The best time of year (and day) for Telaga Waja rafting
By Telaga Waja Adventures. Updated .
Rafting on the Telaga Waja runs all year, so there is no wrong month to come. What changes with the season is the level of the water, and what changes with the time of day is how many other rafts you share the river with.
Dry season: roughly April to October
This is when most visitors are in Bali. Days are sunny, the road to Karangasem is dry, and the river is at its clearest. The water is lower, so the rapids are a little more technical and a little less pushy, which many families prefer.
July and August are the busiest months on the island. Book a few days ahead if you want a particular start time.
Rainy season: roughly November to March
Rain in Bali usually arrives in heavy bursts, often in the afternoon, with dry spells in between. More rain means more water in the river: the rapids are bigger, the raft moves faster, and the jungle along the banks is at its greenest.
The river is checked before every trip. If the water is too high to raft safely the river is closed, and you can move your booking to another date or get a full refund. Rafting in light rain is perfectly normal. You are going to get wet anyway.
Which start time?
We run departures every hour from 09:00 to 13:00.
- 09:00 or 10:00 is the quietest time on the river and leaves the afternoon free. The air and the water are cooler.
- 11:00 or 12:00 is warmer, and lunch afterwards lands at a natural time.
- 13:00 is the last departure. In the rainy season a morning start is the safer choice, because showers are more likely later in the day.
How far ahead should you book?
Online booking closes 12 hours before the start time, so the latest you can book is the evening before. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before you start, which means there is no cost to booking early and changing your mind.