Our guide will pick you up at hotel lobby at 06.00 AM then transfer to Sembalun. Register the Rinjani Information Center (RIC) in Sembalun Lawang (1,156 m), meet your guide and arrange National Park entry tickets. Your guide gives you briefing describes the route details, local cultural traditions and what you might see, and explains rubbish management and safety procedures. The trek starts from Sembalun Lawang with the gentle ascent walking through open grassland used as cattle grazing by local people. Resting at Pos 1 Pemantauan (1,300 m), after about three hours from Sembalun we reach Pos 2 Tengengean (1,500 m) enjoying the beautiful views of Mount Rinjani summit (3,726 m). After another hours ascent to Pos 3 Pada Balong (1,800 m), we start the step 3,5 climb amidst the pine-like Casuarinas species locally known as Cemara, perhaps seeing evidence of wild pigs and the long-tailed grey macaque monkeys to the camp site at Plawangan II Sembalun crater rim (2,639 m).
At 03:00 AM starts is necessary for the hard three-hours climb to the summit (3,726 m) on volcanic screen. Once there, enjoy proud feelings of satisfaction and the amazing sunrise views across the Wallace Line to Bali, Mt. Agung and Sumbawa, after enjoying the spectacular views down to the campsite. Return down the ridge passing numerous edelweiss plants Bunga Abadi to the crater rim camp for a well-deserved breakfast. After breakfast, proceed to go down to the lake. It takes two to three hours down the steep trail to the crater lake. Enjoy the lake, swimming or exploring the caves and pilgrimage hot springs, believed to have healing powers, while our porters preparing for your lunch. After lunch break, leave the lake and climb for two and half hours up to Plawangan 1 senaru Crater Rim (2,461 m) for the day 2’s camp. Dinner and overnight at crater rim if weather permitted or another hour down to Cemara Lima.
After breakfast, descend down the long trail to Senaru village (601 m), through thick tropical forests rich in flora, bird life and a variety of butterflies. You might see orchid and, if lucky, the rare black ebony leaf monkey, known locally as lutung. Rest stop are taken along the way, with village stories and local legends related by your guide. Features include the Batu Penyesalan stone and banyan tree bunut ngengkang that looks like someone standing with their legs apart. After seven hours walk from the rim, (or five hours from Pos 3 Mondokon Lolak), the trek ends at Rinjani Trek Center at the road head in Senaru, where the car is waiting to transfer you to the airport or Senggigi.
