Published on Aug, 2024
This was an amazing and once in a lifetime trek, but I’ll warn you that unless you are very fit, like you bike miles a week, trek yearly, go backpacking, or hike trails with at least 2k ft elevation gain multiple times a year this hike will be grueling and almost impossible. If you do those things you will have a good challenge but get to the top in time. TLDR - took 9 hours, 4 up and 4 down, 1 hour at the peak and we made it to the top at 5:30am. Was something like 3k ft of elevation gain, air is super thin so take deep breaths. Wear warm clothes in layers so you can take them off on the way down when the sun is out. It’s cold and windy so dress an accordingly.
More than half the ppl who sign up give up, can’t make it up because it’s too physically demanding, or don’t make it in time for sunrise but still get an amazing view. I saw ppl in skimpy little work out shorts climbing up the mountain, they didn’t make it in time for sunrise and were devastated and cold.
Our driver Putu was very communicative on what’s app, he confirmed pick up time and where 2 days before. He got to us 10 min early and let us sleep in the van for the 1.5 hour drive to the Pasar temple starting point at 11:30pm at night.
Then we met our guide Lennie! She is very sweet, helpful, and knowledgeable of the mountain and area. She is easily the strongest women and person I have met. She does that entire hike 3 times a week often. She has been climbing is since she was 10! Safety came first, she packs extra water in case you don’t have 2L with you. She was the best guide, highly reccomend , she even helps you down as she led me with her hand as the rock scramble down can feel exhausting after 5 hours of hiking. She is very experienced and speaks English very well. She helped us any time we needed it and reminded us to drink water. Would not have been able to do it without her. Worth every dollar and step.
She gives you hot tea and coffee at the bottom and top. We were not very prepared and had just running shoes on, was doable, but harder. Would be better to have trail or hiking shoes cuz this path to the 2nd lower summit is still hard, but is more rocky I hear than the true summit path via beskeith temple.
Worst the effort and grueling physical and mental challenge if you are fit enough to attempt it. Otherwise do the shorter sunrise batur hike. If you don’t know what a trek is, or what a rock scramble is, better look it up.
