5 Things To Know Before Hiking Mt. Batur in Bali

Despite unknowingly traveling to Bali during trash season, we still had lots of redeeming experiences there — one of which was the sunrise hike up Mt. Batur, an active volcano about an hour north of Ubud.

The Mt. Batur sunrise hike is one of the most popular things to do while staying in Ubud, and it was clear to us from the start that it was something we wanted to experience. However, we didn’t research it *that* much before making the climb, and there were a few things we wish we would have known.

Here they are — five things to keep in mind before hiking Mt. Batur — so you can make the most of this beautiful experience.

1. It’s going to be chilly at the top — wear waterproof layers

We actually visited Bali during April — the warmest time of year. We had just done a 2-week road trip around New Zealand and did some hikes where we definitely had to bundle up in full winter gear.

But in Bali, we were faced with temps in the 90s (Fahrenheit) and super high humidity, so I guess we just didn’t expect this hike to be cold? What we forgot is that 1) you start the hike around 4am and 2) the volcano is about 1,717 meters (or 5,633 feet) high. This is by no means a super tall mountain, but it’s high enough that temperatures at the top will be significantly lower than those at sea level.

Ray wore a t-shirt and shorts with no jacket, and he found himself doing pushups at the top during sunrise to generate some much-needed body heat 😅

We recommend wearing layers that you can remove as needed, as well as a waterproof jacket, especially if you’re there near rainy season.

Sam wearing the proper attire. Ray not so much.

2. What else to wear — hiking boots and a headlamp

The whole point of hiking Mt. Batur is to experience the beautiful sunrise over Lake Batur and Mt. Agung. What that means is that you’ll be doing the entire ascent before sunrise...in the dark. Luckily, even though we were on a multi-month trek through SE Asia, we had brought headlamps along for the journey. They were absolutely essential here!

What we didn’t have were proper hiking boots. A good portion of the hiking path features sharp rocks and loose gravel. All we had were sneakers without much traction, and Sam even fell on a rock at one point getting a gnarly bruise on her ass that lingered for weeks.

3. Bring along water, bread, and eggs for a volcanic breakfast

Water is an essential for any hike, of course, so the real tip here is about the breakfast.

Some tours might include the brekkie essentials, but when we booked ours, we were instructed to pre-purchase them and pack them with us.

When you get to the top, the guides kindly make all of the hikers a breakfast of coffee, toast, and...best part...eggs boiled in the actual steam from the volcano!

Make sure to check your tour’s instructions. If they don’t include breakfast, or if you know you tend to get extra hungry on hikes, some additional snacks are never a bad idea.

4. It’s not a difficult hike, but it’s not a complete walk in the park. Length is 1.5 - 2 hours each way.

If you like hiking at all, you won’t find this one difficult or advanced. As mentioned though, you’ll encounter some rocky and loose terrain and hiking up in the dark makes things a bit trickier.

You’ll gain about 700 meters (2,296 feet) during the ascent, which takes 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your pace. Unless you book a private tour that begins earlier than the tour groups, you’ll be walking behind other people and couldn’t really go much faster if you wanted to.

You definitely don’t need to train up for this hike — but being in decent physical shape will make your ascent easier.

5. Get ready for one of the most beautiful sunrises you’ve ever seen!

Once you reach the peak of Mt. Batur, you have about an hour to mill around, explore different vantage points, eat breakfast, take photos, and watch the sunrise over Lake Batur and Mt. Agung. Despite the crowds, the unique combo of the lake below shrouded in mist, the volcanoes in the distance, and the striking colors makes for a truly unforgettable sunrise.

Shot on iPhone and still pretty spectacular.

And that’s about all there is to know! We hope you love this hike as much as we did. Questions or experiences of your own? Comment below or on our latest IG post.

Planning a Bali getaway? Read about our full experience visiting Bali during trash season (the good, the bad and the ugly) and our ridiculous time trying magic mushrooms on the Gili Islands.

Happy travels!