Mount Rinjani trekking is a challenging mountain hike, and you must come prepared with good equipment and clothing that’s both warm and windproof. At times, Mount Rinjani is known for attracting severe storms, lightning, and strong winds due to its unique geography. When the weather is more settled, the sun can be intense, while the nights are often quite cool. Parts of the trail can be steep and slippery.
When trekking, we’ll make sure to be careful in bad weather and ensure we don’t take any unnecessary risks in regards to exposure to the wet and cold. If caught in a lightning storm, we will immediately take shelter and avoid prominent and high-altitude ridges. In addition, we’ll make sure to watch out for stinging insects and plants, which are numerous on Lombok. Lastly, leeches can be a nuisance in the wet season, so during this time of year we will need to take special precautions. Despite the risks (which are common on any mountain hike), trekking in Lombok is a unique and special experience, and we want to make it as fun as possible for you and your group
Ticket Mount Rinjani:
Tickets will be paid at the Rinjani Trekking Center at Rp. 150,000 (15 USD) per person, per entry. These fees directly contribute to the protection, maintenance, and management of our national park, the Rinjani trekking route, various village attractions, and visitor facilities.
Our Guides and Porters:
We hire professional mountain guides and porters from the local villages in Rinjani National Park who have passed our rigorous guiding and handling tests and hold a valid guide license.
About Our Trek Team:
Our trekking team is owned and operated by a team of young, energetic people who are passionate about keeping our environment intact while sharing the natural and cultural wonders of all the places we visit.
Monitoring the Rinjani National Park Location at Sembalun
Mount Rinjani Observation Post Rinjani Sembalun is located in the village of Lawang, Sub Sembalun, 2.5 km (4000 feet) northeast of G. Rinjani, in the Regency of East Lombok. Observers at this post monitor G. Rinjani, G. Barujari, and G. Tanga within the Segara Anak Caldera.
Telephone Communication:
Cell coverage is plentiful in most areas of Rinjani National Park. In addition, most of our guides will be carrying their own mobile phones. Not all cellular operators can be used, and as a result, XL, Mentari, and Simpati are our recommended networks and can get signal in the Mount Rinjani area.
Villages Around Mount Rinjani
Sembalun Village
Sembalun Village sits in a valley at the base of Mount Rinjani. The village is three hours by car from Mataram, making for a very scenic drive. The drive, however, can be a little bit challenging due to the steep climb.
On your journey to reach the village, you will pass by lush green rice fields and tropical gardens. The fertile soil from the volcano helps agriculture thrive, which is the lifeblood of the community. Here you will find cabbage, carrots, chili, rice, and onions growing, with farmers playing a vital role in the village. Spices are also in abundance here, and on your visit, you will have the chance to experience harvesting them on a traditional farm.
The local Sasak people share their culture and traditions through art and food. Among the people, there are eight different dialects across the island.
Traditional housing still stands where the first families in the village lived. Made up of mud brick, the historical value of these homes within the community is very high, and to this day, the houses are still in use.
Music also plays an essential role in Sasak culture. Some of the popular instruments used include flutes, traditional Indonesian instruments like the Gamelan, and percussive instruments. Learning to play the Gamelan is a skill passed down through the family.
A visit to Sembalun Village is a chance to learn about daily life as a local. Whether you join in on the local communities harvesting, explore the original homes still standing, or listen to the music of the local people, a visit will bring you further insight into Lombok’s cultural identity.
Senaru Village
Senaru Village becomes a prime checkpoint before trekking to the mountain. Aside from that, it also offers unique traditions to tourists, including traditional houses, local culture, a serene atmosphere, etc.
Not to mention, visitors get the opportunity to approach the villagers and learn a little bit of their language. Where is the exact location of the village? It belongs to Bayan Sub-District and is part of North Lombok Regency. Senaru village’s location is quite near Rinjani Mountain.
Most of the visitors are those who want to get to Rinjani Mountain by trekking. It is because Senaru Village becomes one of the gates to enjoying such activity. However, the others who do not like trekking choose to explore the village and learn some culture there. The most interesting feature of the village is perhaps the presence of Karang Bajo (traditional houses). The floor is made of clay, and the walls are made of thin wood. Also, the roof is made of “rubbia.”. These unique houses are definitely worth a photo shoot!
The next thing to do in Senaru Village is to enjoy the soothing nuance of the local farms and lush trees. There is even a small forest located near this settlement that tourists can explore as well. If it sounds tiring, tourists can simply relax in the village and chat with the villagers casually. Some of them even speak foreign languages fluently, so tourists would feel comfortable speaking to them. As an alternative, they can hire a local guide to smooth such communication.
Before going home, it is better to try local foods and visit nearby natural attractions like waterfalls, a local mosque, etc. Have no worries. It is easy to explore and enjoy those attractions as long as tourists come with a professional guide. They can even find homestays and nearby facilities to enjoy a better holiday in Senaru Village.
Trek Route: Mount Rinjani
There are three trekking routes, such as Sembalun Lawang on the eastern side, Senaru on the northern side, and the Torean trekking route on the middle side of the mountain.
Senaru Trek Route
This is by far the most used route, as it allows a relatively less strenuous trek to the crater rim only. You start at an elevation of 600 m in Senaru village, normally in the late morning or early afternoon, and make the 6-hour ascent to the crater rim before dark.
The first part of the trek is through a tropical rain forest. Look and listen out for the Lutung, or black monkey, swinging through the trees in the late morning. They are extremely shy, unlike the common macaques, which may gather near rest stops waiting for scraps.
The route passes through POSII at 1,500 m, breaches the tree line at 2,000 m (POSIII), and then it is a bit of a slog up gravel paths to the camp site just below the crater rim at 2,600 m.
Torean Trek Route
New trekking route from Torean village, 40 minutes from Senaru village, West Lombok. The Torean trekking route is really famous for trekkers who want to go directly to The lake in the same days.
The trails are flatter than those from Senaru or the Sembalun route, but the trekking route is longer than another trekking route. It takes about 9 hours of walking in total from the starting point to the lake camping area. The trail is nice and fantastic.
Sembalun Trek route
Starting in the morning from the Rinjani Trek Center in the village, the climb to Plawangan II at 2,638 m will take about 8 hours via POSI (1,300 m), POSII (1,500 m), and POSIII (1,800 m).
The starting altitude is 1100 m, so there are no humid conditions to deal with. The first half or more of the trek is literally a breeze.
The trek through savannah grassland is windy and easygoing, with gentle ups and downs, and the only obstacle to look out for are the “cow pats” deposited by the villagers’ cows along the way.
