The 3-day route is the one most people walk: Sembalun to the crater rim on day one, the summit and the lake on day two, out through Senaru on day three. Day two is the long one, at fourteen to sixteen hours: a 2am start, the summit at sunrise, down into the caldera to Segara Anak lake and the hot springs, then up again to the rim on the Senaru side. The 2-day route shares the same first day and the same summit push, then turns around and descends to Sembalun. Below is each day in full, with the times, the hours and the altitudes.
The altitudes you move between
The whole trek is a climb from a village at 1,156 m to a summit at 3,726 m, and then all the way down the other side.
The 3-day route, day by day
Summit, lake and hot springs. It starts from Sembalun and ends in Senaru, so you never walk the same ground twice.
Savannah, then the climb
A pre-dawn pickup from your hotel and a transfer to the Sembalun trailhead. After permit registration the walk starts through open savannah: wide skies, volcanic ridgelines ahead, Lombok below. The first three to four hours are gradual and the trail steepens in the final section up to the rim, with three official rest points along the way. Roughly ten kilometres, moderate to hard, and you are at camp by early afternoon. The rim camp faces west, so the sunset over Lombok and the ocean happens in front of you. Dinner is rice, vegetables, chicken and hot drinks, and lights go out early.
The summit, the lake, and up again
Headlamps on at 2am. The first section is steep volcanic scree, two steps forward and half a step back, and above 3,000 metres the air thins noticeably. Most trekkers reach the summit between 5:30 and 6:00 AM as the sun comes up over Sumbawa. From the top: Lombok, Bali, Sumbawa and the caldera below. Then two hours back to the rim, and three hours down a switchback trail into the caldera. Lunch at the water's edge, then a short walk along the shore to the natural hot springs at Aik Kalak, sulfur pools hot enough to sit in. Then the climb out: a steep three-hour ascent to the rim on the Senaru side, Plawangan Senaru, with fixed ropes on the steepest rock. You reach camp in the late afternoon.
Down through the jungle
Breakfast on the rim, a last look down into the crater, then the way out. A long descent through dense jungle, completely different from the open savannah on the Sembalun side. You reach Senaru village around midday. Transfer to your hotel, or straight to wherever you plan to recover: drop-off in Mataram, Senggigi or Bangsal Harbour is included.
Three days or two
Day one is identical on both. What changes is what happens after the summit, and how long the second day runs.
3-day: summit, lake and hot springs
The three days above, in full. It is my most popular route: up from Sembalun, the summit and the lake on day two, out through Senaru on day three.
- Segara Anak lake and the hot springs
- The full Sembalun to Senaru traverse
- Two nights on the mountain
2-day: summit and back to Sembalun
For trekkers short on time or prioritising the summit over the lake. Day one is identical, day two is the same 2am push and then the whole descent back to Sembalun in one go, which takes longer than the Senaru side and is harder on the legs.
- Summit push 3–4 hours, return to the rim 2 hours
- Descent to Sembalun 4–5 hours
- 10–12 hours on day two
What the nights look like
The camps are run by the porter team. Half of what makes the days work is what is already standing when you arrive.
What is taken care of
- The tent is up before you arrive. The porter team goes ahead and has camp standing when you get in.
- Dinner is cooked fresh. Rice, stir-fried vegetables, chicken or egg, soup, fruit.
- The hot springs come before the last climb. A soak at the lake on day two, then up to the Senaru rim.
- The drop-off is included. Mataram, Senggigi or Bangsal Harbour after Senaru.
What to plan for
- Both camps are on the rim. Exposed, with wind, and 5–10°C at night. Get into your sleeping bag early, and check our packing list for the layers.
- Breakfast before the summit is small. Sweet tea, bread or biscuits. The goal is fuel, not feast.
- The 2am alarm. Day two starts in the dark, so day one ends early whether you feel like sleeping or not.
- Day two does not end at the lake. After the hot springs it is three more hours up to the Senaru rim, on the same legs as the summit.
"When we reached the top, the view was incredible. We could see the whole of Lombok and, of course, the volcano. It felt like we were standing above the clouds. Sleeping there was such a special experience, and waking up with the sunrise was magical."
Frequently asked questions
What time do you wake up for the Rinjani summit push?
The summit push begins between 1:00 and 2:00 AM on the summit day. This ensures you reach the top (3,726 m) at sunrise, typically around 5:30–6:00 AM. The early start avoids the midday cloud build-up that can obscure the summit view, and makes the descent cooler.
How many hours of walking per day on Rinjani?
Day 1 (Sembalun to crater rim) involves 7–9 hours of walking with approximately 1,485 metres of elevation gain. Day 2 (summit push, down to the lake and the hot springs, then up to the Senaru rim) is the longest day: 14 to 16 hours in total, starting with a 3–4 hour summit push at 2am. Day 3 (from the Senaru rim through the jungle to Senaru village) is 5–6 hours, all downhill.
How hard is day 1 of the Rinjani trek?
Day 1 is long but steady. The trail climbs from Sembalun (1,156 m) to the crater rim camp (2,641 m) over approximately 10 kilometres. The first few hours cross open savannah with gradual inclines. The final section steepens significantly as you approach the rim. Most trekkers find day 1 tiring but manageable.
What happens at Segara Anak Lake on the Rinjani trek?
Segara Anak (meaning "child of the sea") is a 6 km-wide caldera lake at 2,000 metres. Trekkers reach it by descending from the crater rim on day 2. The water is calm and turquoise. Natural hot springs (Aik Kalak) are a short walk along the shore: on the 3-day route trekkers stop there after lunch, before the climb to the Senaru rim. On the 4-day route you sleep at the lake. The lake is sacred to both the Sasak and Balinese people.
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