REVIEW · MONKEY FOREST TOURS

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch

5.0 · 295 reviews From $75 Operated by Hire Bali Driver · Bookable on Viator
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ATVs, monkeys, and a temple in one Ubud day. This full-day combo sends you on a quad bike ride through rice fields, jungle, rivers, and villages, then layers in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and a Hindu temple stop, all without you needing to organize transport.

What I like most is the way the day is put together to help you actually enjoy it. You get door-to-door transfers, plus professional safety gear and an instructor, so the thrill comes with structure instead of chaos.

One consideration: it is a long day, about 10 hours, and the ATV portion is real work. If you are on the heavier side, doing tandem, or not feeling great physically, plan for tougher climbs and bumps.

Key things to know before you go

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Key things to know before you go

  • Quad biking near Ubud with nature variety: rice fields, jungle sections, villages, and even tunnel or waterfall-type scenery can show up on the route.
  • Safety gear and an instructor included: helmet, boots, and a guided setup mean you ride with confidence.
  • Shower and changing room after the ride: you can rinse off and get comfortable before temples and photos.
  • Monkey Forest is a shaded wildlife walk: expect macaques alongside birds, lizards, and butterflies on the forest paths.
  • Puseh Batuan Temple adds culture, fast: a short but meaningful temple visit with local context from your guide.
  • A substantial local buffet lunch is included: you refuel at a restaurant setting with rice paddy views.

Ubud ATV and temple combo, and what $75 buys you

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Ubud ATV and temple combo, and what $75 buys you
At $75 per person, this is one of those Ubud days where the value comes from stacking experiences together. You are not just buying a quad bike ride. You are also paying for admission tickets at the Monkey Forest, the temple visit, and a full day of transport plus lunch.

What makes it feel like a deal is that a bunch of the “little costs” are already handled. The price includes all taxes and fees, hotel pickup and drop-off, and things that are often extra on adventure tours, like insurance coverage and a locker plus shower and changing room after the ride. You also get a professional instructor, which matters because ATV riding is not the kind of activity where you want to freestyle your way through safety basics.

The whole day is designed for a smooth rhythm: ride first, clean up, then shift gears into slower, cultural stops. If you want a memorable Ubud experience without spending your holiday bouncing between separate bookings, this format is a good fit.

Morning quad ride near Ubud: terrain, timing, and real effort

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Morning quad ride near Ubud: terrain, timing, and real effort
The core of the day is the ATV adventure with a professional instructor and full safety gear. You ride from a base about 20 minutes north of Ubud, in an area described as less touristic and more about real surroundings.

The fun comes from variety. You are not stuck on one kind of road. Expect a mix of rice field scenery, jungle sections, river crossings or river-area tracks, and village roads. Route details can include a tunnel and waterfall-type scenery. Based on what you can see during the ride, you should also be prepared for more rugged moments, like cave-style scenery, muddy patches, and at least one lookout break where everyone can reset.

Practical tip: plan to ride with confidence, but also with respect for the bike. Even when the group is guided, you will feel the bumps. One review note pointed out that dual-seaters should watch combined weight because a smaller ATV may struggle on steeper climbs. Translation for you: if you are tandem riding or you are near the top end of the weight range, go steady and expect slower moments on hills.

Safety gear and instruction: why it changes the whole ride

On an ATV tour, safety is not just a checkbox. It is the difference between feeling brave and feeling stressed.

Here, you get helmet and boots, plus guidance from the instructor before you hit the route. You also get a locker during the activity. Afterward, you have a shower and changing room, which is a big deal if you want to keep the day enjoyable instead of spending the afternoon smelling like wet dust and engine grime.

Another small but important point: the tour includes insurance coverage. You are still doing an active, outdoor ride, but it gives peace of mind that the operator has thought about risk management.

You will also get help from your guide on the cultural side later. Names you may be paired with include Krisda, Ardy, Radi, Desna, Leo, and Eka. People highlighted things like punctual pickup, clear English, and keeping explanations friendly and understandable, not lecturing. If you get one of those guides, you will likely feel like the day is well-paced.

The part people forget: rinsing off before Monkey Forest and temple

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - The part people forget: rinsing off before Monkey Forest and temple
ATV riding can get messy. Even on a good day, you are dealing with dust, mud, and humidity. This tour gives you something rare for adventure days in Bali: the chance to shower and change.

That means you can go from adrenaline to photography without the grim reality of changing into temple-appropriate clothes while still sweaty and coated in trail dust. You also get to store belongings in a locker during the ride, so you are not carrying a phone and bag around in your hands.

If you are wearing contacts, sweat a lot, or you simply hate the feeling of grit on your skin, the shower setup is a serious quality-of-life upgrade. It also makes the later wildlife and temple stops more comfortable, especially if the afternoon gets humid.

More Quad Bike Rides in Ubud

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary: a shaded wildlife walk, not just selfies

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary: a shaded wildlife walk, not just selfies
The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary visit is about one hour, and it is a classic Ubud contrast after the ATV. Instead of motion, you get shade, paths, and wildlife sounds drifting through the trees.

This is not a sterile zoo setup. The sanctuary is a forest environment where you can see monkeys up in the canopy, plus other animals like birds, lizards, and butterflies moving through the greenery. The paths are under shade, so it is easier to enjoy the walk without baking in full sun.

How to enjoy it smoothly:

  • Move at a calm pace. Monkeys can be fast, and rushing makes the encounter more stressful.
  • Keep your phone and camera secure. If you are constantly holding gear up, you lose the chance to actually look around and enjoy the forest.
  • Watch where you step. Forest paths can be slippery after rain, and you do not want to spend your temple time dealing with sore ankles.

One more tip: do the photo thinking early. In one hour, the best shots usually come when you are patient at a single spot, rather than sprinting to chase every monkey that turns its head.

Puseh Batuan Temple: a short stop with strong cultural context

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Puseh Batuan Temple: a short stop with strong cultural context
After the forest, the day shifts into Hindu temple territory with Puseh Batuan Temple. This stop is about 35 minutes and is described as one of the three main temples at Batuan village, with a story tied to Hindu pride.

Temple visits in Bali can feel confusing if you only see buildings and carvings, because the meaning is in the details and the local tradition. What helps here is that your guide is there to explain what you are seeing in a practical, human way, not in a lecture voice.

When you’re at Puseh Batuan, slow down for the basics:

  • Look at the structure and placement in the compound. You are trying to understand the temple’s role, not just take a quick picture.
  • Notice offerings and the way people move through the space.
  • Take a moment to look beyond the main view, since Balinese temples often have layered details that reveal themselves when you turn slowly.

If you are the kind of traveler who likes culture but does not want the day to become a long history seminar, this length makes sense. You get context and meaning without burning the whole afternoon.

Lunch after the ride: buffet, local food, and rice paddy views

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Lunch after the ride: buffet, local food, and rice paddy views
Lunch is included and is described as a substantial buffet. It is local lunch, so you should expect the kind of comfort-focused variety that works well after a physically demanding morning.

The best part, at least for your mood, is the setting. One key detail highlighted is that lunch happens at a restaurant with views of rice paddies. That matters more than you might think. After ATV dust and jungle air, sitting down with a plate of food and looking out over the terraces helps reset your body and your brain.

Practical advice: pace yourself. You have another set of cultural stops afterward, and it is easy to overdo it when food is buffet-style and you are hungry. A balanced plate will help you stay comfortable walking through Monkey Forest pathways and getting around the temple area.

Also, alcoholic drinks are not included, but they are available to purchase. If you plan to drink, do it with timing in mind. You will be in the sun for parts of the day.

Door-to-door transfers and Ubud traffic: how to make the timing work

Gorilla Cave ATV Bali Ubud, Monkey Forest, Temple, and Lunch - Door-to-door transfers and Ubud traffic: how to make the timing work
This tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, which is a big value point in Bali. Ubud roads can be unpredictable, and not having to figure out transport beats the stress out of your day.

The full duration is about 10 hours. That includes travel time, the ATV activity (around 2 hours), Monkey Forest (about 1 hour), and the temple stop (about 35 minutes), plus breaks like shower time and lunch.

Want the day to feel less rushed? Start earlier when you can. One traveler noted that booking an 8:00 a.m. start helped, because it can make the group feel less crowded. You may not control every detail, but choosing an early time slot often gives you the best shot at a calmer experience and more comfortable heat management later.

Since the activity is described as private, you will be doing the day with your group, not mingling with strangers like a big bus tour. That makes it easier to move at your pace, ask questions, and get the most out of each stop.

Guides you might meet, and why they matter

On a day like this, your guide is not just a driver. They shape your experience across three different modes: adventure, wildlife, and culture.

Several guide names came up again and again, including Krisda, Ardy, Radi, Desna, Leo, Aaron, Eka, and Kanu. People specifically liked guides who:

  • Arrive on time and keep the day moving.
  • Explain temple meaning and cultural beliefs in an understandable way.
  • Speak English well and answer questions.
  • Make the ride feel organized and safe, not chaotic.

If you care about learning as you go, a good guide can turn Monkey Forest from a monkey photo sprint into an actually interesting forest walk. And at Puseh Batuan Temple, the right explanation can make carvings and spaces feel purposeful instead of random.

Who this tour suits best, and who should think twice

This is an adventure day, so it fits best when you want a mix of adrenaline and culture. It is also built for moderate physical fitness.

Here’s what you need to know about eligibility:

  • Minimum age for a single ride is 16.
  • Children age 9 to 15 must have an adult present and typically ride tandem.
  • There is a maximum age of 59.
  • Maximum weight is 165 kg.
  • You should have moderate physical fitness for the ride portion.
  • If you plan tandem rides, you must book in even numbers for tandem, like 2, 4, 6, and so on.

If you are comfortable riding in uneven terrain, getting a little dirty, and walking short distances inside a forest sanctuary, you will probably love the day format.

If you dislike heights or rough terrain, or you are not steady on your feet, you might find the ATV segment more stressful than fun. And if you are doing tandem, pay extra attention to combined weight, because steeper climbs can be harder on certain bikes.

Should you book this Ubud ATV, Monkey Forest, and temple day?

I would book this if you want one well-structured day that covers the big Ubud hits without logistics headaches. The value is in the bundle: quad bike thrills near Ubud, a one-hour Monkey Forest walk with wildlife, a temple stop with cultural context, and lunch with rice paddy views. Add door-to-door transfers plus shower and changing room, and it stops being a “rough adventure day” and turns into a complete experience.

You should think twice if you want something gentle, or if you are not comfortable with an ATV ride that can get bumpy, muddy, and physically demanding. Also consider the tandem and combined weight note if you are riding double.

If you are picking your Ubud days strategically, this is a great one to slot in when you want your energy, not your quiet time. It gives you a full slice of Ubud, and you come away with stories that are more than just another scenic stop.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour runs about 10 hours approximately.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $75.00 per person.

What does the ATV portion include?

You get a professional quad bike instructor and safety gear, including a helmet and boots. The price also includes a locker, shower, and changing room.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch is included. It is described as local lunch and a substantial buffet.

Are tickets for the Monkey Forest and temple included?

Yes, admission tickets for the Monkey Forest and Puseh Batuan Temple are included.

What are the age requirements for riding?

Minimum age for a single ride is 16. Children age 9-15 must have an adult present/ tandem.

Are there weight limits?

Yes. The maximum weight is 165 kg.

Can adults bring alcohol?

Alcoholic drinks are not included, but they are available to purchase.

What is the cancellation policy?

Free cancellation is available. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and changes within 24 hours are not accepted.

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