Besides TripGuru Bali Instagram Tour, hiking to see the sunrise at Mount Batur is another experience not to be missed in Bali. After seeing the pictures that my friend took, I booked Klook Mount Batur Sunrise Experience by 4WD Jeep.
Klook Mount Batur Sunrise Experience by 4WD Jeep
There are various pickup timings and you can customize your tour with additional attractions. As I had an early afternoon flight to catch after the tour, I chose the earliest pickup timing which was 2am.
As a Solo Traveller, it cost me $145.95, it’s much cheaper if you go with a group of friends.
My driver, Mangku, came to pick me up at 2am at the hotel lobby in a silver SUV. It’s 2-hour drive from my hotel to Batur Tengah where I switch to jeep. My driver tried to entertain me and ask me questions with his broken English.
At Batur Tengah, my driver Mangku handed me over to my Mount Batur guide, a young 26-year-old chap named Agus. He showed me to the dark-green jeep with the words “Bali Volcano Jeep” at the top of the windscreen. A lady came up to me to offer me thick blanket for rent. Thinking it might be really cold at the summit, I rented a blanket for 5000 IDR which I did not use at all (it’s really not that cold at the summit).
I climbed into the jeep and off we went. After a short ride on regular road, the jeep veered into bumpy volcanic road. The bumpiness reminds me of Troll Expeditions Katla Volcano Ice Cave. Climbing up the mountain was even more bumpy, I was in constant worry that the jeep was going to fall apart.
After about 30 minutes of being thrown about in the jeep, we have reached halfway of Mount Batur. My friend who did it before me opted to just stay there for the sunrise while I opted to hike to the summit.
I booked this Klook Mount Batur Sunrise Experience by 4WD Jeep at the very last minute and I was so ill-prepared for it. If you are thinking of doing this hike, please make sure you have the following:
- A pair of hiking shoes with good grip
- Backpack to put everything you need
- Headlights
- Hiking sticks (optional)
- Adequate water
I was so ill-equipped, my driver-cum-guide Agus had to lend me his light, gave me a bottle of water and literally held my hand as we hiked up the steep mountain.
We finally made it to the summit at about 5.45am, after an hour of hiking and countless stops along the way.
Mount Batur is 1717 meter above sea level. I was pretty impressed with myself for finishing the hike.
After settling me down on a bench facing the east, Agus went to prepare my breakfast of a boiled egg, two slices of white bread with banana filling and a chocolate waffle biscuit plus a cup of hot drink.
The sunrise started at about 6am and it takes about 30 minutes. Agus, my driver-cum-photographer, helped me take many pictures.
We started the descend at 6.30am and going down was much tricker than coming up. Without the right hiking shoes with good grip, I fell 5 times but sustained only minor scratches on my palms.
It’s not everyday we city folks get a chance to take pictures with the cool-looking jeep so I just had to make us of this opportunity. Agus helped me take many pictures with the jeep.
He asked me if I wanted to visit the Black Lava, and since it was part of the tour, I agreed to go.
After another 30 minutes of thrown-about-in-the-car bumpiness and “traffic jams”, we have finally arrived at the Black Lava. Most of the other tourists had left and we were the only ones left.
I find it pretty disappointing, it was just a vast field of black lava rocks. Argus helped me take many pictures with the mountains and the jeep.
Agus handed me back to Mangku for the 2-hour drive back to my hotel. My driver asked me if i wanted to visit Luwak Coffee Plantation to sample luwak coffee which is part of the tour, I opted to skip it as I don’t drink coffee.
Conclusion
All in all, I think Klook Mount Batur Sunrise Experience by 4WD Jeep is definitely worth the experience, but it will be much more cost-effective if you go with a group of friends.
