Bali: Ubud Gorilla Face ATV and Ayung Rafting Trip with Meal

Bali’s Gorilla Face ATV and Ayung River rafting trip packs two very different adventures into one long day. First comes a muddy quad-bike ride through rice fields, jungle paths, puddles, and the distinctive Gorilla Face Cave. Then you trade wheels for a raft and follow the Ayung River past jungle walls and waterfalls.

I like the way the tour gives you both speed and scenery. The ATV ride is noisy, bumpy, and gloriously messy, while the rafting is cooler, greener, and more social. I also like the practical setup: showers, towels, lockers, safety equipment, bottled water, and lunch are provided.

The main drawback is the climb to and from the river. The walk is described as 15 to 20 minutes, but that can mean several hundred steep steps. If your knees, back, or fitness level are a concern, this detail matters more than the low price.

Key points to know before booking

• Two headline activities: A 1.5-hour ATV ride is followed by 2.5 hours of rafting on the Ayung River.
• Gorilla Face Cave: The quad-bike route includes a memorable cave section, along with mud, water, rice fields, and forest tracks.
• Tandem or solo riding: You can share an ATV or drive your own, though an odd-numbered tandem booking may leave one person riding solo for an extra charge.
• The river walk is strenuous: Prepare for a steep descent and ascent, with some people counting more than 300 steps down and 400 or more back up.
• Strong guide and driver service: Guides including Alit, Ady, Dony, Rambo, Darma, and Rambo are praised for patience, safety, and humor, while drivers such as Tugus and Gede often add helpful local advice.
• Good-value inclusions: Lunch, showers, towels, lockers, equipment, and bottled water are included, while photos and videos cost extra.

Two Ubud adventures in one day

This tour is best understood as an outdoor activity day rather than a quiet visit to Ubud. You are not simply looking at Bali’s countryside from a car window. You are driving through wet tracks and paddling through a river corridor, with plenty of mud and physical effort along the way.

The basic package includes the ATV ride, rafting, equipment, guide service, showers, changing rooms, lockers, towels, bottled water, and a meal of fried rice or fried noodles. Optional hotel pickup and drop-off are available from Ubud, Sanur, Kuta, Canggu, Seminyak, Legian, and Kintamani.

The advertised price starts at about $19 per person, which is remarkably low for two organized activities with lunch and facilities. Check the exact option carefully before paying, since the duration can range from 150 minutes to eight hours and transport or tandem arrangements can change the final cost.

Starting with the Gorilla Face ATV route

At the ATV base, you receive a safety briefing and the equipment needed for the ride. You can choose a solo quad or share a tandem vehicle with a friend. Tandem riding suits couples and friends who want to talk and take turns, while solo riding gives you more control and usually feels more like an actual driving activity.

If you book tandems with an odd number of people, one person must ride alone. An additional charge may apply on site, so groups of three, five, or another odd number should check this point before booking.

The ride lasts about 1.5 hours. Expect a mixture of surfaces rather than one continuous jungle track. The route includes rice paddy areas, puddles, muddy sections, forest paths, riverside sections, and the Gorilla Face Cave. Some sections are built as an activity track, with bumps, water, and repeated circuits, while other stretches pass through more open countryside and small residential areas.

That mixture is part of the appeal, but it also explains why this is not a silent nature tour. The quad bikes are loud, and one detailed account found the noise uncomfortable beside homes and working fields. You should book this for the driving fun, not for a peaceful walk through rural Bali.

The mud is not a minor possibility. Bring clothes you are happy to dirty, plus a complete change for afterward. The supplied showers, towels, and changing rooms make the mess manageable, and the muddy sections are a major part of the fun for many people.

Guides adjust the pace to the group. One guide, Lolette, was especially patient with riders who had trouble controlling the bikes at first. That is useful if you have never driven an ATV. Other guides, including Ade, Darma, and Ady, are frequently praised for keeping an eye on safety while still making the route playful.

The ATVs are not brand-new machines. One account describes a quad that stopped several times, and another says the vehicles can feel used. Staff are described as helpful when problems occur, but you should accept that this is an active, muddy operation rather than a polished motorsport facility.

Showers, lockers, and the changeover

After the ATV ride, you can clean up and change before continuing to the river. Lockers are provided, which is important because you do not want a phone, wallet, or dry clothing bouncing around during the ride.

Bring at least one change of clothes. I would bring two if you are using hotel pickup, since the ATV route can leave you muddy and the rafting will leave you wet again. Flip-flops or water shoes are required for rafting, and comfortable clothing is more useful than anything smart or delicate.

You should also bring cash for possible extra charges and personal purchases. Photos and videos are not included, so decide in advance if you want to buy the activity images.

Rafting the Ayung River for 2.5 hours

The rafting section is the stronger half of the day for many people. The Ayung is Bali’s longest river, and the route moves through a green river corridor with jungle views, waterfalls, and rushing water.

This is active rafting, but the descriptions suggest a manageable balance of excitement and calm rather than an extreme expedition. You can expect rapids, splashing, jokes between boats, and stretches where the scenery takes over. Some groups are also given a chance to swim in the river, depending on the activity conditions and guide instructions.

The raft guides are a big part of the experience. Rambo is praised for combining humor with careful handling, while Roma and Chap are described as energetic and experienced. The guides encourage people to get involved, but they also keep safety in view.

The river route is not all rapids. Calm sections give you time to look at the forest and waterfalls, while faster sections require you to follow the guide’s instructions. If you want a quiet scenic boat trip, the splashing and group play may be more than you expect. If you want an easygoing adventure with a few thrilling moments, the balance should suit you.

Now for the practical warning: reaching the water takes effort. You walk down a steep hill for roughly 15 to 20 minutes, then climb back up after rafting. Several people counted more than 300 steps down and 386 steps after the activity, while some estimates reached 400 to 500 steps on the return.

The exact number will vary with the route and how you count, but the message is clear. This is not suitable for anyone with serious knee, back, or mobility problems. Wear footwear that grips well, take your time, and do not treat the staircase as a small footnote.

Lunch after the river

After rafting, the group returns to the meeting point for a shower and lunch. The meal is fried rice or fried noodles, with bottled water included. The food is simple, filling, and suitable after several hours of physical activity.

Do not expect a full restaurant meal or included alcoholic drinks. One detailed account specifically noted that drinks beyond the supplied water were not included. If you need something else, carry cash.

The order of activities can be affected by weather. Drivers and staff have rearranged plans for some groups, and the driver may return you to the meeting point before lunch after the rafting section. You should follow the final schedule sent before the activity rather than assume the order shown at booking cannot change.

Hotel pickup and the long Bali day

Optional pickup is available from several popular areas. If you choose it, the time selected during booking is your actual hotel pickup time, not necessarily the time the ATV ride begins. Your driver should contact you the day before to confirm the details.

Pickup is useful because the activity can last up to eight hours, and combining two locations with your own transport would be inconvenient. Drivers such as Tugus, Alit, Gede, Agus, Sun, Eka, and Herry are repeatedly praised for being punctual, friendly, and helpful with bags and timing.

Some drivers also provide local suggestions or help adjust the schedule. Tugus, for example, is praised for explaining the plan clearly and even adding a coffee stop for one group. Treat such extras as a welcome bonus, not as part of the guaranteed itinerary.

Pickup and drop-off outside the listed coverage areas cost extra, payable directly to the driver. If you do not book pickup, you must arrange your own transport to the activity locations. Free parking is available if you arrive by scooter or car.

Is the $19 price good value?

At the starting price, this is one of the better-value ways to fill an activity day in Ubud. You get two guided excursions, equipment, facilities for changing and showering, bottled water, and lunch. A separate ATV tour plus separate rafting trip would usually take more planning and could cost more.

The value depends on what you want. You are paying for a busy, organized activity center experience, not a private expedition or a small-group cultural tour. The ATVs can feel well used, the route includes artificial track sections, and the river access involves a hard climb.

Transport can also change the cost. Pickup is convenient but may involve an additional fee outside the listed areas. Photos and videos are extra as well. Check the selected option, transport coverage, solo or tandem arrangement, and any on-site charges before you finalize the booking.

The cancellation terms are traveler-friendly: you can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Bali schedule is still moving around.

Who should book this activity?

I would choose this for an active couple, a group of friends, or a solo visitor who wants an easy way to meet people and fill a full day. The guides are used to helping first-time ATV riders and first-time rafters, so you do not need advanced experience.

Families with older children may also enjoy it, but the river stairs need serious thought. A 10-year-old and a 12-year-old have completed the activities safely, but the steep walk can be difficult for young children. The activity is not suitable for pregnant women, wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments, or people with back problems.

You should be comfortable getting muddy, wet, and tired. Bring water shoes or secure flip-flops for rafting, a camera if you want your own photos, cash, and dry clothing. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, and the activity runs in rain or shine.

Should you book the Gorilla Face ATV and rafting trip?

Book it if you want maximum action for a low starting price and like the idea of combining muddy driving with river rapids. The rafting gets the strongest praise, while the ATV route delivers the mess, bumps, cave, and adrenaline.

Think twice if you want a quiet countryside outing, dislike group activities, or cannot manage several hundred steep steps. For everyone else, the package offers a lot: two distinct adventures, friendly English-speaking guides, useful facilities, lunch, and the convenience of optional transport. Just prepare for the stairs, wear clothes you can sacrifice to the mud, and check the booking option for transport and tandem details.

FAQ

How long does the full activity take?

The listed duration ranges from 150 minutes to eight hours, depending on the option and transport arrangement. The ATV ride takes about 1.5 hours, and the rafting portion takes about 2.5 hours, not including transfers, changing, meals, and walking to the river.

How long is the ATV ride?

The ATV portion lasts about 1.5 hours. It includes rice paddies, muddy tracks, puddles, jungle paths, riverside areas, and Gorilla Face Cave.

Can I ride an ATV alone?

Yes. You can choose a solo ATV or ride tandem with another person. For tandem bookings with an odd number of participants, one person must ride solo and an additional charge may apply on site.

Is rafting experience required?

The tour includes a safety briefing, equipment, and a live guide in English or Indonesian. The supplied information does not require previous rafting experience.

How difficult is the walk to the Ayung River?

You should expect a steep 15 to 20 minute walk down to the river and back up afterward. The return can involve several hundred steps, so it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, back problems, or serious knee concerns.

Are showers and towels provided?

Yes. Shower facilities, changing rooms, and towels are provided after the activities. Lockers are also available for belongings.

What lunch is included?

Lunch is either fried rice or fried noodles. Bottled water is included, but other drinks are not specified as included.

Is hotel pickup available?

Yes. Optional pickup and drop-off are available in Ubud, Sanur, Kuta, Canggu, Seminyak, Legian, and Kintamani. Transport to other areas may cost extra.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable clothes, a change of clothes, water shoes or flip-flops for rafting, a camera, and cash. You may want two changes of clothing because both activities can leave you wet or muddy.

What happens if it rains?

The activity takes place rain or shine. The final details and directions are sent by email one day before the tour, and the driver contacts you the day before pickup to reconfirm.