Your holiday starts at the group hotel near Tabanan. A single timed airport transfer (2 hours) from Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar) to the group hotel is provided. The hotel is resort-style set amongst rice plantations on the slopes of Mount Batukaru, the second highest mountain in Bali at 2276 metres above sea level. In the evening the group will meet for a welcome dinner, where the guide will give a full briefing on the days to follow.

Following the long journey to Bali we'll enjoy a relaxed start today and our guide will meet us in the mid-morning for the journey to the incredible rice terraces of Jatiluwih. The rice terraces are a stunning emerald green and hug the sides of the mountain slopes like steps. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the terraces are famous for the traditional water irrigation system managed by a local cooperative of rice farmers called Subak. We'll enjoy a leisurely short walk of around an hour through the paddies and will learn more about rice production in Bali. Continuing to Batukaru Temple we will take a short 4WD journey to the Bamboo Restaurant set amidst the depths of the forest. After lunch there is the opportunity to take part in a traditional Balinese Hindu temple ceremony. Everyone will be provided with local-style clothing to ensure that they are appropriately dressed as they are guided through the temple ritual before enoying afternoon tea in a tented camp. Returning to our hotel there will be some time to relax before dinner.

After checking out of our hotel, we depart for the short 20 minute drive back to the tented camp for a short trek through the Batukaru Nature Reserve tropical rainforest on the slopes of Mount Batukaru. The forest here is protected and managed. The area is south-facing and onshore winds make for a relatively high annual rainfall count. The result of this is lush green vegetation with an incredible variety of flora and fauna. We will take a walk through the forest where our guide will help us identify endemic plant life, species of butterfly and perhaps the long-tailed Macaques who inhabit the forest. The walk will be on waymarked and well-maintained forest paths with a small amount of ascent and descent requiring a modest level of fitness. After lunch we will take transfer by vehicle to the Ubud area, stopping off en-route at Lake Beratan to visit the iconic Ulun Danu Temple, a major Shivaite temple dedicated to the worship of water. Built in 1633, the temple is the site of offerings to the Balinese water goddess, Dewi Danu as Lake Beratan is the source of water for irrigation of the local area. Located on a small outcrop of land on the shores of the calm waters of the lake, should water levels be high the temple gives the impression that it floats on the lake. From here it's onward to Ubud, where we check into a hotel on arrival.

Today we take a full day excursion from Ubud to visit the most interesting sites in the area and sample the traditional temple culture. Our first stop will be the Hindu Besakih Temple, the "Mother Temple" of Bali. Sitting on the slopes of Mount Agung at an altitude of 1000m the complex includes 23 separate temples with the largest being Pura Penataran Agung which is built on a terrace with 6 levels. Every day pilgrims visit the temples to worship Hindu gods and godesses and on special festival days many thousands of people come to pay their respects to Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. Although visitors are permitted to enter the temple complex, access to some areas is restricted to Hindu worshippers only. From Besakih we transfer to the village of Kintamani, the best spot, weather-permitting, for views of Mount Batur (1717m), an active volcano. Kintamani sits on the caldera rim of what was a huge crater and Batur is just a small part of it created over thousands of years of volcanic activity. We'll take lunch at a local restaurant overlooking the volcano before driving to Penglipuran. Penglipuran is a traditional and well-ordered village surrounded by banana plantations and bamboo forest. The local people are Aga and follow a strict code called Adat laid down many centuries ago by their ancestors. Tradition is very important here and we will have time to explore before returning to our hotel near Ubud. There will be approximately 3 - 4 hours driving today.

Today there is a free day to allow everyone to explore Ubud. The town itself is made up of connecting villages surrounded by forest and rice terraces. As the cultural centre of Bali there is a thriving arts scene and a number of art museums. Ubud is the sort of place that easily absorbs a couple of days. As well as numerous temples, palaces, museums, art galleries and the incredible landscape, there are a number of traditional spas, botanic gardens, a bird park and the Monkey Forest. It's a great place to explore on foot with limitless shopping opportunities, perfect for buying Balinese gifts. Of course, if you feel like taking it easy you can just relax by the hotel pool. Your guide will be able to give good advice on things to see and do in Ubud.

After breakfast we'll transfer to Padang Bai harbour (1 hour 20 minutes) on the eastern coast of Bali to board the speedboat for the 75km crossing to Teluk Kode harbour on the neighbouring island of Lombok. The boat journey will take 1 to 1.5 hours. Arriving in Lombok we are met by our tour vehicle at the harbour and we head north to Pusuk Forest which is a protected area for macaque monkeys. The road crosses Pusuk pass the high point on a ridge through the forest where we have extensive views over the island and to the coast. We continue around the coast making stop at a local restaurant for lunch, before heading to the mountain village of Sembalun on the slopes of Rinjani in the east of Lombok. Surrounded by terraced fields of rice, garlic, tomato and chilli, Sembalun is actually made up of two villages 2km apart. We will stay in Sembalun Lawang (1150m) located in an ancient caldera of Rinjani. Our accommodation tonight is guesthouse-style but with a swimming pool. A total of approximately 4 - 5 hours driving today.

After an early breakfast at our guesthouse, we will transfer (approx. 1 hour) to the Gunung Rinjani National Park entrance for a spectacular half-day walk. Rinjani is the dominating feature of the island of Lombok and is the second-highest mountain in Indonesia as well as an active volcano with frequent eruptions. Our walk follows traditional paths through bamboo groves and local villages before we enter a wide open landscape of rice terraces and palms. Following a winding irrigation channel we reach the lush rainforest of the Sendang Gile Waterfall Reserve, 600m above sea level. Continuing our walk we arrive in Senaru village, where the local Sasak people still live very traditionally. Each turn of the track offers new vistas until finally Rinjani's summit comes into view, rising majestically over the rice terraces and the rainforest. Lunch will be taken a local restaurant before we transfer back to Sembalun for a second night.

A very early start today for our sunrise walk on Pergasingan Hill. Setting off at around 3.30am we will walk with the light of our headtorches until the sun rises. The trail ascends through the hills and fields of vegetables surrounding Sembalun Lawang before reaching more open grassland. After approximately 2 hours walking we will reach the top of Pergasingan Hill (1700m) from where we should be able to enjoy fantastic sunrise views across the valley below to the peaks of Rinjani. We'll take a light breakfast on the top of the hill before descending to Sembalun where there will be time to relax. We may even be able to enjoy a game of Gasing, a traditional yoyo game with the local people before we drive back (3 hours) to the western coast of Lombok, to Sengiggi, where we check in to a beachfront hotel

Departing the hotel after breakfast, we will transfer to Bangsal for the short boat journey to Gili Meno. We will stop off on the way at Malimbu Hill, a spectacular viewpoint from where there is a magnificent vista of the islands' mountains and coast with views out to small islands dotted in the sea. From here we will drive to the harbour for embarkation on the speedboat to Gili Meno (25 mins). Arriving on the island, we will be escorted to a beach which is a popular destination for swimming and snorkelling. Snorkel equipment will be provided and basic instruction will be given; lunch will be provided at a beach restaurant. Later in the afternoon we will take the 10 minute boat trip to Gili Air Island where we check into a hotel by the sea. Our guide will leave us today when we depart for Gili Meno, but will return to meet us on day 12 when we arrive back in Bali.

A free day to relax on the island of Gili Air. For the next 2 days no services are included other than your accommodation and breakfast. There are many options for activities on the island - hire bikes are available, you can join a yoga class or take a walk around the island. Of course many people come here to snorkel and dive in the crystal clear water. Alternatively there is the option to just chill out on the beach.

A final day in this paradise location on Gili Air. Choose a diffferent activity to enjoy or take some relaxing time out. We spend a third and final night at our accommodation by the sea.

After breakfast at the hotel, we take a short transfer back to the Lombok coast for the express boat journey back to Bali. The journey, in total, will take around 3.5 hours. From Serangan we transfer by road to Sanur (20 minutes) where we are reunited with our guide and check into our beachside hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore this seaside town which has a great beach and a leafy main street lined with art galleries, shops and restaurants. In the early evening, the group will gather together with our guide to enjoy a celebratory last dinner together.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. Flight time allowing there will be plenty of time to enjoy the beach at Sanur, indulge in some last minute shopping or do some people-watching from one of the cafes and bars. If you would like to extend your stay on Bali, we can also arrange additional nights at the group hotel. A single timed transfer (30 minutes) to Ngurah Rai Airport on Bali is provided in the mid-afternoon