Expedition Overview
Ubud is the cultural capital of Bali — a town built around the royal court, surrounded by rice terraces and forest, where almost every family maintains an artisan tradition and the temple ceremony calendar means there is rarely a day without elaborate ritual dress, music, and offering. It is also one of the most photographically complex small towns in Asia: dense, fast-moving, and requiring genuine cultural awareness to photograph with the depth that the subject deserves.
This three-day expedition combines landscape photography in the rice terraces around Ubud with deep documentary photography of Balinese Hindu ceremonial life. Professor Nasrul Eam works with a local cultural guide to secure access to family compound ceremonies and temple festivals not visible to standard tourist visits, and teaches the photographic and human protocols that make meaningful work in sacred spaces possible.
Expedition Itinerary
Day 1: Dawn at Campuhan Ridge & Tegallalang
Sunrise walk along the Campuhan Ridge — a green spine above the river gorge with the Ubud hills on either side. Mid-morning at Tegallalang rice terraces for the classic angle, then exploring the less-photographed north side where the terraces are deeper and the tourists fewer.
The Goal of the Day: The known location seen differently; walking past the obvious angle.
Day 2: Temple Ceremony & Sacred Water
Tirta Empul is a spring temple where Balinese Hindus purify themselves in the fountain pools. Ceremony access with a cultural mediator. Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), the 9th-century rock-carved hermitage. Evening at a family compound odalan (temple birthday ceremony) — this is private access not available to walk-in visitors.
The Goal of the Day: Sacred space and ceremony photography; private access and cultural sensitivity.
Day 3: Ubud Market & Penglipuran Village
The morning market at Ubud — which serves the local population, not the tourist souvenir trade — is one of the most vivid market photography environments in Indonesia. Afternoon drive to Penglipuran, an ancient Bali Aga village (pre-Hindu Bali) with a perfectly maintained bamboo-gate street.
The Goal of the Day: Market photography; ancient village community documentation.
Book Your Expedition
Note: Final price may vary based on specific expedition details and customizations.
Expedition Leaders
Professor Nasrul Eam is a seasoned explorer and visual storyteller who has spent over two decades traversing Asia’s diverse landscapes and cultures. As Dean of the Department of Art and Photography at Light & Composition University, he leads immersive photography expeditions to regions like the Himalayas, Sundarbans, and Bali. These journeys blend cultural exploration with hands-on learning, culminating in a complete photography diploma. With a portfolio of over 50 publications—including The Quintessence of Photography and Illuminating Nature—his work captures the profound beauty of everyday life. His background in advertising, linguistics, and visual arts enriches his mentorship, guiding participants to uncover compelling narratives through their lenses. Professor Eam’s expeditions are transformative experiences, inspiring photographers to engage deeply with the world around them.
Travel Information
Ubud is 60km from Ngurah Rai Airport (1 hour by private car). No visa required for most nationalities. Best season: April–October.
What to Bring
• 28–85mm range covers most Ubud photography
• Sarong required for all temple visits (available at temple gates)
• Compact mirrorless preferred for ceremony work
• Respectful dress (covered shoulders and knees at ceremonies)
