MOUNT BATUR, ASCENDING IN SHAMBLES

Kintamani, Bangli.

Mount Batur

Our journey to Mount Batur was late as we arrived at the parking area at 09.30 am and we hunted for breakfast as almost all the foods in Warung has been sold out, but thanks to Ibu Warung for sharing her rice and fried us some eggs. The breakfast hunting made us to start the trailhead as local native say “a very late hiking”. After had some advice from a 15-year boy who coincidently hiking tours guide, we took our first step to the mountain at close to 11.00 am.

The left and right side was a bit shady with some pine trees and farming tomatoes & peppers and we kept moving forward and forward, the surrounding was not shady anymore but volcanic rocks and grass until we realized there were no trek path ahead…and Yes…we were lost, no maps, no knowledge of the track just hold the past 12 years’ experience. Luckily, the mountain is hardly without forest so we could see the surrounding looking for other people.  

The Way Ahead

Yes......We're Lost

An orange tent was flashy in the northeast and we rushed towards the tent. It was belong to a group of students & lecturers along with government officials from Yogyakarta, Java performed research of Batur Geopark (I didn’t know what type of research). Afterwards, we were back to the correct path.

Back to the Path

It was 12.20 pm when the treks became harder with our hands holding on the volcanic rocks and some trees + direct sunlight burned us, we covered ourselves by the windy strong cool air.

Take a Break

So Do I.......

 Finally we reached the top. There were a Warung on the top of the mountain and again no more foods available. But, we have shared some Rice and eggs we got previously from Ibu Warung near the trailhead. We enjoyed the top and then had the lunch + hot ginger orange tea (the only menu that’s left on the Warung). For more we met other people (student’s from Udayana University, Bali) and shared memories with them about the Campus (It was my Almamater).

Meet the Students

Lunch....

View from the Top

Soon, to avoid the fog we’re going down and it was raining so hard exactly as we reached the parking area.  …..Oh we gotta return someday better.

"Sayonara........"

Note: it’s better to hike at dawn and bring along food, for more we should enjoy the natural hot water.

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TREKKING NORTHEAST: PUCAK MANGU, TABANAN, BALI

Rain Forest Pucak Mangu

This is our trekking run on Gunung Catur or well known as Pucak Mangu derived from the name of a sacred temple, Pura Pucak Mangu and it is still actively visited by Hindus in Bali for Tangkil (praying).

The starting point was from Denpasar at 07.00 am heading to northeast with a quick stop at Warung (Traditional Balinese food stall) for breakfast before our two-hour driving reached the destination,  Pelaga Village-the foot of the Pucak Mangu.

In fact there are two routes to reach the hill-top, the most familiar one is from Bedugul Tourism Object, but we decided to take another route, which is friendlier than the Bedugul’s.

Tough Ladies having Yummy Breakfast

A parking area for vehicles is available just before the trailhead and we begin the three-hour climb path through a canopied rainforest. The initial trek was very quiet, but not long afterwards as we took a short pause, birds were singing followed by a bit scary sound shouted each other that we thought it was mongoose. 

The Trailhead

Say Cheese....

We continued stepping the path along the rainforest. The farer we walked the harder it was , our vision became not as clear as at the trailheads because of the forest canopy was thicker + a bit the fog even the shiny sunlight was unable to breach its shield. Not mentioning some falling tress blocked the path that made us climbed them over or passed beneath and the last one is the biggest.

Go..go...

Jump it....

Cool......

How to...???

The mists set in and cold air stung, finishing the steps to the hill-top was very steep. But not loosen our spirit to finally reach the flat shady on the top. And it was equal to what we got; it’s a simple, peaceful temple with some nice relief. For more, there were 2 Bales (Traditional Balinese Pavilion) we put ourselves for a rest and taking lunch.

The Top

Say Cheese again....

Praying.....

Lunch.....

Ready to go

Finally, going back............. See ya...............

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