MOUNT RINJANI TRIP 5-10 JUNE 2023

 

Mount Rinjani Trip (5-10 June 2023)

One year already past, my birthday was coming again, this time I chose Mount Rinjani as my birthday trip. Unfortunately, my guide was not available on my birthday, I had to do it one week earlier. Before Mount Rinjani, the highest mountain that I climbed are all below 3000 masl, I was not confident if I can do it, 2 weeks before the trip, I was in panic, I tried to do more exercises (running, jumping rope, climbing stairs), asked for tips from my friend who went there before, eventually I ran out of time and just put my faith on it. 😅

Day 1 : Sembalun Village

After arriving at Lombok International airport, Mr. Iyus, the driver picked me up and directly went to Sembalun Village to meet my guides Didik and Zueni from Rinjani Pro to discuss everything. We also stopped by a clinic to do simple check-up. For the ones who have hemorroid level 2-3, better bring medicine, the low pressure in the mountain can make it ruptures. 💥

The trip will be 4 days 3 nights:

Day 1 :  going up from Sembalun and stay in Pelawangan (base camp) 2639 masl.

We can see from the pic, started from Sembalun (left) 1156m masl, to Sembalun Crater Rim or Pelawangan and camp there.

Day 2 : summit, go back to Pelawangan, go down and camp at Segara Anak Lake.

Day 3 : go down through Torean path and camp at Propok.

Day 4 : go down and back to the hotel.

The trip can be adjusted based on the situation.

Actually, this is a luxury trip, the food and other equipment are above average. The menu for 4 days : rice with chicken soup curry, toast sandwich, spaghetti, snacks (crackers and chocolate), fruits, (pineapple, banana, apple, watermelon) and pocari sweat. The food and snacks can be requested incase you have allergy. Tent, sleeping bag, mattress, water, portable toilet, trekking poles are provided by Rinjani Pro.

The things that I bought, changing clothes, medicine, jackets, water, slippers, power bank, handphone, raincoat and gaiters. 

Day 2 : Mount Rinjani

After breakfast, we departed from the hotel at 7:30 am. We stopped by a shop that sells basic mountaineering equipment to buy gaiters and raincoat and continue to the office to register before hiking. At 8:15 am we reached the entrance gate. Actually the usual staring point is from Senaru Village, “Cowshed” (601 masl), my guide chose the old gate as the starting point because it’s already 1156 masl. People prefer Cowshed staring point because they can shorten the track by riding motorbike for 200k and reach second post (1500 masl) directly.

Didik (the guide, aka the boss), me and Zueni (the guide) at the gate (08:15 am) before we started hiking.👍

From the gate to 1^st post : 25 minutes ( 8: 40)

 

The view along the way to first the post, combine with cow’s dung on the ground (I only find this shape in Lombok cow’s dung, there must be some mystery behind it).

1^st post to 2^nd post : 60 minutes (09:40) rest for 20 minutes

   

It was a sunny day. The view is very beautiful.

2^nd post to 3^rd extra post : 60 minutes (10:30)

we stopped for 90 minutes for lunch. Unfortunately due to his health condition, Didik couldn’t continue the journey with us, instead 2 porters (Mr. Roshid and his brother, Mr.Habib) joined us. 

I ate too much, felt so sleepy. A large portion of chicken curry soup, rice and fruits.😪

 

I saw an abandon toilet behind me.

3^rd post to 4^th post : 60 minutes (13:00 PM)

Me at the fourth post.

There are food stalls at 3^rd and 4^th post, you can buy food, snacks and beverages from the stall.

4^th post to Pelawangan base camp : two and half hour (15:30)

After the forth post, we had to pass through 7 Hills of Regret ( from the name, you will know why the hills make you feel regret coming to Rinjani, haha just joking). Actually the toughest part is the last hill, the track is sandy and easily made me tripped. When we reached the fifth hill, it started raining heavily, the last sandy hill, combined with the heavy rain and less oxygen, made me frustrated. Fortunately, the guide (Zueni) helped me along the way to Pelawangan base camp. (Thank you and sorry I forgot that my raincoat was in my backpack, and I ended up using yours).

The rain and heavy fog continued until evening and my pants, shoes and socks were all wet, uhh…😑

The fifth Hills of Regret, a few minutes before raining.

Day 3 : Summit Mount Rinjani

I got a toast sandwich before hiking to the summit. Unfortunately, the guide was also not in a good condition, so Mr Roshid was the one who would accompany me to the top. We departed from the base camp at 2 am. Fortunately, yesterday rain made the track not too dusty. Half of the journey was ok but the rest was very annoying, sandy and rocky area, made me tripped many times. 

 

Fortunately, while struggling i still enjoyed the beautiful scenery. 

About 100 meter before summit, I almost gave up, i started to whine (I know it’s not cool, sorry Mr Roshid, you have to listen to my whining).  It was dark but after The Sun came out, everything became clear, the narrow and steep path to the top made me desperate. I felt that the sandy track was never ended, the top was so far away, so frustrating.😓

After 4 hours and 20 minutes, finally reached the top and took a memorable picture with Segara Anak Lake as the background. The icon of Rinjani! Yeay! 😆

Going down was also very challenging, the path is about 3 meters width, full of black sand and rocks, easily tripped. I lost count, maybe i tripped 10 times, if mr roshid didn’t hold my hand , I think I will make it into 20 times haha..

 

The path is full of sand, trekking poles are very helpful. I couldn’t imagine that we walked along the rim of the crater… 

 

The amazing view along the way to the basecamp. Monkeys are everywhere, hoping to get some food from the hikers.

It took me 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach the base camp with Mr Roshid helps. Before reaching the base camp, my knees started to hurt, and i decided not to continue to Segara anak Lake, my knees were not strong enough to go down through Torean path for another 2 days. 

Pelawangan basecamp, before going down to Sembalun. 

(that was not our bags and stuff-down left)

It took us 3 hours back to second post (12:00-15:00), knees and thighs were sore very badly, had the last meal (spaghetti bolognaise, yummy!) and I paid 200k for riding motorcycle back to hotel.

Zueni, Mr Habib, me, Mr Rashid before leaving second post. Thanks for all the delicious food that you cook. I almost never felt hungry. This is the end of Rinjani trip, 4 days trip became 2 days. Fortunately, it all went well.

The rest 2 days I spent it in Kurni’s cabin, recuperating my thighs and on the third day I went back to Jakarta.

 

Kurni’s Cabin belongs to Didik (the guide), this area is a little farther than Sembalun, but not too cold at night.

That’s the end of my journey in Mount Rinjani, although I was not strong enough to go to Segara Anak and Torean but I had reached the summit, next time I will visit the lake. FYI, in order to preserve the environment every January to March, Mount Rinjani is closed for public, make sure to check the date before you plan your visit. 

Special thanks to Rinjani Pro team that support this trip, if you want to explore Mount Rinjani exclusively, contact Didik +6281237386099

Let’s introduce a little bit about this team who support me for the whole trip. Rinjani Pro was founded by Mirzoan Ilhamdi SP. in 1997. It was the first legal agent for Mount Rinjani. Before Rinjani Pro, there were many certified guides that scattered in Lombok among uncertified guides, Mr Mirzoan tried to gather all certified guides in Lombok under Rinjani Pro and trained them to be a professional. Years later in 2021, Rinjani Pro was handed over to Didik as the second generation to continue his vision and mission. He met Mr Mirzoan in 2017 in the charity work for cleaning Mount Rinjani and started to learn the mountaineering together with Zuani in 2019.

Along the time Didik recruited more people, now they are 5 more guides in Rinjani Pro (Tarzan, Nanang, Rando, Jeweh Rinjani and Azim) beside Didik and Zueni. All of them are certified in APGI (asocciation for mountain guide in Indonesia). And also for the porters, they are not only can carry heavy things but they occasionally join trainings for cooking and all can cook well. (no wonder their cook is yummy and I ate a lot! I didn’t lose any weight despite doing the tough trekking in Rinjani for 2 days).  See you again next year Rinjani Pro!