Essential Bali

Once you’ve had breakfast, your guides will pick you up from your hotel at 7:00 AM. Next, you’ll drive to Tanah Lot, Bali’s most famous temple, built on a rock near the coast. As well as being a major attraction, this temple is an important pilgrimage site for Balinese Hindus. It dates back to the 16th century, and is one of the seven seaside temples in Bali. You’ll get to see it in the early morning, one of the best times for photography.

Next, you’ll drive toward the fields of Jatiluwih, an area known for its rice fields and pristine jungles. This area is known as the “green lungs of Bali,” and you’ll get to explore them on a two-hour e-bike ride. E-bikes have motors that help propel you up steeper inclines – they offer all of the fun of bikes without the need for muscle power. Afterward, you’ll have a break for lunch at a local restaurant.

Your next stop brings you to the Batu Karu temple – a 14th-century temple at the base of Mount Batukaru, surrounded by rice paddies. The site is best known for its distinct, elaborate gates. It’s one of Bali’s major temples but doesn’t see as many visitors. Here, you’ll have the chance to meet a priest named Bapak Astiki — “Bapak” is an honorific that’s more or less equivalent to “sir” – and experience a traditional ritual. Bapak Astiki’s wife will prepare costumes and give you offerings that you’ll need to enter the inner shrines. The priest will walk you through the prayer and offerings and describe the meaning behind these traditions.

By the end of your tour, you'll have a newly deepened appreciation for spirituality in Bali. You'll also most likely have a camera roll filled with the brilliant green fields of Bali. At the end of the tour, you'll hop back in air-conditioned vehicle for the return drive.