Mount Rinjani is one of the highest peaks in Indonesia. Its summit sits at 3,726 meters above sea level, while the starting point at Sembalun Lawang is around 1,300 masl. For someone who spends his days in front of a computer, this was not an easy challenge to take. Join me in reminiscing the preparation, planning, and journey to the summit of this breathtaking mountain.
Preparation
Hiking Rinjani is a two-leg challenge. In the first leg, we must carry our equipment to Sembalun Crater Basecamp. This involves 5–6 hours of trekking with around 800 meters of Elevation Gain (EG). The second leg is the summit attack, which begins at midnight. On paper, the summit attack requires us to complete about 1,800 meters of EG within 4–5 hours.
Therefore, the key fitness targets were:
- Complete a 5–6 hour trek with load
- Complete ~1,800 meters of EG within 4–5 hours
I began preparation about three months before the trip, around February 2024. On weekends, I would follow my uncle, Om Wiko, for trekking training in Sentul (near Jakarta). This area has several trekking routes and is not too far from where I live, so it was great for incremental training to hit the EG target. On weekdays, I trained at the gym 2–3 times a week. My personal trainer focused on cardio and lower body strength. I also continued joining weekly basketball sessions, although I had to take rest days sometimes.
A month before the trip, the group had a training session on one of the longest possible routes in Sentul. This route is about 20 km long and takes around 5 hours to complete. In the middle, there’s a section where we must descend to a riverbed and then immediately take a sharp ascent to the next hill. This was a reality check for me—I couldn’t finish the whole route and had to turn back right after that part.
The following week, we tried the track again. I had enough sleep and was well hydrated, and I managed to clear the route in 5.5 hours. To be honest, I still wasn’t confident I could clear Rinjani, given my performance was below the on-paper targets. Nevertheless, the following two weeks were spent resting, with only a couple of light exercises.
Day 1: Getting to Sembalun Crater Basecamp
We started our trip early in the morning. After a simple breakfast, we went to the Rinjani National Park office to register and get our tickets. Then, we took a ride on a truck to the starting point. It was a clear day—Rinjani looked immense, and really far. Less than 30 minutes in, I gave up carrying the carrier myself and hired a porter lol.
With no load to carry, the hike was so much more fun. The scenery was breathtaking. I didn’t take many photos, though, to preserve battery. Some areas required us to hike through gravel, but overall, it wasn’t too hard. We reached the basecamp in around 4 hours.
One thing that saddened me was the trash around the area. There were a lot of plastic bags and other waste, especially near checkpoints. In Java, all national parks already ban plastic littering, so I was surprised the system wasn’t implemented here. In hindsight, the ratio of mountain rangers to tourists was much lower than in Java’s mountains. Nevertheless, since we already have a working model, I hope the system gets implemented in Rinjani soon—before the litter becomes unmanageable.
Midnight: Summit Attack
We began the summit attack around 1:00 AM. This was where the real test lay. I mentioned earlier that we needed to clear ~1,800 meters of EG to reach the summit. What I didn’t mention is that most of the track is fully covered by gravel. I had anticipated this, but since it was my first time hiking on gravel, it turned out to be extremely difficult. Although on paper we needed to clear ~1,800 meters, I think we effectively had to do ~2,400 meters due to the slipping and sliding. It was literally two steps forward, one step back.
The first part of the summit attack was the “Letter L” track. It’s called that because it looks like an inverted “L” from basecamp—long, straight, and steep through gravel, with few spots to rest. To make matters worse, the night was freezing. I immediately got left behind by my group here.
After the Letter L, we tackled the Stone Stairways. Thankfully, we had firm footing here, and the track wasn’t too steep. Unfortunately, this is where I had an accident. My trekking pole slipped while I was climbing the stairs, and the other got stuck in a crevice while I fell—and snapped. Thanks to that snapped pole, I managed to twist my body a bit and landed on my bottom. I didn’t suffer any serious injury, but the lingering pain (maybe worsened by the cold) and the shock rattled my mind.
The final challenge was the “Letter E” track (you can guess where it is from the cover image of this post). I reached it around 4 AM, and it took more than two hours to complete. The summit area was tiny and crowded, so I just took a breather about 100 meters before it and enjoyed the view. Honestly, I was terrified—the height and the lack of railings made me extremely nervous. Fortunately, descending wasn’t too bad—we could sort of glide down the gravel.
I think the foot of the Letter E was actually the best spot to enjoy the view and take pictures. The area was wider and had firmer footing. I enjoyed the view of Segara Anak Lake while snacking on breakfast. I regrouped with the others here, took a few pictures together, and descended back to basecamp.
Day 2: Trip to Segara Anak Lake
After returning to basecamp, we cleaned up (somewhat) and rested. I really wished I had brought a better camping chair—there wasn’t much place to sit. Luckily, we camped near a tree canopy, so I found a soft-enough spot to nap. In the afternoon, we had lunch and began descending to Segara Anak Lake.
It took around 3 hours to reach the lake from Sembalun Crater Basecamp. The route passed through rolling hills and meadows—an easy hike overall. Because the track wasn’t too long, the porter gave me a discount to carry my carrier, which I immediately accepted. Biggest lesson so far: if the locals can make the trip easier, just pay.
After arriving at the lake, we took some pictures and walked around the perimeter. Honestly, there wasn’t much to do besides soaking in the view. Unfortunately, the lake area was also littered. I had hoped for a peaceful, zen moment at the edge of the lake, but it didn’t happen. There was a hot spring nearby, but I didn’t go. Personally, I’d skip the lake trip if I revisit Rinjani in the future.
Day 3: Trip to Torean Village
One of the main reasons we took the lake detour was to descend via the Torean route. This route is much longer than our ascent—around 7–9 hours to complete. However, it cuts through a mountain crevice, and for the first 3–4 hours, it felt like walking on a Jurassic Park film set.
Once we entered the forest, though, the route became arduously long with little scenery. This was an endurance test, plain and simple—and I think that’s why there were barely any foreign tourists here. We completed it without too much trouble, but honestly, I think it’d be better to descend via the original route next time.
On the bright side, this route was quite clean with minimal litter. I’m guessing better enforcement is possible here due to fewer tourists. Again, I hope similar systems get applied to the rest of Rinjani National Park.
Lessons Learned
In my opinion, Mount Rinjani is an intermediate-level mountain. It definitely requires preparation—I can’t recommend it as a spur-of-the-moment trip. That said, I don’t think people who are already physically fit and active need as much prep as I did. If you can finish a half-marathon easily, you probably just need to get your equipment ready.
For me, this was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I had my complaints, but they were minor compared to the full journey. Even a year later, I can still recall the experience clearly—so I can confidently say this is something worth doing at least once in a lifetime.
At the summit of Mount Rinjani, I made a small wish as I gazed out at the endless blue horizon. Here’s praying for it to come true soon!
