Ubud · Temple
Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring: A Visitor’s Guide to Bali’s Cliff Shrines
Ten 11th-century royal shrines cut into the cliffs of the Pakerisan valley, 300 steps down.
By The Bali Guideline Editorial TeamUpdated 16 October 2026
Overview
Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring, before you go.
Gunung Kawi is an 11th-century complex of ten shrines carved into the cliffs of the Pakerisan River at Tampaksiring, about 18 km north-east of Ubud and 1.5 km from Tirta Empul. Reaching it means about 300 steps down through rice terraces, and the same back up. It is worth it for anyone who likes history and quiet river valleys, less so if stairs are hard on your knees.
Gunung Kawi is one of the oldest monuments in Bali, and one of the most unusual. Instead of building shrines from stacked stone, its makers cut them straight out of the cliffs on both sides of the Pakerisan River: ten candi, each a temple facade standing in its own niche about 7 m high. They date to the 11th century, when the Udayana (Warmadewa) dynasty ruled Bali. King Udayana and Queen Mahendradatta had three sons: Airlangga, who became king in East Java, and Marakata and Anak Wungsu, who ruled Bali in turn. Work is thought to have begun under Marakata and finished under Anak Wungsu, who reigned until about 1080.
Guides often call the candi royal tombs, but they are memorials, places where dead kings were honored as deified ancestors. On the northernmost shrine of the east bank, an inscription in Kediri script reads haji lumah ing jalu, usually read as “the king enshrined at Jalu”, and the second shrine reads rwa nakira, “his two children”. Scholars still argue over who is honored where. One view gives the five east-bank shrines to Udayana and his family, another to Anak Wungsu and his queens; the four on the west bank are thought to be for lesser queens, and a tenth, set apart to the south, for a high official. An inscription of 1023 mentions a hermitage called Amarawati on the Pakerisan, and archaeologists identify it with the monks’ cells carved beside the shrines. Balinese folklore has a shorter story: the giant Kebo Iwa carved the shrines in a single night.
Dutch researcher H.T. Damsté documented the site in 1920. Today it lies within the Pakerisan watershed area of Bali’s UNESCO World Heritage listing for the subak rice-irrigation landscape, inscribed in 2012, and it is still a temple. Balinese bring offerings, holy water from the valley is used in ceremonies, and everyone wears a sarong, which comes with the ticket.
The visit is mostly a walk. From the ticket booth by the car park, a stone stairway of about 300 steps drops past warungs, souvenir stalls and rice terraces to the river. You reach the four west-bank shrines first, cross a small bridge to the five on the east bank and a working temple, then follow the path along the river to a short loop through the paddies. Plan on 1 to 1.5 hours.
Know the catches. The climb back up is steep and hot by late morning, and there is nothing to buy at the bottom. The ticket has risen: foreign adults paid IDR 50,000 in early 2025, and the regency’s ticket portal now lists IDR 75,000. And do not mix it up with Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, a flat spring temple with bathing pools about 4.5 km north-west, which shares the name but has no cliff shrines. Gunung Kawi is far calmer than Tirta Empul, 1.5 km up the road, and together they make the best temple morning around Ubud.
- Opening hours
- Daily about 8 am–6 pm (checked Oct 2026)
- Ticket
- IDR 75,000 adults, IDR 50,000 children 5–11 (checked Oct 2026)
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours, including about 300 steps each way
- Best time
- Before 10 am or after 4 pm; dry season April–October
- Dress code
- Sarong and sash required (included with the ticket)
- Location
- Tampaksiring, 18 km north-east of Ubud (30–40 min)
Banjar Penaka, Tampaksiring, Gianyar Regency, Bali 80552, Indonesia
Open in Google MapsWhat to See
What to see at Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring.
- 01
The stairway through the rice terraces
The visit starts at the ticket booth near the car park, where you collect a sarong and sash with your ticket. From there a stone stairway of about 300 steps, with handrails in places, drops toward the river between warungs, souvenir stalls and terraced paddies. Going down takes about 7 minutes at a steady pace, or 15 with photo stops. The terraces are at their best on the way down in the morning, before the sun is high over the valley.
- 02
The four shrines on the west bank
At the foot of the stairs, the first group stands on the side you came down: four candi carved into the cliff and facing east across the river. Each is a temple facade cut from the soft padas rock, not a building you can enter, set in a niche about 7 m high. Bali’s provincial tourism site says a small chamber below each holds a stone plaque with nine holes. This bank also has a bathing pool and a water spout.
- 03
The five royal shrines on the east bank
Cross the small stone bridge over the Pakerisan and you reach the main group: five candi in a row, facing west. The northernmost carries the inscription haji lumah ing jalu, read as a king enshrined at Jalu, and the second the words rwa nakira, his two children. One theory gives the five to King Udayana, Queen Mahendradatta and their sons, another to Anak Wungsu and his queens. Like the others, each carries nine stylized lingam-yoni symbols on its roof.
- 04
The hermit cells of Amarawati
The second part of the site is easy to miss: niches and small rooms cut into the cliff, believed to be the hermitage that an inscription of 1023 calls Amarawati. The main cell is a cave with a long stone altar inside, and other rooms open onto a carved courtyard with small window openings. Monks and priests are thought to have meditated here, and some archaeologists link the cells to Buddhist practice, a sign of how Hindu and Buddhist ideas mixed in 11th-century Bali.
- 05
The tenth shrine to the south
Most visitors count nine, but there is a tenth candi, set apart to the south of the main groups at a hermitage site known as Geria Pedanda. Archaeologists call it the tenth tomb, and a short inscription reading rakryan, a title for a high royal official, suggests it honored a chief minister rather than a member of the royal family. Ask at the bottom of the stairs for the path, and allow extra time and energy for the detour.
- 06
The working temple and holy water
Across the bridge, beside the east-bank shrines, stands a working temple with ordinary Balinese shrines and pavilions; on one 2025 visit, locals were making offerings in an open pavilion. Holy water from the valley is still used in ceremonies, and south of the site the Pakerisan meets the Bulan river at a campuhan, a confluence Hindus use for self-purification. Do not enter the inner courtyards unless you come to pray, and step aside for anyone carrying offerings.
- 07
The river path and rice-terrace loop
Past the east-bank shrines, the path follows the Pakerisan into the trees, with the river on your left, and ends with a short loop of about five minutes through a rice terrace. It is the quietest corner of the site and the best place to see how shrines, river and paddies fit together, which is what the UNESCO listing protects. A 2025 visitor guide also noted swings and a zipline along the path, sold separately.
Seasons
Best time to visit Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring.
Come before 10 am or after 4 pm. The valley is open to the sun, and the climb back up at midday is the hardest part of the visit. Gunung Kawi rarely feels crowded: in 2022 the site’s coordinator counted 150 to 200 foreign visitors a day in July and up to 400 in early August, the peak. For a temple morning, see Tirta Empul at its 8 am opening, before its pools fill, then drive the 1.5 km here by about 9:30.
April to October, the dry season, is best for the stairs and the river path. From November to March, afternoon downpours are common in the hills around Tampaksiring, and the stone steps turn slippery after rain. Go in the morning in the wet season, and wear shoes with grip.
The temple’s anniversary (piodalan) falls around the full moon of Katiga, the third month of the Balinese calendar, when the shrines are dressed and local families come to pray; ask your driver or hotel for the date. Galungan and Kuningan, next on 13 and 23 January 2027, also bring worshippers. On Nyepi, 8 March 2027, the whole island stays home and nobody travels.
Getting There
How to get to Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring.
| From | Time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Central Ubud | 30–40 min | About 18 km north-east by car or scooter, either through Tegallalang or south-east through Bedulu and Pejeng on the Tampaksiring road. Most people come with a driver hired for the day. |
| Tirta Empul | About 5 min | About 1.5 km south by road on the Tampaksiring main road. You can walk it in about 20 minutes, but the road is busy, so most people drive between the two. |
| Bali airport (DPS) | 1.5–2.5 hours | About 52 km by car through Denpasar and Gianyar. Pre-book a driver; traffic around Denpasar decides the time. |
| Seminyak or Canggu | 1.5–2.5 hours | About 46–47 km by car. Leave by 7 am to see Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi before the midday heat, and stop at Tegallalang on the way back. |
| Sanur | 1–1.5 hours | About 38 km by car north through Gianyar regency. |
| Uluwatu or Nusa Dua | 2–3 hours | About 59–68 km by car. Too far for a quick visit; plan it during a night or two in Ubud instead. |
| Kintamani (Penelokan) | 30–40 min | About 18 km south by car on the main road down from the caldera rim. An easy stop after a Mount Batur sunrise trek, if your legs can take the stairs. |
Getting around Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring
Cars and scooters park in a small lot next to the entrance; 2025 reports put parking at IDR 2,000 for a scooter and IDR 5,000 for a car. Warungs and souvenir stalls line the way to the ticket booth and the top of the stairs, and there are toilets along the path down. After that it is about 300 steps each way, with no café or shop at the bottom, so this is not a site for wheelchairs, strollers or anyone who struggles with long stairways.
A driver hired for the day is the simplest way to visit, and lets you add Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi Sebatu, Tegallalang and Goa Gajah on the same loop. Grab and Gojek will drop you here, but Tampaksiring is well outside central Ubud, so a ride back can take a while to find; book your return before you go down, or keep your driver. On a scooter, the roads from Ubud are good but busy with trucks and tour vans.
You do not need a guide; the layout is simple and the two banks are joined by one bridge. Locals near the entrance offer to guide visitors, which helps if you want the inscriptions and the hermit cells explained. There is no official rate, so agree on a price before you start down.
Know Before You Go
Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring tips that save time and trouble.
- 01Bring water and a hat. The warungs are at the top, and there is nothing to buy in the valley.
- 02Wear shoes or sandals with grip; the stone steps are slippery after rain.
- 03Carry small cash for the ticket and parking. The regency also sells tickets online through its Gianyar Tourism Ticket portal.
- 04Tell your driver “Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring” or “Candi Tebing Gunung Kawi”, not just “Gunung Kawi”, or you may end up at Gunung Kawi Sebatu.
- 05Women who are menstruating should not enter the temple, by Balinese custom.
- 06Take off your shoes where asked, do not climb on the shrines, and stay out of inner courtyards unless you come to pray.
- 07At the foot of the stairs you may be offered holy water to sprinkle on your head; joining in is optional.
- 08Start down by 5 pm, so you are back at the top before the 6 pm closing.
- 09Some sources list a 7 am opening, but the official listing says 8 am, so do not plan around the earlier time.
FAQ
Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring questions, answered.
How much is the Gunung Kawi entrance fee?
IDR 75,000 for foreign adults and IDR 50,000 for children aged 5 to 11, with children under five free (checked Oct 2026). The ticket includes a sarong and sash. Foreign adults paid IDR 50,000 as recently as early 2025, so older guides are out of date. Indonesian visitors pay less. Add about IDR 5,000 for car parking.
What are Gunung Kawi’s opening hours?
Daily from about 8 am to 6 pm (checked Oct 2026). Some sources list 7 am, but Indonesia’s tourism board gives 8 am. Arrive before 10 am or after 4 pm to avoid climbing the stairs in the midday heat, and start down by 5 pm so you are back at the top before closing.
How many steps are there at Gunung Kawi?
About 300 stone steps each way. Counts vary between sources, from about 270 to 371, and Indonesian media usually say 315. The stairway is steep, with handrails in places, and takes 7 to 15 minutes going down. The climb back up is harder, especially at midday, so bring water and take breaks on the way.
What is the difference between Gunung Kawi and Gunung Kawi Sebatu?
They are two different temples about 4.5 km apart. Gunung Kawi in Tampaksiring is the 11th-century site with ten shrines cut into the river cliffs, reached by about 300 steps. Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, in Sebatu village near Tegallalang, is a flat spring temple to Vishnu with bathing pools and koi ponds, and costs IDR 50,000 for adults (checked Oct 2026).
Is Gunung Kawi worth visiting?
Yes, if you like history and can manage the stairs. The rock-cut shrines are unlike anything else in Bali, the setting in the Pakerisan valley is green and quiet, and it is much less crowded than Tirta Empul. Skip it if steps are hard for you, or if you only have time for one temple and want a living ritual; then choose Tirta Empul.
Are the Gunung Kawi shrines tombs?
Not in the usual sense, although guides often call them royal tombs. The candi are memorials where dead kings of the Udayana dynasty were honored as deified ancestors. They are thought to honor King Anak Wungsu and his queens, or King Udayana and his family, with the tenth shrine linked to a high official. The site is still used for worship today.
What should I wear to Gunung Kawi?
Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, plus the sarong and sash included with your ticket; men need them too. Wear shoes or sandals with good grip for the stone steps, which get slippery after rain. You may be asked to take your shoes off in sacred areas, so slip-ons make that easier.
How far is Gunung Kawi from Ubud and Tirta Empul?
About 18 km north-east of central Ubud, a drive of 30 to 40 minutes, and about 1.5 km south of Tirta Empul, five minutes by car. From the airport, Seminyak or Canggu it is about 46 to 52 km and 1.5 to 2.5 hours, so most people visit from an Ubud base or on a full-day trip.
How long do you need at Gunung Kawi?
Plan on 1 to 1.5 hours, including about 15 minutes down the stairs and a slower climb back. Add 30 minutes or more if you walk to the tenth shrine or stop at a warung at the top. Allow another hour or two if you pair it with Tirta Empul up the road.
Can you visit Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul on the same day?
Yes, and most visitors do. The two temples are about 1.5 km apart on the same road and use the same Pakerisan river. See Tirta Empul at its 8 am opening, before its pools fill, then reach Gunung Kawi by about 9:30, before the stairs get hot. Each ticket includes its own sarong.
Is Gunung Kawi a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
It is part of one. Gunung Kawi lies within the Pakerisan watershed area of the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province, the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Bali’s subak rice-irrigation system, inscribed in 2012. The listing covers the temples, rice fields and water channels together, which is why the terraces around the shrines matter as much as the stone.
Nearby
Where to go after Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring.
Places close by that fit into the same trip, with honest travel times.
About 5 min by car (1.5 km)
Tirta Empul
The spring temple upriver where visitors join Balinese families in the melukat purification ritual.
Visitor guide10–15 min by car (4.5 km)
Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu
The other Gunung Kawi: a flat, quiet spring temple to Vishnu with bathing pools and koi ponds.
15–20 min by car (6 km)
Tegallalang Rice Terrace
Bali’s most photographed terraces, best before 9 am and an easy stop on the way back to Ubud.
Visitor guide25–35 min by car (13 km)
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
Another 11th-century rock-cut sanctuary, with a demon-face doorway and old bathing pools, in Bedulu.
Visitor guide30–40 min by car (18 km)
Kintamani and Mount Batur
Views across the caldera and Lake Batur from the Penelokan ridge, or the sunrise trek up the volcano.
Visitor guideAbout 30 min by car (16 km)
Penglipuran Village
A Bangli village of matching family compounds along a stone-paved street, with a bamboo forest behind it.
More in Ubud
Plan the rest of your time in Ubud.
Area guide
Ubud travel guide
Read the guide
Nature
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Visitor guide
Temple
Tirta Empul
Visitor guide
Viewpoint
Tegallalang Rice Terrace
Visitor guide
Temple
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
Visitor guide
Nature
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Visitor guide
Nature
Tegenungan Waterfall
Visitor guide
Culture
Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)
Visitor guide
Nature
Tukad Cepung Waterfall
Visitor guide
Read Next
More Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring guides.
How we researched this
Sources and fact checks.
Prices, opening hours, show times and travel times in this Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring guide were checked against official sites, government tourism pages and recent reporting on 16 October 2026. Where sources disagreed, we give the official figure and say so. Rankings are our editorial judgment, set out in our editorial policy.
We re-check the guide at least every three months and whenever we hear about a change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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