Gunung Rinjani (3,726 m) is Indonesia’s second-highest volcano and the great mountain you see across the water from Gili Air’s east coast. Its huge caldera holds a crescent-shaped crater lake, Segara Anak, with a young cone — Gunung Barujari — rising from it and hot springs below the rim. The whole massif is protected as Gunung Rinjani National Park and is part of a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Treks run from two to four days, always with a licensed guide and porters who carry tents, food and water. The two main trailheads are Senaru in the north (forest route to the crater rim) and Sembalun in the east (open grassland, the usual route for the summit). The summit push starts around 2–3 am on loose volcanic scree and is genuinely hard.
Top things to do at Mount Rinjani
Crater-rim trek (2 days, 1 night)
The most popular option: climb to the rim, camp with a view over the lake and walk down the next morning. From Senaru or Sembalun.
Summit trek (2–3 days)
Add the pre-dawn summit climb from the Sembalun rim for sunrise over Lombok, Bali and Sumbawa. Only for fit, well-prepared hikers.
Full traverse (3–4 days)
Summit, down to the crater lake and hot springs, and out the other side. The complete Rinjani experience.
How to get to Mount Rinjani
- From Gili Air: boat to Bangsal (about 15–20 minutes), then roughly 1.5–2 hours by car to Senaru or around 3 hours to Sembalun. Most tour operators include pickup from Bangsal or the Gilis.
- Best booked: as a package with guide, porters, park fees, food and camping gear — see the Rinjani treks we recommend.
Insider tips
- The national park closes to trekkers during the height of the wet season, typically from around January to March, and may close at other times for weather or volcanic activity. Check before you book.
- It gets cold on the rim — near freezing at the summit before dawn. Bring a warm jacket, hat and gloves, and good shoes with grip.
- Ask your operator what is included (park fees, sleeping bags, water) and how they deal with rubbish; choose operators who carry their waste out.
- Do not trek within 24 hours of scuba diving.
Best tours & tickets for Mount Rinjani
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Mount Rinjani from Gili Air:
Trek from $144 Mount Rinjani Summit 2-Day Trekking Tour
The fast, hard version of Indonesia’s most famous volcano trek: up to the Sembalun crater rim on day one, a pre-dawn scramble to the summit on day two, then the long descent. Tough but unforgettable — only for fit hikers, and only when the national park is open.
- Summit Rinjani (3,726 m) at sunrise
- Camp on the crater rim above Segara Anak lake
- Guides, porters, camping gear and meals included
Trek from $150 Mount Rinjani 2-Day Trek to Senaru Crater Rim
A gentler way to see Rinjani’s caldera: a steady climb from Senaru through forest to the crater rim, a night in camp and the view over the lake at dawn. No summit attempt, so it suits good walkers who are not mountaineers.
- Climb through rainforest from Senaru
- Sunset and sunrise on the Senaru crater rim
- Views over Segara Anak lake — without the summit push
