Everyone knows about Bali’s black lava fields. But if you only stick to the open volcanic sand, you’re missing half the fun. Just past the lava rock lies Kintamani’s mountain forest, and it completely changes the ride.
Climbing up toward the crater rim surrounding Mount Batur, the Forest Kintamani trail swaps wide-open speed for tight, flowing single tracks tucked under a cool pine canopy. With route elevations shifting from the lower basin tracks up to the higher ridge lines, the highland air gives you a welcome break from the coastal heat, matched by some of the freshest off-road riding on the island.
Ready to explore a different side of the island on two wheels? Here’s what it’s like to ride through the wilderness of Kintamani.
The Forest Kintamani route generally covers between 50 to 60 kilometers of varied terrain. Distance and route selection are always tailored to your package, skill level, and group pace. Thanks to that altitude, the temperature stays cool throughout the ride. No scorching heat, no humidity that drains you within the first hour. Just cool highland air, towering trees, and trails that ask your full attention.
The terrain shifts constantly, and traction varies depending on the surface and the weather. You’ll drop through steep downhill forest sections where the tree line closes in tight, open up onto wide sandy river beds where you can let the bike breathe, and push through jungle tracks with Lake Batur flickering between the trees. Max speeds can hit 100 kph on the open stretches, the fastest of any trail in our lineup.
What surprises most riders about this trail is how different it feels from everything else in the region. After the exposed, sun-drenched landscape of our Kintamani Black Lava trail, dropping into the shaded mountain forest feels like entering a completely different world entirely.
We rate the Forest Kintamani trail as intermediate to advanced. The combination of steep descents, loose sandy riverbeds, sharp line choices, and tight forest tracks requires real riding confidence and knowing how to read the terrain. Grip can be fantastic on dry pine loam, but it’s a technical enduro ride with fast-changing conditions, especially during Bali’s rainy season.
If you’re newer to off-road riding, the Beach Tabanan trail is the right starting point to build core skills. Before tackling the Kintamani Forest, you should have confident clutch and precise throttle control, experience riding loose surfaces like deep sand or riverbed gravel, and the ability to maintain controlled, smooth braking on steep descents.
While completing our beach or Jungle Tabanan rides gives you great trail time, readiness for the forest comes down to holding those specific technical fundamentals when the terrain gets steep and tight. Not sure where your skills sit? Read our guide to finding your dirt bike level to help you check your readiness accurately.
For experienced riders who’ve already done the black lava fields and want to see the other side of Kintamani, this is exactly what you’re looking for. Choose a half-day (4 hours) or full-day (8 hours), or combine both Kintamani trails over multiple days with our Kintamani multi-day tours.
Our base camp for the day is LakeView Bali, right on the crater rim with panoramic views over Lake Batur. It sets the tone before you’ve even fired up the engine.
You’ll get fully kitted out before you ride: helmet, boots, knee guards, gloves, chest protector, jersey and pants. We match you with the right bike from our fleet based on your height and riding style. Next, our English-speaking guides run through the route briefing, safety tips, trail etiquette, and then you’re off!
The trail drops you straight into the highland forest. The first descent sets the tone immediately, steep, rooted, and technical. From there the terrain keeps shifting from tight forest single tracks to open sandy river beds, then back under the trees. The cool altitude keeps your energy high while the scenery keeps every section feeling fresh.
Around midday, the group returns to LakeView Bali for lunch, fresh local food to refuel your body, with views over the lake spread out below. After an intense morning in the forest, it’s the perfect reset.
The afternoon opens up. The full-day tour pushes further into the sandy river bed sections. Wide, flowing, and a complete contrast to the tight forest of the morning. Your guide leads the way, keeping the pace dialed in to match the terrain, visibility, and everyone’s skill level so you can push the bikes safely. A great way to finish your ride.
Trying to figure out which trail deserves a spot on your Bali itinerary? Every location in our lineup brings a totally unique character and flavour, terrain type, and riding style to the table:
The Forest Kintamani trail is one of those rides that earns its place on your bucket list. It’s a side of Bali that very few people ever get to see, and even fewer get to experience on a dirt bike. Cool mountain air, unreal traction, sandy river beds, and views of Lake Batur that make it a ride that you won’t forget.
