How long does a day trip from Ubud to Sekumpul waterfall, Ulun Danu temple and Jatiluwih rice terraces take?

One traveler managed to fit in only Ulun Danu Beratan temple and Sekumpul (all 3 waterfalls) in a day, with a coffee stop at Akasa cafe (volcano view) on the way back. They dropped Jatiluwih from the plan, realizing they wouldn't make it back before dark. Left Ubud at 8:30 AM, returned at 7:30 PM.

Another participant pointed out that for a very early departure (around 5 AM), sunrise in Bali is only around 6:30 AM, so some attractions (like temples) may still be closed at that hour — worth checking opening times in advance.

According to a discussion participant, 3 hours at Sekumpul waterfall is not enough if you plan to have lunch there — allow more time. With a tight schedule, sunset happens while still at Jatiluwih rice terraces, meaning the drive back to Ubud will be in the dark.

The full loop from Ubud — Sekumpul waterfall, Ulun Danu temple, and Jatiluwih rice terraces — took about 12.5 hours including a detour to pick up friends (roughly 1 hour). Without extra stops, expect 11–11.5 hours. Leave by 6 AM since it gets dark at 5:30 PM and you still need time for dinner and the drive back.

If you're based in Ubud and can't stay overnight in north Bali, this route is still doable as a day trip — but only with a very early start. Staying overnight near Lovina or Singaraja would make the itinerary much more relaxed.

Travelers coming to Bali from Java via Banyuwangi can include Tumpak Sewu waterfall as an alternative to Sekumpul — it's on a completely different route. One traveler did: Surabaya → Malang → Tumpak Sewu → Bromo → Ijen → Bali. They rested in Banyuwangi until 11 PM, departed at midnight, and were back by 9 AM.