Discover Bali: Temples, Trekking, Volcanoes & Gili Islands - 12 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Bali, Transfer to Ubud

Welcome to Bali! Upon arrival at the airport in Denpasar, you will be met by your private driver, who will take you to your accommodation in Ubud. Depending on traffic, the drive from the airport to the island can take a couple of hours, but it's beautiful, passing through small villages and endless rice paddies.

Once you arrive in Ubud, you're free to do as you please. Relax and enjoy the legendary Balinese hospitality, enjoy a massage or a cocktail, or go for a wander around the neighborhood. Or, head out for some food in the charming center of the old town, which has plenty of shops, cafés, local warungs, and fine dining options to suit everyone.

Day 2: Balinese Cooking Class

Learn how to combine spices, vegetables, and other fresh, local ingredients into culinary masterpieces with a Balinese cooking class today. Visit your chef's home, where you will be welcomed warmly and taught the secrets of fine and delicate Balinese meals. Once you have finished cooking, set the table in the garden and sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

After lunch, you're free to explore and sightsee to your heart's content. Wander around town, visit the Palace, explore the city's temples, or take a stroll through the market. You could walk along Campuhan Ridge or stroll through the Sacred Monkey Forest.

Day 3: Vintage Car Tour through the Balinese Countryside

Explore the island in style today with a driving tour through the Balinese countryside in a vintage convertible. You will be picked up from your accommodation by your driver in a colorful open-top VW car before hitting the open road. You'll first visit the rice terraces around Ubud, driving along winding roads through little villages and past waterfalls and historic temples. Stop off at Tegallalang Rice Terrace, where you can walk through the paddies, go shopping for souvenirs and trinkets along Tegallalang Crafts Street, take a ride on the famous Bali Swing, or sit in a café sipping on a kopi (Balinese coffee).

Later, you'll drive through orchards, vegetable gardens, lush coffee farms, and cacao plantations before arriving in Kintamani. Ensure to stop and enjoy the amazing views over Lake Batur—you'll see the dramatic peak of Mount Batur, which you'll climb tomorrow. Go for a drive around the lake through little villages, stop for a short walk on the ancient lava fields, then swing by Tibumana Waterfall and Gunung Kawi Sebatu, a historic water temple. Round off your trip with a visit to Gianyar, where you can sample some local street food from the bustling market stalls. From there, you'll take a leisurely drive back to Ubud.

Day 4: Mount Batur Sunrise Trek

Early this morning, you'll make your way to Mount Batur to start the ascent of this active volcano before sunrise. The trek takes around 1.5-2 hours and will take you up to a height of more than 5,577 feet (1,700 m) above sea level. When you finally reach the top, you'll watch the sunrise from above the clouds and be rewarded with incredible views over the island. Directly below you, you can see Lake Batur, and through the clouds, you can spot Bali's other volcanoes in the distance: Abang, Agung, and Batukaru. After sunrise, make the short trek back down, where you will meet your driver.

Depending on how you feel after the trek, stop off at the Pura Batur temple. One of the most important temples of Bali, Pura Batur, represents the direction of the north. The original 17th-century temple was actually all but destroyed during a volcanic eruption in 1926, with the only thing remaining the 11-tiered shrine and some priceless heirlooms, which were all recovered from the lava and transported to the new temple in the rebuilt village.

After exploring the village, take a dip in the nearby hot springs to rejuvenate before heading back to Ubud, where you'll have a free afternoon. Go for a massage, visit a spa, take a relaxing yoga class, or if you're feeling up to it, take a wander through the numerous cafés, boutiques, and art galleries that line these ancient streets. 

Day 5: Transfer to Sidemen via Goa Gajah, Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul & Pura Kehen

This morning you leave Ubud and head out to Sidemen Valley, about an hour's drive east of Ubud. On the way, stop off to visit the Cave Temple, Goa Gajah, the "Cave of the Elephant," Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul, and Pura Kehen. These UNESCO World Heritage-listed temples are among the most famous in Bali and for good reason. Built sometime between the 9th and the 11th centuries, Goa Gajah was lost to time until 1923, when Dutch archaeologists rediscovered it. You can reach the temple by entering the mouth of the carved stone creature at the entrance and descending the stairs.

From here, you'll visit the imposing 11th-century rock shrines of Pura Gunung Kawi, which are carved into sheer cliff faces on either side of a small river. Located at the bottom of a tiered valley surrounded by lush rice paddies and waterfalls, these historic temples are said to be part of the burial complex of King Anak Wungsu and his many wives.

After that, make your way to Tirta Empul. One of the most famous Hindu temples in Bali, Tirta Empul means 'sacred source' in Balinese, and the waters here are said to have magical powers. Watch as people cleanse themselves in the purifying waters in the ancient pools, following a tradition that dates back centuries. Your last stop before you reach Sidemen is in Bangli to visit Pura Kehen. Built in 1206, this temple has an impressive 11-tiered meru, a pagoda-like structure with multi-tiered thatched roofs. Once you arrive in Sidemen Valley, check into your accommodation to relax after a long day of exploring.

Day 6: Sidemen Valley Hike

Enjoy a more leisurely-paced day today with an easy 2-3 hour guided hike through the countryside around Sidemen. Stop along the way to chat with farmers as you make your way through rice paddies and lush forests. Pass by fruit orchards and spice plantations and learn about cloves, salak, cocoa, and other tropical fruits and spices that grow here in the fertile soils, and admire the stepped rice terraces and natural views.

Less touristy than other spots around Bali, Sidemen has retained a much more traditional, local vibe than other places around the island, which makes it the perfect place to escape the tourist trail and enjoy a more authentic experience of life here on the Island of the Gods.

In the afternoon, return to the village and relax for a while before heading out to enjoy a local dinner under the stars.

Day 7: Transfer Padangbai Harbor, Boat to Gili Meno

Today, you'll leave one tropical island paradise for another. Say goodbye to the lush countryside around Sidemen, and make your way east to the coast, where you will take the fast boat from Padangbai Harbor to Gili Meno. Located closer to Lombok than Bali, the Gili Islands consist of three small islands: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. Gili Meno is the most laidback of the three and has the best beaches, which makes it the perfect place to relax for a few days.

Once you arrive on the island and check into your accommodation, the rest of the day is free for you to spend as you please. If you feel up to it, you can walk all the way around the island on the Gili Meno Coastal Path in 90 minutes, but you could also just go for a stroll around the neighborhood and find the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail or a coconut whilst watching the sun go down over the ocean.

Day 8: Boat & Snorkeling Trip around the Gili Archipelago

Make your way to the port this morning to board a traditional wooden boat for a trip around the Gili Islands. Your captain will stop off at the best snorkeling spots around the islands so you can admire the beauty of the underwater world and the coral reefs and tropical fish that call this archipelago home.

Check out Gili Trawangan and Gili Air from the water as you cruise past to find the best snorkeling spots before returning back to Gili Meno after lunch. Spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach or exploring the island at your own pace.

Day 9: Free Day on Gili Meno

Relax and enjoy a free day on Gili Meno today. Renowned for its white-sand beaches and untouched jungle, Gili Meno is a tropical island paradise. Spend the day exploring this tiny island, relaxing on the beaches, swimming in the clear water, or going for a bicycle ride.

The coastal path that loops around the island offers some amazing views over the archipelago and Lombok in the distance, and you can also visit the lake and Gili Meno Turtle Sanctuary. If you're keen on diving or snorkeling, you can also head out on a fun dive or go snorkeling by the old jetty and the sunken pontoon on the west coast. You can also try your luck at seeing sea turtles if you go snorkeling in the shallow waters on the northern side of the island.

Day 10: Transfer to Bali, Free Afternoon in Jimbaran

Say goodbye to the Gili Islands today as you make your way to the harbor and board the fast boat back to Bali. You'll meet your driver on arrival at Padang Bai and then head down to Jimbaran on the south coast for your last few days in Bali.

Once you've checked into your hotel, the rest of the day is free. Jimbaran Bay has a sheltered beach that's perfect for swimming, but you can also head out to nearby Tegal Wangi beach, which is said to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Bali. You can also go for a wander through the town, and if you feel like treating yourself, stop by one of the high-end spas for a traditional Balinese massage.

Day 11: Beaches of Bukit Peninsula & Kecak Show in Uluwatu

Spend your last day in Bali at the beaches of the Bukit Peninsula. Swing by Padang Padang Beach, Thomas Beach, Green Bowl Beach, and Pandawa Beach, spending as little or as long as you like at each spot. After that, visit Uluwatu and take a quick tour of the town before returning to your hotel to relax for a little.

At sunset, head back out to Uluwatu Cliff Temple to see a Kecak show. Pronounced 'ket-chak', this traditional dance is one of the most impressive Balinese dances, and watching it as the sun sets over this 11th-century Hindu temple is the perfect way to round off your trip.

Day 12: Depart Bali

After an amazing trip exploring the island of the gods, it's time to say goodbye to Bali. Depending on the time of your flight, you might want to spend your last day squeezing in some last-minute sightseeing or souvenir shopping before making your way to the airport to begin your onward journey.

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