Climbing Mt. Rinjani
Article and Photos by Wanying Chen
Have you ever thought that you could see New Zealand’s pastures, Scotland’s highlands, Switzerland’s valleys, Canada’s National Parks and (more uniquely), an active volcano in the middle of a crater lake all in one trip? I saw all of this as I trekked through Mt. Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia for 4 days.
On the first day, we trekked for 7 hours through different terrains. We saw different environments that bloomed from the varying climates of each altitude – everything from savannahs, rainforests and highlands. At 2700m, we made our first base-camp.
After a really cold night, we put on our coldwear, headlamps and walking sticks to set off for the summit push – a 4-hour journey of trudging, sliding, crawling and panting up the steep ridges of rolling sand and pebbles. It was a journey that tested our muscles, minds and more importantly, our resolve, for it took my strongest to overcome the hopeless frustration I felt as the summit stood high and unforgiving above me.
Standing at 3726m and looking down at the world, I have yet to discover a sweeter satisfaction than finally reaching the summits of the mountains I climb.
Getting Off the Volcano
It took us 3 hours to go back down to our base-camp. The journey down was a lot easier and a whole lot of fun s we literally skied down the slopes on the loose sand terrain that had given us so much grief on the way up. Going down was kind of like playing Temple Run, sliding down the sloped path quickly but having to avoid the big rocks and ridges that lie in your way.
A further 3 hours of scaling rocky walls and outcrops brought us down to the crater lake: Danau Segara Anak (meaning Small Ocean for its mystical blue waters), that lay in the middle of Rinjani at an altitude of over 2000m. Our guide showed us to a small hot spring where we soaked our tired, sore bodies.
We had a well-deserved overnight rest here before a 4-hour upward climb to the opposite crater rim for our third and final night. From here, we see Rinjani in its full glory: Lake Segara Anak with mini volcano Mt. Baru, against the backdrop of the crater rim and the summit standing proudly behind. From here, we could trace our path over the past 4 days and wonder how far we’d come.
Our Recommendations
This mountain comes highly recommended. Even for those who do not attempt the summit, the view at the crater rim and lake more than fulfills the Mother Nature’s end of the bargain. However,come prepared. The mountain does not only have one terrain and the worst of all is the loose sand.
Train your legs and stamina at least 2 months before attempting Rinjani. My training included climbing stairs instead of taking lifts daily. I also ran, biked and did squats and lunges three times a week.
If you want to attempt this mountain, you are going to need a good guide and a trusty support team of porters. They will save you and give you the much-needed assistance when it counts, yet they know when to withdraw that hand to let you earn the moments of accomplishment and independence to savour.
Who To Travel With
Green Rinjani
+62 852 37214385
Why We Like Them
Ariee, the owner, is an enthusiastic man that worked under similar operator John’s Adventuers. He responds quickly to Whatsapp messages (even at 2 a.m.!) and offers generous – and much needed – advice on the journey.
They also are truly Green – every trekker is given the opportunity to plant a Banyan tree seedling at the beginning of the trek, and the porters ensure every campsite is left spotless – a lesson the other companies and trekkers should take note of, judging by the state of some of the trails!
Which Package To Get
We went with the deluxe package. We recommend doing your research before committing to a package – take note of yours, and your companion’s fitness levels before making the climb!
What To Pack
Have you ever thought that you could see New Zealand’s pastures, Scotland’s highlands, Switzerland’s valleys, Canada’s National Parks and (more uniquely), an active volcano in the middle of a crater lake all in one trip? I saw all of this as I trekked through Mt. Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia for 4 days.
On the first day, we trekked for 7 hours through different terrains. We saw different environments that bloomed from the varying climates of each altitude – everything from savannahs, rainforests and highlands. At 2700m, we made our first base-camp.
After a really cold night, we put on our coldwear, headlamps and walking sticks to set off for the summit push – a 4-hour journey of trudging, sliding, crawling and panting up the steep ridges of rolling sand and pebbles. It was a journey that tested our muscles, minds and more importantly, our resolve, for it took my strongest to overcome the hopeless frustration I felt as the summit stood high and unforgiving above me.
Standing at 3726m and looking down at the world, I have yet to discover a sweeter satisfaction than finally reaching the summits of the mountains I climb.
Getting Off the Volcano
It took us 3 hours to go back down to our base-camp. The journey down was a lot easier and a whole lot of fun s we literally skied down the slopes on the loose sand terrain that had given us so much grief on the way up. Going down was kind of like playing Temple Run, sliding down the sloped path quickly but having to avoid the big rocks and ridges that lie in your way.
A further 3 hours of scaling rocky walls and outcrops brought us down to the crater lake: Danau Segara Anak (meaning Small Ocean for its mystical blue waters), that lay in the middle of Rinjani at an altitude of over 2000m. Our guide showed us to a small hot spring where we soaked our tired, sore bodies.
We had a well-deserved overnight rest here before a 4-hour upward climb to the opposite crater rim for our third and final night. From here, we see Rinjani in its full glory: Lake Segara Anak with mini volcano Mt. Baru, against the backdrop of the crater rim and the summit standing proudly behind. From here, we could trace our path over the past 4 days and wonder how far we’d come.
Our Recommendations
This mountain comes highly recommended. Even for those who do not attempt the summit, the view at the crater rim and lake more than fulfills the Mother Nature’s end of the bargain. However,come prepared. The mountain does not only have one terrain and the worst of all is the loose sand.
Train your legs and stamina at least 2 months before attempting Rinjani. My training included climbing stairs instead of taking lifts daily. I also ran, biked and did squats and lunges three times a week.
If you want to attempt this mountain, you are going to need a good guide and a trusty support team of porters. They will save you and give you the much-needed assistance when it counts, yet they know when to withdraw that hand to let you earn the moments of accomplishment and independence to savour.
Who To Travel With
Green Rinjani
+62 852 37214385
Why We Like Them
Ariee, the owner, is an enthusiastic man that worked under similar operator John’s Adventuers. He responds quickly to Whatsapp messages (even at 2 a.m.!) and offers generous – and much needed – advice on the journey.
They also are truly Green – every trekker is given the opportunity to plant a Banyan tree seedling at the beginning of the trek, and the porters ensure every campsite is left spotless – a lesson the other companies and trekkers should take note of, judging by the state of some of the trails!
Which Package To Get
We went with the deluxe package. We recommend doing your research before committing to a package – take note of yours, and your companion’s fitness levels before making the climb!
What To Pack
- Clothing for wide range of temperatures (2 – 35°C)
- Wind/waterproof clothes
- Deodorant (no showers!)
- Easy-to-wear slippers and socks for the nightly visits to the toilet tent (a hole in the ground)
- Camera and tripod for pictures of the starry night sky and looking over the top of Rinjani at daybreak