Bali to Flores: Trails, Tribal Villages & Dragon Lagoons — Self-Launched Edition
17 days · Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Flores)
G Adventures charges £1,780
No-markup version: ~£1,610 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of G Adventures' 17-day Ubud-to-Labuan Bajo route: rice terraces and weaving in Lombok's Tempasan and Pringgasela, snorkelling the Gili Trawangan trio, the UNESCO village of Wae Rebo (sleeping in a Mbaru Niang cone house), and a DIY 3-day Komodo islands trip by public boat-share or shared phinisi. You book everything yourself (hostels, local guides, buses, fast boats, the domestic flight) at backpacker prices — roughly a third of the group tour cost. Book the Wae Rebo guide and Komodo boat leg well ahead in high season, and carry cash for Flores.
Day-by-day
Arrive Ubud — settle in and meet your hostel crew
Ubud, Bali
Fly into Denpasar (DPS), pay the Bali tourist levy online in advance (IDR 150k / ~£8), then take a public Perama or Kura-Kura shuttle bus to Ubud (~£4, 1.5-2 hrs) — don't take the airport taxi at £20+. Check into a hostel in the central Jalan Hanoman/Pengosekan area. Wander the Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunset for free, eat nasi campur at a warung (~£2), and find your trip buddies in the hostel bar. No group welcome meeting needed — swap numbers with people doing the same route.
🚌Airport shuttle bus DPS–Ubud ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm in central Ubud (~£10/night)
- →Campuhan Ridge Walk (free)
- →Ubud night market snack crawl
Ubud DIY: offerings, cooking class or rice-field bike ride
Ubud, Bali
Pick your own Ubud day. Book a Balinese cooking class (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£22-28 including market visit) or a community-development cooking class at PKP Community directly (~£20). Alternatively a spiritual offering-making session at Widya Guna Foundation (~£10) or a half-day downhill rice-terrace bike tour (~£22). All bookable the night before via WhatsApp or your hotel reception — no group needed.
🚌Walk / rented scooter ~£5/day
🛏Hostel dorm in central Ubud (~£10/night)
- →Balinese cooking class with market visit (~£25)
- →Tegalalang rice terraces at sunrise (entry ~£2.50)
Speed boat Ubud-Padangbai-Lombok to Tempasan village
Ubud → Tempasan, Lombok
Take a shared shuttle to Padangbai harbour (~£6, 1.5 hrs), then the fast boat to Lembar, Lombok (~£20-25, 2 hrs; book on Klook or with Gili Getaway/Wahana). From Lembar, a Grab/Gojek or shared bemo to Kopang/Praya area (~£8). Base yourself at a village homestay around Tempasan/Pringgasela — book via Booking.com or WhatsApp directly (~£10-12/night, home-cooked dinner ~£3). Ask your host to arrange a village elder as your walk guide for tomorrow.
🚌Shuttle + fast boat Bali–Lombok ~£28; shared car to Tempasan ~£8
🛏Tempasan village homestay (~£11/night incl. simple breakfast)
- →Sunset walk through rice terraces
Rice terrace trek and Pringgasela weaving with local women
Tempasan & Pringgasela, Lombok
Hire a local guide through your homestay (~£10-15 for a half day) to walk the terraces around Tempasan and the neighbouring plantations — this is the same route the group tour does privately. Then head to Pringgasela weaving village (short ojek ride, ~£2) to see traditional songket loom weaving; a demonstration plus tea is usually free or a small donation (~£3). Lunch at a local warung (~£2.50). Afternoon free — join a village cooking class (~£8) or motorbike to a nearby waterfall.
🚌Ojek/motorbike taxi ~£4 total
🛏Tempasan village homestay (~£11/night)
- →Guided rice terrace walk (~£13)
- →Pringgasela weaving demonstration (donation ~£3)
Lombok free day: snorkelling, waterfalls or a Rinjani ridge
Tempasan / north Lombok
Choose your adventure: join a shared snorkelling day trip to the Gili islands' north coast (~£25 incl. lunch), hire a scooter (~£5) to the Benang Kelambu/Benang Stokel waterfalls (entry ~£2), or do the Sembalun-side day hike partway up Rinjani with a local guide (~£30, skip the 2-day summit unless you want to pay £120+). Optional evening yoga at a nearby guesthouse (~£8).
🚌Scooter hire ~£5
🛏Tempasan village homestay (~£11/night)
- →Snorkelling day trip (~£25) or waterfall scooter loop (~£7)
Bonjeruk village cycle and on to Senggigi beach
Tempasan → Bonjeruk → Senggigi
Rent a bike in Bonjeruk village (near Praya) for a flat loop through rice paddies and tobacco fields (~£3), stop for a Lombok lunch (~£3) and chat with villagers — local guesthouses rent bikes without a tour. Then take a shared bemo or Grab to Senggigi (~£7, 1 hr) for a beach afternoon and a sunset over the Bali strait.
🚌Shared bemo/Grab to Senggigi ~£7
🛏Budget guesthouse in Senggigi (~£12/night)
- →Bonjeruk village cycle (~£3)
- →Senggigi sunset beach
Fast boat to Gili Trawangan + 3-island snorkel trip
Senggigi → Gili Trawangan
Public fast boat or shared shuttle-boat from Senggigi/Bangsal to Gili Trawangan (~£10, 30-45 min). No motorised vehicles on the island, so walk or hire a bike (~£3/day). Book a 3-island snorkelling trip (Gili Meno/Air/Trawangan) the same morning from any kiosk on the main strip (~£15-18 incl. gear and lunch) — turtles, rays and reef sharks on a good day. Night out on the east-coast bar strip.
🚌Fast boat Senggigi–Gili T ~£10
🛏Gili Trawangan hostel (~£13/night)
- →3-island snorkelling trip (~£17)
Gili T free day: SUP yoga, island cycle or pure beach rotter mode
Gili Trawangan
Sunrise stand-up paddleboard yoga at a beachfront studio (~£12) or a lazy cycle loop to the sunset point on the west side (~£3 bike + £2 drink). Snorkel straight off the beach for free, or take a discover-scuba intro dive (~£45) if you're feeling it. Dinner at the night market (~£4).
🚌Bike hire ~£3
🛏Gili Trawangan hostel (~£13/night)
- →Sunrise SUP yoga (~£12)
- →Island cycle loop (~£3)
Boat back to Bali and on to Seminyak
Gili Trawangan → Seminyak, Bali
Fast boat back to Padangbai (~£22, 2 hrs including transfers), then a shared shuttle or Grab to Seminyak (~£8, 1.5 hrs). Check into a Seminyak/Kuta budget hostel or guesthouse (~£12). Afternoon on Double Six beach, sunset beers, and street food along Jalan Kayu Aya.
🚌Fast boat + transfer to Seminyak ~£30
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Seminyak (~£12/night)
- →Double Six Beach sunset
Fly to Labuan Bajo, gateway to Komodo
Seminyak → Labuan Bajo, Flores
Early budget flight from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo (Lion Air/Super Air Jet, ~£45-60 one way booked 2-3 months ahead; the group tour bundles this — you book your own). Taxi to town (~£3). Check into a hillside guesthouse (~£12). Book your Komodo boat trip today — either a 3D2N shared phinisi (~£180-220) or a cheaper day-trip version (~£45). Sunset at the Bukit Cinta viewpoint and grilled fish dinner at the harbour night market (~£5).
🚌Domestic flight DPS–LBJ ~£52; taxi ~£3
🛏Guesthouse in Labuan Bajo (~£12/night)
- →Bukit Cinta sunset viewpoint
- →Harbour night market dinner
Tado village rice terrace hike and on to Dintor
Labuan Bajo → Tado → Dintor
Take a shared bemo or rented motorbike (~£10) inland to Tado village, known for steep rice terraces and old Sulawesi-descended clans. Hire a village guide at the trailhead (~£8-10) for the 1.5 km climb and back — the ridge views are worth the sweat. Lunch in a village warung (~£3), then continue by shared bemo/ojek to Dintor (~£6) where you stay the night and arrange your Wae Rebo guide for the next morning. Ask your guesthouse to confirm the guide and motorbike transfer the night before.
🚌Bemo/motorbike transfers ~£16
🛏Simple guesthouse in Dintor (~£10/night)
- →Tado village terrace hike with local guide (~£9)
Trek into Wae Rebo and sleep in a Mbaru Niang
Dintor → Denge → Wae Rebo
An ojek ride to the Denge trailhead (~£4), then a 2-3 hour jungle climb with your local guide (guide fee typically £15-20 pp incl. village contribution; book through your Dintor guesthouse or a Labuan Bajo agency the week before). Arrive in Wae Rebo for the welcome ceremony and a shared lunch, then learn coffee harvesting and roasting with a Manggarai family (~£5 donation). Sleep communally in one of the cone-shaped Mbaru Niang houses (~£15 for bed + dinner + breakfast). Bring a headtorch and warm layer — it gets cold at 1,100 m.
🚌Ojek to trailhead ~£4
🛏Mbaru Niang communal house in Wae Rebo (~£15 incl. meals)
- →Guided jungle trek to Wae Rebo (~£18)
- →Welcome ceremony and coffee experience (~£5)
Descend Wae Rebo and head back to Labuan Bajo
Wae Rebo → Dintor → Labuan Bajo
Sunrise over the village, then hike back down (~2 hrs) and catch an ojek and shared bemo back toward Labuan Bajo (~£12 total, 3-4 hrs with stops). If you have time, detour to the Cancar spider-web rice fields for a quick photo stop. Back in Labuan Bajo, shower, eat, and confirm your Komodo boat departure for tomorrow morning.
🚌Shared bemo/ojek back to Labuan Bajo ~£12
🛏Guesthouse in Labuan Bajo (~£12/night)
- →Sunrise village walk
- →Optional Cancar rice fields stop (~£2)
Komodo boat trip day 1: Padar, Komodo dragons, Pink Beach
Komodo National Park
Board a shared 2-night phinisi or open-deck boat from Labuan Bajo harbour (packages ~£180-220 per person for 3D2N including all meals, park fees ~£20, snorkel gear and guide). Day 1 typically covers Padar Island's viewpoint hike at sunrise, the Komodo Island ranger walk to see dragons, and Pink Beach. Sleeping on deck under the stars is the classic backpacker Komodo experience — bring a thin sleeping bag liner.
🚌Phinisi boat from Labuan Bajo harbour
🛏Shared phinisi boat, deck/dorm cabin (included in trip price)
- →Padar Island viewpoint hike
- →Komodo Island dragon ranger walk
- →Pink Beach snorkel
Komodo boat trip day 2: Manta Point, kayaking, Kanawa
Komodo National Park
Day 2 usually hits Manta Point for a drift snorkel with manta rays (seasonal but common), a kayak through shallow coral bays, and stops at Kanawa or Siaba Besar for turtles. Most boat trips include all meals — budget only for extra drinks (~£2 each) and any optional dive add-on (~£25).
🚌Phinisi boat
🛏Shared phinisi boat (included)
- →Manta Point snorkel
- →Sea kayaking through the bay
- →Turtle snorkel at Siaba
Boat trip finale back to Labuan Bajo + big night out
Komodo → Labuan Bajo
Morning snorkel and return to Labuan Bajo around midday. Check into a guesthouse, walk to the Batu Cermin cave if you fancy (~£3), then hit a beach bar on the harbour strip with whoever you've collected on the boat — sunset cocktails run ~£4-6. Seafood BBQ at the night market to finish.
🚌On foot / short ojek ~£2
🛏Guesthouse in Labuan Bajo (~£12/night)
- →Batu Cermin cave (~£3)
- →Harbour beach bar night out
Depart Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo
Slow breakfast, last swim at Waecicu beach if your flight is late, then a short taxi to Komodo Airport (~£3) for your onward budget flight — typically back to Bali (~£55) or direct Denpasar connections home. Book departure flights with at least 2 hours' buffer in case of boat delays.
🚌Taxi to LBJ airport ~£3; optional onward flight ~£55 (excluded)
🛏—
- →Waecicu beach morning swim
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,610 | £1,780 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £170 per person (10%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,610
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Bali to Flores: Trails, Tribal Villages & Dragon Lagoons — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,610 per person for 17 days in Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Flores). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,780 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,610 — a saving of roughly £170 (10%) per person.
How long is the Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Flores) trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 day-by-day stops through Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Flores).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Flores), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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