Ayung rafting for first-timers: age, swimming, steps, rain

Who can raft the Ayung

No rafting experience is needed. Before the put-in, the guide shows you how to sit, hold the paddle, and follow the four calls: forward, back, stop, and get down. In the raft the guide sits at the back and steers. Your job is to paddle when told and hold on when told.

• Age: about 7 and older does well. Tell us about younger children before you book, and give their ages in the notes.
• Swimming: you wear a life jacket, but you should be comfortable if you fall into moving water.
• Insurance: the activity insurance covers guests aged 6–65.
• Back, neck, heart, or pregnancy concerns go in the booking notes before you pay. Rafting is bumpy.

The steps down to the river

The Ayung runs at the bottom of a gorge, so every rafting start has stairs. Other Ayung operators publish counts of roughly 300 to 600 steps down to their put-in, and some have fewer steps back up at the finish. The count depends on where each one starts. Our put-in stair is above Kedewatan. The exact pin is sent the afternoon before, because the steps used can change after heavy rain. Take the stairs slowly. They can be wet.

What to wear and bring

• Swimwear under quick-dry shorts and a T-shirt. Everything gets wet.
• Sandals with a back strap, or old trainers. Flip-flops come off in the river.
• A full change of clothes and a towel for after the shower.
• Sunscreen, and a strap for your glasses.
• Leave the phone in the car unless it is in a waterproof case on a lanyard.

Rain and high water

In the rain months, roughly November to March, the Ayung runs higher and faster, and the rapids feel bigger. In the dry months it is lower and gentler, with more rocks to bounce off. Light rain does not stop a trip, since you are already wet. After very heavy rain the river operator decides on the morning whether the water is safe, and WhatsApp tells you before pickup.

What first-timers pay

The Rp amount under each price is the same US dollar price in rupiah at Rp 16.500 per US$1, the rate fixed with the rate card on 30 September 2026. It is multiplied out exactly, not rounded up, so the lines on an invoice add up to the total in both currencies. It is a conversion, not a second price.

Book Ayung rafting from $31 (Rp 511.500) per person

Where the Ayung put-in is