![All The Need-To-Knows For Hiking Mount Batur [Guide]](https://i0.wp.com/wanderlostedits.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/F926CDF0-B17C-42AA-BE31-AF62559E8FC1.jpeg?resize=1200%2C680&ssl=1)
Imagine standing at the peak of an ancient volcano with the backdrop of more sleepy larva mountains being lit up by the rising sun over a misty sea of rolling clouds. Sunrise hiking Mount Batur is a highly recommended activity to visitors, and for those who can weather it out to the peak, it’s nothing short of magical. However, visitors who sign-up for the climb receive no briefing what it’s really like to climb this picture-perfect landmark or how to prepare for it.
This is a full comprehensive guide. If you would like to find out about specific sections you can skip ahead to:
#Getting-to-mount-batur
#When-to-start-hiking
#Hiking-the-hike
#What-to-wear
#What-to-bring-packing-list
#What-to-bring-for-photographers
#Who-to-hike-with
#Hiking-sustainably
WHERE IS MOUNT BATUR AND HOW TO GET THERE?
Mount Batur is an active volcano located in Kintamani region surrounded by the Batur village. Sitting at an elevation of 1717m it is not as tall as the neighbouring volcano, making it a more achievable climb in comparison. For this trip, I stayed in Ubud centre. I had pre-booked a driver to take me from the hotel to the hike meet up point in Batur Village. This drive in the dark was only a little over an hour. For visitors selecting Batur Sunrise Trekking package tours, the transfer to and from your hotel should be a standard inclusion. Alternatively, most hotels in Bali should be able to arrange a ride at the reception, keep in mind to arrange it at least the day before, so your trip is locked in.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAKE UP TIME TO CATCH THE SUNRISE ?
Sunrise usually starts around 5:30 am – 6 am depending on the season. To get the full sunrise process at a relaxed state, hikers should aim for a 5:30 am arrival at the peak. Arriving at this time also means you have more selection of your viewing spots as many people reach peak closer to 6 am.
Your wake-up time depends on which part of the island you are staying at and how long it takes for you to get from the bed to out the door. Wake up for me was at 1:45 am for a departure at 2:15 am from the hotel in Ubud centre. My local guide started the walk with me around 3:30 am across Batur Village, and we arrived at our peak viewing spots at 5:15 am. The early arrival worked out well as sunrise this morning started unexpectedly early around 5:20 am.
WHAT IS THE MOUNT BATUR TREK LIKE ?
The first thing to keep in mind is you will be hiking in pitch darkness with a single light source coming from either your headlamp or handheld torch. The ground and your surroundings are vague outlines which only sharpens in the small patch of light you have. My hike started at the very bottom of the volcano from the village. The dust gravel ground is relatively flat as we pass the mysterious vegetable patches and far off grass huts. As we begin to ascend, the ground starts to become more and more crumbly and steep. Think of it like walking up a semi-solid dune made of a mix of small to medium rocks mixed in with sand. When you think you’ve learned to adapt to the steep slipperiness and the instability of the incline, you will find yourself at the real start of the hike. There will be a sign which declares the official ascend to the peak. The path from here is winding and jagged, full of crumbling ash and pebbles with uneven steps that can sometimes be more than knee height. To add some spice, the path is situated right along the edge cliffs with sudden turns that can be hard to spot in the dark. There will often be times where you think the path will keep going, but your lamp will reveal to you a cliff dead-end. The climb involves lots of patience as there will be many other groups hiking at the same time. During this part of the climb, hikers above you may unintentionally scatter small debris as part of them trying to get a stronger foothold. This part will get dusty. There will be some cursing and heart beats skipped through the climbing process. After the full ordeal, you will reach the peak while questioning life and why you have opted to put yourself through all the sleepless torment and jelly legs, but as the most magnificent ray of light starts to wash away the starry night sky you will find it was more than worth it!
The climb down was as slippery and challenging as the hike up. This time, for those who have a fear of heights, the sun revealing everything will make it all the worse. As the mountain foot grounds grow closer, the steepness will slowly lessen as will the jagged rocks and stones turn into ash and small pebbles. We opted to return using a mountain biking path through a small patch of forest as there are fewer cliff faces and overall safer. This path will also provide more coverage from the heat of the sun. However, this bike track can be super slippery as its top layer is icing-sugar fine volcanic ash. Expect to go slow, get a little dusty as bikers zoom pass and even the occasional ash-covered backsides as your shoes lose grip.
Overall, this path isn’t for the faint-hearted or those with knee/ankle issues. It’s a long hike up and down with possible sore legs the next day. To the willing and able, this novel experience of almost-pitch-black hiking and the view at the peak makes this a worthy adventure.
WHAT TO WEAR FOR THE HIKE?
There are two significant factors to consider when dressing for this hike:
The first is temperature. What most travellers do not realise is nights, forests and mountains can get pretty cold. In Mount Batur’s case, it was 9 degrees celsius on the morning of my hike. For this reason, light, warm, weatherproof-jackets are a must! For the unprepared or forgetful, there will be locals who rent warm jackets and pants at the meeting point; the borrowed garments can be returned to your guides at the end of the trip. To maximise your comfort and mobility, I would highly recommend gym gear of long leggings and T-shirt as well as bringing a hat and sunglasses for your post sunrise exploration and descend.
The second is the more-than-slightly hazardous climbing conditions. Mount Batur is not the easiest of climbs, but many would not know about this based on the pretty Instagram pictures posted by influencers. Sandals, heels and fancy fashion boots look amazing in photos but will be potentially dangerous to wear. They will increase the chances of slipping, catching on one of those endless cracks on the uneven volcanic rock which potentially leads to breaking an ankle, or worse, slipping off the rocky cliff faces. It is best to wear proper hiking boots or sport shoes with a good grip because of the powdery volcanic soil and uneven, sharp volcanic rocks.
WHAT TO BRING FOR THE HIKE? (CHECK LIST)
This trip to the top involves finding your way in pitch darkness and steeply ascends on a mix of slippery volcanic sand and sharp, raw volcanic rock. Keeping in mind the hike will take at least two hours, this list is the bare minimum to bring:
- Hand held torch or head lamp (some private guides may provide this)
- Bottle of water (mid way through, sometimes locals with backpacks will sell drinks or snacks)
- Energy bar/small snack or banana (it’s going to be early and hard work, have something to help replenish your energy. Some guides will provide a basic breakfast or sandwiches at the peak. If food is not provided, make sure to bring enough to keep you from going hungry)
- A bag or container for your rubbish (you will not find rubbish bins along the way)
- Weather proof Jacket (as mention previously things can get cold, especially when waiting)
- Sunglasses (it can get bright after the initial breaking of horizon)
- Small sweat towel (things will get sweaty during the hike and once the sun comes out)
WHAT TO BRING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND INSTAGRAM LOVERS (CHECKLIST)
Mount Batur peak has a fantastic outlook into its sister volcano ranges as well as the horizon beyond Bali island. On a clear night, you will be able to see Mount Agung volcano standing majestically against a backdrop of a star-lit sky with trickle trails of dim golden sparkles at its feet as the locals rise before the sunrise and get ready for the day. As dawn breaks, photographers can capture rolling clouds and the full transition of the sun waking with the night sky slowly falling away.
Whilst a drone would be the dream equipment to capture everything, their uses are not permitted, and no drone signs are everywhere. But in place of drones here’s what you can bring:
- Your best DSLR camera (or two if you are also filming time laps videos)
- Tripod or two (please note the ground is super uneven in some areas and will require tripod that has a wide range of adaptability)
- Wide angle lens
- Medium telephoto lens
- Graduated neutral density filters
- Spare memory cards and batteries
For the everyday photo lovers, your smart phone and a gorilla tripod works best. I used my iphone 7 and a selfie stick turned makeshift tripod and got some pretty impressive results.
CHOOSING WHO TO HIKE WITH
This hike has to be done with an authorised a trained hiking guide as the paths are dangerous. Travellers can either join a small day tour sharing a guide with others or book a private guide just for themselves. These bookings can be made through the nearest local travel agent, the hotel concierge, or if you have a good relationship with your local driver, they will most likely have a recommended guide. Cost wise, these guides and tours will charge on a per person basis. We paid for a full private day tour package for Mount Batur hike, Tegalalang rice terrace and Monkey forest including driver, petrol and guide between two people at IDR 700 000 per person.
We met our hiking guide Tira through our local driver. Tira and her husband are both hiking guides from the local area with in-depth knowledge about the volcano. We were well taken care of through our hike. Through the last part of this hike we literally had our hands held to stop us from slipping. She showed us some of the local sacred ceremony spots along the way, took us to see the monkeys and introduced us to some of the local farming history and people. We also had a breakfast of boiled egg and banana sandwich made for us at the peak. I would highly recommend Tira to anyone who wants to hike Mount Batur. She can be contacted and booked through her email ([email protected]) or Whatsapp (+62 819 9930 1535).
HIKING SUSTAINABLY AND HOW TO BE A CONSCIOUS TRAVELER
Thousands of travellers make this hike a year. While there are locals selling snacks and cold drinks from their backpacks along the hiking trail for tired hikers, there are barely any bins for the rubbish. We put ours in our backpacks. All the waste has to be carried down either by environmental conscious visitors or kindhearted locals after the hike. We saw many of the local guides carrying extra rubbish bags in their packs so they can pick a bag or two of rubbish each time they climb down. I would recommend fellow travellers also have a rubbish bag in case there is rubbish created during your hike.
For travellers who do not fancy carrying more waste than they went up in, I would recommend:
- Bring enough water in your bottle to prevent you from buying drinks along the way and ending up with a pile of plastic bottles.
- Carry a sweat towel instead of packaged tissues which you then need to dispose of after use.
- Bring snacks in a reusable container to minimise disposable packaging.
There will be rubbish bins at the end of the hike at the bottom of the volcano to help relieve travellers of their collective rubbish. At the car park, there are very basic public bathrooms to help clean off the dirt.
