Program Overview
Join this once-in-a-lifetime adventure into the very heart of Balinese ceremony and ritual — during the time of Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu New Year. Discover the joy of honoring your own inner darkness and releasing that which no longer serves you. Be in harmony with ancient ceremonies that wake up your own unique indigenous wisdom. Spend a full 24 hours in total silence throughout the island, giving time for self-reflection, healing and affirmations for a year of blessings.
Let us take you on an inspirational adventure of a lifetime. Unlike a regular tour, our trips are designed for small groups exploring one-of-a-kind experiences. Enjoy a delicious private dinner and fascinating discussion with the King of Bali in his palace. Meet with young Balinese changemakers and visit hidden ancient temples. Witness Bali’s breathtaking scenery, lush green rice terraces and private tropical beaches. Choose from authentic local foods and explore delicious culinary delights.
Most important, we’re told that our trips are life changing. We hope so. Our love and deep respect for the Balinese and their island carries thru everything we offer. Come join us.
*** Special Opportunity – Travel with the Founder ***
Marcia Jaffe, visionary and founder of Bali Institute, will join the program in March for Nyepi, the extraordinary celebration of the Balinese new year. “This is my favorite time for inviting you to be in Bail with us. Every village throughout the island participates. You’ll see how the Balinese releasing dark spirits and ushers in a new year full of hope and promise.”
2025 itinerary coming soon!
About the Program Leader:
Marcia Jaffe, founder of Bali Institute, is delighted to join part of the program, especially during her favorite ceremonial time — Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu new year where dark forces are honored and silence is a golden connection to bringing in a new year. Marcia has a deep love for Bali, discovered on her first trip there in 2003. “The indigenous wisdom existing in the culture and its people felt like a global healing for all of humanity,” she says. It became her passion and huge drive to encourage people everywhere to visit, listen and experience the knowledge that lived both in the seen and the unseen worlds in Bali.
Now, more than 20 years later, the Bali Institute has emerged as the largest provider of educational travel for teens, college students and adult travelers in Bali and Indonesia. Marcia brings more than 30+ years’ experience in the business, nonprofit and entrepreneurial worlds. She ran her own mid-size event management company for 15 years, producing corporate and community conferences and events for up to 400,000 people.
She created several of her own conferences including a series called FAMILY2000, events on multiculturalism in the 21st century, women’s health gatherings, and numerous others. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Southern California, and all her masters work (minus a thesis) in Leadership and Human Behavior at United States International University in San Diego, CA. Her love for Bali brings a level of excitement and behind-the-veil knowledge that participants will both enjoy and find transformative. For more information about Marcia, visit https://baliinstitute.com/staff-and-advisors/
About Bali Institute
Bali Institute is about shifting perspectives, one experience at a time. We believe that Bali is a living classroom with something special to share with the world beyond its shores. That’s why for more than 15 years, Bali Institute has been collaborating with extraordinary leaders, organizations, and communities in Bali to offer premier educational travel programs for all ages.
In the heart of our work is the belief that every unique experience we offer has the power for self-discovery. Bali, as a living classroom, invites you to tap into your deepest curiosities and engages you to explore the world in new ways. Bali reminds us what it means to be human and connects us to the beauty of the world.
At Bali Institute, we believe in the power of deep connections and meaningful experiences. We custom design programs to introduce you to the people, places and experiences in Bali that will excite, challenge and inspire — all while having the time of your life.
Our cross-cultural team has a genuine care for the well-being of the island’s people, culture, and environment. We are excited to share the magic of Bali by harnessing our deep roots in the community to create unique and transformative programs for learners of all ages.
Program Price:
–> If you are not traveling with someone you would like to share a room with, we will pair you with another solo traveler, if no one is available, single room occupancy fee may apply. Each traveler will have their own bed unless you have indicated otherwise.
FEE INCLUDES:
NOT INCLUDED:
Nyepi is one of the most important festivals in the Balinese calendar, and it marks the new year according to the Hindu calendar. It is a day devoted to self reflection. The Balinese will not speak a word or engage in any type of entertainment for 24 hours and all shops and businesses are closed. Only hotels and emergency services are allowed to stay open. The local people take their period of silence seriously and even foreign visitors will be expected to stay in their hotels on this day. Spirituality plays a key part of life on Bali, and the Balinese believe that they need to perform regular offerings to the gods and placate demons. The new year is seen as a time of renewal, and the local people use it as a chance to purify their bodies and mind. It is hoped that by doing so it will mean that they will enjoy prosperity over the coming year. On Nyepi Eve there will be a real celebration atmosphere with parades and fireworks – probably the noisiest day of the year. And then, all of this excitement is followed by a day of complete silence. There is no other festival quite like it anywhere else on the planet.
The preparations for Nyepi begin months before, with each village preparing its own unique “Ogoh Ogoh” – a giant artistic representation of a favorite “demon”. These Ogoh Ogoh’s are being built on every main village road, and at night, as members of the community work together to create these monsters, the excitement is building. About three to four days before Nyepi, all Balinese prepare with the purification of temple objects – this is called the Melasti ceremony. The holy symbols that are of importance to the Balinese are taken to the sea for cleansing. This event involves processions and gamelon music.
Celebrations on Nyepi Eve (aka Tawur Kesanga) tend to be very noisy gatherings for an important reason — the goal is to drive out evil spirits. With this in mind the villagers parade their Ogoh Ogohs proudly through the streets and into the main village square. Songs and skits are often developed by different village groups. As they pass through a village the procession will stop at every crossroads and turn the Ogoh-Ogoh around three times – the aim is to confuse the spirits so that they will be forced to leave the island. As well as trying to frighten away demons and spirits, the local people will cook enough food to last them for the next couple of days. Nyepi Eve is one of the days when cock fighting is allowed because it is believed that the spilling of this animals blood can have a purifying effort for the entire island.
