THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 349

Climbing Gunung Batukaru
Because of the sacred status of Gunung Batukaru, most villagers only make the long trek up
to the summit temple once a year for their village's temple ceremony. A few tourists also
make the ascent up the extinct volcano, but it's quite an undertaking: a guide is essential and
the best month is July, with the November-March rainy season being dicey because of dan-
gerously slippery trails, not to mention leeches. A knowledgeable guide will also know the
viewpoints in the dense rainforest and will be able to point out the flora and fauna, perhaps
even the resident rhesus monkeys. Shade and low cloud make the atmosphere damp whatever
the season, so bring warm clothes, rainwear and decent shoes.
Of the several routes up Gunung Batukaru, the most accessible start from hotels in Sarin-
buana , Wongayagede and Sanda . The Sarinbuana route is the easiest (about 4hr to the top)
and Sanda the most taxing (about 6hr), though all three routes converge at a point known as
Munduk Ngandang for the final two-and-a-half-hour slog to the summit . On a clear day the
crater of Batukaru and the lakes of Bedugul plus Lombok and Java are visible. Camping near
the top is an option, giving you the advantage of being there for sunrise. The descent from
the summit usually takes three to five hours.
Guides for Batukaru treks can be arranged through hotels, or ask at Pura Luhur Batukaru.
All offer short hikes up the slopes to see mountain shrines as well as day-hikes to the summit;
arrangements for overnight stays should be discussed direct. The temple guides charge per
guide and do not supply water or food (note that beef is not permitted on the mountain): ex-
pect to pay Rp250,000 per guide for jungle trekking (2-3hr) or Rp900,000 for the day-return
to the summit with a maximum group of eight. Booking a guide through your hotel usually
costs more (from Rp650,000/person to the summit and back), but includes transfers to the
trail, food and water.
Wongayagede
Remote and scenic, the area around WONGAYAGEDE village is a pleasant enough spot
to lose a half-day, with opportunities to explore the countryside or even trek up Gunung
Batukaru. About 500m from its southern edge, where it merges into Tengkudak , lies the
Catholic church ( gereja ) of St Martinus de Pons, which draws a congregation from just five
local families. It's usually locked, but the facade is an interesting example of Balinese Chris-
tian architecture, with Christian motifs carved onto the red-brick facade and a four-tiered
Hindu-style meru tower instead of a spire.
Pura Luhur Batukaru
End of the road, 2km north of Wongayagede • Daily dawn-dusk • Rp10,000 donation, includes sarong and sash
Quiet except for a resident orchestra of cicadas, frogs and cats, Pura Luhur Batukaru is one
of Bali's nine directional temples ( kayangan jagat ) - the guardian of the west that justifies its
epithet of the “Garden Temple”. The grassy courtyards are planted with flowering hibiscus,