Central Mountains - Bali and Lombok - page 108

Getting There & Around
From Batubulan terminal in Denpasar, bemo
(small minibus) travel regularly to Kintamani
(15,000Rp). You can also get a bus on the busy
Denapsar (Batabulan)-Singaraja route which
will stop in Penelokan and Kintamani (about
15,000Rp). Alternatively, you can just hire a
car or use a driver. From South Bali expect to
pay at least 400,000Rp.
Orange bemo regularly shuttle back
and forth around the crater rim, between
Penelokan and Kintamani (7000Rp for tour-
ists). Public bemo from Penelokan down to
the lakeside villages go mostly in the morning
(tourist price is about 6000Rp to Toya Bung-
kah). Later in the day, you may have to charter
transport (40,000Rp or more).
TREKKING GUNUNG BATUR
Vulcanologists describe Gunung Batur as a
'double caldera', ie one crater inside another.
The outer crater is an oval about 14km long,
with its western rim about 1500m above sea
level. The inner crater is a classic volcano-
shaped peak that reaches 1717m. Activity
over the last decade has spawned several
smaller cones on its western flank, unimagi-
natively named Batur I, II, III and IV. More
than 20 minor eruptions were recorded be-
tween 1824 and 1994, and there were major
eruptions in 1917, 1926 and 1963. Geological
activity and tremors have continued to occur
regularly.
Statistics aside, you really have to see it to
believe it. One look at this otherworldly spec-
tacle and you'll understand why people want
to go through the many hassles and expenses
of taking a trek. But is it worthwhile? You'll

get some amazing pictures and come close
to volcanic action not easily seen anywhere.
But the flip side is that it's costly, you have
to deal with various characters and at some
point you may just say, 'I could have enjoyed
all this from the parking lot viewpoint in
Penelokan'.

CENTRAL MOUNTAINS

0 6 km

0 4 miles

Kubutambahan

Yeh Sanih

Sangsit

B A L I S E A

B A L I S E A

Singaraja

Sinabun

Jagaraga

Tejakula

Sukasade

Sawan

Tukad Mungga

Sembirenteng

Panci

Lovina Sudaji

HPPGB
The notorious HPPGB (Mt Batur Tour Guides Associa-
tion; % 52362; Toya Bungkah office Map p247 ; h 5am-9pm;
Pura Jati office Map p244; h 3am-noon) has a monop-
oly on guided climbs up Gunung Batur. The
HPPGB requires that all trekking agencies that
operate on the mountain hire at least one of
its guides for trips up the mountain. In addi-
tion, it has developed an unsavoury reputa-
tion for intimidation in requiring climbers
to use its guides and during negotiations for
its services.
Reported tactics have ranged from dire
warnings given to people who inquired at
its offices to outright physical threats against
people attempting to climb without a guide.
There have also been reports of guides station-
ing themselves outside of hotels to intercept
climbers.
Pinning these guys down on rates can be
enough to send you back to South Bali, but
expect to pay the following:

Anturan

Tembok

Air

Gitgit

Lupak

Kaliasem Terjun

Penginyahan

Silangayang

Gitgit

Selat

Kembangsari

Gunung Penuttsan See Gunung Batur

Area Map (p244)

(1745m)

Bantang

Dusa

Blandingan

Gunung

See Danau Bratan Area Map (p249) Mabi Penulisan

Batur Songan

Toya

Lampu (1717m)

Mampeh

Belantih

Kintamani

Gunung Catur Catur

(2096m) Toya

d a Bungkah

Danau Batur

Danau

Pancasari

Kayuputih
Tunjuk

Buyan Kubupenelokan

Danau Batur

Banyuatis

Tamblingan

Danau

Munduk

Candikuning Kedisan

Bratan

Penelokan Gunung

Gunung Lesong

Umajera Peludu

Abang

Bedugul Buahan

To Seririt (1860m)

Pelaga

(2152m)

(19km)

Gunung Pohen

Gunung

Temantanda

Sangiyang (2063m)

Suter

Sekardadi

Su ngai (2093m)

Katung

Nungnung

Pupuan

Batukau

Sekahan

Pujungan

Reserve

To Pekutatan Gunung Batukau

Pacung

(28km) (2276m)

Tegalsuci

Batungsel

Penyabangan

Sandakan

Pempatan

Bangklet

Belong

Pura Luhur

Sanda

Batukau

Jatiluwih

Kebonpadangan Pempatan

Bonjaka

Wangayagede

To Petang

To Bangli

Antasari To Ubud To Ubud

(14km) (20km) (23km) (10km)

GUNUNG BATUR AREA
% 0366
This area is like a giant dish, with the bottom
half covered with water and a set of volcanic
cones growing in the middle. Sounds a bit
spectacular? It is. The road around the south-
western rim of the Gunung Batur crater is one
of Bali's most important northsouth routes
and has one of Bali's most popular vistas.
Most people intending to do some trekking
stay in the pleasant villages around the shores
of Danau Batur, and plan an early start to
climb the volcano.

Penlokan is also where you can take a
short road down into the crater. From here,
a road loosely follows the shore of Danau
Batur, linking the villages of Kedisan and
Toya Bungkah.
Entry Tickets
If you arrive by private vehicle, you will be
stopped at ticket offices at Penelokan or Kubu-
penelokan; to save any hassle, you should stop
and buy a ticket. Entry is 4000/2000Rp per
adult/child. Bicycles are free (and should be,
given the climb needed to get here). This
ticket is for the whole Gunung Batur area;
you shouldn't be charged any more down at
the lakeside.
Information
Services are few in the Gunung Batur area.
There is an international ATM in the car
parking area for the Lakeview Hotel. In
Kubupenelokan there is a post office and in

Trek Duration Cost

Batur Sunrise 4-8am 200,000-300,000Rp

Gunung Batur
Main Crater 4-10am 200,000-300,000Rp

Trekking Agencies
Even reputable and highly competent adven-
ture tour operators from elsewhere in Bali
cannot take their customers up Gunung Batur
without paying the HPPGB (see above) and
using one of its guides, so these tours are
relatively expensive.
Pretty much all the accommodation in the
area can help you put a trek together. They
can recommend alternatives to the classic
Batur climb such as the outer rim of the
crater, or treks to other mountains such as
Gunung Agung .
Trekking agencies can also arrange other

WARNING
The Gunung Batur area has a reputation as
a money-grubbing place. Keep an eye on
your gear and don't leave any valuables in
your car, especially at the start of any trail
up the volcano. Break-ins are common.
Also be wary of touts on motorcycles who
will attempt to steer you to a hotel of their
choice as you descend into the Danau Batur
area from the village of Penelokan. Finally,

Orientation
The villages around the Gunung Batur crater
rim have grown together over the years in a
continuous, untidy strip. The main village is
Kintamani, although the whole area is often
referred to by that name. Coming up from