Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pletok
restaurant serves an outstanding sate feast (Rp200,000) of half a d
ozen
different sates,
sauces and home-style Lombok vegetable dishes that is not to be missed.
$280
Gunung Rinjani and around
The
climb
up majestic, forested
GUNUNG RINJANI
(3726m), taking in the magnificent
crater lake of
Danau Segara Anak
, is the most taxing and rewarding trek on either Bali
or Lombok. Most climbs start from either
Senaru
or
Sembalun Lawang
, on the northern
slopes. If you want to reach the summit, Sembalun Lawang is the best starting point. If you
just want to see Danau Segara Anak from the crater rim, the easiest access is from Sen-
aru. Other upland villages south of Rinjani, notably
Sapit
and
Tetebatu
, make pleasant rural
bases with opportunities for gentle hikes as well as facilities for arranging Rinjani climbs.
Climbing Gunung Rinjani
The 3726m
summit
of
Gunung Rinjani
is reached by relatively few trekkers; the majority
are satisfied with a shorter, less arduous hike to the
crater rim
(2641m). From here there are
fabulous views of the vast turquoise crater lake,
Danau Segara Anak
, which measures 8km
by 6km, and the perfect, sometimes smoking, cone of
Gunung Baru
rising from it. It is also
possible to descend to the lakeside and ease aching muscles in scalding
hot springs
. The lake
is considered to be the abode of the gods, and Wetu Telu pilgrims come on nights of the full
moon, while Balinese Hindus make offerings to the lake during the Pekelem festival (at the
full moon of the fifth Balinese month, often in Nov).
Having lain dormant since 1906, Gunung Baru
erupted
in August 1994, closing the moun-
tain for several weeks, and there have been several smaller eruptions since. Gunung Rinjani
itself has been inactive since 1901, apart from a few periodic puffs of smoke. However, the
mountain should be treated with respect, and its weather is notoriously unpredictable.
