One of the most prominent features of Lombok is Mount Rinjani, the active volcano. By trekking Rinjani, you hike up the second-highest active Indonesian volcano with an altitude of 3,726 meters above sea level. Many tourists venture to conquer this majestic mountain while visiting Lombok. Are you up for the challenge?
About trekking Rinjani
Gunung Rinjani, as it’s called in Indonesian, is part of the Mount Rinjani National Park. Here they protect the Sunda pangolin and deer. During your journey to the top, you can take some rest for fishing in the lake.
Another favourite is to soak in the sulphur containing hot springs. Of course, you can also enjoy the amazing scenery. There are beautiful rivers, several stunning caves and gorgeous waterfalls.
The average time needed to climb this mountain is 14 to 16 hours, or about 3 to 4 days, including camping. The average temperature during a Rinjani trekking goes from 20 °C to 12 °C.
One of the highlights of the trek is the Rinjani caldera. This is a lake known as Segara Anak Lake. It’s famous for the beautiful blue colour of the water. Since April 2018, the lake has been included in the list of the Global Geoparks Network by UNESCO.
A must-visit during your Lombok holiday
Besides Mount Semeru in East Java, Rinjani Lombok is often proclaimed as one of the mandatory Indonesian mountains to climb. Hiking lovers label it as the best sunrise volcano hike in Indonesia. So it should surely be topping your list of things to do in Lombok as an adventure lover. It is even one of the best things to do in Indonesia.
Where to start?
There are six official climbing routes for a Mount Rinjani hike. They start in Sembalun, Senaru, Aik Berik, Timbanuh, Torean, and Tetebatu. The most popular hiking trail is the Sembalun route, which ends the hike in Senaru. This way you can save 700 m of altitude.
- Sembalun: This trek is rather long but flat. The weather is hotter because it passes through a scorching savanna.
- Senaru: This second most popular route has a greater incline without a break. The weather is gentle as you hike through the forest.
- Aik Berik: Everyone looking for a more relaxing hike, can choose this journey. But, keep in mind that on this route you will not go to Segara Anak Lake or the peak. You will only reach Pelawangan. However, the trek is lighter, the distance is shorter, you pass more springs, and encounter the most diverse flora and fauna.
- Timbanuh: From here, you will trek to Orplas Peak, which is the second-highest peak of Mount Rinjani. The route is fun for thrill seekers.
- Torean: Another route for adrenaline junkies. While Timbanuh is famous for its extreme climbing tracks, Torean is known for passing through the edges of very steep cliffs.
- Tetebatu: Finally, even though you can't reach the highest point of Rinjani, the natural panorama offered by the Tetebatu Route is no less beautiful.
Plan your Rinjani trekking adventure
Rinjani is a member of the Indonesian Seven Summits. This means that it’s one of the most beautiful mountains in the entire archipelago. One of the reasons that it’s included in this list, is that you don’t need to reach the top to enjoy Mount Rinjani’s magnificence. Yet, reaching the summit is the goal for many climbers, but remember that safety is the most important.
So, prepare yourself with a good plan to trek on Rinjani Mountain. You can choose Segara Anak, the beautiful volcanic lake, as your goal. Enjoying the wide blue lake and camping a few days there is quite the experience.
Rinjani trekking guide and porters
But if you decide to make the top of the mountain a goal, make sure that you are well-prepared. Focus your energy on enjoying the adventure and the actual climbing. Therefore, it is highly recommended to hire a porter and guide. The main reason is Rinjani's height and the length of the trekking.
Your local guide and porters will show the path, help with your luggage, cook, put up the tents, fetch water, collect the trash, and more. They have experience due to climbing the volcano many times. Neither the physical conditions nor the weather of Rinjani are a mystery for them.
Guides and porters are generally around IDR 300,000 to IDR 350,000 per day (USD 20-23 | EUR 18.50-21.60 | AUD 30-35). You can also rent trekking support equipment if you don't bring this yourself.
You will also need to pay entry to the Rinjani National Park. The fee for foreign tourists is IDR 150,000/person per day on weekdays (USD 10 | EUR 9.30 | AUD 15) and IDR 250,000 on holidays (USD 16.50 | EUR 15.50 | AUD 25).
What you need to know about sleeping on Rinjani
Even though Indonesia is a tropical country, Mount Rinjani weather is cold and windy. You will be sleeping with temperatures between 12 and 20 °C. Prepare yourself well if you want to be fit for trekking Rinjani the next day.
What you have to prepare is a thick tent with additional tarps for dew or rain. Also bring salt to sprinkle in front of the entrance of the tent so that small animals do not enter. Don’t forget your sleeping bags and mattresses. Apart from that, you can also bring a camping pillow and extra winter jacket for a more comfortable sleep.
When you travel with a guide and porter, they will provide you with all this equipment. As you can see, they are well worth their money.
If you don't hire a guide to advise on safe campsites, always pay attention to the signs. Rinjani trekking personnel prepared blue flags for safe and comfortable places to set up tents. You can also ask other climbers if you pass each other.
Eating during your Rinjani Trekking
Always pay attention to time management for eating. And don’t forget about the nutrition and calories needed. Meat, fruit, instant rice, instant noodles, bread, and oatmeal are some of the recommendations.
If you hire a guide or trip planner, they will usually have a dining table during trekking. You can also request certain foods, including if you are a vegetarian.
As a tip, you can look at the fibres from the food you bring. This relates to matters of digestion and toilet. Lastly, for additional hiking energy, always carry honey, candy or chocolate with you.
What is provided in your Rinjani hike package?
Apart from what has been explained above, if you hire a guide or trip planner, the package will be adjusted to your needs. Before agreeing to purchase a package, make sure you pay attention to the details.
Usually the following items and services are included in a hiking package:
- Food: cooking ingredients and tools
- Drinks: coffee, tea, and water
- Camping equipment: tent, mattress, sleeping bag
- Climbing equipment: raincoat, carrier bag, headlamp, and more
- Additional equipment: simple fishing rods for fishing in the lake
Some planners even have additional services. For instance, they offer photography and will bring additional cameras.
Tips and regulations
After the tragedy of the 2019 earthquakes, there were many regulatory changes for climbing Mount Rinjani. If you want to hike this active Indonesian volcano, there is a visitor quota of only 50 - 75 people per route. So, you have to register and book an online visit, which can be done through the eRinjani application or website.
Don't bring too many things, but it's nice to have things that help too. Items such as toilet tents, camping chairs or trekking poles will your Rinjani trekking more comfortable. Also, don't forget to bring a first aid kit, mosquito repellent lotion or spray, sunblock, sunglasses, and a swimsuit.
If you hire a guide or porter, always listen to their opinion. They are the experts of this Mount Rinjani trek and know the weather well. They know if it's too dangerous to continue your journey, when and where to rest, and where to pitch the tents.
Also, Rinjani is believed by the local community to be the guardian mountain of the island. Pay tribute to this belief and always be respectful with your actions. At the top, it is custom to make a little wish. The local people believe that the prayers said on Mount Rinjani will be heard better.
Book your accommodation
As a last tip, look for a comfortable place to stay before and after your Rinjani trekking. This way, you can make sure that your body is in good shape and relaxed for the journey. Trekking to the top is not to be taken lightly. You need to be well-rested, certainly if you are not a seasoned mountaineer.
Look for accommodation where you can relax your body and mind. Amazing Lombok Resort is near the beach and still has a beautiful view of the hills. It’s an ideal place to rest as all facilities are provided. You will find a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and other facilities before and after conquering the volcano. Hope you enjoy your Rinjani trekking.
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Last updated on: 21 May 2026