Mount Rinjani — Attraction in Lombok

Mount Rinjani is a stratovolcano located on the island of Lombok, Indonesia. It is the second-highest volcano in the country, and its summit is 3,726 meters (12,224 feet) above sea level. Rinjani is a popular trekking destination, and there are a number of different trekking routes to choose from, ranging from 2 to 4 days in length.

Rinjani is known for its stunning scenery, which includes lush rainforests, alpine meadows, and a crater lake. The volcano is also home to a variety of wildlife, including monkeys, deer, and eagles.

A five-star trekking experience on Mount Rinjani typically includes the following:

• Accommodation in comfortable tents or lodges. • All meals and drinks provided • Experienced and knowledgeable guides and porters. • Transportation to and from the trekking trail. • All necessary equipment, such as tents, sleeping bags, and trekking poles. • Some tour operators also offer additional amenities, such as massage services, hot showers, and even private chefs.

A five-star trekking experience on Mount Rinjani is a great way to enjoy the beauty of the volcano without having to worry about the logistics of the trek. The guides and porters will take care of everything, so you can focus on enjoying the scenery and the experience.

Here is an example of a five-star trekking itinerary for Mount Rinjani:

Day 1: Arrive Mataram capital city of Lombok and check in hotel.

Day 2: Transfer to the village of Senaru or Sembalun, the starting point for your trek. Begin your trek to Sembalun Crater Rim, where you will camp for the night.

Day 3: Wake up early and hike to the summit of Mount Rinjani. Watch the sunrise from the summit, then descend to the crater lake. Swim in the lake and relax in the hot springs.

Day 4: Trek back to Senaru or Sembalun and transfer to your hotel in Mataram.

Day 5: Depart from Lombok.

If you are interested in experiencing a five-star trekking experience on Mount Rinjani, there are a number of different tour operators to choose from. Be sure to do your research and choose a tour operator that has a good reputation and offers the amenities and services that are important to you.

Lake Baru Jari

Lake Baru Jari is a crater lake located on the slopes of Mount Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia. It is a popular destination for hikers and campers, and there are a number of activities that you can do there, including:

• Hiking: There are a number of hiking trails around Lake Baru Jari, ranging from easy to challenging. One popular hike is to the summit of Mount Baru Jari, which offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding area. • Camping: There are a number of campsites around Lake Baru Jari, where you can camp and enjoy the peace and quiet of the natural surroundings. • Swimming: The water in Lake Baru Jari is cold, but you can swim in it if you are feeling brave. • Birdwatching: Lake Baru Jari is home to a variety of bird species, including the Rinjani scops owl, the Lombok hawk-eagle, and the Wallace's wren. • Photography: Lake Baru Jari is a beautiful place to take photographs, with its stunning scenery and abundant wildlife.

In addition to these activities, there are also a number of tour operators that offer organized activities on Lake Baru Jari, such as canoeing, fishing, and mountain biking.

Here are some tips for visiting Lake Baru Jari:

• The best time to visit Lake Baru Jari is during the dry season, which runs from June to September. During the rainy season, the lake can be swollen and dangerous, and some of the hiking trails may be closed. • If you are hiking to the summit of Mount Baru Jari, be sure to start early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. • Be sure to pack plenty of water and snacks, as there are no shops or restaurants around Lake Baru Jari. • Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, and be prepared for all types of weather conditions.

Be respectful of the wildlife and...

As a whole, the volcano is amazing. You rarely get a chance to climb an active volcano, go inside a caldera/volcanic hot springs and camp on a rim. That said, the trek is very very hard and not for the faint hearted. You must be physically fit, but most importantly mentally fit. Most treks are done over 3 days 2 nights with a guide and some porters. These packages are around 1,500,000 and don’t seem to differ even if you pay more. You will do around 6 hours walking on the first day, 15 on the second (including the incredibly difficult summit ascent and descent and another 600m lake descent and ascent) then 5 on the last. Everyone in my group managed it slowly, but it is very tough and definitely book a couple of days to relax afterwards. That said, the views and sense of achievement you get at the top are worth it all. All of the food you will get will be amazing as they want to keep you well fed for all the walking. We had fried chicken, Nasi goreng, noodle soup, banana pancakes etc. I really enjoyed the hot springs after the summit and would highly recommend it if you have the energy.

Tips Guides seem to vary greatly and might not fully prepare you for the trek. Bring warm trousers and a jumper as it gets cold at night. Also a tried and tested waterproof as you spend a lot of time in the cloud, and when it rains, it pours. Make sure you are always hydrated as this helps the AMS and also stamina. On the 9h summit hike, our guide gave us around 3 litres between the 6 of us and we were severely dehydrated for the whole trek, almost not managing not. Bring snacks - you can buy Oreos and beer at the first campsite up the mountain, but bring lots of sweets and biscuits to keep you/the team going. Indonesians believe doing hard hikes on an empty stomach and so we were only fed a few crackers for the 9 hour walk to the top. Would also recommend tiger balm/muscle rub, anti-inflammatory and tissues. BUT MOST IMPORTANLTY TIP AND THANK YOUR PORTERS LOTS - your porters do the same hike as you, apart from the summit. But, they are carrying 25kg on their backs. When you arrive at camp at lie down and complain you’re tired, they are exhausted. But they will still run around and pitch the tents, roll out the sleeping bags, light a camp fire, offer you tea/coffee and cook you a fresh delicious meal, never complaining and all with a smile on their face. They sleep without mattresses/bags because they give them to the customers and sometimes don’t eat the ‘premium’ foods. They do a huge amount behind the scenes - from getting up at 3am to walk in the pouring rain to refill your bottles with spring water, or washing up when it is freezing outside. They do all this for under £10/day. I would recommend 80-100k tip per person per porter and more for the cook/anyone who is...

Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia, after Mount Kerinci. In terms of beauty, it is second to none.

There are few well known trails that offer different length/challenge/view. I opted to ascend thru Sembalun and descent thru Torean. From Sembalun to Plawangan (crater rim), it is a mix of flat and steep terrain, the view for the most part will be the awesome savannah. There is no shade at all during this part but most of the time you'll be covered by cloud so it is bearable. On the later steeper part nearing crater rim, it change a little with some not too thick trees that offer some shades, you can still see some views as the trees wasn't dense at all.

Most hikers camp at crater rim before summit attack early morning usually around 2-3am. I started at 2.30 and reach the summit around 6am, just nice before sunrise. The trail from crater rim to summit basically can be divided into 3 parts. The first part is steep with some loose scree but certainly doable. There are ropes fixed at some points but I don't really need them so it's really not as hard as I initially thought. Second section is the longest in term of the distance but very easy with almost flat and solid surface. The last section is the one that you can see from crater rim where you camped, it is mainly made up from loose scree with plenty of dust (wearing a buff will be helpful here). Not as hard as I made to believe, but very very dusty.

View from the summit is a majestic 360 degree view with Bali and Mount Agung on one side, savannah on the other, plus Segara Anak and range of mountains. Totally worth the effort. Most people told me to bring gaiter but I don't have any issue without it, not a single rock entered my shoes but I can't say the same to my friends.

After descend, we went to the Segara Anak lake to camp. The descend from crater rim to Segara Anak was the most challenging due to the extreme heat. We started the descent a bit late at around 1.30pm due to one of my friends is a slow walker. Try to descent before noon as you will get shade due to sun directions during morning time. Hot spring near the lake is very welcomed after a long hike.

The last day from Segara Anak to Torean village is fairly easy, there is some sections that require hikers to be more attentive due to narrow path next to the cliff. The view is totally great but you will be exposed to the elements again. After a while, you will enter a jungle area with no view but that also means you no longer exposed to the element.

We trekked with Green Rinjani and I would rate them extremely high. Excellent service, the guide (Andhy) and porters really hardworking. I would recommend them...