Last Updated on September 6, 2026

Hiking Mount Rinjani in Lombok was one of the most challenging and rewarding adventures I’ve ever experienced. Standing at 3,726 meters, Gunung Rinjani is Indonesia’s second-highest volcano and I think one of the most spectacular places to hike in the country.

A few years ago, I took on a 3-day, 2-night trek from Sembalun to the summit of the Gunung Rinjani volcano, continuing to Segara Anak Lake and finishing in Senaru. The climb was tough, especially the final push to the summit, but the incredible views and sense of achievement made every exhausting step worth it.

In this guide, I’ll share my personal experience hiking Mount Rinjani, including what each day of the trek was like, what to expect on the trail, and the essential things I recommend packing. If you’re planning a Rinjani adventure of your own, I hope my experience helps you prepare for this unforgettable hike.

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Travel video of hiking Mount Rinjani

Want to see what hiking Mount Rinjani is really like? I also filmed my 3-day, 2-night trek and turned it into a short travel video. From the first steps on the trail to the challenging climb toward the summit, the video gives you a glimpse of the landscapes, camping experience, and unforgettable moments along the way. Grab a coffee, press play, and come along on my Gunung Rinjani adventure in Lombok!

Travel from Senggigi to Senaru village

It is time! Today I will climb Indonesia’s second highest volcano: Mount Rinjani in Lombok. Around 14:00 pm the driver of Rinjani Fun Trekking picks me up and drives me to Senaru Village. On our way, we pass the ‘Pusuk woods’, where we saw monkeys playing in branches and sitting at the side of the road. From the well-known touristic area Senggigi, it takes about two hours before we arrive in Senaru. Here, the owner of Rinjani Fun Trekking welcomes me with a cup of tea.

After a nice conversation, some jokes and laughing, I put my backpack in the hotel room and put on my hiking boots to check out the nearby waterfalls; Sendang Gile Waterfall and Tiu Kelep waterfall.

Sendang Gile Waterfall and Tiu Kelep waterfall

Together with a guide, I walked down the tracks to the waterfalls. First, we arrived at the Sendang Gile waterfall, but we decided to skip this one and continue directly towards the Tiu Kelep waterfall, because this one is the furthest away, and it was getting dark soon. Tiu Kelep waterfall is the tallest waterfall of Lombok and is more or less 45 meters high, with a big and strong crush. It took around 60 minutes from the entrance to reach this beautiful piece of nature. On our way, we saw some monkeys and beautiful flowers.

After Tiu Kelep, we walked back towards the Sendang Gile waterfall and finally back to the hotel. All in all, the hike and visit to the waterfalls took around two hours.

After the waterfalls, we got a delicious dinner at the office of Rinjani Fun Trekking and a briefing about how the next three days will look like.

Hiking Mount Rinjani – Day 1:

– Senaru village (601m) – Sembalun village (1100m)

Today, I woke up at 6:00 am, enjoyed the beautiful sunrise, and got breakfast. During the breakfast I met my other hike companions, a Dutch- and German girl. With the three of us, a local guide, and two local porters (both carrying 30 kilos, respect! ), we started this adventure.

– Register at the Rinjani Information Center in Sembalun village

After breakfast, we drove to the Rinjani information center in Sembalun village, where we officially registered us. After the registration, it time to get started!

– Sembalun village (1100m) – Sembalun crater rim (2639m)

We started with a gentle ascent path through open grassland. After a two-hour walk, we reached pos 1 (1300m), and after another 45 minutes we arrived at pos 2 (1500m) where we stopped for lunch. The porters cooked a warm dish for us; white rice, fried vegetables, fried egg, chicken, tempé, and kroepoek. For dessert, we got some pineapple and melon.

After the delicious lunch, we continued walking to pos 3 (1800m) and finally, to the sembalun crater rim (2639m). Around 15.30, we finally arrived at the crater rim, where our first camping site was located. The porters set-up our tents and started cooking for us. After a short rest, we were eating mie goreng while enjoying the sunset.

Hiking Mount Rinjani – Day 2:

– Sembalun crater rim (2639m) – Summit (3726m)

It was early, but time to wake up! It was 02:00 am and still dark outside. We ate a little sandwich and had some tea, before we started our hike. We headed to the Mount Rinjani summet at 03.00 am.

Together with our head lights, we started our way to the top. The beginning was fairly easy, but the higher we came, the harder it got. The final part involved a steep climb over a loose volcanic scree with stones and a lot of sand. For every step I put forward, I moved two backwards.

Please do not underestimate this hike, especially the final part, because it was really hard! I had quite some hiking experiences, like Mount Batur in Bali (1.717 meters), Mount Åreskutan in Sweden (1.420 meters) and the Himalayas in Nepal (until 4.500 meters), but hiking to the summit of Mount Rinjani was definitely the hardest I ever experienced. Some people will not make the top of Mount Rinjani, either because of tiredness, the steepness, the hard wind, or altitude sickness.

However, if you do make it to the summit, you will get rewarded with amazing views and a feeling of proudness. Yes, I did it! It took me 4 hours to reach the top, and finally up there, I was almost crying of satisfaction. It took so much effort, concentration, perseverance and courage to reach the top of Mount Rinjani!

On the top, you can enjoy the sunrise (if you are in time, I wasn’t), see the Rinjani volcano, the Segara anak lake and if you are lucky, you can also see Bali and Sumbawa.

Summit (3726m) – Sembalun crater rim (2639m)

After taking some photos at the summit of 3.726 meters, we walked back down to our camp site. Here we get a second breakfast and then continued our way down to the Segara anak lake and hot spring.

– Sembalun crater rim (2639m) – Segara anak lake and hot spring (2000m)

The trail down was steep and slippery. It took us 3 hours to reach the lake. At the lake, we had lunch (curry, rice, and fresh fruits) and got some time to enjoy a nearby hot spring. The hot spring was really natural. You do not have to buy an entrance ticket and there are no dressing rooms or toilets around. You will share the hot spring with all the other hikers.

– Segara anak lake and hot spring (2000m) – Senaru crater rim (2641m)

After the lunch break, it was time to continue our way up again to the Senaru crater rim (2641m), our second campsite. The way involved some steep paths and rocks that we had to climb up. Sometimes it was really scary and hard, because we were tired, but had to concentrate deeply. If you take one misstep here, you will fall into the ravines. This was the second hardest part of the hike!

After 3,5 hours, we finally reached the Senaru crater rim and got rewarded with another great view of the summit. On the other side of the rim, we enjoyed the stunning sunset over mountain Agung in Bali.

Hiking Mount Rinjani – Day 3:

– Senaru crater rim (2641m) – Senaru village (601m)

Around 06:00 we woke up and watched the sunrise over the summit of Mount Rinjani. After breakfast, we started our trek down to Senaru village. On our way down, we crossed different kinds of landscapes. The most beautiful part was the tropical forest, where signs told stories about the trees and a comfortable track was guiding us our way down.

Around 12:00 we had lunch and 2 hours later, we arrived at the Senaru starting point! We made it back!

What to bring for hiking Mount Rinjani?

This packing list includes all the travel essentials that you need to get the most out of your hike. Why did I bring these items? You can read about it below:

• Bring some hiking boots. You really need good shoes while climbing Mount Rinjani, because the route involves steep and slippery parts.
• Bring warm clothes with you for during the nights and for climbing the summit. I brought a thermos shirt, thermos shorts, zip-off pants, rain jacket, and gloves. I would also recommend bringing a hat and scarf with you.
• Don’t forget your camera or Go Pro!
• Also bring a power bank or some extra batteries with you. There is no electricity on the mountain.
• Bring enough snacks. Sometimes you really need sugar, to get some energy again.
• Ask trekking poles of your host company. Our company forgot the trekking poles, and it is even harder to reach the top without. They can be off great support, so don’t forget them!
• Bring flip flops. After a day hiking, it is nice to give your feed some fresh air and space. You will also need them for your hike to the waterfalls and hot springs. You have to cross some little rivers, when hiking down to Tiu Kelep, and it is smart to keep your hiking boots dry for the next day.
• Bring some swimming wear and a little towel for the hot spring.
• Bring some baby tissues or make-up tissues, to clean yourself after a day hiking. You will get dirty for sure! There is dust and sand everywhere on you!
• If you like to use toilet paper, bring it. There will be natural toilets only for the next few days. However, at the camp sites, the host companies will put a kind of wind sheet around the ‘toilet’, so you have some privacy.

Conclusion

Hiking Mount Rinjani was without a doubt one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but also one of the most rewarding. From the steep climb to the summit and the volcanic landscape to Segara Anak Lake and the beautiful sunsets, Gunung Rinjani offers an unforgettable trekking experience!

The final climb was physically and mentally challenging, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend underestimating this hike. But reaching the summit of the Gunung Rinjani volcano after hours of climbing gave me an incredible feeling of achievement.

If you’re considering a Rinjani trek, prepare well, bring the right gear, and be ready for a challenge. Your legs may hate you for a few days, but the views and the bragging rights will make it worth it!

Have you hiked Mount Rinjani? I’d love to hear about your experience and any tips you would add. Feel free to leave a comment in the section below.

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