Mount Rinjani

Active 3,726m volcano with a spectacular turquoise crater lake — Lombok's greatest trek

Mount Rinjani is the second-highest volcano in Indonesia and the defining presence of Lombok. The classic two- to four-day trek climbs through forest and open savanna to the crater rim at around 2,600 metres, then descends 700 vertical metres to Segara Anak — a turquoise crater lake 6 km across, with a small active cone (Barujari) erupting from the lake's surface. Hot springs on the far side of the lake are accessible and can be reached as part of an extended circuit.

The standard routes start from Senaru on the north side or from Sembalun on the east. The summit (3,726 m) can be reached from the rim camp on the second night, but the round trip to the lake and back without summiting is the most popular option. All treks require a registered guide; book through agencies in Senggigi, Mataram, or the trekking agencies in Senaru and Sembalun villages. The trek is officially closed February to March for trail maintenance.

things to do sight
A story
The 1257 eruption of Samalas — the volcano that formed the Rinjani caldera — was one of the largest volcanic events in human history, injecting so much ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere that it caused a global temperature drop and crop failures across Asia and Europe. The "mystery eruption" of 1257 was debated by climate scientists for decades; it was only identified as Samalas in 2013. The caldera Samalas left behind is what you walk into when you descend to Segara Anak lake.