Besakih Temple and nearby attractions

• Visit Kertha Gosa Palace
• Explore Bukit Jambul Hill
• Tour Besakih Temple complex
• Walk down to Tukad Cepung Waterfall

The Experience

Besakih Temple dominates the eastern part of Bali at an altitude of 900 meters, facing Mount Agung's peak—believed to be the abode of the gods. The temple complex spreads across a vast area with mountain scenery that frames every angle. You'll spend the core of the day here, moving through the artistic temple structures and absorbing the scale of what Balinese people call the Mother Temple. The driver provides local knowledge throughout, explaining what you're standing in front of and why it matters to the island's spiritual life.

The day opens at Kertha Gosa, the court of justice of the Gelgel Kingdom, built around 1700 A.D. according to the carved inscriptions at the palace's main door. From there, the route climbs to Bukit Jambul Hill, where the landscape opens into terraced rice fields dropping away toward distant sea views. The vantage point lets you see the hilly terrain, valleys and fertile farmland that define this part of Bali in a single sweep. Lunch is included partway through the day, so the pace doesn't depend on finding a restaurant.

Tukad Cepung Waterfall closes the itinerary—and it requires the effort the operator mentions. A few hundred stairs descend into a cliff face, and the waterfall emerges from an open sky above circular rock walls that feel like a cave. The water flows down the cliff face rather than into a river or stream, and sunlight hitting the falling water creates a rainbow effect. It's the kind of stop that justifies the long day and the drive back to your hotel afterward.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• English-speaking driver throughout the day.
• entrance tickets to Besakih Temple, Kertha Gosa, Bukit Jambul Hill and Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
• lunch.
• service and government tax.

Good to know

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

Operated by Eco Bali Tours - Day Tours

Is this one for you?Book the all-inclusive option if you want the day planned and paid for before you arrive—the driver, lunch, and all tickets are arranged, so you move between four stops without stopping to negotiate or find food. Choose the car charter option if you prefer to arrange your own meals and entry fees but want the vehicle and driver for the route and local guidance.

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Top questions

What is Besakih Temple and why is it called the Mother Temple?

Besakih Temple is Bali's largest and most sacred temple complex, located at 900 meters in the eastern part of the island facing Mount Agung's peak. It's called the Mother Temple because of its spiritual significance to Balinese Hinduism and its role as the central temple for the island's religious life.

How long does the full tour take and what's included in the price?

The tour runs 10 hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking driver, lunch, entrance tickets to all four stops, and service and government taxes. You choose between a car charter only or the all-inclusive tour option at checkout.

What is Tukad Cepung Waterfall like to visit?

Tukad Cepung Waterfall is set inside a cliff face reached by descending several hundred stairs. The waterfall flows down from an open sky above, framed by circular rock walls that create a cave-like feeling, and sunlight on the water produces a rainbow effect. It's the only waterfall in Bali that flows down a cliff rather than into a river or stream.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or serious cardiovascular conditions. The waterfall stop requires walking down several hundred stairs into a cliff, but the tour is otherwise suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What can I see from Bukit Jambul Hill?

Bukit Jambul Hill offers views across terraced rice fields, hilly terrain, valleys and distant sea views. The high vantage point shows the fertile farmland and natural landscape that surrounds the area, combining hills, rice paddies and water views in a single panorama.

When was Kertha Gosa palace built?

Kertha Gosa was built around 1700 A.D., according to inscriptions carved at the palace's main door during the reign of Dewa Agung Jambe in the Gelgel Kingdom. It served as the court of justice for the kingdom.