Say hello to Mt Agung: 9,944ft of volcano. Hiking Mt Agung is a once in a lifetime experience.
Bali’s highest volcano Mt Agung, seen from the black sand beach at Amed village in East Bali, Indonesia.
The first thing I did when researching our trip to Bali was to look up what kind of adventure hiking they had. Quickly I found Bali has three large volcanoes to climb. The very popular Gunung Batur (the smallest). The middle child, Mount Batukaru, and the big one Mount Agung. Instantly I knew that if I climbed one of the other peaks I would stare at Agung and be mad there was still a taller summit to be had.
Hiking Mt Agung: Who is this hike for?
File this task under serious adventure. If you’re not in decent shape, hiking Mt Agung is not for you. Go for one of the smaller volcanoes on the island. It’s a solid 6-8 hours uphill trekking in the dark one way! Our guide told us that only about 50% of the people who set out on the climb make it to the summit!
Hiking Mt Agung: Booking a tour guide
We booked our guide through Dartha Mount Agung Trekking. Our guide was super nice, he didn’t speak a lot of English, but we hiked with 2-3 other small groups with guides whose English was surprisingly good. The tour cost was $190 each, which is more expensive than some other tours out there. We chose to do this tour based on the Trip Advisor reviews. Also, we read some accounts of bad experiences when not going with a good tour company. The price included pick up at our hotel in Ubud as well as drop off. In addition, snacks, a liter of water each, headlamps, trekking poles and gloves were provided. I would highly recommend the Sunrise Trek, the views at the top are unforgettable! In addition, weather at the summit can be severe with very strong winds and rain typically starting after mid morning. The sunrise hike allows you to get to the summit, enjoy the view and get back to the tree line with the best chance of avoiding inclement weather.
Hiking Mt Agung: What to bring
Layered clothing, as it can be cold at the summit depending on the time of year that you go.
A comfortable backpack with good shoulder straps.
Extra water.
Additional snacks (think small and dense I.E. cliff bar).
Make sure you have a good camera, Gopro, or this cheaper alternative so you can remember the experience!
Sunscreen!
Hiking Mt Agung: Getting to the mountain
Our driver arrived at 9:30PM to pick us up for the hike. I strongly suggest trying to take a nap earlier in the day as you’ll be awake and moving for the entire night. Our driver was really pleasant and spoke English well. He gave us some great history on Bali and its culture on our hour and a half drive to the trail head.
Hiking Mt Agung: Starting the hike
There are multiple different routes up Agung, however we chose the Besakih-temple-to-the-real-summit hike. If you want to reach the actual summit with true panoramic views of Bali, this is the route you need to take. Use the bathroom in the parking lot area before you start as you won’t have another chance on the mountain!
The beginning of the hike is a consistent, uphill climb for the first 4 hours through the jungle. We took a couple small 10-20 minute breaks. Before breaking out of the tree line we took an hour long break to rest. We had made good time and resting here made sense so we could time our assent to the summit with the sunrise.
Kim taking a rest on one of our breaks
Hiking Mt Agung: Above the tree line
Above the tree line the terrain becomes very rocky and barren. Be careful where you step as the rocks can be loose and slippery. It’s a pretty steep drop off on either side!
Near the top
At this point Kim was starting to struggle, getting light headed and breathing hard. She was an absolute trooper and pushed through it to the summit.
Hiking Mt Agung: The summit
The summit views are absolutely incredible. There is truly nothing like it. From the top you can see Mt Rinjani on the neighboring island of Lombok as well as the Gilli Islands.
Mt Rinjani from the top of Agung
At the summit, we left offerings for the Mountain God (as is customary).
the offerings
It was around 50 degrees at the top and actually pretty pleasant in my opinion. Total time at the summit was around 45 minutes. We warmed up around a small fire and watched an amazing sunrise.
We made it to the top!
From the top you can gaze down into the mouth of the volcano, which last erupted in 1963-64. Our guide made us some fresh coffee and we ate some of the breakfast/snacks we had packed.
Panorama from the top
There is no other feeling like looking down on the clouds below you.
Cant beat the view
Hiking Mt Agung: The hike down
Hiking down is easier than the way up, however a little harder on the knees. Take your time and watch your step. Your pack should be considerably lighter from the food and water you consumed throughout the day. Make sure you have good footing and use your trekking poles!
our guide helping Kim down the mountain
starting the hike back
Hiking Mt Agung: Relax and reflect
Finally the drive home, I guarantee you’ll look out the window and wonder how you just climbed this beast of a mountain. We recounted our trip with our driver who again was great. He dropped us off at our hotel and we promptly passed out for a much needed nap!
Have you hiked Agung? Are you thinking about a Bali trip? What are your favorite escapes? Let us know!
We also had a great time tubing the Ayung River near Ubud in Bali.
Or, check out our other adventures here!
