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Footsteps on the volcano

Route: Sembalun - Rinjani - Senaru

Our Rinjani trek on Lombok is a thrilling climb to the summit of Rinjani volcano. Over four days, you'll trek through the Gunung Rinjani National Park, climbing to the crater rim where you’ll spend the night in small tents with magnificent views across the valleys below. The next morning you’ll head down to the crater lake where you can relieve your aching muscles in the hot springs. Then it’s uphill again to the crater rim on the other side of the volcano so you can enjoy the view as the sun slowly sets. After another night on the summit you’ll descend to the small town of Senaru.

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Please note: You will have to spend one night at the foot of the volcano in Sembalun before you start this trip due to the early departure time of this Rinjani trek.

Duration	4 days / 3 nights	Accommodation	Small tents on Rinjani crater rim (comfort level 1) and comfortable hotel in Senaru (comfort level 3). See our photos here. See accommodation page.
Price	£185 per person - based on 2 people	Includes	Accommodation in tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats and hotel, twice a day coffee/tea during trekking, meals during Rinjani trek, entrance fee for Rinjani Park.
Transport	Trek with guide	Excludes	Torch, pillow, other meals not mentioned in the above, extra night at hotel before you start your trek.

Day 1 - Rinjani trek to crater rim

You’ll set off from Sembalun to the crater rim early this morning to begin your Rinjani trek. The climb to the top takes 6-7 hours, so make sure you’re well rested. It begins as an easy walk, but as the summit gradually comes into view the path gets steeper and the climb becomes tougher. Don’t worry though, there are regular stops on the way up where you can catch your breath and enjoy the amazing views. If you’re lucky, you can even make out Gunung Agung on Bali in the distance. Looking out across the whole of Lombok, you'll suddenly realise just how high you are.
A word of warning though - the higher up you go, the colder it gets. You’ll feel warm enough while you're trekking up Rinjani but once you reach the top you’ll certainly feel the chill, so it's best to bring along a hat and thick jumper.

Towards sunset, you’ll reach the Rinjani crater rim where you’ll be treated to a hot meal. The tents are pitched up before it gets dark and you can enjoy a magical sunset across the mountain rim.

Day 2 - Trek around crater rim to crater lake

After breakfast on day two of this Indonesia trip you’ll continue your Rinjani trek to the crater lake, following a steep path downhill. There are several hot springs at the bottom of the crater where you can soothe your aching muscles in preparation for the next strenuous climb. After lunch at the beautiful lake you’ll climb up to the crater rim again, though this time at the other side of the volcano. This means that you won’t be walking the same route twice.

During your Rinjani trek, you’ll be accompanied by a guide to lead the way and even carry your bag for you. The uphill sections can be steep at times and it’s easy to lose your footing on the lava rocks, which makes the ascent particularly tough.

You’ll spend another night in a tent on the crater rim with amazing views across the Gunung Baru (2358m). The sunset is especially spectacular at this altitude as the whole sky turns red.

Day 3 - Sunrise trek to Rinjani summit and descent to Senaru

Around 3am this morning, you'll set off to climb to the summit of Rinjani (optional). It’s a hefty 1000m climb, but it’s worth the effort because you’ll be rewarded with an unforgettable view of the sun rising over the mountains. As this ascent is optional, you might want to give your guide a small extra fee for taking you to the summit.

If you’re not trekking to the summit of Rinjani you can just roll over in your sleeping bag and wait until the rest of the group gets back before beginning the 7-hour walk down to the small village of Senaru. It’s steep at first but as you get lower the path gradually levels out and walking becomes a lot easier. Walking downhill is more tiring than you think, so you'll definitely appreciate the comfortable hotel in Senaru at the end of your Rinjani trek. You’ll probably fall asleep the moment your head hits the pillow.

Rinjani trek - Camping in the wilderness

Day 4 - Departure Senaru - End of Rinjani trek

After our challenging Rinjani trek, you might fancy a couple of days recuperating on a beautiful tropical island. We can offer you two small islands just off Lombok with soft white beaches and a sparkling turquoise sea. Choose between the white sands of Gili beach or perhaps a Gili diving trip. Just enjoy a few blissful days of doing absolutely nothing - you deserve it after all this exercise.

Rinjani trek accommodation (Click to enlarge)

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