Indonesia: Mount Rinjani, Lombok

Date: April 7 - 11th, 2025

After visiting Nusa Penida, I've chosen to spend a day relaxing in Ubud before traveling to Lombok. Initially, I planned to hike Rinjani and then unwind at the Gillis for a few days. However, as is typical with this trip, unexpected events occurred, and this destination was no exception.

I woke up at 5 AM and traveled for an hour from Ubud to Padang Bai to catch a 4-5 hour ferry. I had to wait almost 1 hour and 30 minutes for the ferry to Lombok. After arriving in Lombok, I had to drive another 3 hours to reach the guest house for the hike planned for the next day. Overall, it was a tiring day and didn't feel like a vacation.

Mount Rinjani is the 3rd highest mountains in Indonesia and stands at 3675meters tall at its peak. It has a volcano in the middle of the crater and a lake which makes it one of the beautiful place to visit. I used this hiking company which turned out to be good.

First day of the hike: I woke up at 5 AM and felt some pain from hemorrhoids after using the toilet. I ignored it and went for breakfast at 6:30 AM. The hiking manager gathered our team around 8 AM. I discovered this hiking company through IndiaHikes.com, as they also offer this hike but not during this time of year. Our group consists of 10 people from various nationalities, including Dutch, Belgian, German, Canadian, and myself, Indian. We have 2 guides and 5 porters carrying our supplies and tents. We then drove for another hour to the hike's starting point, where we completed registration. Interestingly, there is a health check where people with hemorrhoids are advised not to hike, which I was unaware of.

The hike commenced at around 10 AM after completing all the necessary formalities. I was not at all prepared for this hike; I rented pants, a jacket, and poles, which were really helpful. The landscape on the first day is quite green, with many grasslands and trees. The hike ranges from easy to moderate, covering approximately 4-5 km, with an elevation gain from 1100 m to 2600 m. It includes various stops like position 1, position 2, and so on, for breaks such as breakfast, lunch, and viewpoints. Typically, breakfast consists of a pancake, and for lunch, there is usually vegetable rice and fruits.

The porters are truly amazing, carrying approximately 30 kg on their shoulders and moving faster than the hikers. Their speed is astonishing, and what's surprising is that they often walk in slippers. I later noticed that when it rained, they went barefoot up the hill, as slippers would slip on the wet, muddy ground. I have immense gratitude for them. As you can see in the first picture below the luggage and in the second picture porter carrying a kid.

We arrived at the base camp around 5 PM, and it was quite cloudy at the time. However, the clouds eventually cleared, revealing a stunning view of the valley. We gathered together, enjoyed some fun, had dinner, and then went to bed. I believe we had vegetable soup, but the porters also shared their much more flavorful food. They don't usually cook this for the hiking group due to its spiciness, but I didn't mind—it was delicious. I shared my guacamole with them. By this point, my hemorrhoids were not a concern.

Second day of the hike: This is the most challenging segment of the 3-day trek. We woke up early at 1:30 AM, prepared pancakes for the day, and began our hike around 2:30 AM. Some hiking groups started as early as 1 AM to get ahead, and everyone wore headlamps since the path was not visible. The hike consists of two sections, spanning over 3 km, with an elevation gain from 2600 m to 3675 m. The first section passes through dense vegetation, followed by a very steep part. The initial section was difficult for me, and I focused solely on the hiking shoes of the person in front of me. That's what I did all the way to the top, with frequent breaks. The porters stayed behind as they do not go to the summit.

The second part of the hike to the summit involves a steep ascent with a 300m elevation gain, characterized by loose, sand-like soil and gravel. As you climb, you frequently lose your grip, and it gets cold at this point. I didn't have gloves, so I borrowed one from a guide and wrapped toilet paper around my other hand to keep warm. Some hikers understandably gave up halfway due to the intense wind and cold. I dislike being cold and wet, but this hike left me experiencing both. Using poles was definitely helpful for the climb. After about 3 hours, we reached the top above the clouds, around 6 AM. Although visibility was limited due to fog and rising clouds, the sense of accomplishment at reaching the summit was unforgettable.

Now for the exciting part, descending is incredibly fun as hikers sand surf down the hill. I think I fell about 10 times on the way down, and it was an amazing experience hopping downhill. We arrived at the basecamp around 10:30 AM and had our lunch. Afterward, we headed towards the lake, which is mostly downhill. My hemorrhoids began to cause pain as I was holding up. We reached the lake around 4 PM, and I quickly went to the porters' tent to see what they were cooking since I love cooking. Unfortunately, it started raining heavily, and the porters had to bring all the items into the tent. Luckily, I was inside the tent. Our group got wet, but they were envious that I got into the tent first and stayed dry. :)

The 3D2N hike doesn't involve camping at the tent, but rather having lunch there before ascending another 600m to base camp 2. From the beginning, I was suggesting to the guides and fellow hikers that we camp by the lake, but the guide was firm in his decision. Eventually, due to the heavy rains, the porters and guide deemed it too dangerous to continue hiking, as there was a risk of landslides. In the end, we were fortunate to camp at the tent. If you think we were lucky, hold that thought. After an hour of rain, we went to rest around 7 PM. Then, it began to pour heavily, and unfortunately, some of our tents became so wet that we couldn't stay inside. I was frustrated with the hiking company because they should have known about the rain and ensured the tents were waterproof, especially considering how much we paid for the hike. Our guide assisted in cleaning the tent and provided me with an extra sleeping bag and mat. Meanwhile, I stayed in the emergency shelter, where I met some locals whose tents had also gotten wet. After spending an hour with them, I returned to the tent and slept. The next thing I knew, I woke up at 4:30 AM, and it was the best sleep of my entire 45-day trip so far. I suppose my body was so exhausted that I didn't wake up at all during the night.

Third day of the hike: This day offers some of the most stunning views of the volcano and the lake, as shown in the pictures. The vegetation is lush, with thick grass and trees all around. Apparently, boars and bears roam during the night. We began the hike at around 6 AM, I think, and started by climbing an elevation of 600 meters over about 3 hours. After that, it was another 4 hours to the gate. It started raining, and another German girl and I were the last ones behind, with, of course, one of the guides acting as a sweeper. Unfortunately, he is in his 40s and struggling with knee issues. Additionally, my hemorrhoids were causing more pain, and it began to rain. Since we were supposed to catch our transportation, our lead guide suggested we walk quickly as we were running late. This prompted me to start running on the wet ground in the rain, which was fun. Eventually, I caught up with the others and was almost completely exhausted. Due to my hemorrhoids, I rested in the same village for the next two days.

Various views of the volcano

Interesting shots of the forest

Elevation map:

There are also a few waterfalls to visit, so be sure to check them out. I had planned to stay at the Gilis, but due to health issues, I had to move to Bali for a more thorough medical checkup, just in case. Overall, Lombok was a nice place to be.

Overall this has been one of my best hikes so far.

Click here is the short video link to the instagram.

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