Mount Agung — Local services in Kecamatan Bebandem

Mount Agung, the highest point in Bali, stands at an impressive 3,142 meters and offers breathtaking views. The hike to the peak can be done through various routes, but I chose the longest one from Pura Pengubengan, covering about 14 kilometers roundtrip. Safety and the chance to make new friends were my main reasons for getting a guide.

The trekking company： Camp Gunung Agung Via Edelweis Our Guide： I Komang sabda He doesn’t speak a lot of English but very kind and professional.

On December 16, I prepared for the hike by having my last meal at 20:00 and taking a short 30-minute nap before being picked up at 22:45 to go to the base camp. At 23:00, I arrived at the base camp to meet the guide and start hiking. I brought my own headlight, but they also had extras available, along with trekking poles for those who needed them.

The hike began at 23:21, with many other hikers starting from the same location. We reached the campground around 03:00, where we took a break for tea and a cup of noodles. After waiting for about 90 minutes, we began the final ascent. I ended up hiking the last part by myself and was the third person to reach the peak at 05:23.

In terms of difficulty, I found the hike to be easy-intermediate. If you hike it by yourself it should take you less than 7 hours to complete the roundtrip. The challenge came more from descending the mountain due to loose gravel and slippery rocks, especially if you're not wearing the right shoes.

Mount Agung itself is a sight to behold. The initial 3 kilometers were in the dark, with thick fog making the path harder to see. As I passed the 3-kilometer mark, the fog cleared, revealing a clear sky filled with stars. The temperature dropped, and the winds became stronger. The camp at 5 kilometers marked a significant drop in temperature, requiring additional layers to keep warm. From the first peak, you could witness the beauty of the sunrise and the breathtaking views of the surrounding clouds and city lights below.

The highest point offered even more spectacular views, with a mesmerizing sunrise and an incredible crater emitting smoke as a reminder of its active nature. Standing there, basking in the warm rays of the sun, was a truly magical experience.

On the descent, the route became clearer. The first part consisted of rocks and loose gravel, while the latter part had roots, more loose gravel, and mud. I was surprised that my On road running shoes held up well, but I would recommend bringing trail shoes or hiking boots for better grip.

Here are my recommendations for anyone planning to hike Mount Agung: Pack a change of dry clothes and extra socks, as you'll likely sweat a lot and may need them if you get cold. Wear trail running shoes or hiking boots, preferably waterproof or resistant, for better grip and to keep your feet dry. Trekking poles are not necessary, but they can be very useful in saving leg strength and maintaining balance on the way down. Don't forget to wear a hat and bring a raincoat, as the weather can be unpredictable. While 500ml of water was enough for me during the hike, I would recommend packing at least 2 liters. Snacks are also essential, and I personally packed bananas and energy bars.

I hope these recommendations and insights help you plan your own adventure on...

Putting in a long review, cause the blogs about this hike is simply not enough. Read this if you are still 50-50 on whether you should do this hike.

Asian female solo traveller 30y/o who does yoga regularly and HIIT classes twice a week. I signed up to do the trek from Bersakih temple in Mid Oct. You don't just have to be very fit, but also a seasoned hike familiar with loose gravel with rocks and incline. I will consider myself reasonably fit but not very fit. Maybe if you run 2.5hrs for your 21km, this will still be tough, but if you do 42km runs, stamina wise should be fine.

The hike was tough, but more so dangerous. A majority of the route being 50cm wide and one side being the valley of death if you fall. As per the blogs, there are 3 phases to the climb, but what I cannot reiterate is how dangerous the hike would be if you are not a seasoned hiker.

Being Asian with short legs ( height of 160cm), I was on my fours most of the time climbing up, and the slope just gets steeper. Coming down was way tougher because of the incline, rocky slippery slopes and tight route with valley of death next to you. The weather wasn't helping either, the wind was gushing and our guide adviced us to return at around 2400m elevation mark cause that was sign of rain. True enough, it did rain and the last final part of trekking down was clouded with fog with very low visibility, making the hike down the loose gravel and rocks way more dangerous. Thankful we still had visibility at the steeper part of the slopes downhill. My climb was 4hrs to 2400m, ard 300m elevation away from POS II), and 3hrs down, with about a total of 3-4 breaks each way.

STRONGLY RECCOMMEND to have a guide. My guide actually literally saved me a couple of times during the hike down and I was on my bump multiple times sliding down. If you fall or injure yourself, there is is no immediate helivac rescue team, they will get the locals from base camp to climb up and find you.

Please get proper hiking shoes suited for techical terrain of loose soil and rocks. Wearing gloves right from the start would have helped, and definitely wear them coming down. Bring enough layers cause wind is strong and it's very cold when you stop for rest. Knee straps for the hike would have been great. Post hike - my legs were fine, no blisters thank to proper shoes, knees are painful from breaking my slide downhill, hands got a quite a number of cuts from falling on rocks and grabbing branches with thorns. Read lots of guide to bring your own headlamp and sticks, but please make sure your headlamp is good enough to cut through the fog. Other things to bring include - snack protein bar (keeps your energy up during the incline), 3L of water, personal medication (band aids, antiseptic cream, blister plaster, allergy pills, rehydration salts etc)

It's a once in a lifetime experience but I dont think I will ever...

We've been here last week. Great place with beautiful view. But now Mount Agung is experiencing unprecedented levels of seismic activity and could erupt in a “matter of hours”, Indonesia’s volcanology centre has confirmed.

Almost 60,000 people have been evacuated in the last few days as Agung, the highest point of the island, has experienced hundreds of internal volcanic earthquakes. Some boats to the popular Gili islands are being cancelled due to tremors causing big waves. (September 2017)

Latest update: - -------- (27 Nov 2017) Indonesian authorities have raised the alert to the highest level for the Mount Agung volcano and have ordered people within 10 kilometers to leave the area immediately. As a consequence many flights have now been disrupted or cancelled. The recent activity began with a small scale eruption on 21 November building to an ash emitting eruption on 25 November.

If you are traveling to Bali:

I would advice to contact your airline for flight schedule or travel plan before travel to the airport. Also contact your insurance for what will they cover and what will not.

If You Are Currently In Bali:

A. Remain well outside the existing exclusion zone which currently extends up to 7.5 kms from the crater. B. Most important is to contact your insurance company and abide by their directives . If you do not do this firstly then your claim will be null and void. C. If your flight is cancelled, There is no reason to wait at the airport. Contact your travel insurance and see if you are covered for hotel costs.Keep an eye on the airline's website for updates. D. Maintain contact with family and friends, providing them with regular updates about your welfare and location. E. Monitor media and other sources of information.

What to do to stay safe (from BNPB):===

During an eruption:=== Avoid any places that are recommended by the authorities to be evacuated. Avoid river valleys and low-lying areas. Avoid any open spaces and protect yourself from volcanic ash. Use goggles and wear eyeglasses instead of contact lenses. Use a dust mask or hold a damp cloth over your mouth and nose to help with breathing. Wear sufficient clothes to protect your body, i.e. long-sleeved shirts, long pants, hats, etc.

After an eruption:=== Minimize your exposure to volcanic ash. Avoid running car or truck engines. Driving can stir up volcanic ash that can clog engines, damage moving parts, and stall vehicles. Clear heavy ash from flat or low-pitched roofs and rain gutters. The weight of heavy ash can destroy houses and/or buildings. Be aware of mudflows. The danger of a mudflow increases near stream channels and with prolonged...