Let us be honest about the state you will be in. Your legs are sore, going down stairs is comedy, you have not had a real shower in two or three days, and you have slept in a tent on a crater rim. What fixes that is not complicated: a pool, a bed on the ground floor and nothing on the schedule, for at least two nights. Almost everyone books one of three places for it, and the drive there is shorter than you think.
How far each one is
You come off the mountain tired, so the drive matters more than it normally would. These are the numbers to plan the first two nights around.
The three places trekkers land
Party, quiet, or closest-possible-bed. They are genuinely different holidays, and after a summit push you will know which one you want.
Pools, surf and a party
The south-coast surf town: pool villas, warungs and cafés, and enough nightlife to celebrate a summit properly. This is where the social crowd ends up. One of our trekkers landed at Waiwas Hostel straight off the volcano: a pool to float in, giant beanbags to sink into ("finally my muscles could let go"), and the party side of Kuta outside the door. Prefer your own villa and quiet after the celebration? The four- and five-star stays in Kuta cost a fraction of what they would in Bali.
No cars, no rush
The quietest landing of the three. No motorised traffic, sandy lanes, snorkelling straight off the beach, and sunsets over the water towards Bali. The boat leaves from Bangsal Harbor, where drop-off is included. The same trekker has a pick here too: Tipsea Turtle. The island is the quiet one; this place is its social heart. A pool where everyone ends up talking, board games with the other guests in the evening, good rooms, and in his words the best location on the island. Or browse the rest of Gili Air, and the beachfront resorts if your legs have earned a bathtub.
The shortest drive
The closest beach strip to the mountain. Quiet resorts, calm water, minimal time in a car on tired legs. Not the liveliest corner of Lombok, and after a summit push that is exactly the point. Drop-off here is included, so you can be horizontal within two hours of walking out of the park. Browse stays in Senggigi.
Where the van drops you
Transport after the trek is part of the package, up to a point. Beyond that point it is still easy, it just costs a little.
Included in every package
Three drop-off points, and between them they cover the west coast and the boats. Bangsal is the one that matters if you are heading for the islands: the fast boats to the Gilis and to Bali leave from there.
- Mataram
- Senggigi
- Bangsal Harbor, for the Gilis and Bali
A little further
Anywhere else on Lombok is possible too, for a small extra fee. Mention it when you book, so the driver knows before he sets off and you are not negotiating a taxi with dead legs.
- Kuta, on the south coast
- Lombok International Airport
- Lembar, for the ferry
Not sure how you are getting to the mountain in the first place? How to get to Rinjani covers the arrival side, and pickup is included there too.
What your body wants afterwards
Neither list is a surprise once you have walked off the mountain. Both are worth knowing before you book the room.
What the mountain leaves behind
- Sore legs. One to three days of it, and going down stairs is the worst part.
- A room up two flights. Ground-floor rooms are a small luxury your quads will appreciate.
- No real shower. Two or three days without one, and a night in a tent on a crater rim.
- Little patience for a car. The further the drop-off, the longer you sit in one on tired legs.
What actually helps
- A pool. It is why Kuta and Gili Air keep coming up, and why nobody regrets paying for one.
- A big bed on the ground floor. No stairs between you and sleep.
- Food you did not carry uphill. Warungs, cafés, and someone else cooking it.
- Two nights, minimum. Nothing on the schedule, and no walking that you did not choose.
"After the trek they drove us back to the harbour, where our boat to Gili Meno was already waiting. Like clockwork, absolutely great."
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay after climbing Rinjani?
Most trekkers recover in one of three places: Kuta Lombok (pools, surf, nightlife, about 2.5 hours from the mountain), Gili Air (no cars, quiet beaches, a boat from Bangsal Harbor), or Senggigi (the closest beach strip, about 1.5 hours). Drop-off to Mataram, Senggigi and Bangsal Harbor is included in every trek package, so getting to two of those three costs nothing extra.
How do I get from Rinjani to Kuta or the Gili Islands?
Transport after the trek is included to Mataram, Senggigi, and Bangsal Harbor, where fast boats leave for the Gili Islands and Bali. Drop-off in Kuta, at the airport, or in Lembar is possible too, for a small extra fee. Mention it when you book.
How does your body feel after trekking Rinjani?
Expect sore legs for one to three days, especially going down stairs. Most trekkers plan at least two easy nights afterwards: a pool, a real bed, good food, and not much walking. Ground-floor rooms are a small luxury your quads will appreciate.
Make it one trip
The pattern most trekkers follow: arrive on Lombok, get picked up wherever you are staying, trek Rinjani, then recover by the water. Tell us your dates and where you want to be dropped off, and we will build the trek into the middle of it.
Book through the accommodation links on this page and this site earns a small commission from Booking.com at no extra cost to you. It helps keep these guides free. The trek team has no stake in where you stay. Go where sounds good.