Ubud: Monkey Forest, Ceking Rice Terraces and More– Full Day

Tegenungan Waterfall, Ubud’s Monkey Forest, the Tegallalang rice terraces and Tirta Empul make an ambitious day’s route, and this tour strings them together by car. I like that you get both a taste of Balinese culture and time outdoors, and that the driver-guides often help adjust the pace and take photos.

At $37 per person, it can be good value if your booking option includes entrance fees. The trade-off is a packed day: traffic, especially on a long drive from places such as Kuta, can stretch the schedule, and meals and some admission fees may cost extra.

At a glance

• Tegenungan Waterfall gets 75 minutes: Enough time for a look and a walk, though expect steps and a busy stop rather than a secluded swim.
• The Monkey Forest offers a change of pace: Spend about an hour among shaded paths and free-roaming macaques. Keep your belongings secure.
• Tegallalang is a walk, not just a photo stop: The tour allows about an hour on the rice terraces, with an optional swing at extra cost.
• Tirta Empul adds a cultural counterpoint: This temple complex and holy spring bring Balinese religious life into a day otherwise heavy on scenery.
• Your guide can make the route work: Names including Yogi, Adi, Gusti and Gede come up often, with guests valuing local explanations, calm driving and help with photos.
• Check the fee option before booking: The $37 starting price may not include all entrance fees. Lunch and drinks beyond the provided water are also extra.

A full sweep of Ubud’s main sights

This is a sightseeing sampler, not a slow exploration of one place. In roughly seven hours, you visit a waterfall, a forest sanctuary, the traditional market, Ubud Palace, rice terraces and a temple complex. That variety is the tour’s main appeal: you can get a first sense of Ubud’s natural and cultural highlights without arranging separate drivers and tickets.

The itinerary is tightly planned, with listed visits ranging from an hour at most stops to 75 minutes at Tegenungan. Your guide takes you between locations in an air-conditioned car, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included within selected areas. The small-group format is advertised for up to nine participants. In practice, some departures may be much smaller, and a few people have had the car and guide to themselves.

That can make a difference. When the group is small, you may be able to shift lunch or spend a little longer at a favorite stop. Flexibility is not guaranteed, since the guide still needs to fit the day’s route into the available time, but it is worth telling them early what matters most to you.

Tegenungan Waterfall: a scenic opening

The day begins at Tegenungan Waterfall, where the water drops into a green-sided river valley. You have about 75 minutes here, giving you time to see the falls and walk around the site. It is an appealing start because it gets you out of the car and into Bali’s tropical scenery straight away.

Keep expectations practical. This is a well-known stop, not a private patch of wilderness, and the visit may involve walking on uneven or wet ground. Wear shoes with a decent grip, and bring a change of shirt if you plan to get close to the water. The tour description says you can cool off, but it does not promise a swim or specify water conditions.

Rain does not have to spoil the stop. Guides have been known to bring umbrellas when showers arrive, but you should still pack for wet weather. A hat, sunscreen and insect repellent are useful in clear conditions; a light long-sleeved shirt can help with sun and bugs.

Monkey Forest: an hour among the macaques

At the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, you spend about an hour walking through a shaded forest where macaques roam freely. It is one of the tour’s liveliest stops. The monkeys’ antics can be entertaining, but this is their home, not a petting zoo. Watch from a respectful distance and follow the sanctuary’s instructions.

Keep food and loose belongings out of sight, and avoid reaching toward the animals. The forest paths also offer a welcome break from the heat and road time. If you are especially keen on this stop, tell your guide; an hour goes quickly, and the day still has several scheduled visits ahead.

The entry fee listed for the Monkey Forest is IDR 100,000 per person on weekdays and IDR 120,000 on weekends. Whether it is included depends on the option you choose, so check before you pay. That matters because the base price can look lower than the final cost once tickets are added.

Market lunch and Ubud Palace

The itinerary gives an hour for a lunch break at Ubud Traditional Art Market, followed by a visit to Ubud Palace. The meal is described as authentic Balinese food, but lunch itself is not included in the price. Bring cash for food, drinks and any personal purchases, and do not assume that market browsing will be part of a long shopping stop.

The market is a practical place to take a pause between outdoor visits. It also gives you a glimpse of Ubud’s everyday trade and craft stalls, though the schedule is short enough that eating should come first if you are hungry. If you want extra time to shop, ask your guide whether the day’s timing allows it.

At Ubud Palace, the guide leads a roughly one-hour visit. The palace adds a cultural and architectural stop to a route that might otherwise feel like a string of photo locations. Your guide can help explain what you are seeing and put local customs in context. The tour information does not promise access to every part of the grounds, so treat this as a guided visit rather than a detailed palace tour.

Tegallalang: take the path into the terraces

Tegallalang Rice Terrace is more than a roadside viewpoint if you use the hour to walk. The terraces are famous for their layered green fields, and a short hike brings you closer to the contours of the rice-growing slopes. This is a good place to slow down, take in the scenery and decide how much walking feels right for you.

The route may include uneven ground, steps or muddy sections, particularly after rain. Comfortable shoes are a better choice than sandals with slick soles. There is also an optional swing, listed at IDR 200,000, which is not included in the tour price. You can skip it and spend your time walking or taking in the view.

A few guides have added stops for tea or coffee tasting, but that should be treated as a possible extra rather than a guaranteed part of the schedule. If a detour is offered, ask whether it affects the time at the terraces or Tirta Empul before agreeing.

Tirta Empul: a sacred spring to end the route

The final major stop is Tirta Empul, a temple complex known for its holy mountain spring. Its religious significance gives the day a different kind of focus: this is not simply another scenic backdrop, but an active place of worship. An English-speaking guide can explain the setting and local customs, helping you approach the visit with care.

The schedule allows about an hour. If you want to take part in a water ritual, ask your guide what is appropriate and what the current arrangements are. One practical point raised by a guide on a tour is that menstruating women may not enter the water. Since rules and guidance can be specific to the site, check directly with your guide rather than relying on assumptions.

Tirta Empul’s listed entrance fee is IDR 75,000 per person. Modest, respectful clothing is a sensible choice for a temple visit. The tour’s suggested packing list includes long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, which are useful for sun protection too.

What the $37 price really covers

At $37 per person, the tour offers a lot of ground coverage for one day. The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off in selected parts of Bali, an air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking guide, drinking water and insurance. Having transport arranged is especially useful when you are visiting several sites spread across the Ubud area.

The key question is whether your selected option includes admission. The listed fees are IDR 30,000 for Tegenungan Waterfall, IDR 100,000 on weekdays or IDR 120,000 on weekends for the Monkey Forest, IDR 50,000 for Tegallalang Rice Terrace and IDR 75,000 for Tirta Empul. The activity information also advises bringing IDR 160,000 to IDR 200,000 per person if you book without entrance fees. Because those figures do not match the sum of every listed fee, confirm exactly which tickets your option covers before booking.

Lunch, other drinks and personal expenses are not included. The swing at Tegallalang is optional and costs IDR 200,000. Carry cash so you are ready for these extras, and remember that the final spend can be higher than the headline price.

The guide and car matter as much as the stops

A day with this many stops depends on competent driving and clear communication. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and transport is one of the tour’s strong points. Just as important, guides often make the day more than a shuttle run: Yogi, Adi, Gusti, Gede, Agung and others have been praised for explaining Balinese culture, answering questions, staying patient and helping with photos.

That photography help is a useful bonus, particularly if you are traveling alone or want pictures of your group. Some guides have also adjusted lunch timing or the order of stops when the group was small. Still, it is best to ask for changes rather than expect a completely private itinerary. Your guide needs to balance requests with traffic, opening times and the fixed list of stops.

Pickup areas include Ubud, Sanur, Seminyak, Kuta, Canggu, Jimbaran, Legian and Kerobokan, among other specified locations. The tour lasts about seven hours, but a long transfer from a coastal resort can add substantial time. One guest traveling from Kuta described a much longer day because of the distance and traffic. Be ready in your hotel lobby at least 10 minutes before pickup; guides wait no more than 10 minutes, and morning traffic can make arrival times unpredictable.

Who should book this day trip?

I would choose this tour if you have one day for Ubud’s best-known sights and prefer to leave the driving and route planning to someone local. It suits first-time visitors, couples, friends and solo travelers who want a broad introduction rather than long, independent visits at each site. The strong guide service and the chance of a small or even private-feeling group add real value.

It is less suitable if you need a slow pace, have mobility limitations or want to spend most of the day at one temple or rice terrace. The activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, back problems, heart problems or pregnant women. There is also a lot of sitting between stops, particularly if your pickup is far from Ubud.

Pack water-friendly or quick-drying clothes if you hope to get near the waterfall, plus comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, insect repellent and cash. If rain is in the forecast, bring a light rain layer. Most important, decide which stop matters most to you and tell your guide at pickup. With six different visits in one day, a little advance clarity helps the hours go further.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The stated duration is seven hours. Travel time can vary with traffic and the distance from your pickup location, and some days may run longer.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included at hotels in selected Bali locations. Check that your accommodation is within the free pickup area.

How many people are in the group?

The tour is advertised as a small group, with a maximum of nine participants. Some departures may have fewer people.

Is lunch included in the $37 price?

No. Lunch and drinks other than the provided drinking water are not included.

Are entrance fees included?

That depends on the option you select. Check the ticket details when booking. If you book without entrance fees, the activity information advises bringing IDR 160,000 to IDR 200,000 per person.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, cash, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. A rain layer may also be useful.

Is the Tegallalang swing included?

No. The optional swing costs IDR 200,000.

Who is the tour not suitable for?

The tour is listed as unsuitable for pregnant women and people with back problems, mobility impairments or heart problems.