As I’ve developed my passion for hiking
quite recently, there are still plenty of mountains on my list. I hiked mountains
one Malaysia and volcanoes in Indonesia, and while o enjoy both, the scenery
was always super stunning (and the weather was better!) in Indonesia (judging
from the experiences I’ve had).
Naturally, Mount Rinjani made it to the top
of my list! Why you may ask? The photos were pretty self explanatory and I
wanted a real challenge. It would become my first 2 day hike.
My first question was whether to book a
tour or go on my own. I love being my own boss and to decide everything by
myself, but in this case I chose to rely on one of the plenty tour agencies
that offer their service. Since I was by myself, I didn’t want to carry all my
camping equipment, food and clothes up this very very tall mountain myself.
Plus, renting a tent, hiring a guide and arranging transportation is also
expensive without a tour.
I’d like to review the service of my tour
agency here as well, because it was an essential part of my trip. I chose to
book with Lune Rinjani, mainly because they offered all of the services the
other tours offered too and they were reasonably priced. They answered all of
my e-mails very fast and they even checked with me one day before I would
arrive in Lombok. At the airport, the driver picked me up and brought me to Senaru, where all the other tour organizers are located as well. The first
night is part of the package and I stayed in a nice little room of a honestly.
It was basic, but clean and the bed was really comfy! That night, Lune
explained me the detailed itinerary of the trip, so I always knew what to
expect during the hike. Due to a cancellation I was grouped with another group
and they didn’t seem to have the same background knowledge as I had. My team
members were really nice though and I really enjoyed hiking together with them.
As part of the package, we had an English
speaking guide and 2 porters who carried the camping equipment, the additional
water and the food. They even set up the tent and cooked us delicious meals! It
was quite the glamping experience. At this point I have to emphasize my
admiration for the guide and the porters. They hike up there up to 2 times a
week and all the stuff the porters carry is so heavy, normal people cannot even
lift it, but they jump around with it as if they’re part mountain goat!
On the first day, we hiked up until the
crater, which took us 6 hours in total including a lunch break. 3 hours were kind
of easy and 3 hours were more tough, as the steepness of the slope increased a
lot. At the campsite we were lucky to enjoy the nice view of the lake and the
sunset. In the 3D2N package it is possible to go to the lake and the hot
springs, but I only booked a 2 night package.
The 2nd day is tougher than the
first day. We woke up at around 2 o’clock to have a light breakfast and started
our hike – summit attack. It already started with some nasty path that was
quite difficult to walk on. Secondly, it got colder and colder with every meter
we got up. It is common knowledge to have cooler temperatures in higher
altitude, but at 3o’clock at night, walking a steep slope, it hits you much
harder. The closer we got to the summit, the windier it got. Additionally, the
ground became more gravely and dusty, so that you would sink back 1 step after
taking 2. That is incomparably frustrating at 5 o’clock in the morning.
It was so difficult to balance on this ground with the storm pushing against me
and my hands as a reflex swooping back into my pockets because it was too
cold to keep them outside. I hadn’t even made it half way (from the slippery
part til the top) and it was still dark, many people chose to turn around and not
see the sunrise from the top. I
decided to move on, but with every step I had to convince myself harder that I
really want to reach the summit. Once I took a small rest at a not so windy
place and a woman sat next to me crying. I felt incredibly frustrated too since
the damn summit didn’t even seem to come closer! Slowly it became brighter and
I was still quite far away from the top. I comforted myself by thinking that
it’s not a defeat to miss the sunrise at the top (even though this was what I
came for), I just wanted to reach the top. It was already 6:15 when I finally
thought the summit seems not so fat away any more, but the sun would rise
between 6:15 and 6:30. I didn’t want to accept my defeat but I very much wanted
to rest one more time. My energy was simply running low. The last meters were
thankfully a little bit less strenuous since the ground was less gravely, so I
finally reached the top at 6:32. Maybe I didn’t make it super in time but I
still got a pretty good shot. And – I didn’t have to wait for the sun to rise.
At the top it was so freezing cold, I took 5 pictures and left immediately.
Poor people that are actually in shape and reached there before 6.
On my way down, my guide caught up to me
(because I’m very very slow downhill) and greeted me by asking the only
question I wanted to hear in that moment “cookie?” yes please! I ate a lot of
cookies and I’m sure this was the only reason I made it back alive to the
campsite. There, I enjoyed a second breakfast and shortly after I went back all
the way and the rest of the group moved on to the lake. I was accompanied by my
porter whom I was unable to keep up with.
Finally, I reached the homestay where
I already stayed over the first time. After a very very long shower I was
welcomed back by tea and fruit and my comfy bed.
