Gianyar to Gunung Batur via Bangli travel guide

East of Ubud is the royal town of Gianyar; 15 km north of Gianyar, at the foot of Gunung Batur, is another former royal capital, Bangli, with its impressive Kehen Temple. A further 20 km leads up the slopes of Gunung Batur to the crater’s edge – one of the most popular excursions in Bali. Along the rim of the caldera are the mountain towns of Penelokan and Kintamani, and the important temples of Batur and Tegen Koripan. From Penelokan, a road winds down into the caldera and along the west edge of Danau Batur. It is possible to trek from here up the active cone of Gunung Batur (1710 m), which thrusts up through a barren landscape of lava flows. North from Penulisan, the road twists and turns for 36 km down the north slopes of the volcano, reaching the narrow coastal strip at the town of Kubutambahan.