Mt Rinjani is one of Indonesia’s highest mountains. At 3726m / 12,224ft, it dominates the island of Lombok and is revered by locals and travelers alike. Mount Rinjani is usually climbed in two or three days, depending on the route (2 days being the most direct route to the summit, from Sembalun village in East Lombok). This essential guide will provide you with useful information about climbing Mt Rinjani, from what to pack, to what to tip your porters and guides. If you want to book a Mt Rinjani Trek or sightseeing adventure in Mount Rinjani National Park, you can check-out the various packages via the links below.
Where is Mt Rinjani Located?
Mt Rinjani is located on the Indonesian island of Lombok. It is situated on the North of the island, but due to it’s large size, can be seen from most places on Lombok.
How high is Mt Rinjani?
Mt Rinjani is 3726 metres or 12,224 feet high, making it the second highest volcano in Indonesia.
How long does it take to clumb Mt Rinjani?
It usually takes two days to climb Mt Rinjani via the most direct route to the summit, from Sembalun village in North Lombok. If you want to descend into the crater to lake Segara Anak “Child of the Sea” it will take three days to complete a circuit starting in Sembalun and finishing in Senaru.
Do I need a guide to climb Mt Rinjani?
It is mandated by the Mount Rinjani National Park authority that all tourists must use an approved guiding service. The only way to get an entrance ticket / permit is through a licensed trekking operator.
How much does it cost to climb Mount Rinjani?
The cost of a Mount Rinjani trek ranges from around $210 (2 day / 1 night package) to $380 (4 day / 3 night package). Some local travel agencies and touts will sometimes advertise Mt Rinjani treks for cheaper, but generally speaking the budget operators are unlicensed, over-load their porters, and leave rubbish on the mountain. It is not recommended to book through a street “tourist information” or “travel agency” as they will not tell you which trekking operator you are climbing with (which allows the unnamed operator to litter the mountain without repercussions).
Is Mount Rinjani still active?
Mount Rinjani is an active volcano on Lombok island. It forms part of a series of volcanoes in the Lesser Sunda isles, where the Indo-Australian is being subducted “the Sunda Arc”. Mt Rinjani is the scene of an eruption of historic significance – the 1257 catastrophic eruption of Mt Samalas. Recently Mt Rinjani (or more accurately the volcanic cone that sits in the crater lake, Mt Barujari) has had a couple small-scale eruptions in 2015 and 2016.
Is Mount Rinjani dangerous?
Mount Rinjani is a relatively safe mountain to climb, although there have been a couple reported fatalities in the last twenty years. Recently a man fell to his death whilst trying to take a selfie on the summit. The trail on Mt Rinjani is well established, and with the aid of a guide, easy to follow. There are a few potentially dangerous areas where there is the potential to fall. It is therefore important to stay close to your guide, especially when going to the summit during the early hours of the morning.
What is the Mt Rinjani hike distance?
- 2 day / 1 night Summit, Sembalun>Summit>Sembalun: 32km / 2535 elevation gain
- 2 day / 1 night Summit, Sembalun>Summit>Torean: 40.5km / 3113m elevation gain
- 2 day / 1 night Senaru Crater Rim, Senaru>Crater Rim> Senaru: 20km, 2000m elevation gain
- 3 day / 2 night Summit: Sembalun>Summit>Senaru: 35.7km / 3370m elevation gain
- 4 day / 3 night Summit: Sembalun>Summit>Senaru: 35.7km / 3370m elevation gain
Mount Rinjani Altitude Sickness?
It is very unlikely that you will experience altitude sickness climbing Mount Rinjani, but it is not impossible. According to the NHS, altitude sickness can occur 6-24 hours after reaching altitudes of 2500m or more. Altitude sickness is caused by ascending to quickly, which doesn’t allow the body to react to changes in oxygen levels. Symptoms can incluse headache, impaired coordination, vomiting and insomnia. In more extreme cases, fluid can build up in the lungs and brain. There have been very few cases of altitude sickness reported by Mount Rinjani National Park authority, and no known hospitalizations. If camping on the crater rim you will be at around 2680m. You will climb to the summit at 3726m, but return back down to the crater rim after a few hours. The risk of altitude sickness is therefore low. That said, if you start to experience symptoms, it’s recommended to tell your guide immediately. Even if the risk of altitude sickness is low, the risk of slipping and falling may be increased.
Mount Rinjani Difficulty?
For some people, climbing Mt Rinjani will be the hardest thing they have ever done. Mount Rinjani is not a technically difficult mountain to climb, meaning you don’t need technical mountaineering skills and the use of ropes to climb it. But it does involve significant elevation gain in relatively short distances, meaning the gradient is steep! The climb from Sembalun Crater Rim to the summit it made more difficult due to the soft volcanic sand under foot. This can give the impression of walking up a gravelly, rocky sand dune for hours. If you are reasonably fit and have determination, there is no reason that you will not reach the summit. If you struggle climbing a flight of stairs or small hill, you may need to knuckle down and do some training before this wonderful hike. Most worthwhile things don’t come easy – the feeling of satisfaction and achievement when reaching the summit is worth the sweat and tears. Your muscles may ache for a few days after finishing the trek, but you will feel proud of climbing Mt Rinjani. We can provide advice about how to train for your Mt Rinjani trek.
Mount Rinjani Packing List?
- Backpack / Daypack for personal effects & spare clothes. 40l usually sufficient.
- Decent footwear. Hiking boots or outdoor trainers with good tread.
- Warm clothes (essential for summit and night time at crater rim). Thermal layers, jacket, gloves, hat.
- Daytime clothes: shorts, t-shirt, socks, sunglasses, buff, etc
- Evening clothes: trousers, fleece, jacket, hat, thermals. Sandals / flip flops to let feet air.
- Dust masks (in the dry months there can be dust coming down the mountain).
- Toiletries & personal first aid kit with anti-inflammatories, paracetamol, etc.
- Head torch.
- Wet-wipes.
- Camera / Phone (for taking awesome pictures)
- Insect repellent.
- Swimwear (if going to the lake / thermal springs).
Mt Rinjani Travel Insurance?
We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance that covers multi-day trekking / mountaineering. A very basic level of cover is included in the Mount Rinjani entrance ticket, but this will only get you rescued off the mountain (in a very primitive manner). There is no dedicated helicopter mountain rescue service on Mt Rinjani. All our guides have been trained in basic first aid.
Mt Rinjani Rubbish?
You may have read that there is rubbish being left on Mt Rinjani. This is sadly true – it’s a disgrace, and it should be dealt with by the national park authority. The main cause of the rubbish is budget tour operators, many of whom are unlicensed. A backpacker or budget traveler will unknowingly book via a local travel agent on the Gili Islands or in Kuta, and be sold a “trekking package” with little information about the trekking operator. The operator will have to pay this travel agent a commission, which cuts into his budget. The operator will buy low-grade and minimal food and equipment, and pay only a few porters to carry it up the mountain. When the trekkers are out of site, the porters, who may be tired from being over-burdened, will get rid of rubbish but / excess weight by leaving it at campsites or in the bush. Believe us when we say, there are hidden costs to budget / low cost Rinjani treks, and they are mostly environmental. Thankfully there are professional trekking companies operating on Mount Rinjani, that care about the environment and local community. We work exclusively with Rinjani Dawn Adventures, who were Luxury Travel Guide’s Adventure Tour Operator of the Year 2019/20. RDA frequently organize rubbish collections from Mt Rinjani, and support the local community in Senaru through their Sasak Warriors charitable initiative.
Mt Rinjani Facts?
- Mt Rinjani is an active volcano on the Indonesian island of Lombok.
- Mt Rinjani’s summit is 3726 metres / 12,224 feet high.
- Mount Rinjani is a Stratovolcano (a conical volcano with steep sides of built-up hardened lava and tephra).
- Gunung Rinjani’s biggest eruption was circa 1257 AD, when Mt Samalas collapsed into it’s magma chamber and exploded – a worldwide event that is thought to have created a mini ice-age. It is one of the largest eruptions of the last 10,000 years.
- Mount Rinjani National Park was awarded UNESCO Geopark status in 2018.
- Mount Rinjani is considered sacred to both the Hindus and local Sasak population. Every year there is a celebration and series of Hindu ceremonies at Lake Segara Anak called Mulang Pekelem.
- In 2015 Mt Rinjani was the setting for a romantic comedy film, Romeo + Rinjani, starring Deva Mahenra, Kimberly Ryder, and Alexa Key.
- Mount Rinjani National Park is the setting for the Rinjani 100 race – an ultramarathon & qualifying race for the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc.
