The Mount Batur sunrise trek is the easiest big volcano morning in Bali, and the main decisions are practical: which way up, with whom, and how early you are willing to get out of bed. Our page on Mount Batur covers the volcano itself, the fees, the guide rule and the closures. This guide is about doing the trek well. It explains the choice between walking and a jeep, what the morning looks like hour by hour, how fit you need to be, what to wear, how much to trust the weather and how to pick between the tours in the table below.
Walk or jeep: choose the morning you want
There are two ways to see the sun come up over Batur, and they do not go to the same place. The walk follows the trail up the south-east side to the summit, which is 1,717 metres high and gives a panoramic view. The jeep tours go up the northern side to one of several dedicated parking areas about halfway up the volcano. One report puts the jeep viewpoint at about 1,360 metres. You do not reach the top by jeep, and the jeeps are open-topped, so you are still outdoors in the cold.
Two writers who tried both said they enjoyed the walk and the jeep equally, and that you are not missing out whichever you pick. In practice the walk suits people who want the summit and the effort, and the jeep suits young children, older relatives, anyone with sore knees and anyone who simply does not want a climb at 3am. If your group is mixed, a jeep tour at least keeps everyone together at the same sunrise.
Both options usually include the black lava fields from the 1963 eruption afterwards, a light breakfast and, often, a stop at the hot springs.
Shared or private
A shared tour is the cheaper route. You travel in a minibus with other guests, climb in a larger group and are usually bundled with a guide who looks after everyone at one pace. A private tour costs more but gives you your own driver and guide, and the timing is yours. It matters most if you are a family, if your group has different fitness levels or if you want to leave from a hotel far from the usual pick-up areas. Some operators add a surcharge for pick-ups in east, north and west Bali, so ask what is included.
For jeeps, remember that each jeep takes only two or three people, so larger parties travel in a convoy. If you book several jeeps, book them together on the same tour. There are six identical parking areas across the volcano, and separate bookings can end up at different ones.
The table below compares the tours currently on offer, so you can match price, duration and reviews to the style you have chosen. For other options in the area, see our page on Kintamani tours.
The morning, hour by hour
The exact times shift with the season and your hotel, but a typical walking morning runs like this.
- Pick-up. Between 1am and 2:30am from south Bali, with an earlier start for walkers than for jeep passengers. From Ubud it is around 3:15am for a jeep, and from Kintamani around 4am. The drive takes the first part of the night, so sleep in the vehicle.
- The start of the trail. Walkers usually meet their guide around 3am. You set off in the dark with head torches, following the lights of the people ahead.
- The climb. It takes about 2 hours for most people, on a dirt path with loose gravel in places. Leave plenty of time, because the summit gets busy and good spots go early.
- Sunrise. The sun appears over Mount Abang and Mount Agung, with Lake Batur below. Guides serve breakfast, and some cook eggs in the steam from the vents.
- The descent. This is where legs feel it, because the gravel slides underfoot. Take it slowly and use the guide’s hand if you need it.
- After. Most people are back at the base by mid-morning, then visit the lava fields and the hot springs before the drive home.
A jeep morning is shorter on foot. The ride from the meeting point takes around 20 to 30 minutes, but you still go early to get a parking space. After sunrise the convoy drives down to the lava fields, which takes around 40 minutes with so many jeeps on the same road, and you spend time there taking photos.
How fit do you need to be?
The walk is graded moderate by people who have done it, and anyone with average fitness and mobility can complete it. There is no technical climbing. The things that catch people out are the early hour, the cold and the loose surface, not the distance. The Mount Batur page gives the height gain from the base. If you are unsure, build in a margin: set off steadily, drink water and do not try to overtake the group.
Some people who find the last stretch hard take a motorbike ride to the top for a small fee, which is an option rather than a plan. If you have heart or breathing problems, a bad knee or a very young child, the jeep is the safer pick.
What to wear and bring
It is cold before sunrise, and colder when you sit still on the summit. Bring a jumper or jacket and long trousers, and a warm layer even in the dry season. Trainers are enough, and boots are better. Flip-flops are common among locals but a poor idea for the loose gravel on the way down. Most guides hire out jackets, boots and blankets, and one visitor paid 50,000 IDR for a jacket and a blanket. Tell your guide beforehand if you need them.
Beyond clothes, pack:
- a head torch, or a phone with a charged torch
- water and a snack for after the breakfast
- a swimsuit and a towel for the hot springs
- a bag for your litter, because everything you carry up should come back down
- some cash for extras
Cloud, weather and the hot springs
You are never guaranteed a clear view. The summit is less likely to be in cloud in the dry season, from May to October, than in the wet season, but the same reviewers saw a perfect morning on one wet-season climb and could not see more than a few metres on another. Nobody can predict it in advance. For a seasonal picture, see our notes on the weather in Bali and the best time to visit. Some operators say they will offer a new date or a refund if a tour is cancelled for poor weather, so ask for the policy first.
The hot springs are the usual finish. Many packages include them as an optional add-on, and the one most often visited is at Toya Bungkah, beside Lake Batur. It can be busy, so expect a queue rather than a quiet spa. Another writer prefers the newer Cinze Hot Springs and suggests asking your driver whether you can change. Read our page on Lake Batur for the lakeside, or the Kintamani guide to plan the rest of the day.
How to judge a tour
The tours are broadly similar, so look at what separates them rather than at the headline.
- What the fee covers. Check that the park entry and the licensed guide are included. Both are covered in the Mount Batur page.
- Hotel pick-up. Confirm the pick-up time for your hotel, and whether there is a surcharge for your area.
- Group size. A smaller group moves faster and listens better. Ask how many people go with each guide.
- Breakfast and extras. A light breakfast and a hot drink are standard. Ask about water, hire of jackets and torches, and the hot springs.
- Cancellation. Look for a free cancellation window and a stated weather policy.
- Reviews. Read recent reviews for the guide’s pace, the state of the vehicle and whether pick-up was on time.
Use the table to compare, then choose the walk or the jeep first and the operator second. For the rest of your trip, our guide to the best things to do in Bali sets the trek beside the island’s other highlights.
