Campuhan Ridge Walk - What to Expect
Campuhan Ridge Walk – There are numerous fantastic things to do in Ubud. There are some really nice walks, whether they are through the village, rice fields, or simply a beautiful nature walk. The Campuhan Ridge walk is without a doubt at the top of the list of must-do walks in Ubud. It’s a lovely walk with lots of greenery and hills. There are other walks you can do if you only want to see rice fields and terraces. It’s more of a jungle or forest walk.
This is a lovely paved path that runs along the Campuhan Ridge. This walk definitely highlights Ubud’s natural side. The Campuhan Ridge Walk, with its many trees and hills, has the scenery of a jungle or forest rather than rice terraces and fields.
There are rice fields further along the walk near Karsa Kafe, but there are other rice terraces and fields closer to Ubud center, such as the Kajeng rice fields walk. There are also more impressive and well-known rice terraces, such as Tegalalang and Jatiluwih (although Tegalalang has changed so much and become much more touristy, not quite the experience it once was).
When Should You Go: When Is the Best Time to Visit Campuhan Ridge Walk?
Always try to begin the walk as early as possible, around sunrise. The walk is very exposed to the elements and quickly becomes hot. Start between 6-7:30 p.m. to avoid melting too much. You may also encounter a few locals on their morning walk before the sun rises at this time. Unfortunately, the walk has grown in popularity, and it is now much busier than it was when we first did it in 2015. So, if you prefer a more peaceful walk, the earlier you go, the better.
We recently went on the walk just before sunset, and while it was quite hot when we started, it was actually a lovely temperature by the end, which was nice. Again, it was quite crowded, but enjoyable.
I wouldn’t recommend doing the Campuhan Ridge Walk late at night or in the afternoon. Because there isn’t much shade from the sun during the day, it’s likely to be quite hot and unpleasant. And because there is no lighting at night, you would miss all of the beauty and it would be much more difficult to do.
When is the best time to go on the Campuhan Ridge Walk? The Campuhan Ridge Walk is best done in the early morning or late afternoon, at sunrise or sunset.
How Long Does the Campuhan Ridge Walk Take?
If you walk without stopping from the Warwick Ibah to the end of the Ridge, it takes about 20 – 25 minutes one way. You can walk for another 5 – 10 minutes to Karsa Kafe and other warungs in the area. Obviously, you’ll need to double these times because you’ll need to go back to the beginning. And it may take a little longer if you stop to take it all in or take photos. To incorporate the walk into your day, plan on 1 to 2 hours.
So, how far does the Campuhan Ridge Walk stretch? We used an app to time the distance on our last walk, and we got 1.22 km from the Warwick Ibah to the end of the ridge itself in one direction. So the return trip will be about 2.5km, possibly more if you walk further to Karsa Kafe.
What To Bring
There are food and drink vending machines at the beginning and end of the Campuhan Ridge Walk, and there is now one small vending machine along the way. We would still recommend bringing a water bottle, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent with you on your walk, as it can be quite exposed to the elements. Of course, you are welcome to bring a camera. In terms of footwear, we prefer joggers, but flip-flops are also acceptable. Check out our list of the best things to pack for a trip to Bali.
The Campuhan Ridge walk is a must-do in our opinion if you enjoy an early morning or late afternoon walk, or if you simply want to see another side of nature in Ubud and Bali.
This incredible walk is one of the few we show you (with a map) in our Ubud Field Guide. More information about our Ubud Field Guide, as well as our other Bali travel guides, can be found here.
