Climbing Mt. Rinjani for the first time? Here’s what you need to know to better prepare for the trip!
Mt. Rinjani is said to be one of the most challenging hikes in Southeast Asia. At 3,726m, it’s one of Indonesia’s highest volcanoes. But reaching the peak is not simply about getting to the top. It’s the whole experience of training for it, and enjoying every moment of the journey there!
Here’s my experience of climbing Mt. Rinjani for the first time and if it’s on your bucket list too, I hope that this article will be useful in planning your trip and conquering the climb.
Pre-trip Essentials
Training for Mt. Rinjani
Mt. Rinjani is not an easy trek despite being under 4,000m. Preparation is key for a successful Rinjani trek. You’ll have to consider things like physical fitness, budget, and whether you need a private or non-private tour.
Before the trip, my friends and I met up weekly to train — climbing stairs, doing HIIT workouts, and running to improve our stamina, strength and endurance. We also carried a few 1.5L bottles of water in our backpacks to simulate what we needed to carry up the mountain.
Getting a guide for climbing Mt. Rinjani
Our guides suggested a photo op at this tree stump! Psst, that’s me on the most right!
On the trip, we opted for a private guide as we preferred to hike at our own pace rather than having to adjust to various fitness levels in a bigger group.
Our 3D2N package with Halomi Trekker included everything from our first night’s stay at Senaru (with all meals provided) to the climb itself, and also transportation to and from the area. The total cost was Rp4,150,000/pax (~S$350), with the option of extra porters at Rp300,000/day (~S$25).
Of course, the budget may differ for your trip as it’ll depend on things like tour packages, gear rental and permits. So remember to do some research and planning before you go!
Mt. Rinjani packing list
My backpack that I bought to train with, and also carried with me up the mountain!
Essentials for the Rinjani trek include sturdy hiking boots, layered clothing for varying temperatures, a reliable backpack (I used a 24L backpack from Decathlon!), and a headlamp. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and a first aid kit too.
What to wear:
Tops and pants (for each day), windbreaker, inner jacket, at least one pair of hiking socks for each day (a fresh pair of socks is always nice!), a good pair of hiking shoes (I already had a pair, but my friend bought one online via Amazon — KEEN hiking shoes).
What to pack:
Energy bars, hiking sticks, sunscreen, hand sanitiser, headlamp, power bank, raincoat/umbrella, knee guards /ankle guards (I have weak knees especially when going downhill).
Good to have:
Cap/hat, muscle spray (muscle pain reliever for aches), insect repellant, wet wipes, heat packs (if you’re afraid of the cold).
How to get to Mt. Rinjani
Mt. Rinjani is nestled on the island of Lombok in Indonesia, so you’ll need to take a 2-hour and 30-minute direct flight from Singapore to Lombok International Airport. From there, it’s a ~3-hour journey by car to Senaru — where my friends and I stayed at Pondok Guru Bakti Cottage (near the base of the mountain).
Day 1 — Starting at Kandangsapi
9AM, fresh-faced, eager to start our ascent.
We started at around 6AM and had breakfast at our accommodation. To make sure things went smoothly, we also prepared our passports and packed our bags the night before — leaving the non-essentials in our main luggage with the lodging staff.
Then at around 7AM, we took a lorry to the registration area at Sembalun (around an hour’s ride from our accommodation).
FYI, this is the last stop for a proper toilet, so take the chance to use the washroom here before you start the hike.
Once registration was done, we travelled again by lorry to the starting point of the climb, and arrived there at around 9AM. The lorry ride was quite interesting, as you can see the development of Lombok and how it’s benefitting from the tourism in the area.
Starting the trek at 1,090m
The journey began with a trek through grassy fields, soil and rocks, and the jungle. The trail was easy to moderate, but be on the lookout for lots of cow dung here as there’ll be cows grazing along the way.
There wasn’t much shade until we entered the jungle area, so remember to put on sunscreen/long sleeves, and a cap. We also recommend having one layer on at this point of the hike, as it gets hotter while trekking up.
Pos 1 (1,300m) — 1hr
Keep a lookout for these signages so you know where you’re at.
Pos 1 is marked by two shelters and we took a short water break here. By this stop, we had gone through at least two types of terrain: grassy fields and jungle.
Shelter at Pos 1.
This part was still relatively easy but we needed the break to pace ourselves for the rest of the journey.
Pos 2 (1,500m) — 45mins
We finally reached Pos 2! This is where we stop for lunch.
Pos 2 is one of the most easily recognisable stops, as there are many more shelters and people will be having their lunch here!
Our porter frying up some tofu!
Our guides and porters prepared our meals — chopping and stir-frying vegetables, and plating the meal like a full-fledged kitchen. We had rice with satay, stir-fried vegetables, and egg for lunch.
Lunch is served!
This is also where there are actual toilets! However, we paid a fee of Rp10,000/ pax (~S$0.80) — which is alright for the ladies if you want some privacy. Most guys chose to pee in the nearby grass further from the crowds … for free.
Dark clouds loomed and it soon poured, so we took cover at the shelters here for a while. But the hike must go on, so once we were well rested and full, we set off for Pos 3 (which would be a steeper climb)!
Pos 3 (1,800m) — 1hr
Each Pos is marked by a sign and a few shelters.
Thankfully, the weather cleared up 5 minutes into our climb! But this section was still a bit tougher than the earlier parts in Pos 1 and 2. So we took smaller breaks at wider and grassy areas along the path and fuelled up with energy bars, energy drinks and water.
Pos 4 (2,085m) — 1hr
Our milestone picture at Pos 4!
Pos 4 would be the last major stop before the campsite. By this point, we were already pretty tired but there was still around an hour’s climb before we could rest for the day. Besides Pos 2 and the Crater Rim Campsite (which we will get to later), this is where you can find a mini-store selling drinks.
Other travellers resting at Pos 4.
There is also a dedicated trash bin here, but due to the number of people climbing the mountain, trash can still be seen everywhere. So take note: when climbing the mountain, be mindful of the environment and keep your trash with you or wait till there is a dedicated point to throw it away!
Sembalun Crater Rim Camp (2,639m) — 1.5hrs
We were literally amongst the clouds! POV of the view with our pre-dinner snack of fried bananas drizzled with chocolate and cheese.
We finally arrived at Sembalun Crater Rim Camp at 5PM. From our campsite, we could see the summit peeking out of the clouds! One side of the campsite was the summit, while the other was the lake. However, it got quite cloudy, so the scene came and went.
For dinner, our porters prepared curry and even fried bananas with cheese. As it got dark, we wore our headlamps to eat.
At camp, the porters would also set up a ‘toilet’ — a black tent with a hole in the ground.
The hot meal was really yummy and a great comfort, especially after such a long climb up. It also helped warm us up as the temperature here was much colder than at the start of the hike.
After dinner, we packed for the summit and got to bed as soon as possible to maximise our rest hours.
Our tents pitched, with the backdrop of Mt. Rinjani’s summit.
It got cold during the night at the campsite, probably around 10ºC. So we put on all our layers and opened up some heat packs for warmth! Before I knew it, I was asleep in no time, as I was tired from the day’s hike.
Day 2 — Setting off for the summit climb!
The summit climb was both exhilarating and daunting. The terrain became extremely steep and challenging, demanding mental fortitude and physical endurance. But it’s worth it!
*Pro-tip: Pack light for this leg of the journey and leave other non-essentials at the campsite. Prioritise essentials like water, energy gels/energy bar/jellies that are easily accessible, warm clothing, gloves, headlamp, and hiking sticks (which also came in very handy here).
We encountered a lot of loose scree (tiny rocks/ash) at some parts around a 45° to 60° incline — one of the toughest terrains to overcome.
Capturing a tired selfie on the way up the summit push at first light. This features our extra porter, Dani, who guides travellers up the mountain.
Our guide described the summit climb in three parts.
Part 1: An extremely steep incline — with lots of scree (this is where it feels like one step forward two steps back), and will feel like forever (around an hour).
Part 2: Relatively easier as there are flat areas and it’s dry, but we had to be extremely careful as some parts got very narrow.
Part 3: The next big incline and final push to the summit with loose small rocks again much like part 1.
Me trying to finish the summit push strong!
It was extremely challenging, especially with the strong winds during the summit push. There were many parts where I got tired and my guide directed me to areas where I could take a breather (out of the wind or a wider path to rest safely).
Arriving at the summit (3,726m)
Tired, cold, but triumphant. We made it to the top of Mt. Rinjani!
After arriving at the summit, I felt in awe of the scenery as the volcanic activity had carved beautiful colours into the landscape. It was an amazing feeling to finally make it to the top!
We were exhausted but triumphant and tried to take as many photos as we could! But our guide warned us not to get carried away taking photos too close to the edge, as there was a previous incident where someone had fallen off.
After spending about a half hour at the summit, we made our way down and could see more clearly what we passed by earlier in the morning (in pitch darkness).
On the way down, I also saw the “Baby Volcano” called Mt. Barujari, which looked really cute with a cloud hanging above it.
Mt. Barujari, the ‘Baby Volcano’.
I wasn’t able to capture it, but going down to the campsite was tough because it was really steep. I also wanted to go slow due to my weak knees. I put on my knee guard before heading further down, which helped to support my knee!
There were parts where we had to “ski” down with our hiking sticks as that was one of the efficient ways to get down due to the scree.
Lake Segara Anak OR Make camp at a previous Pos
Our reward for reaching the summit — omelette and fries! In the background, you can see a platter of fruits which pairs with our every meal.
From here, we had to choose if we wanted to go to Lake Segara Anak or make camp at one of the original Pos we were at the day before. Due to my knees hurting, my friends and I decided it would be best to head down the mountain.
We took a similar route to the original way we came up, and made camp at Pos 2. After lunch, we took a nap at the Crater Rim Campsite before making our descent around 2PM.
Popcorn in the mountains? What a treat!
At 6PM, we arrived at our final campsite (Pos 2) and our guide and porters whipped up a popcorn treat for our last night! Dinner was a scrumptious noodle soup.
Hot noodle soup for Day 2’s dinner!
Day 3 — Descending the mountain
The beautiful 6AM sunrise at Pos 2.
On the final day around 7AM, we started our climb down the mountain back to the start point. It was relatively easy as we had already overcome most of the difficult parts the day before.
Deep valleys can be seen on the hike from Pos 2 to Pos 1.
While I was disappointed that we couldn’t do the hike to the lake, we still managed to see landscapes that were previously covered by clouds on our way up from Day 1. So it was still a win!
We conquered Mt. Rinjani! Our final picture with our guides and porters.
At around 10AM, we finally arrived at Sembalun entrance to make our exit.
Post-climb, my friends and I stayed at a beach resort to relax and spent the next couple of days appreciating the simple joys of a good shower, a massage, and chilling by the pool.
Other FAQs for climbing Mt. Rinjani
How tough was climbing Mt. Rinjani really?
I wouldn’t recommend Mt. Rinjani for beginners unless you’re someone who exercises regularly. But if you still want to give it a go, do train before the climb to make it more enjoyable overall!
We suggest climbing stairs (or another location at an incline) with a weighted pack. That said, this could be your second or third climb if you are just starting to enjoy hiking!
Is it worth getting a guide on Mt. Rinjani?
While conquering Mt. Rinjani is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience for us, we surely couldn’t have done it without our guides and porters!
This is their livelihood, where they go up and down the mountain multiple times a week, without hiking sticks for support (and with slippers). I really admire their strength and how they can carry huge loads on their backs to support the people climbing up with food, water and shelter!
Reflecting on the experience, I’m filled with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude for the opportunity to see and experience the mountain and its surrounding nature.
It’s been a tough yet fun and unforgettable experience with my friends. A reminder that no matter life’s challenges, we can surely conquer them. After all, we’ve already conquered an ACTUAL mountain together ;p
This post was contributed by guest writer, Olivia Ng.
Olivia is chronically on social media but when she’s not, she prefers to be found tasting wines or beside a cup of coffee overlooking a winding river.
