Though not necessarily known as a major hiking destination, Bali does have its fair share of scenic walking paths, particularly amongst beautiful rice terraces. It also has a few towering volcanoes that you can summit, which are popular spots from which to admire the sunrise. To help you discover some of our best options, we put together this Bali Hiking Guide on the Best Scenic Walks and Hikes Around Ubud. First, we will present trails that you can do from Ubud, which we will then follow by presenting some trail options that you can do as part of a day trip from Ubud.
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
Best Walking Trails in Ubud
All four of the Ubud walking trails presented are considered easy as none are very long or have significant elevation gains. Some have slight uphill slopes and occasional steps to climb, but these should be manageable by most without significant mobility issues.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
The Campuhan Ridge Walk is probably Ubud’s most famous and popular walking trail. But unlike the other trails in town, this is not a true rice field walk. Rather, as the name suggests, you’ll spend most of the walk along a high ridgeline between two deep valleys filled with dense green vegetation.
If you walk to our suggested trail endpoint, you will however see some beautiful scenic rice fields. One great spot to admire the rice fields is from the rooftop outdoor terrace of Karsa Kafé, also a great spot to enjoy a refreshing drink on a hot day.
Although the first portion of the walk is along an uphill slope, it’s not particularly difficult or steep. Most people won’t have any issues walking this trail. It’s also a popular spot for sunset, so sunrise is your best bet to enjoy the scenery under beautiful golden light in a more intimate setting.
For more information on what to expect and how to get to the trail, be sure to check out our Campuhan Ridge Walk Guide.
Sari Organic Walk
Although not as popular as the Campuhan Ridge Walk, it’s probably Ubud’s favorite rice field walk. Also among the Ubud trails, it’s the one where you’ll spend the most time surrounded by rice fields. You’ll notice a mix of old farming buildings and the occasional luxurious home or resort in the distance – and, depending on the time of year, you are also quite likely to notice some farmers working their fields. There are also several great cafés and warungs that you visit along the trail for refreshments or a snack, as well as several artisan gift shops. It’s a very easy trail and is suitable for almost everyone.
For more information on what to expect and how to get to the trail, be sure to check out our Sari Organic Walk Guide.
Sweet Orange Walk
Unlike the previous two trails, the Sweet Orange Walk is a loop trail that combines two smaller rice fields: the Subak Juwuk Manis and the Kajeng rice fields. Of the town’s many rice field trails, it’s the most central and easily accessible, and it runs roughly parallel to the nearby Sari Organic Walk trail. You’ll cross many cafés, and stores along the way, particularly as you walk through Kajeng village towards the rice fields. Much like its Sari Organic neighbour, this trail is also fairly easy and for the most part, is along a flat surface. It however isn’t quite as busy as Sari Organic if you are looking for a trail with fewer other people around.
For more information on what to expect and how to get to the trail, be sure to check out our Sweet Orange Walk Guide.
Penestanan Rice Field Walk
If you are looking for a more solitary experience among the rice fields – this is the place to go. We went twice, and each time we had the place to ourselves. It’s a bit further from the center compared to the other walks, but we think it’s definitely worth the extra walking.
Although the rice fields aren’t as expansive as those seen in some of the other trails, the specific route we propose to reach the trail passes by a hidden river whose banks are surrounded by beautiful moss-covered stone carvings. It’s a nice reward for those willing to walk a little further to discover a new area.
Overall this walk itinerary is a little more difficult than the others if you start from the center of town, simply because you will have to walk longer. There are also a few staircases that you’ll have to climb and descend, but otherwise, for the most part, this trail is relatively easy and mostly takes place along a flat surface.
For more information on what to expect and how to get to the trail, be sure to check out our Penestanan Rice Field Walk Guide.
Best Hiking Trails Outside of Ubud
The following trails can be reached as a day trip from Ubud. The closest is about a 20-minute drive away, while the farthest is about a 1h30 drive away.
Tegalalang Rice Terrace
Also known as the Ceking Rice Terrace, Tegalalang is included in Bali’s UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for its traditional subak irrigation system. Of the scenic hiking trails outside of Ubud, those of the Tegalalang Rice Terrace are the closest to the town, only 15 km away. This proximity to Ubud also means that it’s one of the busiest places among those listed in this guide – so much so that part of the area around the rice terraces has turned into a large tourist trap, with all sorts of giant swings and various staged photo-op stations, zip lines and aerial “floating” bike rides (Sky Bike). Fortunately, you can leave most of these attractions behind by simply heading deeper into the rice terraces.
The rice terraces themselves are quite beautiful and have some of the sharpest slopes that you will see in Bali. For more information on what to expect during your visit, be sure to check out our Tegalalang Rice Terrace Hiking Guide.
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
Also part of Bali’s UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for its traditional subak irrigation system, the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces are some of the most scenic and expansive rice terraces in Bali. Set in the foothills of the towering Mount Batukaru, Bali’s second most prominent peak, Jatiluwih is one of our favorite places to visit on the island, along with the Sidemen Rice Fields (see below).
These rice terraces are further out from Ubud than Tegalalang (typically about 1h30 drive away), but the trip is definitely worth it as far fewer people make it out here, making your walk/hike among the rice fields more relaxed and serene. For more information on what to expect during your visit, be sure to check out our Jatiluwih Rice Terraces Hiking Guide.
If you are debating between Jatiluwih and Tegalalang, we also have a specific guide that compares the two.
Sidemen Rice Trek
The Sidemen rice fields were some of our favorites to explore in Bali. Although there are several that you can visit and walk through for free, the most impressive walk requires that you pay a small fee to enter. The fee is quite modest and is completely worth it, as the views and the scenery are simply spectacular. It’s surprisingly not busy given how beautiful the area is, and it’s only about 1h from Ubud. None of the walks are particularly difficult either. We also stayed several days in Sidemen and simply loved the area.
For more information on what to expect and how to get to the various rice fields in the area, be sure to check out our Sidemen Rice Field Trek Guide. (coming soon)
Mount Batur Sunrise Trek
Although we are deviating from the rice terrace theme with this hike suggestion, we couldn’t finish this guide without presenting the Mount Batur Sunrise Trek, an organized expedition that takes you to the summit of an active volcano to watch one of the most stunning sunrises you’ll ever see.
The main drawback to this hiking activity is that you need to get up and leave Ubud around 2 am. The good news is that a hired driver will take care of the transport and drop you off at the base of the summit, where a hiking guide will lead a small group of five people up to the summit in the darkness, just in time to watch the sunrise. Headlamps, walking sticks and breakfast are provided and included in the organized hiking tour.
Although this is the most challenging hike presented in this guide and is quite steep, it’s not a very long hike (the trail terrain is also flat) and can be completed by most who have moderate hiking experience.
For more information on what to expect during your hike, be sure to check out our Mount Batur Sunrise Hiking Guide.
Where to Stay in Ubud
Ubud is a great base from which you not only can explore the above-listed temples but also many beautiful rice terraces and waterfalls. If you are still looking for a place to stay here in Ubud, all of the following are some of the best mid-range hotel accommodations located within walking distance from Ubud’s city center:
Komaneka at Rasa Sayang Ubud Hotel
Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages: (coming soon)
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Campuhan Ridge Walk – An Ubud Hiking Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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