Gurung Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia at 3736 m above sea level, because the mountain in so massive there are also several different trekking routes ranging from beginner to advanced. We will do a 2 day/1 night trek to the crater rim of Rinjani's crater lake Sengara Anak. This is the location where we will make camp for the night, it is a surreal experience to get to enjoy the spectacular views over a volcanic crater, lake 2000 m above sea level, from your camp site on the crater rim. From this point we will have to opportunity to watch the sunset over the clouds, and if we are lucky be able to see the glowing lava flowing out of one of the small active volcanoes in the crater lake. At sunrise you will be woken up to a fresh coffee and a spectacular sunrise over the crater lake and this is also the clearest time of the day to view and photograph the area while the fog has cleared.
The trek that we will be doing is a fairly easy climb with several breaks for snacks and lunch on the way up. The first part of the trek climbs through thick tropical forest - 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. When we get closer to the crater the flora and fauna become less dense and the terrain becomes rockier and this is when you start to feel like you are on a volcano. Walking on black volcanic rock is a pretty cool feeling. When we arrive at the crater rim we will have the opportunity to explore the area a bit while our guides and porters set up camp and make dinner for us. After witnessing the sunset, and hopefully an amazing view of the stars in the sky and an active lava flow in the crater we will head to the tents to get some rest for an early morning.