Lombok: Mount Rinjani & Surroundings

You begin, in the morning, the first stage of the ascent of the famous Mt Rinjani (3,726 m). The first hour of walking over rolling hills crosses vegetable fields and agricultural areas. This is the easiest part of the entire trek. Once this area is passed and a small stream is crossed, the trail follows a 30-year-old project, when, under the reign of President Suharto, a road was under construction from Sembulan Lawang to Rinjani's crater lake. Fortunately, due to the fall of the regime and a lack of funding, this project was abandoned. What remained has been returned to nature, which gradually reclaims its former possessions. However, the lucky hiker benefits from many bridges crossing old lava flows, which makes the path very pleasant. There is a short stretch of forest trail at approximately 1,220 m, but after that, there is very little shade. The second hour continues along rolling hills through meadows. Post 1 (Pemantuan) has a shelter and is located at an altitude of 1,428 m, but most hikers stop at Post 2 (Tengengean, at 1,513 m), in order to have lunch on one of the bridges.

Post 3, Pada Balong, is located at 1,772 m altitude and it is from there that things become serious. The track becomes increasingly steep and the hike becomes difficult and exhausting. Over the next three hours, you will have to push yourself to gain altitude and for almost the entire duration of the climb, you will continuously see a summit which, to the disappointment of most hikers, turns out to be just another ridge. But when the final ridge is finally conquered, the hiker is rewarded with an absolutely magnificent panorama. The summit of Rinjani rises to the left, and just ahead, 600 meters below, lies the Segara Anak Lake (the child of the sea lake), which offers one of the most spectacular views in Indonésie.

The path then runs, for 20 minutes, along the edge of the crater to the final destination of the day - Sembalun Rim or Plawangan Dua (2,658 m) - where camp will be set up for the night. The crater rim offers plenty of comfortable space for many groups of tents. Following another path at the far end, you will reach a rocky cliff from which crystalline spring water flows. This is the ideal place to wash in the ice-cold water of a pure mountain spring and to refill your water bottles.

The first 350 meters departing from camp are quite steep and follow a fairly compact trail that crosses high-altitude vegetation. They then give way to purely volcanic gravel, from an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters. The first part of the route ends on the crater rim (2,969 m), offering an unobstructed moonlit view of Rinjani at the top, and of the crater edge all around.

The following 400 meters of altitude gain are very pleasant, with a trail that becomes slowly increasingly steep, but with a fairly compact surface. It is clear that being above 3,000 meters altitude slows your movements and your pace. Once again, the ridge offers unforgettable views and, as you climb higher and approach sunrise, the horizon gradually brightens. With each step, the summit seems to draw closer and yet you still have at least an hour to go and three hundred meters of elevation to climb.

For those who believe that Rinjani is a health walk, this is certainly not the case, as the final three hundred meters are truly pure volcanic climbing. The final stage, very steep, confronts you with very soft and deep sand that offers no grip. One step forward, ½ step back, and this for an hour that seems endless. Due to the high altitude, you must catch your breath every 10 meters before approaching the summit. At this stage, daylight has transformed the scene into a completely different atmosphere, as you can now clearly observe the entirety of the volcanic complex.

The final meters become a race against time and the approaching sunrise. Five meters further on, there is another rock - ideal for shelter from the wind if necessary - and another corner, from which you can see the next ridge, another rock and finally one last turn before passing one last small and narrow ridge to the summit of Indonesia's second highest volcano. The colors of the first hour after sunrise are simply breathtaking and change from minute to minute, offering unlimited opportunities for taking photographs. At this stage, it is essential to have a change of clothes, a spare t-shirt and a fleece jacket that will protect you from the often very hard, strong and cold trade winds. Avoid at all costs being at the summit before sunrise, unless you have very good high mountain protective clothing.

When descending, follow the same route back to camp, which will take you less than half the time it took you for the ascent. It is tempting to slide on the gravel and forget to continue admiring the magnificent views. The next stage to the lake itself is less physically demanding but rather technical as the surface can be quite slippery. The first hour of walking is very steep and slow. Eventually, the trail flattens out and leads through high-altitude meadows crossing several old lava flows overgrown with vegetation. After an hour, the lake gradually comes into view. The dramatic and jagged edge of the volcano surrounds and protects the lake in the center, while Rinjani to the east drops vertically nearly 1700 meters from the summit into the waters of the crater lake. Hiking: 9-10h Elevation gain: +1,070m / -1,710m

Free day. You have the opportunity to spend the morning, for example, taking a tour of the island on foot or by bike. This excursion will allow you to discover the most peaceful beaches on the island as well as the small restaurants and bars by the water's edge.

Also take your mask and snorkel and set off to meet the marine life departing from the beach. On the Gili islands, fish are plentiful but not only that. You will surely encounter several turtles during your snorkeling expedition, considered to be the oldest inhabitants of the island.

Also relax by sipping a cocktail or fresh coconut, your feet in the sand.