Ubud: Monkey Forest, Rice Terraces & Sacred Temples

The most memorable part of this Ubud day tour is the shift from busy sights to Mengening Temple, a quiet jungle purification site where you make a canang sari offering. You also get close to Bali’s macaques, walk among old stone shrines, and see the famous Tegalalang rice terraces in one long day.

I like the mix of big-name sights and a calmer temple visit. I also like that the tour includes hotel pickup, transport, entrance fees, bottled water, and an English-speaking guide, so you can focus on the places instead of sorting out Bali’s traffic and ticket lines.

The main drawback is the pace. Six stops, about 12 hours on the road, and a 9:30 am start make this a full day. Tegalalang can be busy, and lunch is not listed as included, so this suits you best if you want broad coverage rather than a slow, unhurried look at Ubud.

Key points to know before booking

• Mengening Temple offers the most hands-on moment: You make a canang sari and learn how this small daily offering fits into Balinese life.
• The tour covers five major Ubud sights: Goa Gajah, Monkey Forest, Ubud Palace, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and Mengening Temple.
• Expect a long day: The experience lasts about 12 hours, including hotel pickup, drives, and the return journey.
• Guiding is a strong part of the experience: Guides named on Discova departures include Dan, Ariana, Laras, Gunawan, and Haris, with drivers such as Mariyasa, Juliantara, Nengah, and Gus Alit.
• The group can reach 20 people: That is small enough for organized transport, but not the same as a private tour.
• The $69 price covers useful basics: Vehicle, guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, entry fees, bottled water, and the offering workshop are included.

Why this Ubud day works as a first look at Bali

Ubud can feel scattered on a map. A temple may be close as the crow flies, yet roads, traffic, and narrow village routes can make the trip take much longer than expected. This tour handles the driving and links several important places into one route.

You begin with hotel pickup at 9:30 am, then travel toward Ubud. The first listed stop is Goa Gajah, followed by the Sacred Monkey Forest, Ubud Palace, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and Mengening Temple. The return drive brings you back in the late afternoon or early evening, though the full experience is listed at about 12 hours.

That order gives the day a useful shape. You start with archaeology, move into jungle and royal Ubud, then reach the rice terraces before finishing with a more personal cultural activity. I would not book this expecting a restful day. I would book it if you have limited time and want to see several sides of central Bali without arranging separate rides.

The guide matters here. Past departures have included Dan, Ariana, Laras, Gunawan, and Haris, while drivers have included Mariyasa, Juliantara, Nengah, and Gus Alit. The strongest praise focuses on patient explanations, clear English, friendly care, safe driving, and guides who take time to explain Balinese religion, customs, and daily life.

Goa Gajah, Bali’s carved Elephant Cave

Goa Gajah is the first major stop, with about 90 minutes set aside. Despite its name, this is not an elephant park. It is an archaeological and religious site known for its dramatic carved entrance, ancient bathing pools, and temple ruins.

The cave entrance is the visual centerpiece. Its carved face gives the site a strange, almost theatrical mood, while the grounds around it show how Bali’s religious places combine built structures, water, stone, and vegetation. Your guide can help explain what you are seeing instead of leaving you with a quick photo and a name.

Allow time to look beyond the doorway. The bathing pools and surrounding ruins are important parts of the visit, and the site rewards a slower circuit. Still, 90 minutes is not enough for a long archaeological study. You get an introduction, not a specialist tour.

Wear practical footwear. Temple grounds can include uneven surfaces, and you will be moving through several different sites during the day. This is also a cultural place, so modest clothing is the sensible choice.

Meeting the macaques at Sacred Monkey Forest

The tour then heads to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary for another 90 minutes. This is one of Ubud’s best-known stops, with moss-covered temples, old stone carvings, leafy paths, and free-roaming macaques.

The setting is more than a wildlife encounter. The monkeys share a sacred forest filled with shrines and temple structures, so you get one of Bali’s clearest combinations of nature, art, and religion. The macaques provide plenty of memorable moments, but the stonework and forest paths deserve your attention too.

Keep your belongings secure and follow the guide’s instructions around the animals. The tour description promises close encounters, not a controlled animal show. Macaques are wild animals, and their behavior can change quickly. Do not treat them like pets simply because they are accustomed to people.

Ninety minutes gives you enough time for a useful walk, but not every path. If Monkey Forest is your main reason for visiting Ubud, you may want a longer standalone visit. On this tour, it works as one piece of a much wider day.

Ubud Palace and the royal center

After Monkey Forest, you continue to Ubud Palace. The visit is also planned for about 90 minutes, although the wording describes this as a short drive and an exploration of the courtyard and gateway.

The palace offers a different view of Ubud from the forest and cave. Its traditional Balinese design, carved gateways, and courtyard give you a feel for the town’s royal past and ceremonial style. It is a compact stop, so the value comes from your guide’s explanation and from noticing the design details.

I would keep expectations realistic. This is not a huge European-style palace with room after room of exhibits. The visit centers on the accessible courtyard areas and architecture. If you enjoy details such as gateways, stone carving, and the way ceremonial spaces are arranged, you will get more from it than if you are looking for grand interior rooms.

The palace also helps break up the day. After the forest paths and macaques, you return to a more formal built setting before heading into the countryside around Tegalalang.

Tegalalang’s rice terraces and the busiest stop

In the early afternoon, the tour reaches Tegalalang Rice Terrace. You have about 90 minutes to take in the layered green paddies carved into the hillside and photograph the sweeping views.

This is the postcard stop, and it earns that reputation. The terraces show how Balinese farming uses steep ground in carefully shaped levels. From the viewpoint, the scene is broad and immediately impressive, especially if you have not seen Bali’s rice-growing areas before.

The trade-off is popularity. Tegalalang is one of Bali’s most photographed places, so do not expect the same quiet mood as Mengening Temple. The viewpoint can feel busy, and the experience is more about seeing the terraces than wandering through a secluded rural setting.

Your tour reaches Tegalalang in the early afternoon, not at the quietest possible time. That is worth knowing if photography is your top priority. Even so, the stop makes sense in this itinerary because it gives you a strong countryside contrast after Ubud’s temples and forest.

Lunch is not listed among the inclusions. Since this is a 12-hour outing, ask about the meal plan when you book or budget for your own food and personal expenses. Do not assume that the $69 price covers lunch.

Mengening Temple and the canang sari workshop

Mengening Temple is the most distinctive stop on the route. It is described as a peaceful purification temple in a jungle setting, quieter than Bali’s better-known religious sites. You have about two hours here, the longest scheduled visit of the day.

The extra time matters. Instead of racing through another gate and taking a few pictures, you get room to understand a living religious practice. The offering workshop teaches you to make a canang sari, the small arrangement used in daily Balinese Hindu life.

This is where the tour moves from sightseeing to participation. The canang sari is not just a craft souvenir. It has meaning within everyday worship, and the guide explains that role as you work. You should approach the activity with respect and curiosity, rather than treating it as a decorative class.

The temple’s jungle setting also changes the mood of the day. After the more familiar Monkey Forest, palace, and Tegalalang stops, Mengening feels more intimate. The contrast is one of the best reasons to choose this tour over a basic Ubud highlights drive.

The description does not say that you take part in a purification bathing ritual yourself. It specifically includes an offering workshop, so book this for the cultural explanation and hands-on canang sari activity, not for a promised bathing ceremony.

What your guide adds to the day

A good guide can turn this route from a checklist into a useful introduction to Bali. The comments associated with Discova departures repeatedly highlight patience, clear explanations, friendliness, and help with small problems. One guide even assisted a guest who had lost a mouth retainer, which gives you an idea of the practical care expected on the road.

The names connected with past tours include Dan, Ariana, Laras, Gunawan, and Haris. Drivers mentioned include Mariyasa, Juliantara, Nengah, and Gus Alit. You may not receive one of those exact guide and driver pairings, since assignments can vary, but the pattern is clear: guiding and driving are central to the experience.

Haris, in particular, is described as someone who enjoys explaining Balinese culture, religion, traditions, and the island’s people. Ariana is praised for explaining each activity before it began, while Laras is noted for detailed English explanations and patient care. Those qualities matter on a day with several religious sites, where context helps you behave appropriately and understand what you are seeing.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included. That is valuable in Bali, where a long day in the heat becomes much harder if you must arrange each transfer yourself. Bottled water is included too, but bring anything else you need for a full day out.

Is $69 a fair price?

At $69 per person, this tour offers solid value if you want transport, guiding, and several entrance tickets bundled together. You receive an air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking guide, admission fees, bottled water, and the canang sari workshop.

The value is strongest for first-time visitors or anyone staying outside central Ubud who does not want to negotiate separate rides. You also avoid spending time deciding how to connect Goa Gajah, Monkey Forest, Tegalalang, and Mengening in one day.

The price is less compelling if you already have a driver, prefer private sightseeing, or want to spend half a day at one temple. The group can hold up to 20 people, so this is a small-group outing rather than a private experience. A group that size can also mean less flexibility at each stop.

Gratuities are optional, and personal expenses are not included. Since lunch is not listed, keep extra money available. The free cancellation policy allows a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made later are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this tour?

I would choose this tour if you want a broad, organized introduction to Ubud and have only one open day. It suits couples, families, and most people who can manage a full day of walking, temple visits, and time in a vehicle.

It is especially useful if you want more than the usual photo stops. Goa Gajah gives you archaeology, Monkey Forest adds animals and jungle shrines, Ubud Palace brings in royal design, Tegalalang offers farm scenery, and Mengening adds a hands-on religious activity.

I would hesitate if you dislike early-to-late schedules, group touring, or busy popular sights. The day covers a lot, but it cannot give every location the attention of a private, slower tour. You should also confirm pickup details and your meal plan before setting out.

Final decision: book it for variety and cultural context

Book this tour if your priority is seeing many of Ubud’s major sights while learning how Balinese religion and daily customs fit together. The canang sari workshop at Mengening Temple gives the day a personal touch, and the guides are praised for patient, friendly explanations.

Skip it if you want a quiet temple retreat or a private schedule. For $69, though, the combination of transport, admission fees, an English-speaking guide, and five very different stops makes this a practical choice for a first Ubud visit.

FAQ

How long does the Ubud tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 12 hours, including hotel pickup, travel between stops, sightseeing, and the return journey.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 9:30 am.

Does the tour include hotel pickup and drop-off?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Which places are visited?

The route includes Goa Gajah, the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Ubud Palace, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and Mengening Temple.

Is the canang sari activity included?

Yes. The tour includes an offering workshop where you learn about and make a canang sari offering.

Are entrance fees included?

Yes. Entrance fees for the included sites are covered in the tour price.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is not listed among the inclusions. Personal expenses are also not included, so plan for any food or other purchases separately.

How large is the tour group?

The maximum group size is 20 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.