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GUNUNG
RINJANI NATIONAL PARK LOMBOK ISLAND INDONESIA
Mount Rinjani & Segara Anak Crater
Lake
Standing
 at
a majestic 3726 m, Mt.
Rinjani located in the North of Lombok, is the
second highest peak in
Indonesia. For the people of
Lombok, Sasak and Balinese alike, this mountain is a
sacred place where, at the summit, the holy gods live.
A large
crater lake Segara Anak, located at 2000 m above sea level is
the destination of many pilgrims, who make the annual trek up
the steep slopes in order to place offerings to the gods in the
lake itself. Within this breathtaking crater lake has appeared a
new and active volcano,
Mt. Barujari.
On the north side of the lake is a hot spring (one of 4 Segara
Anak hot springs
found there) which is said to cure disease.
To climb
such an impressive mountain is an unforgettable experience.
Starting points for such a t rek
can begin at Senaru in the North (or from Sembalun from the
east) ‑ this two or three day trek attacks Rinjani from the West
with a descent to the awesome crater lake before again climbing
up and out and on to the summit.
A model
for ecotourism in Indonesia, the
community-based activities are focused on the
Rinjani Trek Centre in Senaru, the most popular
starting point for the tough trek. Developed with
New Zealand Government assistance since 1999, the
Rinjani Trek Centre embodies under one roof (satu
atap) the unique partnership of the National Park,
tourism industry and local communities that has been
forged to manage and protect the Rinjani mountain
environment.
Rin jani
volcano towers over the beautiful island of Lombok in West
Nusa Tenggara province. Rising from the sparkling rice
terraces to a dizzying height of 3,726 meters, it is the
second-highest volcanic peak in Indonesia.
Only Gunung
Kerinci in Sumatra is higher, at 3805 metres. Unlike the smooth
cones of Bali and Java, Rinjani is more a massif than a single peak:
the huge crater is some six kilometres across, and shelters a deep
lake.
Rinjani volcano on
the island of Lombok rises to 3726 m, second in height among
Indonesian volcanoes only to Sumatra's Kerinci volcano. Rinjani has
a steep-sided conical profile when viewed from the east, but the
west side of the compound volcano is truncated by the 6 x 8.5 km,
oval-shaped Segara Anak caldera. The western half of the caldera
contains a 230-m-deep lake whose crescentic form results from growth
of the post-caldera cone Barujari at the east end of the caldera.
Historical eruptions at Rinjani dating back to 1847 have been
restricted to Barujari cone and consist of moderate explosive
activity and occasional lava flows that have entered Segara Anak
lake.
Th e
whole of the Rinjani area was gazetted as a national park in 1997,
and the mountain is one of the most prized trekking destinations in
Southeast Asia.
Rinjani is located
in a caldera 2.4 km by 4.8 km in size.
There are two active centres located in the eastern part of caldera
- Barujari and Rombongan cones.
Segara Anak Lake is situated inside the caldera.
On 3 November
1994, a cold lahar from the summit area of Rinjani Volcano traveled
down the Kokok Jenggak River.
Thirty people from the village of Aikmel who were collecting water
from the river were killed.
Eruptions of
Rinjani Volcano
2004, 1994, 1966, 1965, 1953, 1949-50, 1944-45, 1941?, 1915, 1909,
1906, 1901, 1900, 1884, 1847
Other Things to
See or Do
Beside the
mountain itself, other things for you to do or see is:
-
Caves
One of the three famous caves (Goa Susu, Goa Payung, dan Goa
Manik), Susu Cave is a good place for self reflection and is
often used as a place to meditate.
-
Healing
Hot Springs
Aiq Kalak means hot water and it is used to cure various
deseases. One of the hot springs is named Pangkereman
Jembangan which is meant a place for dipping. The water
which spurts out of the spring is very hot. People also use
the hot spring to make medicine from coconut cream. After
dipping a bottle of coconut cream in the hot spring if the
liquid becomes clear oily it can be used as medicinal oil.
Then the medicinal oil is used for good things and is called
Siu Satus Tunggal or in Bayan language Siu Satunggal which
means that it can be used to cure a thousand kinds of
disease.
-
Segara
Anak Lake
Segara Anak Lake is so wide it appears like the sea with its
blue water. The name Segara Anak means child of the sea.
Segara Anak Lake holds various mysteries and invisible
power.
-
Local
Strawberry
This plant grows along the route to Mt. Rinjani. It has
thorns like the rose and the fruit is red like strawberry.
It has a sweet and slightly sour taste and is good to eat
when trekkers are hungry and thirsty.
-
Eternal
Flower or Edelweis
The plant or the flowers should not be taken because it
grows in the park and in the mysterious world of the spirit
kingdom. In the past, someone who wanted this flower must be
brave enough to fight and gamble his soul. That is why the
flower is called Sandar Nyawa. The flower has never wilted
and is as old as the mysterious spirits.
-
The
Peak of Rinjani
The people of Lombok believe that the peak of Mt. Rinjani is
where Dewi Anjani, the queen spirit and ruler of Mt. Rinjani
lives. To the south-east from the peak in a sea of dust
called Segara Muncar is the invisible palace of the queen
Dewi Anjani and her followers.
-
Mount
Baru Jari
Gunung Baru is the name of the new volcano which emerged in
the center of Segara Anak Lake. People believe that Gunung
Baru is the navel of Mt. Rinjani. That is why if Gunung Baru
erupted it will not harm the people of Lombok unless the
eruption is from the peak of Mt. Rinjani.
 
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