Rinjani Hiking Expert | Lombok-Indonesia.org | — Attraction in Lombok

Long story short:

If I could choose a guide for a possible tour it would be only one. Ardi, competence at 100%, friendly, always approachable, and he speaks very good English, which makes it very pleasant. The porters: just two words, true heroes 👍👊👍 The Team lombok-indonesia.org is highly recommended.

And now the long story:

A friend who has lived in Indonesia for a long time told us in advance of the travel planning or the hike "if you book cheap, you get cheap in Indonesia". We chose the team lombok-indonesia.org. It was or is not the cheapest provider, but I wanted to play it safe and not get "cheap". So much in advance, the plan worked. Starting with the very good support via WhatsApp by Hill, who always informed us when we will be picked up where, when we will sleep where, etc.

In addition, the team that looked after us during the tour, in our case it was Ardi (I hope it is written correctly, for safety you can see "The Machine" on the pictures) and his porter team.

Ardi was always, really always there for us and always available. He always informed our small team "smelly cat" always and at any time when it starts where, how long it is until the next break, what we can see where (which place is which, which islands there are to see, which mountains etc.), he had an endless supply of bars, cookies etc. with him for us and always kept us in the best mood, even if the way was sometimes exhausting. Exhausting, a good point. I thought I was fit and efficient, my true heroes of this tour are and remain the porters. What these guys do was sensational, they carried everything "we" needed to live in the camp up the mountain, in flip-flops mind you. The boys always smiled and took good care of us and cooked. There was always something to eat, I mean it was freshly cooked for lunch/dinner, there was fresh fruit with every meal and a small tasty snack on arrival at the tent camp.

Tent camp, next point. There were three of us travelling and the boys had set up 2 tents just for us. The tents were in order and clean, the sleeping bags were well warm, nothing was missing. Even camping chairs and a small table have carried the boys up the mountain, if I could decide something I would leave out this equipment, a blanket also does it and relieves the boys a little.

Thank you very much for this experience. Stay safe and take care and take care of your...

We choose this company amongst many, and hiked as a couple. My partner is fit and experienced, and I'm somewhat new to trekking, mainly gymfit.

They are organised, Hill communicates very well from the booking process onwards to the pickup on Lombok. Our assessment of Lombok-Indonesia.org is five stars, but the trek only gets three stars.

I can fully endorse Lombok-Indonesia if you want to do this hike. You'll get to rent gear, guide and porters are included- in our case Sting, Ari and Ricky. Great and friendly people! They were supportive and helpful at every stage of the ascent. Sting speaks English well enough to keep us company and ensure our safety, advising us on technique, nature and culture. While our porters provided delicious and plentyful meals and water.

However, a word of advise for the hike. For once, it'll be very busy and the trash along the trek, smoke and even popmusic from portable speakers will be hard to ignore. This is not a mountain mindfulness experience, if this is what you are looking for. On the other hand, you really need to be fit with good endurance to enjoy this trek, preferably not completely new to trekking. I do not say this lightly, but this trek is very challenging, especially the final ascent to the summit. Your good shoes (leave your sneakers take proper shoes), cold weather gear, rain gear and walking sticks are really making a massive difference. Yes, you can do it without, but that's really unpleasant and unnecessary. Food, water and essentials will be carried to the top, but your gear and fitness will make all the difference for yourself.

Finally, local tourists will also be hiking with you - while we started early, they do not. So we were unlucky as some arrived very late to the camp, setting up their tent next to us, and culturally speaking there is little camping ethic there, so bring earplugs for a potentially rough night.

Aside from all this, the views are breathtaking, and unforgettable, and the mountain will test you in various ways!

Thank you Hill, Sting,...

This is my second trip with Lombok-Indonesia, and I have nothing but positive things to say about this company.

First, safety. In light of recent events on Rinjai, people are understandably worried about safety. This company is not associated with this incident. What I can say is that while the hike is challenging, the guides make sure to take every safety precaution possible. They are always in front/behind the group, within speaking and line of sight of all guests, and are trained to check for any potential signs of danger. There were dozens of occasions where the guides proactively warned me about any potential hazards, and they were constantly checking on our wellbeing. They also stock first aid and rescue supplies on every trip.

Second, the booking process is seamless and straightforward. You select your dates and packages and make a modest deposit to secure the permit from the Indonesian government. That's all you need to secure your trekking dates.

Third, the logistics process. One of the managers (Hill/Hamdi) reach out to you well ahead of your Lombok trip with the itinerary, equipment to bring, and collect information to apply for your permits. It's a very easy process, and they are quick to respond to any inquiries.

Fourth, the homestay facilities are very good with an amazing infinity pool and waterfall view right outside of each private villa.

Fifth, the trekking itself. Our guides Toni and Ariadi were both outstanding. They immediately made us feel like we were family. They had plenty of stories, jokes, and interesting facts to make the trekking more enjoyable. The guides paid special attention to those in our group who thought they couldn't reach the summit. We all made it in the end. The food/facilities provided by the porters during the trek were above standard for Mt. Rinjani based on my observations.

If you're adventerous, love the outdoors, and are willing to work some exercise into your holiday, book Lombok-Indonesia...