Rinjani volcano trekking

About the tour organization: The organization of the tour is excellent, with round-trip transfers in a comfortable car, a good hotel with hot water, equipment rental availability, transfer to the starting point and back + registration in the national park - everything is clear and without delays. It's worth noting that the equipment rental at the Rinjani trekking center is expensive, but a couple of blocks from the accommodation there's a stall offering gear at three times cheaper prices. Be sure to bring trekking poles, flashlights, and jackets. About the tour itself: it's a physically demanding hike, be prepared to walk more than 8 hours a day for all 3 days on non-flat paths: rocks, stones, soil, volcanic sand, cliffs, mountain rivers, and streams. There can be steep climbs upwards and sharp descents on stones, winding paths, passes near sheer cliffs, and so on. You must be aware that your preparation should allow you to always stay fully focused and maintain good body control despite fatigue. Ignoring this can be dangerous. But some people still somehow take the risk. Food: You are fed Indonesian food and fruits. It's tasty, sometimes a little spicy. Nasi goreng, mi goreng, chicken curry, rice, meat, local greens like beans and vegetables. Fruits include apples, pineapples, watermelon, and oranges. The first day of the program doesn’t raise questions: from around 10 AM to 4-5 PM, you gradually ascend to the base camp at an elevation of about 2600 meters. There will be a break for lunch, snacks, and rest. We once got caught in the rain there, and it was hard to dry clothes afterward - bring something that dries quickly. The second day evokes mixed emotions. According to the program, you start at 2 AM, ascend to 3700 meters in 4 hours, spend half an hour at the summit, descend in one and a half hours, have breakfast in one hour, and then begin descending to the lake. Reach it in 3 hours, bathe in hot springs, and then ascend again to another camp at about 2600 meters for the night (where it’s windy and cloudy). In reality, reaching 3700 to the summit in 4 hours is possible (we managed in 3.5 hours of intensive hiking), but descending to the base camp in an hour is very difficult. The descent is steep, and we didn’t want to damage our knees with pounding jumps or risk slipping, so we went down slowly. We descended for 3 hours with photo breaks and were at the base by 9 AM. We then had breakfast, and our guide suggested that after the lake, instead of going up to the base camp, since we wouldn’t make it in time, we stay overnight near the springs and continue down the next day. We agreed to this suggestion. I'll explain why: we descended to the lake for 4 hours on sheer rocks (one must be extremely careful and our legs were already tired at 6 AM), had lunch, and walked another 40 minutes to the hot springs. At the hot springs, we were after 3:00 PM - with such timing, we wouldn’t have made it up according to the initial plan (and going up means the same sheer rocks in the clouds). After the springs, we descended to the overnight spot conveniently located in a windless place near a mountain river. As we found out later from reviews, the path to the second base camp is no less austere, and the prospect of climbing up and then descending again is less appealing than a walk through a stunning gorge, hot springs, and staying overnight in a deserted place by a mountain river. The third day we descended further through the same cliffs and sheer rocks, but not in a big hurry, with a lunch break and amazing landscapes that we wouldn’t have seen if we went the usual 7-hour route down from the second camp. In conclusion: challenging and sometimes dangerous ascents and descents (no joking or exaggerating), insanely beautiful nature, incredible sensations, and the joy of listening to the guide. Whole knees thanks to trekking poles and movement like a retiree due to muscle fatigue for 4 days after the descent. An experience that will definitely be remembered, and, like any mountains, it’s about overcoming oneself and expanding boundaries. As they said in one movie, the guys in suits: -Is it worth it? -Oh yeah it’s worth it, if you’re strong enough!

Let's start with the transfer across Lombok. After arriving at the pier, you'll embark on a 2.5-3-hour journey to your "hotel," which looks more like a barrack. In fact, I sent a video of this hotel to a friend who served in the Israeli army, and he said that their barracks were more decent. What did we have: a tiny bed, a nightstand, a falling apart fan, and a cold shower. But before the hotel, let's talk about the road. It doesn't exist. In some places, the asphalt completely disappears, and you're driving on a mixture of dirt and sand. If in Bali the average speed of transport is considered to be 30-40 km/h, in Lombok – forget it! – 20-30 km/h. But you arrive at a hotel on the mountain, on the slope of Rinjani. You have a road upward, which you plan to take in the morning. BUT, it turns out that in the morning, after a night in Spartan conditions and the meager breakfast that can be offered (ONE small pancake with a small banana per person), you find out there is another hour and a half transfer to a village on the other slope of the mountain. Why couldn't we stay there immediately is a mystery shrouded in darkness. In this village, you undergo a "health check," where no one checks you; you simply fill out a paper yourself, which could have been done at the hotel, and then wait for your guide to get tickets to the mountain. Why your presence is needed there is also an interesting question. But that's not all. After that, you get into a car and again drive half an hour to the starting point of the trail on rural roads. After which, three hours after waking up, with no breakfast and two hours marinating in the car, you are expected to start hiking uphill. Not from the slope of the mountain, but way before it, on a very boring route where there's nothing but an incline and crowds of tourists and eternally passing by bikes. Unfortunately, we can't say how the further ascent transpired, because an hour into the climb, we realized it wasn't worth it, gave up, and headed back. To an exciting ten-hour transfer back to Bali.

It was an unforgettable journey!) With full comfort. I was met at the port on the island of Lombok, taken to a hotel with a fantastic view of the Rinjani stratovolcano. This journey was not easy for me, I got sick, had to postpone the trip, the guys helped me in every way they could: they resolved arising difficulties, supported me morally and kept me entertained. I was surrounded by care everywhere and all the time: delicious lunches, dinners, sweet snacks during the ascent, a great tent, and warm sleeping bags at the camping site.)) A friendly and understanding team? ❤️ Thank you MyBaliTrip for such a journey, I will definitely come back to you again ????

That was an amazing experience! Everything was organized very well. Our guide Pendy was very caring, understanding, and supportive. He always had water for us, telling interesting facts about the Rinjani area and Indonesia. Porters are also great guys, were cooking tasty food and creating a very friendly atmosphere. Challenging but incredible views. Totally recommend!