On March 2009, I tried Telagawaja River Rafting by SOBEK!
Based on the last experience, I wear bathing suit. And, I wear T-shirt, Hot-pants and the sandal with strings!
However, the weather was not good, cloudy sky and little bit rain… Aiko, have higher chance to get sick after trying activity, went there!♪
2 hours drive from Jimbaran, arrive at the starting point. The Telagawaja River locates the foot of Mount, Agung, and higher land with chilly air. Wild nature beyond Ayung River! There are only rice field and forest. It’s little rain and foggy.
I am the first attendance. Check-in here. Happy staffs welcome you regardless of early morning or bad weather! This is the sandals which hold heels, SOBEK recommended! It costs Rp.100,000.
There are the dressing room and WC inside. Change clothes here, but it’s easier to wear from hotel. Dressing room. It is the only dressing room, so it might be crowed.
After changing clothes, read the instruction. It has details about notice and insurance, etc. Today’s guide, DEK GUS! Guides of SOBEK know about the river very well, so I feel ease. I have cheerful Spanish married couple as the member.
Water-proof bag for valuables. Put wallet and camera, etc. in here and bring. During the rafting, put it in bigger bag and fix to the boat. This is the bag for other belongings. Staff brings this bag to the ending point by bus, so you don’t need to worry about your big staffs!
After leaving belongings, wear life-jacket. Guide will choose for you to suit your size. This is the rafting style! I’m holding the bag for valuables.
Chief guide gives us lecture about how to row boat and coping way when dropped into water from the boat, etc. in English. It is the same instruction as on the paper.
Go to the starting point of Telagawaja River. We have to climb down 500 steps, comparing with Ayung River’s 500 steps, I’m fine! Careful for wetting road.
I can see Telagawaja River! Comparing to Ayung River, it’s narrow and clear water because it locates on upper stream.
Here is the starting point. Other companies start from more upper stream, and to avoid rafting on the step of rocks, have to walk during rafting. SOBEK starts from under the step of rocks, so we don’t need to walk.
Again, we listen to the lecture from guide, how to hold the oar and how to call, and we leave valuables. I ride on the boat with today’s members, Laurence & Francisca!
Now, we start! It’s fast flowing, so we slide the slope and slide into the river, I’m scared, already!!
※The picture is provided by SOBEK.
I heard that Telagawaja River is more thrilled than Ayung River, and it is true. Telagawaja River rafting is really wild!! I’m really scared person, so I was scared than thrilled…
Just after we started, we saw a small bamboo bridge. And, it’s really close to surface on the river… Well, are you sure, we go through? I lay on the boat and passed… but I wonder that it is too narrow for people have big body!
It’s shallow river, so I can feel touching rocks and flowing water under the boat. When I tried Ayung River rafting, I had muscle ache because I had to row, but this time, the flowing is really fast, and I don’t need to row.
The river flows between mountains and hills, we passed through country side and rice terrace. We could see people are farming, and waved hands to them. They waved hands back. It’s heartwarming experience…
We had a break under the waterfalls.
We take picture here! From the left, Francisca, DEK GUS, Aiko, and Laurence. Laurence drink beer! There are drinks at the break point, however, they are sold by residents who don’t belong to SOBEK, so you have to pay. (about Rp.20,000) Rafting is hard sport and you might be thirsty so it’s good idea to bring drink on the water-proof bag… adventure, DEK GUS told us to lie down bottom of the boat and hold the safety rope.
Oh, finally, we are the point of 4m rock step! I hate the scream machines in leisure land. I just pray we pass the point quickly…
No way!!!!! We shouted on the boat and SOBEK cameraman took picture at the moment! We slid down 45°inclination!!
It was like some attraction in Disney Land, and after we slid down, we get splashed water. I hit my chin on my knee because the boat was bended!! You can purchase this picture the ending point. （Rp.45,000）
I recover from the shock of 4m sliding, and we row for20 min. to the ending point. Because of the shallow river, there is no swimming point. I took a picture with joy of alive!
In Ayung River rafting by SOBEK, we climb up stairs after lunch, but this time is before lunch. We climb up with spirit… please wait for me.
I finished stairs and almost deficiency of oxygen… There are rice terrace and great view of green forest!!!
I look down Telagawaja River which I just tried rafting. Wow, I went down the river for 14 km… Awesome!!
I love this lunch with great view, which SOBEK Telagawaja River Rafting offers! We get towels and belongings. You can change after or before lunch. It’s Indonesian food buffet. It includes coffee, desert, and fruit.
Foods are just done! I took Mie Goreng, Gado-gado (boiled vegetable salad), Sate (meat stick), Lumpia (spring roll), and Curry Ayam (Chicken curry), etc. I found the traditional sweets of Bali, Pisang rai (left) and Kelepon (right)! With really sweet brown sugar, it’s tasty!!
There are 4 shower rooms. They prepare body soap and plastic bags for wet clothes. It’s hot shower! Oh, not really hot… Well, here is Bali, ya!
Today’s rafting report was thrilling & little bit scared. SOBEK takes picture at the starting point and the sliding point, and their picture is awesome, so I recommend it.
I wore the shoes with strings, however, I felt little pain by sands and small stones in the shoes, so I think that it’s best to wear the sandals which hold hells.
Slow-flowing and enjoy the view in Ayung River; thrilling and adventurous Telagawaja River. Both are really fun to rafting… but, I prefer Ayung River because I’m really scared.
※This report was written based on the information when the time of visiting. Course menu and schedule might be changed without notice. In addition, the report contains individual opinion and impression, however, these are not applied for all people. Please read it just for your reference. Thank you.