Ubud tour with temples, rice fields & waterfall, private guide

Walk through rice terraces and temple grounds, then swim at a waterfall—your guide handles navigation and cultural context.

A full-day private tour of Ubud with a professional English-speaking guide covers five major sites: the Tegalalang Rice Terraces (where traditional subak irrigation has been practiced since the eighth century), Tirta Empul Temple (a 960 AD complex built around a sacred spring), Tegenungan Waterfall (50 feet high, swimmable), Batuan Temple, and Ubud Art Market. Hotel pickup is available from Canggu, Kuta, Nusa Dua or Ubud; entrance fees, transport and a driver are included. The tour runs 10 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ubud's cultural highlights

• Pick up from hotel area
• Visit Tegalalang Rice Fields
• Tour Tirta Empul Temple
• See Tegenungan Waterfall
• Explore Batuan Temple
• Shop at Ubud Art Market

The Experience

Tegalalang Rice Terraces is where the day begins—you'll see the stepped green slopes that spread across the valley and learn how subak, the traditional Balinese cooperative irrigation system, has sustained rice farming here for over a thousand years. The guide explains the water management that feeds the paddies and the villages that depend on it, so you understand what you're looking at instead of just photographing it.

Tirta Empul Temple comes next, a national cultural heritage site built around 960 AD on a holy mountain spring in the village of Manukaya. The complex serves as the setting for a traditional Balinese tale about good versus evil, and the spring itself—Tirta Empul means "holy water spring"—feeds purification baths and pools throughout the temple grounds. You'll walk through the site with context for the architecture and its role in local spiritual life, and the nearby presidential palace, Istana Tampaksiring, sits on a hilltop above it. After the temple, Tegenungan Waterfall offers a chance to cool off; it's only 50 feet high and surrounded by lush green, so swimming is possible (insurance available separately if you want to jump in).

Batuan Temple, maintained by villagers in the countryside, shows Balinese ornamentation and a roof made from chromatic black palm fiber. The tour ends at Ubud Art Market, opposite the royal palace, where you can browse silk scarves, handmade woven bags, statues and kites made in neighboring villages like Tegallalang and Pengosekan. Bargaining is expected here, and the market is open daily. Your guide and driver handle all logistics—parking, entrance fees, route planning—so you move through the day without arranging anything yourself.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide and driver.
• air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup from Canggu, Kuta, Nusa Dua or Ubud.
• entrance fees to Tegalalang Rice Terraces, Tirta Empul Temple, Tegenungan Waterfall, Batuan Temple and Ubud Art Market.
• parking fees.
• mineral water.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bali Ari Tour

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Ubud's main cultural and natural sites in one day without arranging transport, entry or navigation yourself—the guide handles the route and explains what you're seeing so the stops connect instead of feeling like a list.

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Top questions

What is the subak irrigation system I'll see at Tegalalang Rice Terraces?

Subak is a traditional Balinese cooperative water management system that has been used to irrigate rice paddies since the eighth century, when it was introduced by a revered holy man named Rsi Markandeya. The system distributes water from mountain springs through channels and pools to feed the stepped rice fields across the valley.

Can I swim at Tegenungan Waterfall?

Tegenungan Waterfall is 50 feet high and surrounded by lush green water, so swimming is possible. If you want to jump into the waterfall itself, you can purchase insurance on-site to do so.

When was Tirta Empul Temple built and what makes it significant?

Tirta Empul Temple was built around 960 AD and is a national cultural heritage site. It's built around a sacred spring called Tirta Empul (meaning "holy water spring"), which feeds purification baths and pools throughout the complex. The site is also the legendary setting of a traditional Balinese tale about good versus evil.

What will I find at Ubud Art Market?

Ubud Art Market, located opposite the royal palace, sells handmade goods made in neighboring villages: silk scarves, lightweight shirts, woven bags, baskets, hats, statues and kites. Most items are produced locally in villages like Tegallalang and Pengosekan, and bargaining is expected.

Which pickup locations are available?

Hotel pickup is included from four areas: Canggu, Kuta, Nusa Dua or Ubud. You choose your pickup location when you book.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes a professional English-speaking guide, driver, air-conditioned vehicle, entrance fees to all five sites, parking fees and mineral water. A minimum of two people per booking is required.