Ubud Kintamani Tour

The barong and kris dance gives this long day an unusually strong opening. You watch a shaggy, four-legged creature battle a witch in a Balinese story about good and evil, then head into the hills for rice terraces, a waterfall, volcano views, and monkeys.

I like the private format, since your group controls the day rather than sharing a vehicle with strangers. I also like that lunch, water, entrance fees, and two-way transfers are included. The drawback is the road time: fitting Seminyak, Ubud, and Kintamani into about 10 hours means an early start, a full schedule, and some potentially difficult roads.

Key points to know

• Barong dance first: Begin with a traditional performance that gives cultural context before the sightseeing stops.
• Five major stops: See Tegenungan Waterfall, Mount Batur, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and Ubud Monkey Forest in one day.
• Private transportation: Only your group takes part, with pickup and return transfers included.
• Lunch with a view: The meal is arranged overlooking Mount Batur and is included in the price.
• Good value at $60: Entrance fees, lunch, bottled water, and a Bali map are covered.
• Flexible only within a busy day: The private setup helps, but the route still packs a lot into roughly 10 hours.

A full day from Seminyak to Bali’s central highlands

This tour is built for you if you want to see several of Bali’s best-known sights without arranging separate taxis, tickets, meals, and transfers. From Seminyak, you travel inland toward Ubud and Kintamani, with five planned stops along the way.

The route mixes culture and scenery well. You begin with a dance performance, continue to a waterfall, reach the highlands around Mount Batur, stop at the rice terraces, and finish among the macaques of Ubud Monkey Forest.

That variety is the main reason to choose this outing. You are not spending the whole day at one attraction, and the schedule gives you a useful first look at central Bali. At the same time, this is not a slow, lingering day. Each stop has a set time, and the roads between them are part of the experience.

The private vehicle matters here. Bali’s central roads can be challenging, and driving between Seminyak, Ubud, and Kintamani requires more effort than simply moving between nearby beach areas. With pickup and return transfers included, you can focus on the day rather than negotiating transport at every stage.

The barong and kris dance sets the tone

The first stop lasts about an hour and introduces one of Bali’s best-known sacred dance traditions. Barong appears as a strange animal-like figure with four legs, operated by two performers. The performance tells a mythic fight between good and evil, with the barong facing a witch in a story connected to Rangda.

The dance is worth taking seriously as more than a colorful show. It gives you a glimpse of how Balinese performance blends movement, costume, music, and spiritual ideas. The shaggy monster may look playful at first, but the story has a clear cultural purpose.

This stop also helps you understand why the day is not just a sightseeing loop. Bali’s attractions are tied to ceremony, belief, farming, and village life. You get a short introduction to that world before reaching the more photographic stops.

The one limitation is that an arranged performance may feel less personal than seeing a ceremony connected to a local temple. Still, for a first visit, an hour-long barong and kris dance is an efficient way to encounter an important Balinese art form.

Tegenungan Waterfall requires a short, active stop

Tegenungan Waterfall is scheduled for about 45 minutes. It sits in the Kemenuh area of Gianyar, close to Ubud, and has become one of the area’s popular natural sights.

The waterfall gives the day a change of pace after the opening performance. You can take photographs, look over the falling water, and enjoy a brief break from the vehicle. Its setting away from central Ubud makes it feel like a proper countryside stop rather than another town attraction.

Do not expect a long waterfall walk during this tour. Forty-five minutes passes quickly, especially if you want time for photographs and the route involves walking to viewpoints. The schedule also does not promise swimming, so treat this as a scenic visit rather than a bathing stop.

Because the waterfall is popular, the experience may feel busier than the word isolated suggests. The value here is convenience: you can see one of Bali’s better-known waterfalls without arranging a separate trip from Ubud.

Mount Batur brings the biggest view of the day

The Kintamani stop lasts about 45 minutes and centers on Mount Batur and its crater lake. This is the high point of the route, both geographically and visually. The area includes six ancient villages around the lake’s caldera, adding a sense of place to the volcano view.

The tour includes lunch overlooking Mount Batur, which is one of its most useful inclusions. A meal with a volcano view turns a necessary break into part of the sightseeing. You can eat, rest, and take in the broad view without having to search for a restaurant along the way.

You should keep your expectations clear. This is not a Mount Batur sunrise climb, and there is no hiking itinerary included. You visit the Kintamani area for the volcano and lake views, then continue to the next stop.

Weather matters here. Clouds can reduce the view, and the experience provider notes that the tour requires good weather. If poor weather forces cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.

Tegalalang shows Bali’s working rice terraces

Tegalalang Rice Terrace is scheduled for about 30 minutes. The terraces are known for their stepped rice fields and the subak irrigation system, a traditional cooperative system used by Balinese farmers.

This stop is short, but the view is distinctive. The terraces show how farming shapes the hills around Ubud. Instead of seeing rice as a flat field, you see it arranged in dramatic levels that follow the contours of the land.

I would use the half-hour to take in the view and photographs rather than expect a long walk through the fields. The tour does not promise a farming activity or an extended visit. The appeal is the quick visual introduction to one of Bali’s most recognizable rural scenes.

There can be a tradeoff with famous photo stops: the best-known viewpoints may feel developed for sightseeing. Even so, Tegalalang adds something important to the route. You see a working agricultural tradition, not only temples, performances, and animal encounters.

Ubud Monkey Forest adds a lively final stop

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary sits in Padang Tegal, south of Ubud’s central area and not far from Ubud Palace. The site is also known in Balinese as Wanara Wana and has an important function within the local community.

The visit lasts about 45 minutes. You can expect a forested setting and close encounters with grey macaques. This is a very different kind of stop from Tegalalang or Mount Batur, and it gives the final part of the day a more active feel.

Keep your attention on your belongings around the monkeys. The supplied tour details do not list specific animal rules, so follow the sanctuary’s instructions when you arrive. The short visit is enough to see the setting and macaques, but it is not designed as a long exploration of the sanctuary.

The Monkey Forest also brings you close to Ubud itself. If you have not yet spent time in town, this stop gives you a taste of the cultural center without adding a separate Ubud walking tour. If your main goal is quiet nature, however, the monkeys and other visitors may make this the most energetic stop of the day.

What the $60 price really covers

At the listed price of $60, the value comes from the number of costs bundled together. You receive pickup and return transfers, entrance fees at the included attractions, lunch, bottled mineral water, and a Bali map.

That package is useful because ticket costs can add up across five stops. You also avoid the hassle of arranging a driver, finding a restaurant near Kintamani, and paying admission at each attraction.

The private format strengthens the value. Only your group participates, so you are not sharing the day with a large mixed party. The private setup does not turn the tour into a relaxed custom itinerary, since the stated duration and stops remain fixed, but it should make the transport side easier.

Personal expenses are not included. You should keep money available for anything outside the package. The details do not specify extras such as additional food, souvenirs, or optional activities, so plan on paying separately for those if they arise.

The schedule is efficient, but not leisurely

The listed stop times add up to just under four hours. The remaining time is needed for pickup, road travel, lunch, and movement between attractions. That explains why the total day lasts about 10 hours.

This is a good design if you want broad coverage in one outing. You see cultural performance, natural scenery, agriculture, a volcano, and wildlife in a single day. It is less suitable if you prefer to spend half a day at one site, linger over lunch, or explore Ubud on foot.

The central highlands can involve difficult roads, so the included transport is more than a minor convenience. You do not have to concentrate on navigation or work out how to connect distant stops. The private vehicle also gives your group a more comfortable base during a long day.

Pickup is offered from Seminyak, but the exact pickup time is not provided. Because the route is long and the tour requires good weather, confirm the start details when you book. Confirmation is issued at booking, and most people can participate.

Who will get the most from this tour

I would choose this tour for a first visit to Bali when you want to cover the main Ubud and Kintamani sights in one organized day. It suits couples, families, and small private groups that value included transport and a clear route.

It is also a sensible choice if you are staying in Seminyak and do not want to build your own central Bali day. The trip reaches places that are spread across different areas, and the included transfers remove much of the planning work.

You may want a different arrangement if your priority is hiking, extended cultural study, or a slow Ubud experience. There is no Mount Batur climb, no long rice-field walk, and no dedicated free time in Ubud town. The tour is about seeing a lot, not staying in one place.

The day may also feel tiring for anyone who dislikes long drives or tightly timed sightseeing. The private format helps with comfort, but it does not shorten the distances.

Practical details before you book

The tour lasts approximately 10 hours and includes mobile ticketing. Pickup is offered, and the activity is private for your group.

Entrance fees, lunch, bottled mineral water, and a Bali map are included. Personal expenses are not. The tour requires good weather, so poor conditions can lead to a new date or a full refund.

Cancellation is free if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts. A cancellation made less than 24 hours before the start time is not refunded, and changes within that period are not accepted. Cut-off times follow local time in Bali.

The experience has a 5 out of 5 rating from 32 reviews, with 100 percent recommending it. The strongest praise focuses on the polite, friendly, and considerate guide and driver. No guide names are provided, so you should not book expecting a named escort.

Should you book the Ubud Kintamani Tour?

Book it if you want a private, all-in-one day from Seminyak that covers Bali’s major central sights without handling the transport yourself. The combination of barong dance, waterfall, Mount Batur, rice terraces, and Monkey Forest gives you a broad introduction for $60, especially with lunch, tickets, water, and transfers included.

Skip it if you want a slow day or a serious hike. The route is long, the roads can be demanding, and each stop has limited time.

For most first-time visitors with only one free day for Ubud and Kintamani, this is a practical choice. You get culture, scenery, food, and a private vehicle in one well-packed outing.

FAQ

Where does the Ubud Kintamani Tour take place?

The tour is based in Seminyak, Indonesia, with pickup offered from there. The route visits attractions in the Ubud and Kintamani areas.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 10 hours.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

What attractions are included?

The tour includes a barong and kris dance, Tegenungan Waterfall, Mount Batur, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, with the meal described as taking place overlooking Mount Batur.

Are entrance fees included?

Yes. Entrance fees for the listed attractions are included.

Is bottled water provided?

Yes. A bottle of mineral water is included.

Is hotel pickup available?

Pickup is offered. The provided details do not specify the exact pickup time or all pickup locations.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience starts. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather causes the tour to be canceled, you can receive a full refund or choose another date.