My first trip to Senaru was 2003 was to survey the sarounding areas of MT Rinjan.
My wife and I started with the village off Senaru. Senaru is the main entrance to Gunung Rinjani National Park. We were there only for the day, but more people we met, the more we wanted to stay longer!
When we arrived at the village, we were welcomed by kids as we walked further up the main street. We came to a water fall sign Sendang -gila. A boy came and offered to take us to the water falls. Cannot remember how muchfor the guide -( between 50-100k rp)
On the way to the Water falls, Wayan (the guide) was most informative of the treks avalable that I could take to climb to the summit of Mount Rinjani. Excited by this opportunity, I decided what trek most suited me to embark on in the future. Senaru's best known attraction is the Sendang Gila waterfall which attracts many thousands of Indonesian and foreign visitors annually.
Located at about 600m above sea level, the waterfall is an easy 20 minute walk down a graded trail and steps from Senaru Village, a pleasant alternative return route winds along the edge of the steep valley, following the irrigation canal.
For the more adventurous, Senaru's 'second waterfall' Tiu Kelep is another hour's walk upriver from Sendang Gila. The scramble over rocks through the tropical forest is rewarded by the beauty of the waterfall and a swim in its deep pool. It is said locally that every time you swim behind the main waterfall of Tiu Kelep you become a year younger!
With access from the main road, Senaru's 'third waterfall' Betara Lenjang is a true rainforest adventure strictly for rock climbers with local guide and equipment. We went to the first and second water fall - just magnificent! I kept going in and outof the waterfall and by the time I was finished, I was 21 again.
The walk to the second waterfall was a bit scary, as we came to some concrete steps that looked like it was going to fall over at any moment. Anyway, I was not going to chicken out as my wife started climbing ahead of me. There were no rails - nothing to hang on to after getting half way up - you want to turn back! But where my wife goes - I will follow - (but not all ways!!) Another 100 metres we came to a bridge - at least 50 feet up high, 3 feet wide, 40 feet long Again no rails to hold on to. The bridge also a concrete construction and there is no way you would want to look down!!!
Wenearly had to cross on all fours - this bridge looked like it was straight out off a Indiana jones movie!!
On the way back from the second waterfall, Wayan asked if we would like to take a short cut back. We agreed without any hesitation - es anything would have been better than crossing that bridge again, but you have to cross it once makes you feel alive!!
The short cut he was talking about was a irrigation chanel which was a long winding cave which was pitch black, flowing fast a stream of water. Every 20 metres you would pass a window - as if it was carved into the mountain. We could feel things brush past our feet! We would ask Wayan what this feeling could be and he told us they were just eels. It was getting creapy - what else was living in these waters - but we made it out with no bites!!
This day was the best! Our driver was there waiting to take us back to our hotel. We gave Wayan a well deserved tip - and then tiped him again!!!(We were alive!).
In 2004, we arrive at Denpasar and go to visit friends. We did the usual 'holiday' activities and then three days later, ready for Lombok adventure to attempt to climb Mount Rinjani.
Got up early to catch morning flight. Always book in advance if wanting to have early start in Lombock - flight takes 20 minutes. Rang 'Johns Treks'. Everything ok and will be ready for climb the next day. Arrivedin Mataram ok - grabbed a taxi to Senggigi and checked into usual place 'Graha' The staff are very good - but just cant work out the food (is only so-so) but there are a number of good eats around Senggigi. Our fav cafe is 'Yesy'
After some pottery shopping and taking our treasures to the car, I rolled my ankle and did the macho thing and kept walking that day in and out of the car (shopping all day) - and then it started to hurt badly in the evening. I thought 'this boy wasn't climbing any Mountain' as my ankle swelled up so much- it had to bandaged up.
I rang John the trecker - I told him what happened and I said to him see you next year!! Rang 'Vila Ombak' on Gilli Trawangan and booked room for next 5 days. I wasn't that disapointed as you can sit and see Mount Rinjani from any bar or restourant and get uninterupted views. Had great time - foot was getting better by the time we were back in Bali and after day 15, the swelling had came down
In 2005, I have been planing this trip from last year. I managed to convince my sister, brother in law, my two friends Stewart and Andrew to come along, and my wife bought her friend Cathy to come. We organised the kids (bribed!!) to stay at our parents - Half the time at my wife's parents and then the second half of the time at ny parents. Worked out nicely. We were off for 20 days - no kids! This would be the last time ever we would travel without the kids. My wife and I made a promise. Our smallest boy is 6 now, and older one now 12. The whole gang was on same flight!!
We all met at airport in Melbourne to board plane - no probs we were trying to match our friends Cathy and Andrew up - but was not looking good!! The boys were on the bintangs before you knew it whist in the air, -and we were excited like little children!
Out through customs - no probs - straight to Adhi Dharma cottages where we requested all rooms to be situated on the ground floor.
Lucky for us they had vacancies - my wife and I in one room, my sister and brother in law in noe room, and one room for Cathy and one room for Andrew.
Somehow on the first night the girls ended up in one room and the boys in another with plenty of duty free booze and bintangs.
Everybody was kicking back the next day -we all had to suffer a little bit.
After drinking a couple of more binys we were ok and the girls went off toget tretments for their cure!
We were to leave on day 5 after. The gang had little Kuta expirence and this was their first Bali trip.
We had planned to leave the girls in bali but they decieded to come to Lombok and go on to Gilli Trawangan and meet us after the climb.
We left on the first flight to Mataram and arranged transport straight to Senaru. What a drive!! After 4 hours we were there and met up with John (our guide)and he told us that he could not make this trip. He had busines in Bali - and would arange one of his best guides and 2 porters. We said ok - paid him 800k each - did not bargin with him - looked like they were glad to see tourists.
We cheked in to the hotel at the end of the street - can't remember the name but with stuning flowers and trees with views to die for! You could settle back here for 2 days easy. Rooms ok and clean. It was 2 o'clock in afternoon and we ordered lunch with 4 hungry boys. We just kept ordering food - then along came John. We asked him to join us - he was just going over our itinery for us for tomorrow and went over some technical preperation. He also advised that we would see the rare silvered leaf monkey and also known as the black monkey or Lutung or wild deer.
After a few large bintangs 5 hours later John said they made some very good Arak around here. By this time, we had the restourant staff eating and drinking with us, the guitars came out, songs were being sung and we were going to have the bigest hangover in the morning!!
This now concluded the end of Part One!!
Stay tuned for 'Part 2' if you dare!!