The huge Rinjani volcano (3,726 m) dominates Lombok island, one of the most beautiful and Isolated island in the Indonesian archipelago. The Rinjani is the second highest peak in Indonesia , the first being the Kerinci volcano. On the western side of the volcano is a 2,4 km by 4,8 km caldera which contains a beautiful crater lake called Segara Anak, from its edges the water spills down to make breathtaking waterfalls, some of them considered sacred by the locals. The southern side of this lake is named Segara Endut and on the eastern side of the Lake is a new cone called the Barujari

The location is now part of a national park, therefore a wide variety of wildlife is available for you to admire, including 109 species of birds and rare primate species. Be wary that the monkeys could be very aggressive and tricky to go as far as entering your tent and snatching your belongings.

A few hot springs are available for those looking to get up, close and personal with the mountain, but although the Rinjani volcano had been a favourite of mountain hikers for a long time, note also that Climbing Mount Rinjani is not a challenge to be taken lightly. Although the eruptions in the locations have been considerably mild and restricted to the Barujari cone, the Rinjani is nevertheless still active. The latest activity of the Barujari cone was recorded in 2004, when ash columns were seen to rise from its peak.

The whole area of Rinjani is also considered magical and sacred by the surrounding inhabitants. The peak of Rinjani is said to be home to a magical kingdom ruled by queen Rinjani, and sometimes it is said that the kingdom is visible if you look closely into the Segara Muncar Caldera, Southeast of the Rinjani peak. Another myth is that if you see the Segara Anak as a big lake, then you still have many years to live, yet if the lake seems small to your eyes, then you may not have a long time left in this world. It's up to you to believe these sayings or not, but one thing for certain, the traditional ceremonies held by the Balinese and Sasak tribes in the area should not be disturbed in order to respect the local culture.