Tackle it only in the dry season because it's too dangerous to attempt it in the wet. This is the 2nd highest mountain in Indonesia, a rough but beautiful climb. For the Balinese it's a holy place on top. You're supposed to have a permit first from the police office in Mataram. letting there: It's best to approach Rinjani either from the north or from the east from Sapit. Catch bus first from Ampenan to Bayan, Rp400. Or get a truck leaving from Cakranegara just opposite the rice market at 11 am for Rp200 to Bayan. The road is terrible. Bayan is a traditional muslim village, quite isolated, with Hindu-style dances still practiced. Stay with the kepala desa, a greedy man who wants you to buy 2 kilos of rice from him for the journey. Or stay with the Swedish anthropologist in Bayan. From Bayan to Sembulun Lawang it's a one day walk. A really young (23 years) kepa/a desa and his vivacious wife live here. There are actually two 'Sembulans', 5 km apart, with 500 people living in each. Stay in Sembulan Lawang, not in Sembulan Bunbum. A fantastic valley, very cold. From Sembulan Lawang to Sapit it's a 5 hour walk. Or from Sembulan Lawang to the summit a 12 hour walk in all. It's so out of reach that no one lives on top of Gunung Rinjani. Just a high mountain lake there with conifers, wild nature, babi hutan, buffaloes, and deer.
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