masterthesis-playground/raft/corpus/topic=4__part=034__n=41.txt

[TOPIC] 4
[Stats] N=41 | Source=../data/original/reviews.tab


(1) A truly magical view of the mountains and the waves below. If you manage to be there during sunset, the photos will be a memory of a lifetime. Just don't be shy to request for others to be out of your frame once they are done with their picture moments. Its quite crowded so it may be necessary to do this and most people glady oblige.  The kakak and fire show are an added bonus but the views including the flame of the forest flowers around the mountain are a sight to behold. Most elderly should not find the clim  too challenging as steps are gradual and the trek to the top will not take more than 15 minutes but it will be very rewarding.
(2) Beautiful trip, we walk fast so 1,5 hour top, 1 hour back. Its cold on top so bring a jacket, some warm clothes, sunrise about 0630 AM , and it was jus amazing. The guide with small breakfast about 500 000 local currency.
(3) Not for beginners.\nThere are some very steep steps\nPack light, bring only essentials.\nThere's no nice bathroom so be prepared, bring basic toilettries\nI suggest that you do your bathroom business at the hotel.\nSleep early the night before, you need the rest!\nIt's a good exercise.\nSunrise view is nice\nBe prepared for a long car ride getting there from Bali.\nWe left the hotel at 2AM.\nIs it worth a visit? Yes!
(4) The sad part - my friend and I (both mid thirties) decided to give up half way. We were too lazy to ascend the steep slopes after taking 70% of the journey. We were carrying heavy loads - dslr with 2 lenses, food, water, medicines etc.\n\nMy lungs were not feeling too good (asthmatic) and I have a fear of heights so the thought of the descent was something I didn't want to be pushing myself to overcome. Friend wasn't too keen on takingthe effort up either and the guide took us on an alternative route to enable us to still see the sunrise minus the crater lake.\n\nOh, I know, we are such a disappointment!\n\nWe had a good guide who eventually took my friend's haversack. He too admitted it was heavy. Don't ask me, I don't know what else she put in her bag but i carried my own dslr and lenses throughout.\n\nThe road up was really rocky and I would recommend the following:\n\n1. Good hiking shoes that secure the ankles.\n\nI've had at least 3 sprains/dislocations on my left ankle and going there with just normal sports shoes caused my ankles to give way several times, even on flat (but rocky) ground.\n\n2. LED Head Lamp\n\nNormal LED hand held torch would be good enough but head lamps would be better. Our guide provided the hand helds.\n\n3. Light jacket\n\nThis would be useful for those who are afraid of the chill. The first 300m is a little cold (I'm one who is usually not afraid of cold and I bathe in cold water) but beyond that, as you expand energy, you will no longer feel cold. My friend is very afraid of cold temperatures but she took her sweater off after about 500m trek.\n\n4. Wear long pants if possible\n\nTo protect your legs from the rocks and certains parts of the trek where are long grasses.\n\n5. Avoid heavy loads\n\nHaha, but Itotally didn't regret taking both my dslr lenses with me. Would be better if you had a lense that is 18-200mm or thereabouts. Mine was 18-55mm, and 55-250mm.\n\n6. Ask your driver to take you around the lake at level ground. Tell him to drive you to places where you can assess the shore.
(5) Nice place for trekking..but local not allow trekking without a local guide...if u include mount batur in trip..go early as possible...sunrise view from here is nice
(6) It was a fun experience but not as adventures as I imagined. Had to walk a lot and I don't think it would be fun after a long full day activity.
(7) I 've been visiting this place two times. The last one was on June 2016, with two  . One friend is from South Africa and another one is Indonesian. Before enter the gate and start trekking, you will be asked for pay some money as the retribution to the government. For Indonesian/domestic it's super cheap, IDR 15,000/person. But not so good for westerner or other international tourists, its IDR 350,000 or around US$30. They said it's for the guide services. We said we don't need any guide, as my indonesian friend been here before and know well the trek. But they insisted and said its the retribution for government and service for the guide, as it also the mandatory rule from the government.\n\nSo, we started trekking at 4am and finished up there at around 5.30am. The view was amazing. White clouds like cotton candy, freshy mountain breeze, beautiful color from the sunrise, mountains silhouette from other side, clear and calm lake while the light from the sun touched it. I felt like i was in heaven. The best scenary from mother nature.\n\nPut this place in your bucket list!
(8) My fiancé recommends Jero’s and pass his contact +6281904082208 for my sunrise trek recently. This is my highlight trip in Bali. Since reservation through WhatsApp till the end of trip absolutely perfect, overall went smoothly.\n\nGadek our driver was very friendly and picked us up bright and early from our hotel in The Evitel Ubud at 2:30 am. It takes about an hour to get to the base of volcano, there I meet our guide Katut Jero’s uncle. He was very patient, knowledgeable and friendly man. He made our hike much more enjoyable! He was also very helpful. The trek certainly gets you sweating and half of the route was a bit difficult.\n\nI recommend wear short pants or legging and bring some layers or jacket because it does get cold on the summit. The views truly spectacular and sunrise was stunning. I had light breakfast that boiled in the steam. Katut showed me where he boiled our breakfast and he takes me around the crater and gave us lots of information about volcano. Overall I really enjoyed our trek. I definitely recommend them to everyone. Last word “Thank you Jero, Katut and Gadek for a great day :) :)
(9) A decent climb but definitely worth it to get the spectacular views. Our tour driver organised a local guide who was incredibly helpful & kind as we slowly made our way up the many steps and told us a lot about Lempuyang and the temples of Bali which really helped to make our visit special. Local people generally seemed very friendly, and it was quieter than some other parts of Bali.\n\nIt's worth noting that most of the climb is in the shade of the trees, nonetheless it was pretty warm. There were stalls on the way up and at the top with water etc though clearly starting off with no water would be a bad idea....\n\nIt took us around 2 hours to ascend to the top and around 30 minutes to go back down again, with about an hour or so at the top to look around and take photos. Would probably have stayed longer at the top however had other visits planned for later in the day.
(10) Our driver picked us up at 1am from Seminyak to arrive to the place by 3am. We only had a demin jacket and shorts on this hike and it was FREEZING, we did not get warned about the temperature of this hike.. i highly recommend pants, jumper, long socks and good running shoes. The breakfast includes 1 boiled egg and bread with banana and if you want coffee you will need to pay for this. The hike was very steep and fitness level needs to be moderate-high.. a lot of travelers in our group ended up paying $35 (AUD) for a motorbike to drive up the volcano. The view was amazing but very COLD and WINDY. I would only recommend to people who have a good fitness level. It was OK.
(11) The joke was extremely manageable. We set off at 2am from ubud and started climbing around 4am. The view was amazing and we were lucky to catch the sun rise among the clouds. It is quite steep and strenuous, recommended for active people of all ages. Tiring, but manageable.
(12) DO NOT GO if you want to go without a guide. We, a group of three, wanted to go up Mt Batur. We went there on our own and tried to go up the mountain. However as soon as we tried, we were blocked in doing so by 10 men surrounding us. They said that we had to pay 700.000 (400 for the guide, 100 pp entrance). We refused to pay for a guide and tried to go again on our own, at which point one of us got tackled and the others got pushed by the men. After that we went away, but we were followed by the guys on their scooters. Every time we stopped, they also stopped and threatened us not to go up on our own. To conclude, if you want to go up Mt. Batur, please inform yourself about the possibilities at a place you trust.
(13) I climbed mount Agung once and I'm doing it again in a few days. It is truly fantastic. I read several reviews about people coming to the mountain trying to climb it without a guide. And when they're approached by locals they say they feel treated badly for money. Mount Agung is the holiest place in Bali. All the temples in Bali are faced towards mount Agung. The good spirit lives there and people pray so that he stays there. Balinese believe if something bad happens on that holy mountain, the evil is trying to win over the good. So if tourists go up without a guide and the get lost and die, the Balinese must pray and make offerings to chase the evil out. Because the evil is strengthened by death. It has happened before. Tourists have gone up with shorts and bad equipment, got lost and froze to death. And the village people had to spend lots of money on offerings to chase the evil out. Please people have some respect for the local traditions. 100.000 IDR for a guide is nothing. Or what ever they're asking you. When you stand there and refuse to take a guide, of course they become angry. They will not let you enter their holiest shrine unaccompanied. What's wrong with people? It's a tough climb and it takes hours. It's dangerous to go there without any knowledge of the area. If you've climbed it several times, I could agree with you. But if you've never been there before, how can you even dare to go there without a guide????
(14) I used bersakih route at 11.20 pm ,starting with rain and it's really challenging\nif you are new hikikers please don't hike this mountain unless you have experience.And wonderfull view waiting for you at the summit .
(15) We made up our minds to get to the summit before sunrise and we didn't regret one bit of it, except... the weather\n\nHere are a few key takeaways\n\n1. Don't go unless you are physically FIT and under 40. I was a college athlete who still go to gym three times a week and play ball every week. This is the most physically demanding thing that I have ever done. If you are not physically fit with strong stamina, you won't make it. Trust me, 4 hours up, 6 hours down, no helicopter rescue. The way up requires a combination of stamina and muscle strength, while the way down is game of balance and perseverance.\n2. Don't go unless the weather is fine. Absolutely crucial!!! no good weather, no good view, and it becomes very dangerous on a rainy muddy slippery day. I slipped at least 10 times during the descend.\n3. When travelling alone, hire a guide. I think it's doable without a guide, but you better stick with a group, so you won't get lost. It can be daunting, especially at the top, to find the right rocks to climb. There is no way, no route, no obvious pathways... it's just near vertical lava rocks after lava rocks.\n4. Bring a pair of gloves and headlamp; they are indispensable, especially in darkness.\n\nSo we drove to the parking lot at 2 am, tried to sleep for one hour, but couldn't. Didn't hire a guide because we thought we were tough enough. Almost made a big mistake.. long story\n\nLong story short, we climbed from the jungle for about 2 hours, following a path in the rain forest... a bit exhausting, but all okay. We could see the moon and stars. The climbing became very challenging near the top, with almost vertical rocks that require both hands and feet at all times. It was definitely not easy. I am not a pro climber, but it gets close to vertical climbing, except without ropes. You have to be mindful about where you put you hands and feet at all time, especially with those moving and slippery rocks. One misstep may not kill you, but you are going to fall to the bottom like a rolling stone. The howling wind and later rain made everything more dangerous. The worst thing is it feels like the climb is endless even though the top seems so near. Vertically, we climbed at least one hour at dawn and when reached the summit, we couldn't see anything with the heavy mist and cloud.\n\nThe descend was way more difficult than the climb. I fell and slipped at least 10 times over the 6 hours journey of agony. All the rocks became super slippery with the rain water and mud. The thought of comfortable seat in our car kept me going. In the end, I got multiple cuts all over my body and didn't get to see anything at the top.Overall, very disappoint experience on a rainy day. And it was so not worth it if the weather is not clear.
(16) So this is the Mt Batur guide situation. There is an association that runs all of the guides even those with transport from other parts of the island. The difference between the prices I mention below and what you pay is the money your company is making on transporting you there. If you get yourself to Batur you can go directly to the association the night before and pay 400 for two to do the short walk or 500 for two to do the medium walk (this goes around the crater and is a bit unsafe). These prices are on the wall. Even if you stay in Batur your accomodation will try to make money by selling you higher priced deal. The association office is by the main hot springs by the lake.
(17) The hike itself is pretty challenging as the path is very sandy and your grip on the ground always looses. The altitude itself isn't a problem but be prepared that it's quite a continuous slope all the way up (and that is being the easy path already - there is a harder path up the mountain). The view at summit of mountain is very spectacular and is definitely worth the hard work.\n\nRental for thicker coats available at base camp. Saw an unfriendly local speaking to a group of visitors from Get Your Guide, something like they should support locals instead of (can't catch the word) and that they dont deserve to sit at the top of the mountain blah blah blah. Maybe it's something about the local mafia?\n\nOne major turn off is that they offer scooter transport up to the near-top of mountain. The motorbikes makes the path very dusty and irritates my breathing, i kept coughing whenever they pass by despite already covering my nose and mouth with my sleeves. I would not recommend this hike for anyone with respiratory problems.
(18) GO Early, to avoid the crowd, dont worry ull meet them all up on the top.\nfind a good and funny guide, he will entertain you while you climb.\nit is a volcano u dont do that everyday.\nbring you professional cam with you and your good vibes. it is the best experience ever. do not miss it
(19) I'm 53, do moderate exercise daily, don't smoke and eat healthily. I signed up with a group of   in their low to mid 40s for this hike. You get picked up at 1.30 am and arrive around 3.30. The place is packed with tourists. I'm sure there were a 1000 at least in a long line hiking up the mountain. It was similar to an experience we had in New Zealand climbing Mount Ruapehu.\nAnyways, the climb starts flat and dark but once you reach the base it's all uphill. The climb wasn't easy and I felt challenged. My younger   coincided with this and felt the difficulty was underestimated. By the time I got to the top I was dripping wet due to the humidity and clouds.\nWe started the walk with a beautiful night sky full of stars but by the time we got to the top, around 5.30, clouds covered the sky and no sunrise was to be seen.\nAround 6.30, cold and disappointed, we headed back down, being only able to see 5 metres in front of us due to the clouds.
(20) Although there is huge potential, the mountain and the climb was a letdown for me. Obviously weather can't be planned, but all we got at the top was fog. Descending further did give a better view, but it was near to impossible to take a photo without some sort of building on it. The 'into the wild' idea quickly disappears. The number of other tourists was also staggering. In a long line we went up, not being able to keep your own pace, rather sticking to that of the slowest person somewhere on the mountain. Besides that, the guides were not knowledgeable and basically served no purpose.\n\nMy main concern, however, was with shear amount of garbage and other man made things in the bushes. You would say that to protect nature, one would encourage people to carry out their own trash. To that end, the guides could play a crucial role which they clearly fail to perform.\n\n
(21) Be careful with people trying to sell you things, if you tell them you'll be back... they'll remember! Barter, barter, barter!
(22) The hike up Mt. Batur was exhausting especially for someone who has bad cardio, like me. Lol. But I wouldn't say it was a hard hike. Just make sure you to arrive at the top in time for the breathtaking view of the sunrise. And I mean at the VERY top 1700m at the lip of the crater, not the 1500m checkpoint where most people stop at because it can be very crowded down there and plus, you've come all the way up here so you definitely have to make it to the top. =) Just a mere 200m climb more through the ashes and soft volcano sand. ;)\nI would definitely come here again.\n\nMost people would take the tour package. But if you're feeling adventurous, you can go on your own.
(23) We went for a sunrise trek up Mt Batur to watch the sunrise with \Pineh Bali Tours\". It only cost 350,000 including meals, refreshments, guide, transfers from Ubud, and went from 02:00 until about 11:00 including travel time. Amazing experience, but not for the faint-hearted. The walk itself takes many hours (~4) and ranges from comfortable easy walking tracks right through to large sections where you will need your hands to help climb. It is NOT a trek, nor a climb. It is a tough walk, and anyone over the age of about 50 should be pretty confident before they attempt it. It's also pitch black as you climb, and moist and slippery when you descend. My legs were shaking like crazy on the way down, and I'm fairly fit and sporty. The view as the sun rises over the mountains makes all this worthwhile. It's incredible, and although you're sharing the view with hundreds of others, it's quite a bonding and exciting thing to be part of. Food is ordinary so bring some snacks if you're fussy. And get a good sleep the night before - you're going to need it! So glad I did this walk - one of the highlights of the entire trip."
(24) Climbing Mount Batur to see the sunrise was the highlight of our trip! We hired a private driver who took us from Kuta at 2 a.m. to start climbing at 3:30. We met up with our trekking guide, who was very helpful and informative, and it took us about two hours to get to the top. It was quite an effort, and we were pretty sweaty by the end, but it is so worth it. Climbing by flashlight under a starry sky is thrilling, and watching the pre-dawn turn into a sunrise over the nearby and distant mountains is simply spectacular. At the top we were pleasantly surprised to find that the volcano is active, and you can play in the steam vents. There are also some friendly monkeys to visit. Some tips: bring toilet paper and be prepared to go in the bush. Also, don't be fooled if someone tries to tell you it's an easy climb - it's not. The last half hour especially is quite steep, and at times you're almost climbing hand over hand. You MUST wear good, sturdy shoes and you should bring a good sweater to change into - it's cold at the top. Breakfast was provided to us, but if you're not into hard-boiled eggs in a plastic baggie I'd recommend bringing some snacks.
(25) We woke up at 1.30 in the morning and arrived there at about 3.30 . It is about 2,5 hours to get on the top, there are many people and it gets overcrowded . It is not the easiest trek mainly due to the fact that are many people going up at this particular time for the sunrise and it gets a bit challenging a little before you get on the top ! The view is rewarding though (if it is not foggy at the time of the sunrise - in our case it was foggy but it cleared out about 10 min later ) so we had the chance to see a great view . Worth visiting , a nice experience ! Oh and get a jacket with you , on the top it gets a bit cold )!
(26) The hike to the summit of Mt. Batur is an bit of an ardous one. We were travelling with a group, so our guide got our passes (I'm not sure the cost, but likely minimal). We also had two guides with us to help along the way if needed and keep us on the path (small tip is appreciated at end of hike).\nLeaving our hotel at 3am, we made our way to the base where we would start our walk. The beginning is relatively easy, not too steep with wide paths; but as you look ahead you see the many tiny headlamps in the distance that wind up the face of this volcanic mountain and realize that you still have a long, long, way to go. As you go along, the path becomes more narrow, with more loose rocks, and of course, much more steep. Up, up, up. Straight up into the darkness. As we neared the top, there was just a glimmer of light in the sky to light our way. The walk is approximately 3 hours, but when you reach the top and the light enters the sky, the view is spectacular! We had a clear day and could see Mt. Agung and Mt. Rinjani in Lombok! When the sun started to rise in the distance - Wow!! Spectacular orange, red, and pink! Stunning!\nThere's a small shelter at the top so you can buy a hot drink and the coffee is actually quite good. A small Coca Cola will cost you approx. 25000 IRP (about $3CAD), but its worth it to have a cool drink atop Mt. Batur!\nThe monkeys there usually keep their distance, unless you entice them with food. You can get some great shots of them watching the sunrise!\nOn the way down, you pass a crater where steam from deep under ground can be seen rising from the crevices. The way down is steep with many loose rocks, so watch your footing and your knees! There is some nice scenery and you pass some villagers and get a look at everyday life.\nAfter our hike, we walked to a natural hot spring not too far off which has been turned into a spa/resort. It was a great treat after our morning hike and they make great food there as well! Be sure to try the Green Fish from Lake Batur.
(27) The stupidiest thing what we did on Bali. The mountain itself is beautiful but the trekking mafia is disgusting. Trust me guys if you wanna get there you have to options. Go there by yourself in the afternoon without guide (trek is moderate and you will find the way by yourself, just still try to see and get to the top) and you won't have a sunrise experience (but you will be there propably alone and not with other 200 people which is nice) or bargain. Those @(*&%@ people are offering you a track for 45-60$ what is unbelievable! We got on 300k rupiahs for one (around 22$) for \middle\" track. Don't get caught on the \"Short, medium or long\" trip. We have been with 2 french guys who paid for long and were going with us medium and nobody said anything to them nor refund. The other thing what they say to you is that they already have a \"swiss couple\" and that they can make it cheaper for you but they bargain around only 5 or 10 dollars down. Trust me and if you wanna go there with guide pay max 300 000 rupiahs for person."
(28) Hiking Mount Agung was the best decision that we could have made on our holiday. It totally made the holiday for us. We did run into a bit of strife organising it though, so here are a few tips...\n\n1. Base yourself in Ubud. Tour agencies there will charge you about $60 US (570.000 rupiah) per person and there are heaps of agencies that are willing to book the trek on any day/night you like.\n\n2. Do NOT base yourself at the Tirta Ayu hotel in the Water Palace in Tirta Gangga. They advertise themselves as a place to base yourself from for the trek, but when we arrived they refused to take us up the mountain. In fact, they had many days in each month crossed out and on the days that you can book through them, they charged $175 US per person! Rip off. Ubud is just as convenient to base yourself from and it's cheaper and easier for tour agencies.\n\n3. Wear hiking boots, pack a jumper, wear long loose pants, bring a torch, bring lots of water and bring inspect repellent.\n\n4. Get a guide. This should come with the booking you make at the agency, but bring some extra money with you to tip your guide. They deserve it. It's a tough hike!\n\n5. If you are doing the midnight to sunrise trek have a nap before you go and give yourself a day to sleep and recover afterwards. You will need it!\n\n6. Bring a camera!\n\nWe did the 4 hour hike (4 hours up and 4 hours down). That was more than enough. Unless you are incredibly fit and well practised at hiking in tough terrain, I couldn't imagine doing the 7 hour hike.\n\nI hope this helps :-)
(29) I hiked Mt Batur with my Mum in July 2016. We got picked up from our Sanur hotel at 2:30am, drove to the starting point for about 4am and took about 5hrs return to complete the hike. You will need a guide, a torch, a hiking stick and water! Much harder than I thought it would be (even though I'm reasonably fit) but worth it for the beautiful scenery at the summit. Plenty of rest stops on the way if you need them. If you get the option of the crater or summit, definitely do the summit! Your guide will cook you breakfast at the top too - random breakfast of egg sandwich, chocolate bars, biscuits, fruit. It's chilly at the top so a jumper is essential and the bitter Bali coffee is great as its hot!\nThere seems to be a multitude of companies online all offering guided treks but I feel like they are all pretty much the same and you get the next available guide anyway.. Even though we booked with \Jero\" we got his \"Aunty\" (although she never mentioned this fact, he did afterwards via email) hence why I get the impression that it's a different system to what it's advertised as! Everyone got breakfast at the top even though online I noticed some companies saying they are the only ones. So book the cheapest as it's probably all the same!"
(30) Absolutely incredible. It's volcanic terrain so it's a bit slippy underfoot in parts, and quite steep for some of it, so it's not for everyone. But if you're fit and like a hike then do this one - it's well worth it for the views at the top.\n\nIf you're given the option, definitely walk down the crater side to get back down again - it's a steep, narrow path but so cool and you get even more breathtaking views!!
(31) I'm still on a high from this trip! I would definetly recommend the trek up to Mount Batur to anyone looking for adventure. I booked the hike through the manager of my hostel for about 350.000 and that covered a simple breakfast (before & after the hike) as well as transport. We had great weather on our side that day and were able to see the sunrise. A big treat towards the end was the timely visit of a few friendly Macaques. The trek is pretty tough for those not in tip top shape but with a good guide you can go at your own pace and enjoy that amazing feeling of accomplishment when you reach the peak.
(32) We start trip from Kuta, early morning start, We got Balinese Guide on starting point, hiking up around 2,5 hours with some stop on the way. We got sunrise before to the top. And the view is really amazing. Climbing to Mount Batur is probably very suitable for beginners.
(33) Nice track undead! A bit challenging, especially last 500m, but worth of the effort anyhow. We (2 people) done it by daylight. Didn't book before, just gone there. Many annoying \mafia\" people tried to sell ua a guide ticket for 600.000 to 1.000.000. Ignore this persons and go directly to the office left side of the lake - we've payed for 2 people just 400.000 and gave some money directly to the our nice guide."
(34) We started from seminyak at 2am. We hired our own driver and car for the trip. We reached the starting point of the trek called pura jati. When we reached at 4am, it was still dark and our driver found us a guide to help us climb to the top of the mountain. The hike was not as easy as i expexted but we reached in 1h 45 mins with lots of rests in between. The hard part was the last 30 mins where the hike was steep and rocky. The trek was sandy and full of small stones that it make it slippery.\nThe morning was cold.. very very cold with high humidy so it is better to bring a jacket.\nWe waited to see the sunrise at 6.30am and after that started the walk down.\nOverall it was a good experience except at the end when we were asked to pay 350k rupiah per person for the park fee. I was shocked at the price because we are locals. It is very pricey. Not sure what is the right fee till now.
(35) Have taken my family second time to north eastern Bali, Candidas. Every day we took a local boat service visiting white sands beach or blue lagoon. Passing the impressive volcano on the sea side we got told my the captain, that the holy Agung currently just is ‘smoking’. The dive guide of orca dive center told me about his experience being sub aqua and being shuck by an earth quake caused by Agung’s activities. Sounds crazy but having survived twice being so close still feels good.
(36) It's not an easy trek but totally doable. I would recommend bringing a good pair of hiking boots- it makes all the difference. Watching the sunrise from the summit and walking the volcano ridge makes it completely worth it.
(37) We went there in the end of October with our 3 kids (13,10 and 6). We took a taxi from Ubud at 2:30 and were at the parking lot at 3:30. The guides are waiting for you so you only have to go to their little ticket office to pay for the guide. We needed 2 guides as 1 guide is only allowed to take 4 people. We paid 550.000 in total for the 2 guides and borrowed torches. In less than 2 hours we reached the top and it was definitely not our 6 year old that was most tired! He still had lots of energy left. We had brought some snacks and some sandwiches that we ate at the top before the sunrise. Bring a sweater and a wind jacket as it feels cold at the top after sweating a lot on the way up. At the top you can buy hot drinks as well. The sunrise was amazing. Before going back, we went to the rocks where the hot steam is coming out. Yes, the vulcano is still active. The trip down took about 2 hours again. There is a toilet at the parking lot. Our driver told us that the guides expect around 50.000 in tip, as most of the money paid for the guides goes to the organisation and not to the guides.
(38) Started the hike at 4am from the parking lot. You begin on a slightly inclined paved road. Funnily enough, there are scooters offering rides for people who want to skip the road portion and begin the assault, but I walked the whole way like most others.\nOne-way, it is around 2.5 miles with about 2,600 ft elevation gain (according to some blogs). The real gain is the last half; it's a really steep, rocky and sandy climb with no switchbacks. The front of your ankles will be very much contracted in an acute angle. It's a nice challenge that makes you huff and burn. There's no need to use your hands.\nThe top was crowded but it's easy to take photos of the views without people in your shots. In early January, it wasn't as cold as it would've been during the summer. I brought a jacket, but didn't really need it.\nI walked Batur's crater rim in a loop before the descent, which provided fantastic ridge hiking. Going down was a pain. A major portion of the initial descent was on soft volcanic sand—very easy to slip. After the sand are a mix of loose rock, very sharp stones, and packed earth. I scraped my butt against a rock once and tore a hole in my leggings. It was all very steep—hard on the knees and ankles. My legs were shaking from all the stress mid-way down. You then get back on the paved road and the rest of the way past farmlands. Again, people on scooters go up and down offering rides back to the parking lot for tired hikers. Took me two days after the hike to completely recover from sore ankles!\n\nClothing Tip: Wear sweat-wicking, quick-drying clothes with sturdy shoes. I was wearing trail runners, but many tourists did fine with normal sneakers. Don't wear sandals. If you have mid hiking boots with good ankle support, you'll be more confident. You don't need to start the hike wearing a jacket, as you'll warm up from the exertion really quickly. After sunrise, you might want a hat and shades.\n\nWeather Tip: The mountain province has weird and unpredictable weather so forecasts aren't always accurate. If you look at a mountain forecast that gives you the weather at the summit and it is sunny to cloudy, while the weather lower at Lake Batur says it's very cloudy and rainy... The top is usually clear at sunrise anyway and you'll get the sea of clouds. I was really lucky to get a perfect view after a week of more of cloudy sunrises. The more humidity, moisture, precipitation, and clouds are in the Kintamani area around the time of your hike, the higher the chances are for the sea of clouds. When I went, thunderstorms were forecasted from Kintamani down to Ubud for the same day, and it didn't rain a drop all day!
(39) The place is truly breathtaking, and the hike worth while. Its a bit challenging but not too much, it can be done! Just make sure to wear tennis shoes, long and comfortable pants and a jacket because it can get chilli on the top. Is a one in a lifetime experience, my guide was just great and my group made the experience even beter, if you are thinking about it you should do it!!
(40) Bali is not only famous for its beaches. The trek up Mt Batur begins in the wee hours of the morning and takes about 2-3 hours to reach the summit. The trek is do-able, however, it can be pretty slippery at certain parts of the trek, especially when going down. Enjoy the stars while trekking up the volcano in the early morning and prepare for a beautiful sunrise in the morning. It is totally worth it.
(41) These are the best tips I can give to anyone wanting to do the sunrise hike for readers who are merely occasional hikers like me:\n\n1.) I highly suggest bringing proper hiking shoes for better traction and to ensure an easier hike. I hiked with basic running shoes -- it was still doable and I reached the peak in a little less than 2 hours, but the hike could've been easier with proper footwear. The first 30 minutes of the hike was relatively flat, and thus very easy, but it's a steep climb from that point with sharp volcanic rocks as well as many loose rocks and pebbles in your path. Watch your footing!\n\n2. Ascent was a lot easier than the descent. It could be because your legs are tired and weary and you've already enjoyed the prize (the magnificent view of the sunset). Once again, this is the point you will be thankful for having worn sturdy hiking footwear.\n\n2. Wear a sweater / light jacket. It will get cold waiting at the peak. You can rent one in the parking area if you forgot to bring one. On the brighter note, the hike up is easier because of the cool temperatures!\n\n3. Bring a good flashlight / headlight, enough water and snacks. The guides will provide you a flashlight, but it didn't have a strong enough output in my opinion, so I used my own.\n\n4. Check the forecast for Kintamani, and if it's cloudy, don't hesitate to reschedule. Knowing myself, I would be pretty disappointed making that hike and having the clouds mask the sunrise.\n\n5. There are two look-out spots. Guides will tell you to stop at the first one, because the view is the same. It's not, although the first spot has the advantage of having less people to fight with for space. If your legs can still hike for another 20-30 minutes, keep going...the view will be better up top.\n\n5. You can't hike up the mountain without hiring a guide because of the Assocation, but in the end, my boyfriend and I agreed that it was worth it for the night hike. She also gave me a hand on some of the more challenging areas a few times, took photos for us at the peak and cooked the boiled eggs that we packed in our bag. Tip your guide well if they've been attentive. :)\n\nOverall, the breathtaking view of the sunrise over Bali was worth it and was one of the highlights of my trip. If you are planning your itinerary for Bali, this is a must do! :)