Ayung River (Ubud commercial section)
Also known as: Tukad Ayung, Sungai Ayung
Jungle gorge, waterfalls, rice terraces, carved stone-relief cliffs
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Rain / spring-fed (three tributaries at Payangan); no dam on the rafting reach
Jan-Dec; higher and faster Nov-Mar
Year-round; Apr-Oct dry season gentlest
Tropical, mild; no wetsuit; numeric temp not published (-)
Wet-season downpours raise level and speed; flash rises possible
Grade & who can come
A river changes grade with its level. These grades describe a normal flow - in flood the same run is harder, and often a different run entirely. Check the gauge before you commit.
Class II-III (to IV in wet season)
Commercial raft; guided kayak (Mason)
Whole run is beginner-friendly; non-paddlers ride the same guided raft (guide steers). Ages 5-65. No separate sub-section.
Suits nearly all abilities and ages 5-65; the island's default group raft
The run
33 rapids, none individually named; no single crux
Dry-season rock strike; wet-season stronger current and sharp bends; occasional strainers; no mandatory portages
Payangan/Begawan to Kedewatan
Busy - Bali's most-booked rafting run; multiple daily departures
Access & shuttle
No participant permit; commercial day-trip operators run private-land access
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Road to both operator bases; put-in via ~500-step descent
Operators include hotel pickup and drop-off shuttle
All gear provided (raft, helmet, PFD, paddle); no wetsuit; signal patchy in gorge
Ubud hub; Mason Adventures, Sobek, local outfits
Hazards & exits
Respect river-temple offerings along the banks
Road-accessible staffed bases both ends; operator medivac/insurance; Ari Canti Hospital and BIMC Ubud (both 24 hr)
Guided commercial only (guide per raft)
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.