Sunrise Hike Bali Volcano – With Bali’s stunning and diverse landscape, it’s no wonder so many tourists flock to the island year-round. Exotic jungles, pristine beaches, vibrant sunsets and volcanoes that love to make international news. Bali has it all. While every part of the island is beautiful, the sunrise hike to Mount Bator remains one of my favorite things to do. Here’s why sunrise at Mount Batur should be on your Bali bucket list and tips on when to go.
Above the island of Bali are two active volcanoes, Mount Bator and Mount Agung. The larger of the two, Mount Agung, made headlines in November 2017 after it erupted five times. It was the first major eruption since 1963, when Agung spewed smoke and lava 8-10 km into the air. About 1,500 people died in a tragic eruption in 1963.
Sunrise Hike Bali Volcano
No wonder, then, that the world became ready when Agung called at the end of 2017. Fortunately, the area was evacuated before the eruption of Agung in November 2017.
Bali Sunrise Hike (ubud)
As I write this now in the middle of 2018, Agung is back in the headlines. Although much less destructive this time, Agung surprised the world with another eruption in June 2018.
Despite the negative media attention, life on the island remained largely unchanged during the Agung eruptions. Apart from the evacuated areas in the immediate vicinity of Agung, Bali remains safe and open for tourism. And if Agung is not on high alert, most tour companies continue with sunrise tours on Mount Bator.
The seriousness of the Agung eruptions should not be underestimated. However, I don’t believe Agung’s beauty should be either. The Hindu island reveres its volcanoes and regards them as the abode of the gods. Even in daily offerings, the Balinese include small bamboo cones that symbolize and honor the peak of the sacred volcano.
Although Mount Agung is currently not accessible to hikers, the neighboring volcano Batur is accessible. The most popular time for walking around Bator is sunrise. Leading tour companies travel through the darkness to Batur Peak, culminating in epic views of distant Agung lit up under a glowing sky. If you think sunsets in Bali are amazing (and they are), just wait until you see this sunrise. Imagine standing on top of an active volcano and looking down on another active volcano while the sky comes alive with bright pinks and oranges. There is no such view.
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In November 2017, Agung sent smoke into the air and earthquakes across the ocean. Many people fled as far away from the volcano as possible. Tour operators have temporarily closed tours on Mount Batur. However, the increased attention of the Agong eventually relaxed and the tours were reopened.
Personally, I was relieved. Not only was this good news for the island*, but it also meant I could cross an item off my list of most popular items in Bali. The day I found out the tours had reopened, I contacted the guide and booked a volcano tour for the next morning.
(*Of course, this good news was short-lived. Just a few days later, when authorities lowered the volcano alert, Mount Agung actually erupted. Fortunately, those living near the volcano were still evacuated).
I was picked up from my hotel in Ubud at 2:30am to start my journey. Only a few people were sleepily waiting in the van. We all stopped at a little roadside pickle (or maybe just at someone’s home) to get food to take on the road. Breakfast was basic including boiled eggs and sliced bread. For a treat, they brought out fried bananas, which were devoured quickly, even at 3:30 in the morning.
Climbing Mount Batur
Back in the van, we drove for another half hour before we arrived at the foot of Mount Bator. At least a hundred other travelers were also there. It was cold and black. Not the tropical trip you might expect in Bali. We all piled on the layers we had and turned on the lamps and lanterns. Through small streams of light we could see the path straight ahead and nothing else.
The journey took about two hours and was not as easy as I expected. Our guide gave us regular breaks so we could adjust to the difficult hikers. Even though I was in pretty decent physical shape, I definitely appreciated each of these breaks. I’m sure most people can survive the trek even without fitness, but don’t expect it to be a leisurely trip. The gravel path is 7.6 km long and reaches 1717 m above sea level.
There are two main views of the sunrise. You will first pass through a lower observation deck where you can buy snacks and tea to enjoy as the sky is lit up. There is also a higher vantage point, which takes about 30 minutes of walking. Which vantage point your guide chooses depends on the group’s preferences and also on how fast your group is climbing. You definitely don’t want the sun to rise while you’re still on your way to the top.
Since the guide thought that we might not reach the high peak in time, we stopped at the lower viewpoint. I was hungry then. Fortunately, the hotel prepared breakfast for me, which I ate while waiting. I was fully prepared to contend with hungry monkeys and travelers who clearly regretted not bringing extra food.
Mt Batur Sunrise Trekking, Volcano Hikes And Camping
At an altitude of 1,717 meters above sea level on a tropical island, you are literally in the clouds. This of course means that sometimes the horizon is covered with a thick layer of fog. It was a morning for us that was beautiful and scary, but also threatened to spoil our view of Mount Agung at sunrise.
Fortunately, when the sun came out, the fog cleared enough for us to see some spectacular views. The sunrise was as bright as I had ever seen it, bright reds, oranges and pinks. Mount Agung glows in the distance, sending a small billow of smoke into the sky.
The sunrise was epic enough, but the ride wasn’t over. We continued on and took a break to feed the dozens of monkeys gathered on the level side of the mountain. After taking photos in front of the summit, we started the descent.
The path down took us along the edge of the crater of one of Bator’s ancient eruptions. Pockets of hot sulfur smoke rose from the ground, driving the monkeys away. As we descended, the barren crater became a rocky slope and finally green gardens at the foot of the mountain. My guide pointed out the vegetables the locals grow from the volcanic soil below. She waved to her friend from school, who had already left to work at the kindergarten. It all seems very normal to live on top of a smoking volcano.
Trekking Mount Batur For Sunrise
After returning to the van, we started our drive towards Ubud. On the way, we stopped at a chocolate farm and treated ourselves to chocolate. To be honest they were all exhausted and ready to go back to bed instead of being force fed chocolate. We reluctantly sat on the jungle patio (which would have been really cool if we hadn’t been put to sleep and laid there against our will) until we were told to get back in the van and continue home.
A guide is required. While it is technically possible to hike Mount Batur without a guide, it is not recommended. Not only does hiring a guide help support the local community, but without a guide you’ll miss out on all the interesting conversations about local life and culture. Finding the start of the route is very difficult and measuring the volcanic conditions is almost impossible without the help of an experienced guide. And perhaps most importantly, you’ll be constantly harassed by locals and city dwellers, who I’ve heard become verbally and even physically aggressive towards travelers trying to travel alone.
You will find dozens of Batur sunrise trekking companies with almost the same names on Google. Each company will take you on the same trip, one group after another. You won’t be able to avoid the other groups as they will all climb the volcano at the same time to catch the sunrise. Therefore, you should rather focus on finding a company that will make your trip as comfortable as possible.
I booked the trip with Sunshine Tours. To save me money, they let me go back to another group so I wouldn’t have to pay for a private tour. The company also arranged transportation for me, the driver picked me up and dropped me off at my hotel in Ubud. My guide was knowledgeable and friendly, patient with difficult travelers and spoke excellent English. Although the company does not have a website, you can contact them directly on WhatsApp at +62-878-8904-6155. (Don’t worry, it’s legal.)
Volcano Mount Batur Hike In Bali Indonesia
Whether you go with Sunshine Tours or another company, keep these tips in mind when booking your trip.
Find a company that will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. Many do
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