29/08/2021
Natural history
Mount Rinjani belongs to a series of volcanoes that developed in the Lesser Sunda Islands because of Indo-Australian crust’s subduction below these Islands. The source of its magma lies at a depth of 165-200kms. The oldest rocks are from the Mesozoic age. Its caldera formation occurred in the 13th century during what is considered ‘one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions since humans learned to write’ and was subsequently filled by Segara Anak, the crater lake, which till then had been a volcanic mountain named the Samalas which stood higher than Rinjani.
Climbing history
Before its eruption in 1847, Mount Rinjani was considered a remote and inaccessible location. Due to this, there is a lack of records with regards to initial expeditions up the mountain. It gained popularity with tourists after the opening of the Rinjani National Park in 1997, but the park has been closed on several occasions since its opening owing to volcanic activity, the latest being in 2016.
Current status
In 2016, more than 90,000 trekkers were said to have made their way up Mount Rinjani. The mountain and its satellites that form the Rinjani National Park has a wealth of spectacular views on offer – from the lush forests of the lower ranges to the active cone of the volcano, the Gunung Barujari and the startlingly blue waters of the caldera, the Segara Anak.
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