After Agung, Batur is the most sacred mountain on Bali. Most often the mountain's only sign of life is an occasional wisp of smoke that drifts across its lava-blackened slopes. However, when this 1,717-meter volcano erupts, it glows red, bellows and throws out rocks and showers of volcanic debris.

History

Batur was initially formed in the shape of a sharply pointed cone over 3,500 meters above sea level. A terrific explosion blew the point off the cone, atomized a large portion of the volcano and collapsed the bulk of the mountain into the magma chamber, which was emptied by the initial cataclysm.

Before the present caldera was born, Penelokan and Kintamani lay on the western slope of the 'first' Gunung Batur. Now Penelokan and Kintamani are spread out along the top of the caldera's outer crater rim. The present younger, smaller volcano-of the effusive rather than explosive type-gradually grew out of the crater floor over a period of hundreds of thousands of years.

Guides

Guides will approach you everywhere, offering their services. Guides you meet in your 'losmen' tend to charge too much. You can easily find a guide if you arrive at the trailhead at 0330. They'll come out of the dark and offer to lead you.

The guides in Toya Bungkah offer three different climbs. The short one, up and back for the sunrise, is four hours. The medium one involves a walk around Batur's three caters, a visit to the bat cave, and a breakfast of eggs boiled by volcanic steam for five hours. The third option is the more interesting tour.

Approaches

You can attempt the climb from many different directions. As a rule, always take the widest, most obvious and worn path, not necessarily the most direct. The easiest approach is from the northwest, beginning at Toya Mampeh. This climb, by way of the volcano's back door, can also begin from the west at Kintamani. You can also start from the northeast. Drive or walk seven-km on the good road west from Toya Bungkah to Toya Mampeh.

If you start at 0400, you'll make it to the peak of Gunung Batur in time for the sunrise. The climbs from Toya Bungkah and Pura Jati end in exactly the same spot, so ascend one way and descend the other. Half the climb is through a man-made eucalyptus forest.

Climbing It

Gunung Batur is the easiest Bali volcano to climb-you can drive to the base and you don't have to struggle through vegetation. Regardless of your approach, tackle the mountain only in good weather. It's coolest when overcast, but the climb is not recommended in the rainy season (Nov.-March).

As you start your ascent locals try to sell you drinks. So bring your own food and water (two liters) or be prepared to pay for the most expensive drinks on Bali. As you climb, the towering mountain is frequently hidden by dense fog and mist, revealing the summit momentarily, then surrounding it again.

The way is well trodden, well marked and well maintained, but if you get lost don't expect anyone to show you the way without exacting payment. In addition, unless you're a very experienced mountaineer, be sure to hire a guide if you intend to tackle Batur in the dark.

The Top

There could be 100 people on the top, but this is likely to occur only in the tourist season. Most tourists are guided to the sandy top of the middle crater. The topmost crater to the north is another hour's climb, along a narrow rim only one meter wide, and the view isn't as fine. At the top there's a small shrine to Vishnu.

From the southern rim take the trail down inside the crater to the bat cave. If you intend to stay in the Batur region for just a day, get down in Toya Bungkah by 1300 or you may have to spend a lot of money chartering a 'bemo' up to Penelokan.