Mt Rinjani is one of the largest mountains in Indonesia. On a clear
day you can see breathtaking views from the summit. There is a crater
lake, Segara Anak and a natural hot spring there. The trek usually takes
about three days.
Mount Rinjani (Gunung Rinjani) is an active volcano in Lombok,Indonesia.
Did you know? At 3,726 m, Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia, second only to Mount kerinci of sumatera, and it dominates the landscape of the relatively small island of Lombok.
Within its huge 50 km² caldera sits the crater lake Segara Anak (Child of the Sea). Eruptions within the caldera have formed a new small cone called appropriately enough, Gunung Baru (New Mountain).
The mountain and its satellites form the Mount Rinjani National Park (Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani)- officially 41,000 hectares within the park boundaries and a further 66,000 hectares of protected forest outside.
In 2008, the Indonesian government proposed to UNESCO that Mount
Rinjani be one of the world's official geoparks. If this was approved by
UNESCO, Mount Rinjani would become the first such geological park in
Indonesia.
The History of Mountain Rinjani was On 27 April 2009 Gunung Barujari became active again with that
activity continuing through to May 2009. The summit ascent routes were
closed at that time as the eruptions intensified with plumes of smoke
and ash as high as 8,000 m. A Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):2 rating
was issued for the activity between May and December 2009. The ascent
routes re-opened on September 14th 2009 but hiking routes down into the
crater lake were still deemed unsafe and remained closed.
In February 2010 observers at the Gunung Rinjani Observation Post
detected a smoke plume that rose 100 m from the volcano. The activity
in early 2010 is centred about Gunung Barujari. On May 1st 2010 a column
of smoke was again observed rising from Rinjani issuing eruptions
1,300-1,600 metres tall with thick brown color and strong pressure. On
May 5th 2010 a possible ash plume rose to an altitude of 5.5 km (18,000
ft) and drifted 150 km NW. Accordingly the Center of Volcanology and
Geological Hazard Mitigation advised that intermittent activity could
produce ash plumes to 1,500 m (5,000 ft) above the caldera. In light of
this The Volcanic Explosivity Index Alert Level was raised to 2 with a
recommendation that there be no activity within a radius of 4 km from
the eruption at Gunung Barujari.
The lower and mid levels of the mountain are quite heavily forested.
Above the tree line though the slopes are barren and rugged scree slopes
and volcanic rock. The views of the crater lake are quite
breath-taking from the caldera rim, as is the sunrise. From the absolute
peak you can see Bali to the west and Sumbawa to the east.
