Spacious Concierge

Volcano sunrise (Batur)

from 550K IDRper trip

Mount Batur is an active volcano up in the Kintamani highlands, and the walk to its rim for sunrise is one of the few things in Bali worth a 2am alarm. You climb in the dark with a local guide and reach the top as the sky turns pink over Lake Batur and Mount Agung. Breakfast is cooked in the steam coming off the volcano itself. From Canggu and the Bukit it is a long drive before dawn, so we sort the driver and a licensed guide and set a pickup time that gets you to the trailhead without a rush.

How it works

1. 1Tap through to WhatsApp and tell us your villa, how many are coming and which morning you would like to go. If you are not sure about the date, we will tell you which mornings tend to be clearest this time of year.
2. 2We confirm the price for your group and set your pickup time. That is usually around 2am from Canggu, a little earlier from Uluwatu and the Bukit since the drive is longer. Then we book a licensed Batur guide, along with a driver who knows the road up to Kintamani.
3. 3On the morning itself, your driver collects you from the villa door. You head up in the dark, meet your guide at the base of the mountain and climb for roughly an hour and a half to reach the summit for sunrise. Breakfast is waiting at the top, cooked in the volcanic steam. Most groups are back at the villa by late morning.
4. 4You pay the guide and driver directly at the end, in cash and in rupiah. Nothing goes through the site, and the price is agreed before you commit.

Common questions

Do I have to go with a guide, or can I just walk up myself?

A licensed local guide is required at Batur and comes as part of the trip. The guides are from the villages around the mountain and hold the permits for the trail, so this is not one you can quietly do alone. It is safer too: the route up is loose scree in the pitch dark, and someone who knows where to put your feet makes a real difference before the sun is up.

What time will I be picked up, and when am I back?

From Canggu it is usually around 2am, a little earlier from Uluwatu and the Bukit because the drive is longer, roughly two and a half to three hours each way. You get to the trailhead with time before the climb and stand on the summit for first light, at about half six. Back at the villa by late morning. Plan on a slow rest of the day.

How fit do I need to be, and can children come?

It is a moderate climb of about an hour and a half up, steady rather than technical, though the last stretch is loose gravel where you end up using your hands here and there. Most reasonably active people manage it fine, and children from around ten who are used to walking usually do well. Wear proper trainers or hiking shoes, not sandals.

What is included and what should I bring?

The price covers the return drive, the licensed guide, a head torch and a simple breakfast cooked in the steam at the top. Bring a warm layer, because the summit sits near 1,700 metres and can drop to around 10 degrees before the sun comes up, plus water and a little cash for tips or a hot drink on the way down.

What happens if it is cloudy or the weather turns?

In the dry season, roughly April to October, mornings are usually clear, but Batur makes its own weather and the odd cloudy sunrise does happen. The wet months bring more cloud. We keep an eye on the forecast the day before, and if it looks properly socked in we will say so and help you move to another morning rather than waste the alarm. For light cloud we would still go, since it often lifts as the sun comes up.