Lombok : hiking- rice terrace & waterfalls tour

The best part of this Lombok outing is the way it joins working rice fields with a proper jungle walk. You do not simply drive to a waterfall, take a photo, and leave. You watch rice growing, stop for a coconut in the middle of the fields, pass coffee plants, and then cool off in natural pools.

I especially like the private-group format, which gives the guide room to explain local farming and adjust the pace. I also like the mix of walking and water time: the route has enough effort to feel like an outing, but the waterfalls give you a welcome break. The main consideration is the terrain. Expect about an hour on foot through fields, coffee plantations, and jungle, followed by swimming and a motorbike ride, so this is not a gentle sightseeing trip.

Key points to know before you book

• Rice farming comes first: Walk through Batukliang fields and see the process from planting to harvested rice.
• A coconut break in the fields: During the local rest stop, your guide can take a fresh coconut from a tree for you to drink.
• Two named waterfalls: Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu both offer natural pools for swimming and relaxing.
• A local guide adds the meaning: Guides such as Andra explain farming and traditional ways of living with nature.
• The return has a twist: After the walking route, you return toward the parking area by motorbike.
• $53 covers the basics: Transport, guide, entry tickets, mineral water, and documentation are included.

A six-hour route from Kuta Mandalika to the rice fields

The tour begins with pickup at your hotel in Kuta Mandalika. From there, you travel by jeep or SUV toward Batukliang. The stated vehicle portion takes about 80 minutes, so you should treat this as a full half-day outing rather than a quick local stop.

That drive matters because the experience changes from coastal resort time to rural Lombok. The focus here is not a polished attraction with a row of shops. It is a day built around farms, forest paths, waterfalls, and contact with people who still work the land in traditional ways.

Because the group is private, you can ask questions as you go. That is useful in the rice fields, where the process may look simple at first but involves several stages. Andra, named by a past customer as a guide on this route, explained how rice is grown alongside other vegetables and how local farming depends on cooperation.

The schedule is listed as six hours, including transport, walking, waterfall stops, and the return. Time can feel short once you reach the water, so do not expect a long, lazy afternoon at each fall. This is a moving tour with several parts.

Batukliang rice terraces and the daily work of farming

The first walk lasts about an hour and takes you through rice fields near Batukliang village. This is the most culturally useful section of the trip. You see the fields as working farms, not just as scenery for a photograph.

Your guide explains the process of growing rice from the early stages through to the point when it becomes food. The experience also includes the relationship between rice and other vegetables, a detail that gives the walk more depth than a simple path through green fields.

I like this opening because it sets up the rest of the day. The waterfalls are easy to appreciate on their own, but seeing the farms first helps you understand how much of Lombok life is tied to water, soil, seasons, and shared work.

The route is on foot, and the supplied details describe roughly one hour in the fields before reaching the next section. Wear shoes you can walk in comfortably. The tour information does not give a detailed surface description, so you should be ready for an outdoor path rather than a paved promenade.

The Das rest stop and a fresh coconut

Partway through the rice-field walk, you stop for a short break in the middle of the fields. Locally, this resting point is called a das, described in the tour information as a place to stop and cool down.

The guide can take a fresh coconut from a tree for you to drink. That small detail is one of the pleasures of the outing. It connects the refreshment to the place itself, rather than handing you a standard bottle and moving on.

Mineral water is also included, but the coconut is the more memorable drink. The break gives you a chance to catch your breath and look back at the fields before the path changes direction toward coffee plants and forest.

The stop is brief, not a full meal break. Lunch is not listed among the included items, although one past outing included a late lunch and freshly cooked peanuts with local people. I would not book this tour expecting lunch as a guaranteed part of the package. Bring your own expectations, and confirm with the provider if food matters to your plans.

Coffee plantations and the walk into the jungle

After the rice fields, the route continues through a coffee plantation and then into the jungle. This change in setting is what gives the tour its sense of adventure.

The walking section is not just a transfer between two waterfall viewpoints. You move through farmland, coffee-growing areas, and forest before reaching the water. That progression makes the first waterfall feel earned.

The available information does not give a total hiking distance or a difficulty grade. It does confirm about an hour of walking through rice fields, followed by more walking through the plantation and jungle. If you prefer tours with almost no walking, this is the wrong choice. If you enjoy a physical outing but want swimming and rest stops built in, it is a better fit.

Your guide is important here. A good local guide can point out how the land is used and explain what you are seeing without turning the walk into a lecture. Andra was specifically praised for introducing the traditional way of living in harmony with nature, as well as explaining rice and vegetable farming.

Benang Stokel: the first waterfall and swimming stop

Benang Stokel is the first named waterfall on the route. You can walk to it, swim, and relax after the field and jungle sections.

This is a sensible place for a pause. The first part of the tour asks you to walk and pay attention to local life, while the waterfall gives you time to slow down. If you want to swim, bring suitable clothing and a way to keep valuables dry. The tour confirms that swimming is possible, but it does not provide details about changing facilities or storage.

The waterfall stop is also a good reason to bring a towel, although a towel is not listed among the inclusions. Transport, the local guide, entry ticket, mineral water, and documentation are included. Personal items such as towels, meals, or tips are not specified as included, so plan for them separately.

The name Benang Stokel appears in the route as the first waterfall. One past experience included four waterfalls in total, with the hidden fall described as especially quiet and impressive. The published route here specifically names Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu, so ask the operator before departure if extra waterfalls are part of your particular day.

Benang Kelambu and its natural pool

The second named stop is Benang Kelambu. Here, too, you can swim in a natural pool and relax.

The two falls give the tour a useful rhythm. You have the chance to cool down at Stokel, continue walking, and then enjoy another water stop at Kelambu. That is more satisfying than visiting one waterfall after a long drive and immediately returning to the vehicle.

The details do not promise a particular amount of swimming time, and the whole tour lasts six hours. If you want maximum time in the pools, tell your guide early. A private group makes that conversation easier, though the day still has to fit in the return journey.

The past outing that reached four waterfalls found the less commonly visited fall especially peaceful, with very few people present. That suggests the route can offer quiet corners, but you should not assume that every booking follows exactly the same extended path.

Returning by motorbike

After the waterfall visits, the route returns toward the parking area by motorbike. This is an unusual ending for a waterfall tour and adds a little fun after the walking.

The information does not explain who drives, how long the motorbike ride lasts, or whether you can choose another return method. If you are not comfortable riding a motorbike, ask about this before booking. It is better to settle that point in advance than to discover it at the end of a wet and tiring day.

The motorbike section also means you should keep your belongings secure. A phone, camera, and swim items are easier to manage if packed in a small bag. Documentation is included, and the provider may arrange photos or video, but the exact format is not specified.

What the $53 price really covers

At $53 per person, the strongest value comes from the number of services bundled into a private half-day trip. You get hotel pickup, transport, an English-speaking local guide, entrance tickets, mineral water, and documentation.

A private group is especially useful here because the route is not only about seeing waterfalls. You may want to stop in the rice fields, ask about coffee, or spend a little longer at a pool. A large shared group can make those moments feel rushed. The private setup gives the day a more personal shape.

The price does not include your hotel, flights, or tips. Food is not listed as an inclusion either. One outing included a late lunch, peanuts, and coconut, but you should treat that as something that may happen on a specific day, not as a guaranteed meal.

The value is strongest for a visitor staying in Kuta Mandalika who wants one organized day combining nature and local life. It is less compelling if your only goal is to reach a waterfall quickly, since a substantial vehicle transfer and several walking sections are part of the experience.

Practical preparation for the walk and water

I would prepare for this as an active outdoor tour, not a casual photo stop. Your day includes an hour in rice fields, additional walking through coffee plants and jungle, swimming, and a motorbike ride.

Pack:

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Swimwear and a towel
• Sun protection
• A small bag for personal items
• Extra clothes if you plan to swim
• Money for tips or anything not included

The tour provides mineral water, but it is still sensible to start the morning hydrated. The tour does not state whether changing rooms, lockers, or specific bathroom facilities are available, so keep your packing simple and avoid bringing valuables you do not need.

The guide speaks English, and the activity is offered as a private group. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Starting times depend on availability.

Who will enjoy this Lombok experience most

I would recommend this trip to you if you want more than a waterfall photograph. It suits people who enjoy walking, swimming, rural scenery, and conversations about local life.

It is also a good choice if you value a guide who can connect the scenery to daily work. The rice-growing explanation, the shared farming practices, the coffee plantation, and the traditional village contact give the day a cultural purpose.

Families or older visitors should consider the walking and jungle sections carefully. The supplied information does not give an accessibility rating, path conditions, or a minimum fitness level. You should ask the operator directly if those details are important for your group.

Solo visitors may find the private format appealing, since the price is listed per person and the group is not shared. Couples and small groups can also shape the pace more easily than on a fixed large-group excursion.

Should you book the Batukliang and waterfall route?

Book it if you want a six-hour outdoor day that combines farming, coffee, jungle walking, swimming, and local guiding. The strongest parts are the rice-field introduction, the fresh coconut stop, the private format, and the chance to see Lombok beyond the beach towns.

Think twice if you want a short, low-effort waterfall visit, guaranteed lunch, or detailed facilities at every stop. The route asks you to walk, swim, and handle a motorbike return, and some practical details are not provided.

For most active visitors based in Kuta Mandalika, $53 is fair for the transport, guide, tickets, water, documentation, and private setting. Before you go, confirm the exact number of waterfalls, the motorbike arrangements, and whether food is planned. Then bring walking shoes, swim gear, and enough curiosity to stop looking at the fields as scenery and start seeing them as someone’s work.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

Pickup is provided at the hotel where you are staying in Kuta Mandalika.

How long does the tour last?

The activity lasts six hours.

What transport is used?

The stated transport includes a jeep or SUV, and the return toward the parking area includes riding motorbikes.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It is offered for a private group.

Is an English-speaking guide included?

Yes. A live English-speaking local guide is included.

Which waterfalls are part of the route?

The named waterfalls are Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu.

Can I swim during the tour?

Yes. Swimming is available at Benang Stokel and at the natural pool at Benang Kelambu.

What is included in the price?

Transport, a local guide, entrance tickets, mineral water, and documentation are included.

Are meals included?

Meals are not listed among the included services. One past outing included a late lunch, freshly cooked peanuts, and a coconut, but this is not stated as a standard inclusion.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.