Sunrise hike at Batur volcano

There is a reason why I have seen far more sunsets than sunrises, but that makes them even more special. Hearing about the Sunrise hike to Batur volcano, I decided I could sleep when I got back home, and signed up for the tour.

At 02.02 in the morning, just a couple minutes late, I was ready outside the hotel to be picked up. The intense heat I had experienced the day before was definitely not present, and I was almost shivering. It was probably a combination of absence of sun and lack of sleep, giving a coldness from the inside that cannot immediately get warmer by putting on more clothes. As it was pitch black and not much to see outside, I had a power nap in the car. After about an hour drive we stopped for a quick breakfast; banana pancakes and hot drinks. I must admit that the warm tea helped a little bit getting my temperature up.

The drive continued in the dark, and I dozed off several times. Arriving at the parking lot at the foot of the volcano, we teamed up with the guide. After a short briefing we were, in a friendly but firm tone, ordered to visit the bathroom before we got started.

With our headlights on, we strolled through the fields before the ascent. The hike went zigzagging upwards and upwards in the pale lights from the headlights, while hearing encouraging voices from the dark. The gravel made the trail slippery, and it sometimes felt we slipped back two steps for every one we made forward. Still we suddenly arrived at the first stop for some rest.

The cold draft quickly cooled down the sweat, so after a short break and some sips of water, we were back at our feet. About two hours after we started the hike, we arrived at the top of Batur, 1717 meters above sea level. It was about to get lighter, but the sun was still nowhere to be seen.

Sitting down with our second breakfast, we were gazing at the horizon but at the same time constantly keeping an eye out for the monkeys that took every chance they got to steel from the ones that were not paying attention.

The damp weather and the steam from the volcano made our clothes quite moist. Fortunately, I had brought enough clothes to keep warm, but the sarong I lent to one of the others felt wetter than after a day at the beach. Luckily, it did not take long before the sun broke through the clouds, and we could see the outline of the volcanic mountain in the horizon on the orange backdrop.

While multiple sunrise photos were taken, the guides made us eggs cooked on the steam from the volcano. It is strange how food cooked outdoors always taste a little better. A rain shower creating a rainbow as a cupola over the crater, brought our cameras back out.

Making our way back down, we walked around the lush green crater. Even though we could now see the surface better, it was easy to underestimate the cruelty and speed of the sliding pebbles… Controlling the speed on the other hand, was fun.

Back at the car we decided to go straight back to Ubud, skipping the visit at the coffee plantation that was included in the tour. The drive went fast through the lush green landscape, and I made it back at the hotel just in time for the third breakfast that morning. Climbing a volcano sure made me hungry…

What to bring: A small backpack with more clothes and a bottle of water. Make sure to bring something warm and dry that you can change to at the top. It can also be wise to keep your clothes in a waterproof bag, to avoid the moist.