Ubud tour: Rice terraces, temple and waterfall with guide

See Ubud's temples, rice fields and river valley without arranging the transport

A full-day guided tour of Ubud and surrounding cultural sites with private transportation, English-speaking guide and nine to ten hours of stops at Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Tirta Empul Temple, Gunung Kawi temple and a waterfall. Pickup is included. Entrance fees to the sites are separate. The tour suits all fitness levels, though some stops involve stairs and walking on uneven ground.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Tegalalang Rice Terrace1h
2. Tirta Empul Temple1h

Explore Ubud and Surroundings

• Walk Campuhan river confluence trail
• Visit Tegalalang rice terrace
• Tour Tirta Empul Temple and purification
• Explore Gunung Kawi temple complex
• Hike to waterfall and swim

The experience

You start with pickup from your hotel and a drive to Campuhan, a river junction in Ubud where a wandering sage established the town in the eighth century. The walk here is not strenuous (flip-flops work, though something more substantial helps on the uphill sections and stairs), and the path opens onto views of the valley. Bring a hat and water. The sun is direct and there's little shade in the middle of the day.

From there the tour moves to Tegalalang Rice Terrace, the famous green landscape of stepped paddies that photographers and travelers come for. You walk through the rice fields themselves, not just past them, to see the architecture of how the terraces are built and maintained. The coconut trees add to the scene, and the path winds through small villages. The fields are various shades of green depending on the crop stage, and the walk is the kind that makes you stop to look around.

Tirta Empul Temple comes next. Built in 960 AD, it centers on a large rectangular pool fed by a holy spring. The name means "holy spring water." Pilgrims come to bathe in the purification pools and baths that surround the complex, and travelers are welcome to enter the water if you choose to. If you want to take part in the purification ritual, you'll rent a sarong and follow what the locals do. The temple is an active prayer site, quieter than some of Bali's larger temples but with a serenity that draws both Balinese Hindus and visitors of different beliefs.

Gunung Kawi, an 11th-century temple carved into a river valley, involves a steep staircase down, about 300 steps, to reach the shrine complex at the bottom. The structures are carved into the cliff face seven meters high, hand-carved a thousand years ago. On the way down you see rice fields, forest and the river winding through the valley. The temple is presumed to be a burial complex for King Anak Wungsu and his wives, and the location itself (surrounded by paddy fields and steep valley walls) is the draw.

The waterfall stop is scenic but not the main event. What makes it worthwhile is the journey. The roads narrow as you pass through charming villages, and the landscape shifts to rice fields, coconut palms, banana trees and temples. From the car park, a cement path leads down a short trek to the river, lined with flowers, bamboo groves, birds and butterflies. The path splits: one branch leads to a smaller jungle cascade, the other to a more powerful waterfall with a swimming hole. A change room is available if you want to swim, and a bamboo hut offers shade to rest.

What’s included

• Private transportation with an air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water and WiFi on board.
• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• hotel pickup.
• specialized infant seats if needed.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (5 to 70 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Bali Sakti Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Ubud without your own transport: private pickup and drop-off means you'll visit four scattered sites (temples, waterfall, rice terraces) in one day without coordinating separate rides between each.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Campuhan and why does the tour start there?

Campuhan is a river junction in Ubud where a spiritual site, Pura Gunung Lebah, was established in the eighth century by a wandering sage, marking Ubud's beginnings. The walk there is not strenuous but includes some uphill sections and stairs. It opens onto valley views and takes place early in the day before the midday heat.

Can I bathe in the pools at Tirta Empul Temple?

Yes, travelers are welcome to enter the holy spring water at Tirta Empul Temple. If you want to participate in the purification ritual that pilgrims perform, you'll rent a sarong and follow what the locals do to cleanse yourself spiritually, mentally and physically.

How many steps are involved in reaching Gunung Kawi temple?

Gunung Kawi requires climbing down about 300 steps along a steep staircase to reach the shrine complex at the bottom of the river valley. The structures are carved seven meters high into the cliff face, and the descent offers views of rice fields and forest surrounding the valley.

What should I bring for the Tegalalang Rice Terrace walk?

Wear something more substantial than flip-flops if you can, bring a hat for sun protection and carry water. You'll walk through the rice fields themselves on paths that wind through small villages, so sturdy footwear helps on uneven ground.

Is swimming possible at the waterfall stop?

Yes, the waterfall has a swimming hole and a change room is available. The journey to reach it passes through charming villages and rice fields, and a bamboo hut offers a shady rest spot if you prefer not to swim.