Pure Bali Experience

At 8:30 am, you are collected from the airport or your hotel in South Bali for the drive inland to Taman Ayun Temple, also known as the Royal Mengwi Temple, known for its ornate Balinese pagodas and surrounding moat, designed to represent the mythical Mount Meru, home of the gods.

You continue to Alas Kedaton, a "holy forest" where hundreds of monkeys roam freely around a temple complex set deep in the jungle, before continuing to Tanah Lot Temple, a sacred site perched on a lava rock, either surrounded by the sea or reached by a causeway depending on the tide.

Heading inland, you stop at Pacung, set amid scenic rice terraces, before continuing to Candi Kuning to visit its colourful fruit market. You break for lunch at a local restaurant, before continuing in the afternoon to the mountain resort of Bedugul on the shore of Lake Bratan. Here, you visit Ulun Danu Temple, one of Bali's most photographed shrines, dedicated to the Goddess of the Waters and known for its peaceful, spiritual setting.

You continue through a coffee plantation on the way to Lovina Beach on the north coast, checking in to your accommodation at 5:30 pm.

Please note: due to the early pick-up time required for this tour, we recommend arriving in Bali at least one day beforehand so you're able to take part.

At 6 am, you head out into the Bali Sea aboard a traditional fishing boat for a dolphin watching excursion, returning to your accommodation for breakfast at around 7 am.

You check out and depart at 9 am for Kintamani, in the centre of the island, taking in views over Batur volcano and its crater lake below, set against strikingly alpine-looking scenery. You stop for lunch at a local restaurant, before continuing south-west towards the slopes of Mount Agung to visit Besakih Temple, the largest and holiest Hindu temple in Bali. Popularly known as the Mother Temple, this 800-year-old complex spans 22 individual temples across a series of terraced ridges, each offering increasingly impressive views over the valley below.

You continue to Candidasa, arriving at around 5 pm, where you check in to your accommodation for the night.

After breakfast, you check out at 9 am and drive along the south-eastern coast towards Kusamba to visit the Bat Cave of Goa Lawah Temple, its walls home to thousands of free-tailed bats - said in local legend to be food for the mythical serpent Basuki, who resides deep within the cave. The site also offers views across the Badung Strait and, weather permitting, towards the island of Nusa Penida.

You continue to Semarapura to visit the ruins of Klungkung Palace, of which the Kerta Gosa pavilion is the best-preserved section, its ceiling decorated with illustrations depicting visions of heaven and hell. From here, you continue to the Elephant Cave of Goa Gajah Temple, dating back to the 11th century and set within landscaped gardens. You break for lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you drive through a landscape of ancient rice terraces on the way to Ubud, Bali's cultural and artistic capital, checking in to your accommodation at 5 pm, with the rest of the day free to explore at your own pace.

After breakfast, you check out at midday and head to the nearby village of Mas, known for its wood carvings and the "Mas style," praised for blending humanist and naturalist influences. You continue the artistic trail to Celuk, renowned for the quality of its gold and silverware, with the prosperity brought by these trades reflected in the town's tidy houses and elaborate showrooms.

The tour concludes at around 4 pm, with drop-off at your hotel in South Bali if you're extending your stay, or at Denpasar Airport for your onward flight.

Please note: we recommend booking your return flight no earlier than 7 pm, or arranging an extra night in South Bali, to allow enough time for the day's touring.