Mount Rinjani: The Preparation!

Lombok, a tiny island in West Nusa Tenggara province next to the east of Bali, Indonesia, is often hailed as the next Island of God because of its raw natural beauty. My first encounter with Lombok was 2 years ago to these 3 beautiful islands – Trawangan, Air and Meno (https://travelwithoutborders.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/gili-islands-lombok-indonesia/).

As compared to Bali, Lombok is little known to many foreigners, hence it is less commercialized. I’ve got to admit, some of the beaches here are way better than the Kuta, Seminyak or Legian beach in Bali. Nonetheless, with the rise of new international airport, it is a mere 25 minutes flight away from Bali making it even more efficient to travel both ways, I could foresee upcoming wave of tourists rushing in to this island.

I’d vividly remember looking at the Mount Rinjani map and the hiking package they offer at an affordable price with a beautiful portrait next to the tour booth. I promised myself, one day, I will conquer this second highest volcano in Indonesia

Finally, after months of looking for the best hiking mates, we embarked on our 4 days 3 nights journey to the Mount Rinjani Summit. It is best to engage a local guide and porter for convenience sake, and to help you to ease your preparation. Here’s the list of items to fit into your backpack:

1. Torchlight: An important element for hike to Mount Rinjani which starts at 2am the second day!
2. Wet & Dry Tissue: You might only get to shower once throughout the entire hike, one box each type is recommended, it helps you to subdue the body odour.
3. 3 Dry Fit T-Shirts: It is light and it absorbs sweat well.
4. 1 Dry Fit Pants: Jeans is a no-no!
5. Shorts: For sleeping and hot spring usage!
6. Sun Block: Skip this if you want to get a tan, but seriously, too much UV is not a good idea.
7. Muscle Reliever: I could barely feel my legs by the third day, this was my morale booster!
8. Mosquito Repellent: Jungle feels like home after 3 days, so do watch out for the little vampires.
9. Camera: The view is stunning, document it well. There is no electricity, so make sure battery packs are fully charged.
10. Walking Stick: Don’t underestimate the power of walking stick, it later became my best partner for the trip.
11. Wind Breaker: At the summit, this will be your lover! It will keep you warm when the air is thin and cold up there.

During the hike, the guide might be able to provide some basic necessities for you apart from these items. Keep a lookout; I will be posting the routine of the trip in the upcoming articles!