It was said that Mount Batur is one of the most popular hiking spots in Bali because of its amazing sunrise panoramic view.
Indeed it was.
Upon arriving at the foot of the hike, two things that struck me…
It was very cold.
It was very dark.
Upon meeting our guide, we got our free bottle of water and a flashlight. It was quite exciting what was waiting at the top for us. Yet, daunting because the path we were walking on was completely dark and the flashlight barely lit up the ground.
I like to hike or take walks around the national parks in Singapore but this hike… This is something else. It will really take a toll on your legs. The elevation and steep inclines are rough and that’s why having a guide is very important. They know where to place your footings and they can hold you on rough ground.
What’s beautiful is that as you walk up, there are other hikers like me who are struggling. Lol. We walk past them and we cheer for each other. It was like a whole marathon — everybody was literally nice and amazing.
At one of the rest spots, a little boy — maybe 9 years old — came out of nowhere and started following our group. The guide instructed him to guide my friend and me, while the main guide was with our guy friend who is a lot faster.
Despite stumbling on soft dirt and coldness, it was a scenic route. It was amazing to see a glimpse of the sun peeking at the night sky. The sounds of the insects chirping in the trees. The sounds of the other hikers struggling as much as you do.
Halfway through my friend decided to take the Motorbike Taxi and ride up near to the top. And so I’m alone now with the little boy, trudging along the dirt path. I almost wanted to give up as well but I can’t. I have to finish this hike.
Near the top, I finally met up with the others and together, we hiked up the last part of the journey.
It was pretty crowded at the top. It was kind of scary because the path was a little uneven and with one wrong move you could fall into the cliff. We were so tired and hardly feel our legs.
Our legs had turned jelly.
There are benches at the top that have a panoramic view of the lake and mountains. We sat there as we watched the sunrise before our eyes.
Nothing gets better than this.
The guide served us our breakfast with bread and tea or coffee. Unfortunately, we didn’t move fast enough and it got snatched away by the monkeys.
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They’re everywhere!
Oh well… There goes our breakfast.
On our way down was even more picturesque because you have now, a very clear and beautiful view of the lake. The blue skies and mountains.
It’s such a magnificent view. I will never forget this sunrise trek.
This has been the most challenging hike I’ve ever done in my life. And I’m proud to have trekked this active volcano. Although, I wish I could have gone way higher where you can see the crater or the smokes from.
But I was already exhausted.
And to be honest, I was a little scared because the pathway was narrower when you go up and I might slip due to fatigue.
That’s just my head playing with me.
But if I were to trek this place again, I would love to go up higher and see one of the many highlights here in Mount Batur.
5 Things I've Learned
Here are the things I’ve learned while hiking Mount Batur:
- You have to be mentally prepared for the coldness, fatigue and perseverance to push through
- Be a good champ. Every single one on that hike whether they are strangers or your family or friends – are going through the same struggle as you are. So cheer everybody on!
- Â Be equip ready. From the clothes to backpack – keep things light and movable.Â
- Be with the right companion. It takes a lot of self determination to hike but with a the right companion – it’ll give you an extra mile to push through.
- Stop and stare in awe. Despite how tired you are – enjoy the wonderful picturesque view that’s developing before your eyes.Â
Mount Batur Related Videos
I Hiked An Active Volcano
Mount Batur Virtual Tour
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