PUBLISHED June 25th, 2015 05:03 am | UPDATED June 13th, 2016 05:58 pm
Bali has beautiful beaches and plenty of water-related activities to fill an entire vacation. However, if you happen to be beached out and/or are seeking a more unique experience, try trekking in Bali with the challenge of pre-dawn darkness. You will be handsomely rewarded with one of the most beautiful sunrises you will ever see. Hand to heart, breathtaking does not even begin to describe it. One of these volcanoes that is well worth scaling is Mount Batur.
View of Mount Batur
It does come with some effort though. We recommend making your bookings a week in advance and you will need to pay a deposit via PayPal. We booked our trek through http://www.balitrekkingtour.com.
At 1.30 am in the morning we rolled out of bed for our pre-arranged pickup service. Bleary-eyed and scruffy-haired, we put on our trekking boots and clambered into the air-conditioned van and napped through the two-hour drive to Pura Jati temple in Batur village, Kintamani District, Bali.
Mount Batur volcano is one of Bali’s sacred mountains according to local custom. It is also 1, 717 m above sea level with temperatures of around 8 – 15 degrees Celsius at its peak. We packed light jackets but I would personally recommend a waterproof, wind-proof jacket because you are definitely going to be sweating during the hike uphill and it gets windy at the summit while you watch the sunrise.
There were several local guides waiting at the small base camp at the foot of Mount Batur as we began our pre-dawn ascent (at this point, we called it madness). We were issued with small flashlights and bottles of mineral water as we started off at a brisk pace, because we needed to be at the crater of Mount Batur by 6.00 am in order to watch the sun make its appearance.
I imagine that the uphill climb would be described as tough in daylight. With only moonlight and dim torches to guide us, picking out toeholds in the rocks was not easy at all. Lucky for us, we had two guides leading our every step. My takeaway from the experience was pretty much a life analogy: just stay focused on the next step. The path gets harder, you question every move, but it is worth the journey.
After two-and a half hours of climbing and tripping on rocks and making small talk with our patient Balinese guides, we reached the summit. Suffice to say, it is not every day you get to view a sunrise from the top of an active volcano. Nature paints a beautiful picture, which really puts life in perspective if you are in the mood for introspection.
Morning yoga at Mount Batur
Our guides also made us a quaint breakfast of mashed banana sandwiches and hot tea/coffee, accompanied by boiled eggs cooked by the steam of the volcano(!).
Our cameras just did not serve justice to the canvas of colours that unfolded before us, so we put our devices away and took it all in, the fresh air, the visually arresting spectacle and the sounds of squawking monkeys. Mount Batur’s monkeys are also part of the scenery so watch your food and your belongings.
A cheeky little fella at Mount Batur
After half an hour of sunrise spotting and exploring the crater, we began our descent. The trek down is steep and rocky but eventually it tapered off into a canopy of trees and we strolled past hidden temples and across small chilli plantations. By the time we got back to base camp, it was almost 9.00 am. The hike had taken four hours in total and we certainly felt it.
Fresh chilli padi at Mount Batur
On the way back from the trek our driver offered to stop for a tour at a coffee plantation (which is an option) but we were too comfortably nestled and napping away to take up the offer. We arrived back at our hotel at 1.00pm and we made the full payment of US$65.00 per person and we also gave our driver and our guides a small monetary token of appreciation.
Based on our experience, we strongly advise on proper footwear because there will always be that one person attempting the ascent in sandals. The ground is rocky and uneven and the terrain gets very steep very quickly. Also, bring warm layers because night-time temperatures at this altitude plummet into single figures. A backpack to stash the jacket in will come in handy once the sun comes up and a head-torch of your own will make it easier for you to manoeuvre your way around the rocks (rather than the handheld ones the guides provide).
If you want to experience Bali away from its crowded beaches and bars, the sunrise trek offers you a more serene experience in a mountainous setting. If you have enjoyed the surf in Seminyak and are looking for a different adventure, you will definitely enjoy the buzz from this early morning climb. Just note that the cost of the tours depend on your pickup location and includes transfers, guides, torches, breakfast, water and entrance fees to the Kutamati region. As an experience, this ranks pretty high in our books and we personally think it was worth every dollar.