Bali Extension

Welcome to Bali! After landing in Denpasar Airport, you'll be met by an airport representative and enjoy a fast-track service through immigration and customs (no waiting in long lines) to meet your private guide. Transfer directly to your hotel in Ubud set in the heart of Bali's highlands and a cultural haven steeped in tradition. The bustling town is shaped by the beautiful landscape of terraced rice fields, towering palms draped in lush vines, and vibrant flowers—it's easy to see why so many artists find inspiration here. For those who wish to explore the arts and culture scene, you can visit one of the local museums or witness a temple festival, ceremony, and dance. Meals are on your own and Ubud has many delicious restaurants where you can savor a range of foods from simple Balinese-style to gourmet European fusion dishes. Overnight at hotel.

Meet your local guide for your visit to Bakas, one of the traditional villages. You'll be welcomed at a local restaurant where you can sample local delicacies and later head out on a walk through the village and surrounding agricultural lands while learning about the village's customs and traditions. Along the way, you'll stop to sip fresh juice straight from young coconuts and be invited to your guide's house compound to see how traditional Balinese live. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a kite-making lesson, an important element in Balinese culture. Many Balinese Hindus use kites as a way to get closer to the gods and the creation of each kite is a complex process complete with offerings and prayers to bless the kite as it flutters in the skies. There will also be time for a music and dance performance at the local community center. You'll round out the day in traditional Balinese costume and a blessing in the local temple. Return to hotel in the later afternoon. Dinner is on your own this evening. For an unforgettable dining experience, you can opt for a sunset hot-air balloon ride. Each flight carries a maximum of two adults and two children (under 12) and climbs more than 150 feet over Ubud so you gaze over expansive rice fields and forests below, with views of Mt. Agung in the distance. Dinner during the hot-air balloon ride is a three-course Balinese menu. Overnight at hotel...BL

Keep your camera handy this morning for your first visit of the day is the stunning Tegalalang rice terrace, a picturesque landscape set nearly 2,000 feet above the sea and carved into the hillside. The rice terraces are beautifully designed and have a magnificent setting, perfect for exploring on foot. Continue on to the Gunung Kawi Temple, or Pura Gunung Kawi as it is locally known, one of Bali's oldest temples and an important archaeological site. Ancient shrine reliefs are carved into the face of a rock cliff and according to legend, they were carved in one night by the mighty fingernails of Kebo Iwa, a divine figure in Balinese mythology of infinite strength. Please note that the access to the valley and its shrines are via a steep 250-step staircase. You'll enjoy a delightful lunch in the village of Kintamani, a village on the western edge of Mount Batur. Kintamani is known for the Pura Tuluk Biyu temple and the 1,000-year-old “Rites of Peace” stone tablets. This region has a lovely lake where you can find bubbling hot springs and is Bali's top producer of fruits and vegetables. In the late afternoon, you'll arrive at your hotel in Sidemen, a tranquil retreat situated along the hillsides near Bali's highest and most sacred mountain, Mount Agung. Overnight at hotel...BL

Enjoy the morning in picturesque Sidemen, a seldom-visited area blessed with beautiful rice terraces and traditional villages, then head out on your adventure of choice for the day. The first option is a thrilling Telaga Waja rafting excursion that begins in the foothills of sacred Mount Agung. After a safety briefing, your raft will push past steep banks and ancient hanging trees, as well as under cascading waterfalls of cold natural spring water. Your guide will help you navigate the rapids as you make your way through deep gorges and near stunning rice terraces. The other option keeps you on land and immerses you in traditional Balinese life. Your guide will lead you on a three-hour walking tour, stopping to talk to locals while exploring the valley. When the weather is clear, you have a stunning view over Mount Agung. Enjoy a cooking lesson on three Balinese specialties including ceremony cakes, and learn about their meaning and use during the Balinese rituals. You'll sample local liquor while you learn how to make decorations from pal leaves and later learn to write your name in Balinese Sanskrit on lontar (dried palm leaves). Overnight at hotel in Sidemen...BL

After breakfast, transfer to the Denpasar Airport for departure...B