The Mount Batur sunrise trekking is a magical adventure with stunning sunrise views over Lake Batur. Mount Batur is Bali’s second highest volcano and is located in the north of Bali in a small valley named Kintamani. This was the first volcano trekking that I did in Indonesia, before climbing the much more demanding Mount Rinjani.

Things to know before climbing Mount Batur

The Mount Batur sunrise trekking is a magical adventure with stunning sunrise views over Lake Batur. This guide provides you with everything you need to know before you go. #MountBatur #Bali #VolcanoTrekking #SunriseHike Indonesia | Bali Sunrise | Mount Batur | Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking | Batur Hot Springs

Which tour to book

There are many agencies that offer tours for the Mount Batur sunrise trekking. What I personally dislike in most of these tours is that the groups are often rather big and the spot on the top of Mount Batur gets quite crowded. 

But there’s an alternative to this: Bunbulan Hill Hostel offers the most amazing and unique tour. Thanks to the recommendation of a friend, I booked this tour and I’m happy that I did so. Unlike with other agencies, we were a small group and hiking to a different spot on top of Mount Batur than everyone else. This allowed us to watch the magical sunrise in tranquility being just by ourselves.

Not only do they bring you to a view point where nobody else is, but they also offer a unique experience of cooking breakfast in the volcano crater. Yes, you read that correctly – you’ll cook your eggs and your tea inside the volcano.

Breakfast in the volcano crater
Our guide boiling eggs with the steam of the volcano

While the others hiked down the same path again after sunrise, our group descended on the other side of Mount Batur, giving us the chance to see more of the volcano.

If you’re willing to pay a slightly higher price, you can also book a private tour to Mount Batur.

How to get to Mount Batur

Mount Batur is located in the remote village Kintamani. To hike Mount Batur, you first need to make it all the way to Kintamani.

Mount Batur tour from Ubud or Seminyak

Conventional tours include transportation from your accommodation in Ubud or Seminyak to Kintamani, from where you’ll start the sunrise hike.

Usually, the tours depart at around 3:00 am from Ubud and at around 2:30 am from Seminyak.

Mount Batur tour from Kintamani

If you choose to do the same tour as I did (which I recommend) you get to sleep until 4:00 am but you need to go to Kintamani the day before.

The remote village Kintamani is absolutely off the beaten track and there’s hardly any tourism besides those who do the Mount Batur sunrise trekking – and even they only do the hike and then leave again.

The best way to get to Kintamani is by scooter or by car. As I’m too scared to drive a scooter by myself (feel free to laugh at me) I hired a GoJek to bring me to Kintamani. On the way to get there we drove though the rural areas of Bali, passing by lush green rice fields and fruit plantations. The road to Kintamani led us steadily uphill and the temperature dropped the further we got. At some point I asked my driver to stop so I could put on my sweater. Getting to Kintamani, you first have to cross a mountain. The sun was about to set when we reached the top of the mountain, leaving us with an impressive sunset view of Lake Batur.

Sunset Kintamani, Bali

A steep road leads downhill to the valley and I was holding on tight to my driver. As we drove through the valley, locals looked at us curiously. “Maybe they were not used to seeing tourists?”, I thought to myself.

My driver said that he had never been there before. The people in Kintamani seemed to live a very basic and traditional life, completely different to the life in touristic areas of Bali. At some point the solid road ended and we continued on a bumpy dirt road. When we finally reached the Bunbulan Hill Hostel, an employee was already awaiting me with a welcoming smile and a cup of tea.

What's included in a tour to Mount Batur?

The tour with Bunbulan Hill Hostel costs about 40€ per person and includes the following:

  • Very small breakfast before the hike
  • A local English-speaking guide
  • A flash light 
  • Breakfast on the peak cooked in the steam of the volcano crater
  • Transportation back to the hostel

If you book a tour from Ubud or Seminyak, transportation from and to Mount Batur is also included. When staying at the Bunbulan Hill Hostel, the hike starts directly from there.

Some tours additionally include a visit to the natural hot springs in Kintamani or a visit of a coffee plantation.

Sunrise on Mount Batur

What's the height of Mount Batur?

Mount Batur has an elevation of 1,717 m above sea level. The village Kintamani, which is the starting point of the trail, has an elevation of almost 1,100 m above sea level.

This leaves you with about 600 m of altitude to conquer on the Mount Batur sunrise trekking.

How difficult is it to climb Mount Batur?

This highly depends on your level of fitness. For me personally, Mount Batur was quite an easy hike. I’m fit and I hike mountains on a regular basis though.

For someone who is not used to hiking, Mount Batur could be challenging. The tour guide makes sure that everyone is doing fine and you’ll make several breaks on the way to the top. If you think you might not be fit enough, just challenge yourself – you’ll be rewarded with stunning views on the top!

Sunrise on Mount Batur

How long does it take to hike up Mount Batur?

Depending on your speed and the number of breaks you make, hiking up Mount Batur takes about 1,5 hours.

What to bring on a Mount Batur sunrise hike

  • Bring a jacket. It can get pretty cold and windy at the peak.
  • Wear proper hiking shoes.
  • Bring a small backpack.
  • At least 1 litre of water per person
  • Snacks if you get hungry easily

Mount Batur sunrise trekking

It felt way too early when the alarm rang at 4:00 am. We got some toasties with Balinese coffee for breakfast and everyone received a flash light. The breakfast wasn’t really satisfying but I knew we’d get a proper breakfast on the volcano so it was okay.

Mount Batur Sunrise

Our group consisted of a German couple and two French guys plus our guide besides me. We left the hostel at 4:30 and started hiking up the volcano while it was still pitch black outside.

On the way up we made several breaks and the guide adapted the speed to our level of fitness. At first the path was still rather flat but it got steeper the further up we got.

When we reached the peak we passed by a crowded spot where all the other groups stayed to watch the sunrise. It was noisy and people had to look for a place to sit or stand so they could see properly.

Mount Batur Sunrise Hike

I was relieved when our guide told us that we’d go to a different place away from the crowds. When we arrived to our private view point we could enjoy the magical sunrise in a place all to ourselves.

It was freezing on the peak of Mount Batur and strong winds were blowing - this didn’t keep me from taking off my jacket to get a picture though. We waited in awe as the sky turned orange and the sun rose above the clouds.

Not only the view of the sunrise was stunning but also looking at the volcano itself amazed me as there was smoke evaporating everywhere.

When the sun had finally risen and we were done taking pictures it was time to get going. Instead of walking down the same path again we descended the volcano on the other side.

This allowed us to see another crater and a totally different landscape. By then, the sun was already out and warming up our skin. Also, the next highlight that makes this tour so special was awaiting us. 

Cooking breakfast in the volcano crater

It was time for an absolutely unique experience: Cooking breakfast with the steam of the volcano crater.

We sat down on the ground to relax a little while our guide started unpacking his backpack and announced that he’d prepare our second breakfast now. He had brought eggs, bread, bananas, water and tea bags.

Breakfast in the Volcano Crater
The hole in the ground where we boiled the eggs and the tea

He dug a hole in the ground and put the eggs inside, as if it was the most normal thing to do. “Now we just need to wait a few minutes until the eggs are cooked”, he said.

Then he put a tea bag into a water bottle and did the same thing. It was amusing to watch. The water that evaporates from the volcano would heat the ground and cook our breakfast.

Breakfast on Volcano Mount Batur

When the eggs were cooked and the tea was hot we sat down and enjoyed our breakfast with the impressive view in front of us. The sun was kissing our skin and I was super happy and grateful for this adventure.

At this point I just wished to stay there and take a nap soaking up the sun – but when we had finished breakfast it was time to continue the hike.

Descending Mount Batur

Mount Batur Volcano, Bali

The path that leads down the volcano is sandy and we ran and slided all the way down. Our shoes were full of sand and our clothes were full of dust but it was definitely the most fun part of the trek.

Mount Batur Volcano, Bali

When we reached the foot of Mount Batur, a bus was already waiting for us to bring us back to the hostel. The first thing I did was shower, order some fried rice and relax by the pool as I was extremely tired.

Mount Batur Hot Springs

Batur Hot Springs

What’s a better way to treat yourself than spending some time in the warm waters of natural hot springs after an exhausting hike?

If you have a few hours to spare after the Mount Batur sunrise trekking, consider visiting the Batur Hot Springs. There’s an entrance fee of about 12€ (quite expensive for Indonesia) which includes a towel, a locker and a drink at the bar.

At Batur Hot Springs you’ll find several pools with different temperatures. It’s located right next to Lake Batur with a beautiful view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

 

Mount Batur sunrise trekking - is it worth it?

Yes, definitely!

Getting up in the middle of the night and climbing a mountain in the dark might not seem appealing to everyone, but let me tell you that the magical sunrise view from the top is absolutely worth the effort.

The Mount Batur sunrise trekking was an amazing experience that I wouldn’t want to miss out on. If you enjoy being outdoor active, then you should definitely book this adventure.

And if you just enjoy watching a beautiful sunrise, challenge yourself and go for it. You certainly won’t regret it!

Read Also:

The Mount Batur sunrise trekking is a magical adventure with stunning sunrise views over Lake Batur. This guide provides you with everything you need to know before you go. #MountBatur #Bali #VolcanoTrekking #SunriseHike Indonesia | Bali Sunrise | Mount Batur | Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking | Batur Hot Springs
The Mount Batur sunrise trekking is a magical adventure with stunning sunrise views over Lake Batur. This guide provides you with everything you need to know before you go. #MountBatur #Bali #VolcanoTrekking #SunriseHike Indonesia | Bali Sunrise | Mount Batur | Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking | Batur Hot Springs

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