The Mount Rinjani Trekking is an absolute must for all adventurous and physically active travelers who are in Bali or Lombok.

Mount Rinjani (3.726 m) is a volcano located on the island Lombok, west of Bali. When I first heard of the possibility to climb Mount Rinjani I got excited immediately. I had never hiked such a high mountain before.

Camping on the volcano rim of Mount Rinjani: Mount Rinjani (3.726 m) is a volcano located on the island Lombok in Indonesia. Several operators offer a trekking tour including a night in a tent at the volcano rim. This is a unique experience which I recommend to every adventurer. #indonesia #volcano #trekking #adventure #mountrinjani

The Mount Rinjani trekking requires a certain level of fitness. If you never do sports, this might be a bit too challenging. But if you’re a fit person who likes to challenge themselves, definitely go for it.

Also, I recommend planning your trip in a way that you can relax 1-2 days after the hike. My muscles were extremely sore afterwards. Consider visiting the beach town Kuta after the Mount Rinjani Trekking.

Which tour to book for the Mount Rinjani trekking

I booked a 2 day and 1 night tour with Rinjani Trekking Center. We’d climb the volcano, spend 1 night in a tent at the top and then descend the mountain the next day.

Initially, I wanted to do a 4 day tour to the summit, the crater and the crater lake. Unfortunately, this wasn’t possible because the path to the peak was closed due to a past earthquake. This meant that I couldn’t climb the summit at 3.726 m but only up to the volcano rim at about 3.000 m. While this was a bit disappointing I was still excited to do the Mount Rinjani Trekking. The path was already being restored at that time so it should be open again soon.

Inform yourself about the different tours that are offered and then decide for the one that suits you most. You can choose between 2, 3, 4 or even 5 day tours.

What's included in a tour to Mount Rinjani

What’s included in the Mount Rinjani trekking depends on which operator you book with and the level of comfort you wish to have in the accommodation the night before the hike. In my case, I booked with Rinjani Trekking Center and the tour cost approximately 100€.

The following was included:

  • Transport from Gili Air (where I was located before) to Senaru
  • Accommodation for 1 night in Senaru before the hike
  • A guide to Mount Rinjani
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner on day 2
  • Breakfast and lunch on day 3
  • Biscuits
  • A tent and a sleeping bag for the night on the mountain
  • Porters who carry water, food and tents
  • Transport to my next destination, Kuta in Lombok

What to pack for the Mount Rinjani trekking

  • Proper hiking shoes
  • Jacket and sweater
  • Cap, sun screen and sunglasses
  • Comfortable clothes for the night
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Baby tissues
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Toilet paper
  • Camera
  • Power bank
  • Snacks (if you tend to get hungry easily)

Mount Rinjani trekking: Day 1

I was located on Gili Air before, so first I needed to travel to Senaru on Lombok for the Mount Rinjani trekking.

In the morning I took a ferry from Gili Air to Lombok where a guide picked me up and brought me to Senaru.

Arrival to Senaru

Senaru is an extremely remote and traditional village on the country side of Lombok and also the starting point of the Mount Rinjani trekking.

I arrived to Senaru at around noon and was brought to my accommodation. The accommodation was included in the package that I had booked. I stayed with an Indonesian family in very basic housing. They offered double rooms with a bathroom (where the water hadn’t worked all day long). When I got settled I asked about what would be next and they had told me that I’d have the whole afternoon to myself. I took a little walk but there was pretty much nothing except for some houses and forest.

Tiu Kelep waterfall

Senaru is not only the starting point of the Mount Rinjani trekking, but also home to the stunning waterfall Tiu Kelep. As I still had the whole afternoon to myself, a guide from my accommodation offered to take to me the waterfalls that were only a 30 minute hike from there.

Tiu Kelep Waterfall
Tiu Kelep Waterfall in Senaru

The waterfalls were impressive and it was definitely worth hiking there. It was an easy hike through the forest but there were quite a few stairs to climb so I recommend wearing proper shoes. We couldn’t go swimming there as the water is not deep enough and it’s extremely cold. When we returned to our accommodation we prepared our bags for the next day and went to bed early.

Mount Rinjani trekking: Day 2

At 6:00 am it was time to get up and get ready for the hiking adventure.

Early start and a 7 hour climb

Still sleepy, I got a cup of Balinese coffee and a pancake for breakfast. It wasn’t much but it gave me energy to wake up and start the Mount Rinjani trekking.

Mount Rinjani Trekking
Entrance gate to Mount Rinjani in Senaru

The first part of the hike was very easy with hardly any elevation gain. It was perfect to chat with the other group members and to get to know them better. But obviously this didn’t last long. As we progressed the path got steeper. Luckily everyone in our group had about the same level of fitness so we didn’t have to wait for anyone. We walked through the woods on a well-maintained path. The first part of the Mount Rinjani trekking took us about 3 hours with small breaks in-between. Everyone was starving already as we only had a small breakfast so we were extremely excited for lunch.

Lunch on Mount Rinjani
Lunch: Chicken, veggies and tempeh with rice and shrimp crackers

At around 10:00 we finally had our lunch break. We expected a sandwich or anything else that would be easy to carry. But no, our guides and porters actually started to cook for us. They carried a gas cooker and a frying pan and prepared a delicious meal for us. I can’t even describe how good it felt to sit down and eat something. After lunch we had some more time to relax before we continued the ascend.

Mount Rinjani Trekking

Shortly after the lunch break we reached the clouds. At this point we had been hiking for 4 hours already. It got more tiring and we needed more and more short breaks.

Mount Rinjani Trekking

After we passed the clouds it got even more exhausting. First, because the path got continuously steeper and second because we were exposed to the sun so we were sweating even more. As it got steeper my legs started to get shaky because my muscles were already tired. I didn’t even look up to the peak anymore. I just looked down on my feet and put one foot in front of the other. Like this I wouldn’t have to think about how much of the Mount Rinjani trekking was still ahead of me.

Mount Rinjani volcano rim

Mount Rinjani Trekking

At around 15:00 and after a total of 7 hours of hiking we arrived to our campsite at the volcano rim. We were filled with happiness as we had finally reached our place to sleep. The area was full of tents and the toilet was a hole in the ground in a special toilet tent. But all this didn’t matter – everything that mattered was that we had made it.

Mount Rinjani Volcano Crater

First things first, we entered our tents, laid down and just relaxed for a while. It was so satisfying to take the weight off my feet. But the break didn’t last long. Soon we forced ourselves to get up again to explore the area, after all we came here to see the volcano crater. The view of the crater and the crater lake were impressive.

Dinner on Mount Rinjani
Dinner: Fried rice with veggies, tempeh, fried egg and shrimp crackers

When we returned to our tents we were extremely hungry again so we asked our guides if they could prepare an early dinner. They laughed at us because we seemed to be constantly hungry (which was kind of true) and they prepared dinner for us at 17:00. The meal was delicious again and it tasted even better with the stunning view and the accomplishment of that day.

Sunset and the most unconfortable night ever

Sunset view from Mount Rinjani

At around 18:00 the sun was about to set. The view of the sea of clouds and the sun going down was breathtaking. As soon as the sun had set it became cold really quickly. After all we were at around 3.000 m above sea level.

Sunset view Mount Rinjani
View from the volcano rim after sunset. In the far distance you can see the peak of Mount Agung (another volcano) reaching out of the clouds.

As it got cold we said good night and went into our tents to jump into the cozy sleeping bags. When the darkness had settled I looked outside again to check if the stars were visible and I was left speechless. Everything was quiet and you could only see the shadows of the surrounding mountains and a clear sky full of stars. I stood there for a few minutes and just looked up in awe. Moments like that are unforgettable and make you appreciate the wonders and the beauty of nature. But soon I started to freeze so I returned back into the tent again.

Sunset view from Mount Rinjani

The night was everything but comfortable. Our tent was on an uneven ground so we permanently slided to one side of the tent. Plus, it got extremely cold. I got a few hours of sleep but most of the time I was awake trying to find a comfortable position or avoiding to slide down. Even though I hadn’t slept well and I had dreamed of a cozy bed, I still had a smile on my face. These are experiences where I’m simply thankful for having the privilege to live a life full of adventures – in this case, spending the night on a 3.000 m high volcano in Indonesia. Filled with a feeling of content I turned around, wrapped into my 5 layers of clothes, until I finally fell asleep.

Mount Rinjani trekking: Day 3

The next morning, the chatter of people walking by our tent woke me up. Still half asleep I checked the time and realised it was already 6:00 – time to get up and watch the sunrise.

Sunrise on the volcano rim

Sunrise on Mount Rinjani
View of the camp site at 6:00 am

We opened the door of our tent and couldn’t believe our eyes. The sun painted the sky in vibrant shades of pink and purple while you could still see the moon shine over the mountain peaks. Everything seemed so unreal as if it was out of a fantasy movie. Once again I was left speechless.

Mount Rinjani Volcano Crater

We left the camp site to walk up to the volcano rim. The sunrise itself was a bit disappointing. The sun rose behind the summit of Mount Rinjani so all we saw was the sky getting lighter but there was no sight of the sun. Usually people would hike up to the summit in the morning before sunrise but we couldn’t do that as the path was closed due to a past earthquake.

 

Breakfast on Mount Rinjani

After sunrise we got breakfast, enjoyed the views one last time, packed our bags and then we made our way back down at around 7:00.

Descending Mount Rinjani

My legs were still a bit shaky as they were exhausted from the climb. It was pretty hard to descend as my shoes had no profile at all so I just kept sliding down the sandy path. I can’t even count how many times I slipped. Luckily, I’m used to being in the mountains so I was quite good at balancing myself out. The descend of the Mount Rinjani trekking took us about 5 hours. We got one last lunch on the way down and then we headed back to the accommodation in Senaru to take a shower. After taking a shower, a taxi picked me up and brought me straight to Kuta where I continued my journey.

Mount Rinjani Volcano Crater

Is the Mount Rinjani trekking worth it?

YES!

The Mount Rinjani trekking was a unique adventure and the feeling of accomplishment you have when you reach the peak is amazing. If you like climbing mountains and you’re an adventurer like me I definitely recommend doing this hike during your Indonesia trip.

Camping on the volcano rim of Mount Rinjani: Mount Rinjani (3.726 m) is a volcano located on the island Lombok in Indonesia. Several operators offer a trekking tour including a night in a tent at the volcano rim. This is a unique experience which I recommend to every adventurer. #indonesia #volcano #trekking #adventure #mountrinjani
Camping on the volcano rim of Mount Rinjani: Mount Rinjani (3.726 m) is a volcano located on the island Lombok in Indonesia. Several operators offer a trekking tour including a night in a tent at the volcano rim. This is a unique experience which I recommend to every adventurer. #indonesia #volcano #trekking #adventure #mountrinjani

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