Sekumpul Waterfall Bali – Ultimate Guide

We arrived at the official entrance to Sekumpul Waterfall after passing various checkpoints trying to coax us into using a guide for a very steep, and unreasonable fee. Don’t get me wrong we love to put money back into the local community, we shop at local markets and use local guides wherever we can! We can’t however bring ourselves to be bullied into paying an absurd amount of money into an operation that fleeces tourists.

We know that some people have been charged as much as 30 USD per person for using a guide, and considering the ticket price is only 15,000 rupee per person this is very steep. You may also be told that you have to use a guide but this isn’t true, however the option is there if you feel more comfortable using one, and are happy to pay a higher fee.

If you don’t want to use a driver to get to Sekumpul Waterfall then we recommend hiring a scooter and making your own way there. The views along the way are incredible and the Bratan Hills are especially picturesque. Just take extra care on the roads leading up to the waterfall entrance as these are a little steep, and very bendy. The official car park is located down a small side-street which is steep and not well sign posted, but there’s plenty of places to park a scooter before you get there if you find the roads too narrow.

Don’t forget to stop off and admire the views! Just before the car park you’ll find stunning vistas of rice paddies nestled in the surrounding valleys hugged by palm trees and forests.

After purchasing two tickets for 30,000 rupee we began our descent down the steep stairways and passages to reach the bottom of the valley. The slopes were surrounded with thick vegetation and trees which offered a welcome canopy of shade, but did nothing to stem the humidity as our already sweaty bodies would tell us.

As we reached the bottom of the valley the cover of the thick vegetation quickly disappeared, leaving us exposed to the full heat of the Indonesian sun, by which point the sun cream and sweat was already streaming down our faces!

We were still a good ten minute walk away, but we could hear the fierce cackle of water and our anticipation peaked. A gentle stroll turned into a hasty walk as we continued along the path, quickly brushing aside huge overhanging leaves, which were moist and covered in thick dew from the spray of the falls.

As we neared the falls the pathway became softer eventually turning into a shallow but fast-flowing river. We waded through without hesitation, we were knee deep in water and drenched in sweat, but we couldn’t wait to see the reward of our efforts, and the hard slog on our knees.

The cackle of water we’d heard ten minutes ago was now replaced by a thundery roar, we were hit in the face by a blast of mist, cooling and refreshing our skin as we laid eyes upon the natural beauty of Sekumpul, hidden away deep within the Balinese valleys.

We glanced towards each other with a big grin, “wow!”, words that lingered a split-second before being swallowed up by the deep, thundery roar of the falls!

To our amazement we were the only people there, perhaps it was too early for the tours and coach loads of people, either way we were glad of our early start! We’d left Ubud at 5:00 am and this was the third stop on a day of strategically planned adventures, and after exploring Bali for nearly two months I can honestly say this was our most rewarding experience.

The falls were indescribably beautiful! As we wiped the dew from our faces and looked up our minds couldn’t believe our eyes, struggling to process every inch of the Jurassic-like landscape!

We felt small, I mean really small! We were enveloped, no, almost swallowed up by our surroundings, and scrambling up some rocks in front of the falls did nothing to stem that feeling! We planted our feet firmly on the rocks, clinging and making fists with our toes as we tried not to get blasted off by the sheer force of the falls, as barrages of mist continued to soak us.

Goggle-eyed and with our necks fully arched we looked up in true awe of mother nature’s beauty and power! The thundery flow of water gushed down 80 meters from a ledge at the top! Sunlight poured in from the side cutting through the trees, which created glowing beams of light through the pockets of mist – it was a beautiful sight! The rocky facade was covered in shades of green and thick moss and vegetation hugged the walls, clambering up towards the light as water stormed down the crevices, forming pristine pools at the base.

Other Waterfalls In The Area

There is actually more than one waterfall in the area and we were a little unsure which way to go when we reached the bottom of the valley to find this sign.

On the way down to the waterfall we had got talking to a friendly local named Wayan who was placing offerings to the gods along the route. He explained to us that Grombong was actually the original name of Sekumpul and pointed us in the right direction, as he wished us a safe journey.

We recommend heading to Sekumpul Waterfall before Fiji Waterfall because after 12:00 pm it starts to get busier and this is when most tour groups arrive.

Wayan also has a small shack at the bottom of the valley, and this is where we decided to stop off for an early lunch. He was happy to answer any questions we had, and clearly works very hard, even carrying down ice and fresh fruit every day so that visitors can buy a cold drink, and enjoy some fresh food.

We had two lots of noodles which he prepared for us, two cans of Sprite and some fruit including a large bunch of delicious passion fruits. This cost us 60,000 IDR, which is around $4. Wayan also sells fresh young coconuts, a range of snacks and chocolate and he even has a range of fresh herbs and spices.

After spending a couple of hours around Sekumpul Waterfall and enjoying our delicious lunch we headed over to the Fiji Waterfall which was a ten minute stroll away.

This is another great spot that opens out into a huge crescent and is filled with three stunning waterfalls, as well as a couple of shallow pools to cool off in!

We spent a good 40 minutes or so at Fiji Waterfall, taking loads of pictures and trying to keep our kit dry from all the mist before heading back up to the official entrance, and visiting the Holy Water Springs. If you have time we recommend you do the same as this is a great spot for swimming and cooling off in, after climbing back up to the top.

If you have a drone then The Holy Water Springs is the perfect place to fly it from as there is decent flat ground and a large opening in the tree line. It’s perfect for capturing the full scale of these impressive waterfalls! Please note this area requires a separate admission ticket which cost 10,000 IDR for both of us.

Where Is Sekumpul Waterfall Located

Sekumpul Waterfall is situated in North Bali. It’s a little out the way compared to some of the other attractions in Bali, but the trip is definitely worth it. The nearest main town is Singaraja, located about 20 km from the waterfall.

Entrance Fee For Sekumpul Waterfall

The entrance fee to Sekumpul Waterfall is 15,000 IDR, which also includes entrance to the nearby and equally impressive Fiji Waterfall.

Finding the entrance where you only need to pay 15,000 IDR is a little tricky, but in the section below ‘How To Get There’ we have provided a step-by-step guide.

First let us explain the situation at Sekumpul Waterfall. Before we went we had read that since the beginning of 2019 locals were charging large fees to go to the waterfall with them charging 20,000 IDR just to view it from the top viewpoint. They then charge 125,000-200,000 IDR to go down to the waterfall with a guide. This is considerably more expensive than other attractions in Bali so after more research we found that there was still an official entry point where the cost was just 15,000 IDR and this price is shown on the ticket we received.

Tip – There are also several ‘registration points’ along the road on the way to Sekumpul Waterfall, but these are just a scam way to get tourists to pay even more money to visit the falls. They will try to charge a very high fee to use a guide to hike to falls, which they make out is the only way to get there. The people at these ‘registration points’ will shout and try to get you to stop if you’re on a scooter, but just ignore them and keep driving.

How Long Does It Take To Get To Sekumpul Waterfall?

It is possible to visit Sekumpul Waterfall in a day from the major hubs in Bali like Kutu, Seminyak or Canggu, but it will likely take 2.5-3 hours. It’s 72-80 km depending on your starting point and you will need to use the main road that takes you from the south to the north of Bali so to miss the traffic we recommend an early start.

From Ubud it will take around 2-2.5 hours and is 66 km. You will need to use the same main road that goes from the south to the north of the island so again, we recommend starting early. We set off on our scooter at 5:00 am from Ubud. We went to Ulun Danu Beratan Temple for sunrise, then the Handara Gate before carrying on up to Sekumpul Waterfall. We also managed a stop at the beautiful Banyu Wana Amertha Waterfall on the way back and got back to Ubud around 6:00 pm.

If you’re staying in the nearest town of Singaraja it will take around 1 hour to reach Sekumpul Waterfall.

Hire A Scooter Or Driver For The Day

The most popular ways to get around Bali are to rent a scooter or hire a driver.

A scooter and 2 helmets can be hired from around 50,000-70,000 IDR a day. If you hire it for a longer period of time, you may be able to negotiate a cheaper daily price.

A driver can be arranged through your accommodation or through tour desks that are situated all around the main tourist hubs in Bali. A driver for the day (8-10 hours) will be around 500,000-600,000 IDR depending on the distances and places you want to go. If you hire a driver to visit Sekumpul Waterfall you could also visit some of the other waterfalls nearby or Leke Leke Waterfall, Ulun Danu Beratan Temple or Handara Gate that are on the way when coming from the south of the island.

How To Get There

Most of the journey will be along a main road if coming from the south of Bali. It is the main route to go from south to north so can get busy. About 7 km after the Hanadra Gate you will then take a road on the right that takes you up and over the mountain. It’s a narrow, steep, winding road so if you’re on a scooter it’s best to take your time as in most places there is only room for one car and they can take the bends rather fast! Use your horn when going around the tight bends and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

To get to the official entrance to the waterfall you will need to enter from the south of the waterfall just before the town of Lemukih if you’re driving there from the south of Bali. Go down a narrow side path off the main road and down a different entrance to the ones shown on Google Maps. The sign at the entrance shows it takes you to Fiji Waterfall, but it also takes you to Sekumpul Waterfall as they are situated very close together.

Our recommendation is to head for Warung Fiji, which is shown on Google Maps or MAPS.ME. The road Warung Fiji is on is narrow so if you’re in a car the driver will need to drop you at the end of the road and you will need to walk about 1.4 km to the ticket booth for the waterfall. As it is more of a path than a road it isn’t even shown on Google Maps so we recommend using MAPS.ME. There are various points to safely park your bike along the path or if you go all the way to the end there is an official car park for bikes.

From the car park it is a short walk down some steps to the ticket booth and from there it is about a 15-20 minute walk down some steep steps. At the bottom of the steps you can go left or right. Go right and it will take you to Sekumpul Waterfall. The waterfall also goes by the name Grombong and Sekumpul is actually the newer name for it so the signs still show Grombong. Don’t go over the bridge, just follow the path around the corner and through the shallow river and you will soon reach Sekumpul Waterfall.

To get to Fiji Waterfall just head back to the sign at the bottom of the steps where there is another small ticket booth. Show the ticket you have already purchased and walk for about 5-10 minutes until you reach the falls. Make sure you allow enough time to also visit Fiji Waterfall as it is well worth it.

How Long Do You Need At Sekumpul Waterfall?

We recommend arriving early and you may be lucky enough to have it to yourselves for a while. When we arrived about 9:00 am we were the only ones there. A few other people came and went and then between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm tours started to arrive so it got busier.

We were there about 3-3.5 hours including getting down to the waterfalls and back up again. We spent a lot of time taking photos, enjoying both the waterfalls and having a quick lunch. You could spend less time, but these waterfalls are incredible so we recommend allowing 3 hours, to really make the most of being there.

What To Pack

• Camera, spare batteries and lots of space on your memory card – we guarantee you will take lots of photos at Sekumpul and Fiji Waterfalls.
• Drybag – the spray and mist from the waterfalls can leave you soaked so ensure you have a drybag to protect any electronics or spare clothes.
• Swimwear – there is a small area where you can go into the water at both the waterfalls.
• Flip flops/trainers – the stairs to get down to the waterfalls have handrails and the path is not difficult so flip flops are fine to wear. Plus they are easier to take off when you need to cross through the river. Trainers are also fine, but just be aware they will probably get a little wet. You do not need hiking shoes.
• Water – it can get very hot at the waterfalls and the trek up and down the stairs can leave you sweating. There are a few places to buy water near the falls, but it’s best to have a bottle with you when you arrive in case any of the local warungs are not open.

If you’re looking for other waterfalls to visit in Bali then add Tukad Cepung waterfall to your list.