Mount Rinjani Trek

Mount Rinjani (Gunung Rinjani) is surely an active volcano as well as a national park in Lombok the other with the largest mountains in Indonesia. Over a clear day you will see breathtaking views from your summit. The trek to the summit typically takes a couple of days and highlights range from the crater lake Segara Anak, as well as the natural hot springs there.

Mount Rinjani Trekking Gude

At 3,726 m, Rinjani will be the second highest volcano in Indonesia, second only to Mount Kerinci on Sumatra, and it dominates the landscape of the relatively small island of Lombok.

Within its huge 50 km² caldera sits the crater lake Segara Anak (Child with the Sea). Eruptions inside caldera have formed a fresh small cone called appropriately enough, Gunung Barujari (New-finger Mountain).

The mountain and its satellites constitute the Mount Rinjani Park officially Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani with 41,000 hectares within the park boundaries as well as a further 66,000 hectares of protected forest outside.

In 2008, the Indonesian government proposed to UNESCO that Mount Rinjani be among our planet’s official geoparks. If it was approved by UNESCO, Mount Rinjani would become the first such geological park in Indonesia.

This is a very active volcano. The oldest recorded historical eruption was in 1847. Before this was obviously a very remote region indeed, which means the lack of records. However, approximately in 1257 the volcano erupted so violently what has shape changed as to the it appears as though today as well as the event is known to have brought about the onset of the miscroscopic Ice Age. There is a spate of activity from 1994 to 1995 which resulted in the further development of the crater cone Gunung Baru, since renamed Gunung Barujari (New-finger Mountain).

On 27 April 2009 Gunung Barujari became active again achievable activity continuing right through to May 2009. The summit ascent routes were closed then since the eruptions intensified with plumes of smoke and ash up to 8,000 m. A Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):2 rating was issued to the activity between May and December 2009. The ascent routes re-opened on September 14th 2009 but hiking routes on to the crater lake remained deemed unsafe and remained closed.

In February 2010 observers with the Gunung Rinjani Observation Post detected a smoke plume that rose 100 m through the volcano. The game noisy . 2010 is centred about Gunung Barujari. On May 1st 2010 a column of smoke was again observed rising from Rinjani issuing eruptions 1,300-1,600 metres tall with thick brown color effective pressure. On May 5th 2010 a prospective ash plume rose to an altitude of 5.5 km (18,000 ft) and drifted 150 km NW. Accordingly the middle of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation advised that intermittent activity could produce ash plumes to at least one,500 m (5,000 ft) above the caldera. Considering this The Volcanic Explosivity Index Alert Level spent my childhood years to 2 which has a recommendation that there be no activity within a radius of 4 km through the eruption at Gunung Barujari.

Rinjani erupted three further times on 23 May 2010 with activity continuing until 24 May 2010. In accordance with the volcano’s official monitoring agency, ash from Mount Barujari was reported as rising approximately 2 km in to the atmosphere and damaged crops. Lava flowed into the caldera lake, pushing its temperature up from 21°C to 35°C, while smoke spread 12 km. The volcano didn’t directly threaten villagers during one of the eruptive activity at the begining of 2010 however access to some areas of the mountain was officially closed or restricted at some times.

After these events, the next lots of major activity has happened in November 2015. The November 2015 eruptions have forced closure of Ngurah Rai airport in Bali, and disrupted international flights into and out of Bali.

The bottom and mid levels of the mountain may be heavily forested. Over the tree line although slopes are barren and rugged scree slopes and volcanic rock. The views from the crater lake are very breath-taking from the caldera rim, as is the sunrise. From the absolute peak you can view Bali to the west and Sumbawa to the east.

The reduced and middle elevation slopes are densely forested with typical tropical species. Fig trees are specifically apparent. Casuarina forest (cemara) takes over higher up and finally these give way to a alpine flora above the treeline.

Lombok is east of the Wallacean Line and several Australian bird species therefore are apparent. Such as lots of sulphur crested cockatoos and green hanging parrots. Bird life is generally hard to see here though because of the density in the forest.

The familiar long-tailed grey macaque (the Bali temple monkey) is usual as well as the crater rim. Also the rare ebony leaf monkey inhabit these forests. Rusa deer and muntjacs will be more often heard than seen.

Rinjani is best climbed throughout the April-November dry season. You’ll be able to climb in the rainy season too but treks in many cases are cancelled at short notice if your rain is heavy.

It gets abnormally cold around the mountain above 2,000 m and nears freezing with the summit. Warm clothing is mandatory.

Most visitors arrive via the village of Senaru (600 m), around the northern side of the mountain and so nearer to the primary resort parts of free airline coast including Senggigi. Another possible access point is Sembalun Lawang (1,150 m), about the eastern side, which can be better the summit. Both villages are accessed in the main north coast road.

Mount Rinjani Trekking Gude

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