A Guide to Trekking Mount Rinjani in 2021
UPDATE JANUARY 2021: I was always interested in trekking Mount Rinjani, the highest mountain on Lombok Island, ever since I first visited Indonesia. So finally in April 2019 I finally did it. I had just finished building a library for a rural community in Bali with our Mudita Adventures Non-Profit. And after our 2 weeks in Bali itinerary, we were off to Lombok to celebrate. Before we could crack the beers and jump in the ocean though, we wanted to earn it. So 6 friends and I signed up for a 1 night/2 day trekking Mount Rinjani up to the crater rim. And it was worth all the steep hills and sweaty stresses.

To help you guys out, I’ve answered all the main Rinjani questions below here. Followed by a recount of my experience trekking Mount Rinjani too.
Table of Contents
Where is Mount Rinjani? And How Do I Get There?
Mount Rinjani is a volcano on Lombok Island, in Indonesia. Lombok is the lesser-known little brother of next door Bali.
To get to Lombok is super easy, you can either take a 25-minute flight from Bali (roughly $50 or so). Or you can take a 5 hour, bumpy boat ride from Bali. Also, you can now fly directly to Lombok from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Most people come from Bali though. To get to Rinjani from either the airport or the boat terminal. Your operator will meet you, pick you up and drive you to 1 of the 2 towns from which you begin climbing Mount Rinjani, Senaru or Sembalun.
What’s the Best Time to Hike Mount Rinjani
The dry season is best, from April to November. During the rainy season (early January to the end of March) the trails are actually closed, making it impossible to climb Mount Rinjani. I climbed it in April and the weather was great, apart from being freezing at the summit. But it’s almost always like that.
How High is Mount Rinjani? And How High is Rinjani Crater Rim?
The summit of Mount Rinjani is 3726 meters (12,224 feet). Whereas Mount Rinjani Crater Rim altitude is 2639m (8,658 feet). As of June 2019, it’s impossible to climb to the Summit of Mount Rinjani due to an earthquake and a landslide rendering the route impassable. However, don’t worry – the famous views, and the photos you’ve probably seen of Rinjani are all found at the Crater Rim. So you can still enjoy that. This is exactly what our group did it and was amazing.

How Much Does It Cost to Hike Mount Rinjani?
You can either hike to the Summit (not currently possible due to the landslide), or to the crater rim. The Summit trek is 3 days/2 nights and costs around $250USD .The Crater Rim trek takes 2 days/1 night and costs roughly $185USD. My group booked with Ali Trekking, and it cost us around $160 or so but we had a group so it was a little cheaper.
Is It Difficult to Climb Mount Rinjani?
It’s not easy! The 3-day Summit climb is legitimately difficult, I’d say 7/10 for someone who is in shape. Tough, but very possible. The 2 day Crater Rim trek, which we did, is still not easy. If you’re moderately fit, play some sport or hit the gym, then you can do both treks without training specifically for them. If you’re out of shape, I’d suggest training for up to a month or so in advance. Each day is 6-8 hours hiking, and it’s steep, so it’s no joke. But if you’re travelling, and you’re active, then, by all means, sign up and do it. It might be a challenge but you’ll get up.

Trekking Mount Rinjani; My 2 Day/1 Night Experience
Final thoughts on trekking Mount Rinjani in Lombok
Trekking Mount Rinjani was a really worthwhile hike, and it made our time in the Gilis even more special. While it’s not quite one of the seven summits, it’s still quite a hike. It’s a shame that the summit is closed, but the Crater Rim is spectacular and still allows you to push yourself hard for the hike. Our operator was great, he was well priced, easy to deal with, spoke English and was quick to answer emails and queries in the lead up to the trip, so thanks to AliTrekking.com.
Does it make it into the list of 25 best hikes in the world? Not quite. I’d say it’s the second-best climb in Indonesia, with Puncak Jaya claiming the title.
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