The mighty Rinjani mountain of Gunung
Rinjani is a massive volcano which towers over the island of Lombok. A
climb to the top is one of the most exhilarating experiences you can
have in Indonesia. At 3,726 meters tall, Gunung Rinjani is the second
highest mountain in Indonesia. The climb to the top may not be easy but
it’s worth it, and is widely regarded as one of the best views in the
country.
Part of the famous ‘ring of fire’ this mountain also holds spiritual
significance for the local people. It’s thought that the name Rinjani
comes from an old Javanese term for ‘God’.
Around the slopes of Rinjani there are lush forests sprinkled with waterfalls and surrounded by stunning scenery.
Within the mountain is a crescent shaped
lake, the breathtaking Segara Anak which is about 6km across at its
widest point. This lake of sulfur is located 600 meters below the crater
rim. Rising from the waters of this lake is a new volcano, Mt. Baru,
which is a result of a series of eruptions during the 1990’s. Segara
Anak is a spiritual place. The Balinese come here each year and perform a
ceremony called pekelan where jewelry is placed in the lake as an
offering to the mountain spirit. The Wetu Telu people also regard the
lake as holy and come here to pray on full moon nights.
Mt Rinjani lies within the Gunung
Rinjani National Park. The park covers 41,330 hectares and sits inside a
major bio-geographical transition zone (Wallacea). This is where the
tropical flora and fauna of South East Asia meets that of Australasia.
This National Park was established in 1997 and is one of over 40
throughout Indonesia.
For visitors, the three-day Rinjani trek
route from Senaru to the crater rim, down to the Crater Lake then on to
Sembalun Lawang, is considered one of the best treks in South East
Asia. More adventurous trekkers may want to head all the way to the
summit of the volcano. This is best reached from Sembalun Lawang and
takes four days, finishing up in Senaru.
To ensure that local communities benefit
from tourism revenue, the Rinjani Trek is managed by a partnership of
National Park officials, the public and private sectors of the Lombok
tourism industry and community representatives. Community run
cooperatives coordinate the Trek at the Rinjani Trek Center (RTC) in
Senaru and the Rinjani Information Center (RIC) in Sembalun Lawang.
Revenue from tourism activities and
entry fees is used for conservation, management and assisting the
National Park with maintenance of the Rinjani Trek, thus ensuring its
sustainability. This management model is unique in Indonesia and
considered an example of best practice of ecotourism in Indonesia.
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