Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Tim posted the BEST 20 photos from our trip in an Instagram story. Scroll through.
7am UP on our final day.
I actually carried my own tent on this adventure. Air mattresses in the provided tents were not good. 😀
The crater rim vistas really are superb.
The biggest takeaway from this trip for everyone is being impressed with the porters. Rather than use the more efficient tump system, they balance these loads on one shoulder while doing big step-ups and step-downs.
They all wear flipflops. Until they break.
We were headed down, back to civilization.
Somewhat slippery — but overall fairly easy.
We had lunch in a shady forest, monkeys and cows standing by to gobble down what leftovers they could get.
It was a shock to get to the trailhead. Noisy motor cycles.
Perhaps 120 people readying to start.
Those who sign up for 2 days, 1 night begin and end here close to Sembalun village. They miss the lake and hotsprings.
It took about an hour to drive back from Sembalun to our start at Senaru village. We returned rented gear and recovered our luggage left in storage.
TIPS
- BEST HIKE is our itinerary (3 days, 2 nights in tent) with an afternoon ascent rather than the crowded, dusty line-up for dawn. Day 1 is long and hard, however.
- WAIT for a good weather forecast, if you can
- Green Rinjani looked one of the most professional companies at camp, to me. Modern tents. Tables and chairs.
- Grippy and comfortable shoes are the most important piece of gear. Wear a size larger than normal so your toes aren’t crushed on the descent.
- Protection from sun and wind is important. Sun screen. I brought a sun hoodie.
- Porters provide as much water as you can drink.
- I fell about 8 times over the 3 days. No injuries as I almost always landed on my backpack.
- I didn’t bring trekking poles. And that was a mistake. Our guide gave me one pole for long down climbs.
- It’s badly littered.
- Sanitation standards are low. No water for washing up. Not even the expected containers of alcohol gel that I’ve had on similar trips around the developing world.
I completely enjoyed Rinjani. It could hardly have gone any better for our group with the afternoon ascent.
BUT ➙ Bottom line ➙ I can’t recommend this hike. It’s simply too dangerous.
During the July 2018 Lombok earthquake, multiple climbers and guides were killed by landslides triggered on Rinjani’s slopes.
March 2007, seven people died of exposure after illegally scaling the volcano during a ban.
Be sure to have evacuation insurance, just in case.
You’ve been warned.
