Mount Rinjani & Segara Anak　D2 Waypoint

D2 Itinerary

Summit day — we set off at 02:30.

This summit push is the classic (infamous) black volcanic scree slope. Refer to the strategy I laid out in my trail report, summarized again here:

• Stay roughly in the middle of the trail, and put yourself in a relatively safe spot when passing others
• Break steep uphill sections into gentler zigzags
• Step in footprints already packed down by hikers ahead of you whenever you can
• Planting your foot straight down disturbs the surface less than a sideways step — small steps make this much easier than big ones

It's only three km from the Pelawangan Sembalun 2 camp to Rinjani Summit, but you have to push through scree at one-step-forward-half-step-back pace, climbing over 1,000 m, and with so many hikers from all over the world summiting at once, passing others and simply moving forward both take time — it's exhausting. Walking steadily with no long breaks, it generally takes about three hours, for reference if you're aiming for sunrise.

Less than 100 m before the summit, there's another, slightly lower hill that's actually a great photo spot — if the summit feels too crowded, you can shoot from here instead. The only thing you miss is the crater lake; you still get the same 360-degree panorama.

When you reach Rinjani Summit, you'll find there's no obvious triangulation marker like on Taiwan's peaks. Instead there are homemade signs scattered on the ground, made by hikers from many countries — some quite well-designed and colorful. Pick whichever sign you like for your photo. I've included some reference photos at Waypoint 28; the most colorful one is written in Indonesian, and most people wait for that one — the line for it can get long (laughs).

Besides the sea of clouds, Rinjani Summit also looks out over Segara Anak (Child of the Sea) crater lake. The terrain near the lake is loose and broken, so be extra careful when you get close for photos.

If you're not in a hurry, it's worth waiting at Rinjani Summit until the sun is up and the sky is fully bright before starting the descent — partly for safety on the scree, and partly because the sky and the crater lake reflect each other beautifully in full light at that point. The trick for descending, as mentioned in the trail report, is to treat it like skating — sliding down with a slight duck-footed stance works better than stepping down one foothold at a time. Back at the Pelawangan Sembalun 2 camp, we packed up, had lunch, and headed for Segara Anak (Child of the Sea) crater lake.

This stretch drops more than 600 m from camp. There are no dangerous crumbling slopes, but many of the steps down are deep, so durable gloves are worth wearing — use the rock walls and plants nearby to help steady your body on the way down. Past the Three-way junction at Waypoint 32, the descent gets deeper — once again, stay focused on every single step.

Without long breaks, it takes about 2 hours to reach Waypoint 37, camp at the Segara Anak (Child of the Sea) lakeshore. Take care of the following inside your tent here:

• Change into swimwear and put on your water shoes
• There's a bit more descending to do, so if you can't walk in water shoes or sandals, keep your regular shoes on
• Bring a large towel, wash kit, clean clothes, and — most important — your rain/wind shell

Once ready, continue down toward Waypoint 39, and eventually reach the hot and cold springs near Waypoint 40 to soak your feet or bathe. There are several pools here — pick whichever has fewer people or the temperature you like. After washing up and changing, since this spot is around 2,000 m elevation, put your rain/wind shell back on for the walk back to camp so you don't catch a chill.

Plenty of hikers and local residents fish at the Segara Anak (Child of the Sea) lakeshore, then grill their catch right there afterward — if you've brought the gear, you can join in the grilled-fish eating. If you're not fishing, there's a shop next to the Waypoint 37 campsite, so you can grab your favorite snacks or drinks and enjoy the lake and mountain scenery in the sun.