Sunrise at Mount Batur

Our favorite beginner-to-intermediate hike in Bali is the perfect kind of breathtaking. As Mount Batur gets busier and busier, here's guyd we created for some of our Now and Never groups before they embarked.

Rainy Season? Not up here.

You won’t have a tough time staying stimulated in Ubud, but some of the best attractions are located just outside of town; rolling rows of rice patties and ancient Buddhist sites that’ll make you feel like you finally made it on “Legends of the Hidden Temple” are just a scenic motorbike ride away.

When we recently visited Ubud to round out an itinerary for our upcoming “Now or Never Trip” to Bali, our favorite excursion from the cultural and art center was the can’t-miss sunrise hike at Mount Batur. Even if you’re not much of a mountaineer, or even a trekker, this is the perfect activity for beginners where the reward far outweighs the climb required.

Mount Batur is an active volcano located about 40km northeast of Ubud, which is about an hour drive at the time you’ll be headed there for sunrise. It’s an extremely popular attraction for tourists, and as a result, locals take a mafia-like approach to control access, making self-led trips scarce and not worth the hassle.

There are many companies online that offer Batur hikes, but most hotels and hostels will provide your cheapest options that’ll include transportation and a guyd for the day. We ended up paying about 350k each in Indonesian Rupiah ($24 USD) plus a little extra at the end as a tip and didn’t feel ripped off. The most ideal scenario is that you have enough people to constitute a private trip, that way you can hike at a solid pace without getting pissed off or frustrated with strangers that could potentially hold you up. It’s also way easier to tolerate/berate a loved one than a random idiot who decided to wear flip-flops for an uphill trek. (Yep, that actually happened in our group.)

Packing for Batur is all about what time of year you’re in Bali. Boots are ideal, of course, but a pair of sneakers will work just fine. Since we were there right at the edge of rainy season, we had to prepare for the chance it’d be raining during the hike or when we got to the top. Companies say they’ll cancel the trip if there’s a serious chance of rain, but they’ll only do that under extreme circumstances. Along with rain, another important thing to consider is temperature/climate due to the altitude (particularly in the early morning).

If you stick to this packing guyd, then you’ll be good to go:

Packing Guyd:

• Daypack (the more waterproof the better)

• Flashlight/Headlamp

• Water

• Sunblock (fuck cancer)

• Light Raincoat/Poncho (depending on season)

• Extra Shirt (to change at the top, otherwise you’ll freeze)

• Extra Warm Layer

• Deodorant (don’t be the smelly guy in the van)

• Light Lunch/Snack (in addition to the “lunch” provided by the tour company)

• A victory Bintang Beer (a Travel Guyd tradition)

Be prepared for an absurdly early pick-up time by the tour group (usually around 3AM) where you’ll meet up with the other groups, grab some coffee, and jump into a shuttle to head to the volcano. NOTE: Don’t expect the drivers or organizers to warn you about the temperatures or rain either, as they’ll try to sell you jackets and ponchos when you get there.

The amount of time it takes to get up to the top of Batur is entirely dependent on you and your group. If you have a large group, it’ll feel like it’s taking forever, but if you have a small group that moves at a good pace, you can finish it in an hour or so. We recommend attempting to crank out the hike as quickly as you can, as there’s not much to see in the dark on the way up and you’ll have a better chance of finding a solid spot to set up shop for sunrise. It’s also ideal to be at the front of the groups that are hiking because dirt bikers offer rides to people who might’ve bit off a little more than they can chew. It’s extremely annoying and can mess up your rhythm, so hit it hard early.

The last inevitable hazard when hiking Batur trek is… monkeys. Once you get to the top, there are plenty of monkeys that are fully aware of all the packed lunches you’ll be bringing up with you. Those little, wanton creatures will come at you from every blind spot, so be sure to keep an eye out and zip up anything that’s left unattended for even a split second.

[Sidenote: I hate monkeys. Chimpanzees? Great… Gorillas? Badass… Orangutans? Jungle Book, sure... But, monkeys? Nope. Hard pass. Why? Well, if you were in a room with a monkey would you feel safe? How about a monkey and a knife? If the answer to either of those scenarios was no, you get it.]

The view you'll find at the top of Batur is one you’ll rarely find at the end of an easy-to-intermediate hike. When the clouds settle and the sun begins to come up, it’s hard not to feel like you’re looking out over heaven, and as you continue along the spine of the curving trail between a volcano crater and a valley of lush, green fields, you’ll be glad you woke up so early (or never went to bed).

The way down isn’t as difficult as the way up, but once again, the amount of time it takes will depend on your group. The sun gets pretty rough too, but if you brought sunblock and a daypack you can shed any extra layers you have. There’s also a pretty steep portion where the volcanic rock can shed from the path pretty easy; take it slow with the right pair of shoes and you’ll be fine. The highlight of the trek is the views from the top, but on the way down you’ll also get a great view of Lake Batur and its surrounding villages.

Overall, this was an exceptional experience we highly recommend adding to your Bali itinerary.