Ubud to Lombok: Temples, Jungles & Island Vibes (Self-Launched)
9 days · Indonesia (Bali & Lombok)
G Adventures charges £449
No-markup version: ~£319 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched island-hopping route from Ubud to the Gili Islands, mirroring G Adventures' "Ubud to Lombok" 18-to-Thirtysomethings trip — but booked entirely by you. Free days in Ubud, a homestay in Tempasan village on Lombok, rice terrace walks, a weaving workshop, and a three-island snorkel trip around Gili Trawangan, Meno and Air. Using local ferries, speed boats and bemos instead of a private vehicle, with hostel and guesthouse stays instead of group hotels, you get the same trip for roughly half the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Ubud
Ubud, Bali
Land at Denpasar (DPS) and take a shared airport shuttle or Grab car up to Ubud (~£8-10, 1.5-2 hrs). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in central Ubud — the Jalan Monkey Forest / Jalan Hanoman area is walkable and full of cafés. Spend the afternoon wandering the Monkey Forest, the Ubud Palace and the Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunset. Meet other travellers at a hostel bar or a warung dinner in the evening.
🚌Airport shared shuttle or Grab from DPS to Ubud (~£8-10)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Ubud (~£10-15/night)
- →Campuhan Ridge Walk
- →Ubud Monkey Forest
- →Ubud Palace
- →Hostel social night
Ubud free day — temples, rice terraces & cooking
Ubud, Bali
Use this as your flexible deep-dive day. Self-book the experiences that the tour sells as extras: a half-day Balinese cooking class via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£18-25), a spiritual tour to a local foundation where you learn to make traditional prayer offerings (~£15-20), or rent a scooter (~£4/day) and explore Tegallalang or the quieter Sidemen rice terraces. Evening: catch a traditional Balinese dance performance at Ubud Palace (~£4-5).
🚌Walking, scooter rental (~£4) or Grab within Ubud
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, central Ubud (~£10-15/night)
- →Balinese cooking class (self-booked via GetYourGuide/Klook)
- →Widya Guna-style offering-making workshop
- →Tegallalang rice terraces by scooter
- →Balinese dance performance at Ubud Palace
Ubud → Lombok → Tempasan village
Tempasan, Lombok
Travel day. Take a Grab or shared bemo to Padang Bai or Serangan harbour (~£5-8), then the fast boat to Lombok (Gili-bound boats often route via Gili Trawangan; alternatively book the Padang Bai-Lembar fast boat, ~£18-25, 2-2.5 hrs). From Lembar or Bangsal, a shared bemo or chartered van takes you inland to Tempasan village (~£8-12). Settle into your village homestay and join your hosts for a group-style family dinner — the same warmth the tour's group dinner gives you.
🚌Grab to harbour (~£6) + fast boat (~£20) + shared bemo to Tempasan (~£10)
🛏Village homestay in Tempasan (~£8-12/night, often includes meals)
- →Fast boat crossing to Lombok
- →Tempasan village arrival
- →Family dinner with homestay hosts
Tempasan village life & rice terrace walk
Tempasan, Lombok
Walk the rice field paths with a local guide (arrange through your homestay, ~£5-8) — the same route the tour's CEO leads. Learn about planting and harvesting from village farmers, sample fruit from the surrounding plantations, then join local women for a traditional Lombok weaving demonstration and a home-cooked lunch. The afternoon is free for hammock time, waterfall dips or just soaking up village rhythm.
🚌Walking
🛏Village homestay in Tempasan (~£8-12/night)
- →Guided rice terrace walk
- →Weaving demonstration with local women
- →Village lunch
- →Fruit plantation visit
Tempasan → Tetebatu, jungle & waterfalls
Tetebatu, Lombok
Head north-east to the cool highland village of Tetebatu on the slopes of Rinjani — a short shared bemo or ojek ride (~£4-6). This is the jungle-trek and rice-terrace heart of Lombok the tour taps into. Afternoon guided walk through Monkey Forest and the Sindang Gila waterfall (~£6-10 with a local guide), or try river tubing on the local irrigation canals (~£10-15). Bonfire and Bintang with your new guesthouse mates in the evening.
🚌Shared bemo/ojek Tempasan to Tetebatu (~£5)
🛏Highland guesthouse or homestay, Tetebatu (~£10-14/night)
- →Tetebatu jungle walk
- →Sindang Gila waterfall
- →Optional river tubing
- →Bonfire evening
Rinjani foothills or rest day
Tetebatu / Senaru, Lombok
Pick your thrill. Serious hikers can start a 2D/1N Rinjani crater-rim trek from Senaru with a local operator (~£90-130, booked direct — this is the biggest optional expense), while a lighter option is a day hike in the foothills to hidden waterfalls and rice paddies (~£12-18). Alternatively, take a slow day: coffee, reading, and village wandering. Transport to Senaru by shared van (~£5).
🚌Shared van or ojek to trailhead/Senaru (~£5)
🛏Highland guesthouse or homestay, Tetebatu/Senaru (~£10-14/night)
- →Optional Rinjani crater-rim trek
- →Foothills day hike
- →Coffee plantation visit
- →Slow village day
Gili Trawangan & three-island snorkel trip
Gili Trawangan
Transfer to the coast and take the public boat or fast boat across to Gili Trawangan (from Bangsal ~£3 by public boat, or ~£12 by fast boat, 20-40 mins). Book the classic three-island snorkel trip (self-bookable on arrival or via Klook, ~£12-18) covering Turtle Point on Gili Trawangan, the calm waters of Gili Meno, and the coral reefs of Gili Air. Back on Gili T, watch the sunset from the west beach and eat at the night market.
🚌Bangsal to Gili Trawangan public/fast boat (~£3-12)
🛏Hostel or budget bungalow, Gili Trawangan (~£12-20/night)
- →Three-island snorkel trip (Trawangan, Meno, Air)
- →Turtle Point snorkelling
- →Gili Trawangan sunset
- →Night market dinner
Gili Islands free day
Gili Trawangan / Gili Air
A full free day to do the islands your way. Rent a bike and circle Gili T (no motorised vehicles — ~£3/day), take a freediving or diving intro course (~£45-70), kayak or paddleboard, or hop over to car-free Gili Air for a quieter beach day. Snorkel straight off the beach for turtles and reef fish for free. Evening: beach bar and live music.
🚌Bike rental (~£3) or local island boat to Gili Air (~£3 each way)
🛏Hostel or budget bungalow, Gili Trawangan (~£12-20/night)
- →Bike around Gili Trawangan
- →Optional diving/freediving intro
- →Beach snorkelling
- →Gili Air day trip
- →Beach bar evening
Departure — Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan → Bali
Trip ends. If you're heading back to Bali, self-book the Gili Trawangan-Kuta/Bali fast boat + shuttle combo (widely sold locally or via 12Go/Klook, ~£25-35, 2.5-3.5 hrs) — the same route the tour sells as an optional 'Bali Express' extra. Otherwise fly out of Lombok's LOP airport via a shared boat and shuttle to Mataram (~£10-15).
🚌Gili T to Bali fast boat + shuttle (~£25-35) or to Lombok airport (~£12)
🛏Not included — onward travel
- →Fast boat back to Bali (self-booked)
- →Or shuttle to Lombok airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£319 | £449 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £130 per person (29%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£319
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ubud to Lombok: Temples, Jungles & Island Vibes (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £319 per person for 9 days in Indonesia (Bali & Lombok). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £449 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £319 — a saving of roughly £130 (29%) per person.
How long is the Indonesia (Bali & Lombok) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Indonesia (Bali & Lombok).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, beaches trip through Indonesia (Bali & Lombok), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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