Climbing Rinjani With Ly — Part 2
Going to the Top, Breaking the Borders, and Enjoying the Beauty of Rinjani
August 17, 2026, at 01:00 AM.
While most of the climbers were still asleep in the tent, the porter and I woke up first. That night we had to prepare breakfast for Ly before starting the journey to the top of Mount Rinjani, 3,726 meters above sea level.
The morning air was quite cold. We started boiling water to make a warm drink, hoping that our bodies would be a little better prepared for the long journey we would go through that day.
At 01.30 Ly’s alarm sounded.
That’s a sign that Ly has to get up and eat the breakfast that we have prepared.
I immediately came out of the tent to make sure he was awake or not.
“Ly, are you awake?” I asked in a low voice.
“Already, Ben,” he replied in the same tone.
“Ly, I’ll get the breakfast.”
“Yes, Ben. Thank you very much.”
At 02.00 we finally left for the top.
We only brought a few essential equipment: drinking water, a camera, and biscuits as a backup of food during the trip.
To reach the top of Rinjani, we had to pass through three main sections. The first section is what we usually call Pongkor, the second part is the ridge, and the third part is Letter E.
Pongkor — Two steps up, one step down
The first part was immediately draining.
Most of the surface was filled with thick sand that made our shoes sink to the ankles. Every step felt heavy. We walked two steps up, but sometimes had to accept the fact that one step went back down.
But Ly still walked with enthusiasm.
On the way he asked me,
“Ben, do you have any tips for getting through this terrain?”
I quickly explained,
“You move after me. Later I will make a foothold. That footprint of mine is the one you use to climb. That way it will be easier.”
“Yes, Ben.”
We also tried this method.
And it turned out to be very successful.
Normally, first-time climbers pass through terrain like this take more than an hour to pass through. But Ly was able to complete it in just about 40 minutes.
At that time, I became more convinced that Ly was a quick learner, quick to adapt, and quickly familiar with nature.
After 40 minutes of travel, we finally arrived at the ridge.
Ridge — When Concentration Becomes Everything
Arriving at the ridge, we rested for a while while drinking.
We couldn’t stop for too long because the air was getting colder. After a while, we resumed our journey.
In this section I keep reminding Ly to focus on the path.
“Ly, focus on the road. On the right and left we are ravine.”
The Rinjani Ridge has a long path. It is not as difficult as the first section, but it requires a very high concentration because the path is narrow and both sides are quite dangerous.
Meanwhile, I myself had actually started to get sleepy.
I just try to focus on Ly’s every step. I keep an eye on how he walks and make sure every step is safe.
Our ridge passed in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Finally this part is finished.
As soon as I passed the ridge, I immediately looked for a place that was safe enough and protected from the wind. We stopped at Batu Beleq to rest for a while, eat biscuits, and drink water.
On the sidelines of the chat, Ly suddenly asked,
“Ben, that’s the lamp of the person who came up here huh?”
“Yes.”
“It means I’m fast, huh?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
Then he asked again,
“Are you asleep, Ben?”
“Yes,” I replied flatly.
It was true. At that time I was really sleepy.
It feels like I want to sleep, even if it’s only five minutes.
But I can’t just close my eyes. I have to keep an eye on Ly. I just don’t want anything untoward to happen.
To be honest, I was quite worried.
This ridge has very limited space. The slightest misstep can be a big problem.
Letter E — Mental, Physical, and Prayer Exams
“At 04.30. Come on, Ben. Continue again,” said Ly inviting me to continue my journey to Letter E.
Without hesitation, I say yes.
We started to enter the Letter E line.
For me, this is where all the climbers’ preparations start to be tested.
Mental, physical, and prayerful.
Not a few climbers cry when passing this path. The climb is really steep.
The surface of Letter E is filled with gravel, rocks, and sand that make every step feel heavier.
The slope feels very extreme.
“Ben, how much longer?” asked Ly.
“At least 1 hour and 15 minutes more if we move like this,” I replied while trying to continue to motivate him.
In this part of Letter E, most of the path is about two meters wide. Therefore, my concern about Ly is slightly less than when I was on the ridge.
But this is precisely where I got my own test.
An overwhelming sense of drowsiness began to strike.
In fact, twice I fell because my concentration was completely broken.
Seeing me fall, Ly immediately told me to rest.
“Ben, take a five-minute break.”
Without thinking long, I said yes.
I stopped and sat down.
Meanwhile, Ly continued his journey.
Before resting, I asked my friend for help to keep an eye on Ly for five minutes.
Because of the drowsiness that was so severe, five minutes felt like an hour.
I was completely asleep.
Until… drooling too. 🤭
My five-minute alarm finally went off.
I spontaneously woke up and immediately looked at Ly.
It turned out that Ly only left me about a 15-minute drive.
Jarak kami masih cukup dekat dan saya masih bisa melihatnya dengan jelas.
I immediately followed.
About three minutes later I managed to get to where Ly was.
Surprisingly, after a short nap, my body felt much better.
“Hiii… Ly, are you okay?” I asked.
Ly looked shocked.
“Have you woken up?” he asked.
I just say yes.
“I’ll help you, Ly.”
I reached out to him.
But Ly just shook his head.
He is still able to do it on his own.
At that time I really saluted.
This woman from Vietnam turned out to be very strong.
He was able to pass through Letter E on his own strength, without relying on me in the slightest.
I’m really proud to see it.
Sunrise from the Belly Letter E
Not long after, we arrived at the stomach of Letter E.
That’s when the sun began to appear.
I invited Ly to stop for a while to enjoy the sunrise, even though we hadn’t reached the top yet.
Ly immediately took her phone.
He began to capture the moment of sunrise.
One photo.
Two photos.
Then continue to take photos.
Maybe about 10-15 photos have been taken.
After that, it was Ly himself who decided,
“Come on, let’s go to the top.”
I just smiled and went back to getting ready.
From then on, my task was only one:
supervise, control, and make sure Ly is okay.
I walked in front of him.
Occasionally I walk with him to keep him motivated.
Not many words came out of Ly’s mouth.
He just followed the instructions I had previously given.
And finally…
At 06.30 am, Ly and I arrived at the top of Mount Rinjani.
3,726 Meters — A Feeling That Is Hard to Explain
Once I got to the top, I really felt proud of Ly.
He succeeded.
After a long journey, sand that made it difficult to walk, narrow ridges, drowsiness, and Letter E that was so steep, he finally stood at the top of Rinjani.
Ly took a few photos and enjoyed the scenery that unfolded before us.
I offered him biscuits.
But he didn’t want to.
He just fell silent while enjoying the scenery.
Maybe at that time there weren’t many words needed.
Sometimes a scene can make a person stay silent for a long time.
We were at the top for about 30 minutes.
After that I advised Ly to immediately go down to the camp area because our journey that day was still very long.
Descending from the Peak
The journey down from the summit takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
We finally arrived back at the camp area around 10.00 am.
Lydia then had breakfast.
After that he asked for time to rest for about an hour before we continued our journey to Lake Segara Anak.
Heading to Segara Anak Lake
After resting, we walked again.
The journey to Segara Anak Lake takes about 3 hours.
About the first 1 hour and 30 minutes we passed through the rocky terrain. After that, about the next 1 hour and 30 minutes we passed a dirt path with a little rock.
Halfway through, we stopped for lunch.
After finishing eating, we continued our journey.
From the lunch place, it is approximately 40 minutes to go to Segara Anak Lake.
As usual, on the sidelines of the trip, Ly still did not forget to capture the beauty of Rinjani.
Every time he sees an interesting scene, the camera goes back to work.
Finally we arrived at Segara Anak Lake.
I immediately took Ly to the edge of the lake to find a good place to take pictures.
We did not plan to stay at Lake Segara Anak that night. Later in the night we will continue our journey and stay at the Propok area camp, through the Torean route.
After being satisfied with taking photos and chatting for a while, we continued our journey to the warm waters of Susu Cave.
Milk Cave — Resting Feet
The journey from Lake Segara Anak to the warm waters of Susu Cave takes about 30 minutes.
Along the way we chatted casually.
Occasionally joking to relieve fatigue.
Once he arrived at the warm water, I advised Ly to take a shower right away or at least soak his feet.
But Ly chose to just soak the leg.
He even invited me to soak my feet so that our feet could feel better after walking a long distance.
I sat next to Ly.
But after a while I felt that our seats were less comfortable.
I then invited Ly to move to a more comfortable place.
I got up and looked for some rocks to sit on for the two of us.
There we chatted again and occasionally joked about the warm water.
Until finally a question from Ly emerged that I still remember today.
“Ben, where did this warm water come from?”
I replied with a little inconfidence,
“From the ground, Ly.”
Either because he didn’t want to prolong the question or because he believed my answer, Ly didn’t look confused.
I smiled to myself. 🤭
We spend about an hour soaking the feet in warm water.
After that, we continued our journey to the Propok camp area.
Propok — Rinjani That Feels Like Switzerland
From the warm water to the Propok camp area takes about an hour.
Along the way we had a casual chat while enjoying the scenery.
This trail is famous for the scenery that is often called Jurassic Park.
From the top of the hill, we began to be able to see the camp area on the edge of the river.
The day starts in the afternoon.
Visibility is slowly getting more limited.
Shortly afterwards we finally arrived at the Propok camp area.
The scenery there feels so beautiful.
There are even certain parts that make me feel like I’m in Switzerland.
Ly also had time to say,
“If it’s still green, maybe it really looks like the one in Switzerland.”
I replied softly,
“That means you’re a very lucky woman, Ly. You came to Rinjani, but you can enjoy the beauty of several countries in one place.”
Ly just smiled.
😊😊😊😊
The day wasn’t just about reaching the top.
It’s not just about how high we walk.
But about how one can come to the mountain as a stranger, then slowly learn to understand nature, learn to believe, learn to survive, and finally create so many stories in one trip.
And our trip with Ly…
not finished.
Continued to Part 3