Nachtwanderung auf den Mount Batur

1.20 AM, Ubud, Bali.

While other people are going to sleep, two travelers from far away Germany struggle out of bed. Luckily, we already packed our backpacks and prepared everything the day before. When we are picked up at 2 AM and placed in a car with three half-asleep French people, it's raining. The weather dampens the mood, because you hike to Mount Batur to watch the sunrise from there, not to see the rain clouds passing by.

At 3 AM, we reach a small café, where there is a small snack with coffee and pancakes. The coffee here in Indonesia is so strong that it even makes the tiredness disappear. Also, the fact that the rain has cleared up and it's partially starry here, provides additional motivation.

At 3.45 AM, we are dropped off at the starting point of the hiking trail and handed over to our guide. Armed with headlamps and flashlights, we start. By now, we are wide awake, as the rocky path requires our complete concentration. When it gets steep, the masses of tourists become noticeable. Like so many things in Bali, the "sunrise trek" is no longer a secret tip. Accordingly, there is congestion in the steep section and we make slow progress.

At 5.20 AM, we reach the summit. Our guide recommends a spot that is not yet populated by the crowds. Because it is slightly off the beaten path, we have the perfect view for the next 1 ½ hours. When the sun slowly emerges from behind the mountains of Bali, the view is partially obscured by thick clouds. But with every minute that the sun gets stronger, the clouds disappear a bit more, until we finally get rewarded for the morning effort. Incredibly beautiful. The pictures speak for themselves ; )

Before the descent, our guide takes us to the crater of the volcano, from which light smoke rises. The monkeys are awake now as well and hoping for something edible from the tourists.

At 6.45 AM, we start making our way back to the parking lot. Instead of taking the crowded path of the ascent, we take a quieter path through the forest.

After the return and a twenty-minute drive, we reach a small coffee plantation, where we have a tasting. While various types of coffee are served to us, we actually just want to go to bed.

When we arrive back at our hotel at 10.30 AM and sit down with the other guests for breakfast, we already have 8 hours of excursion in our bones, which become noticeable after the (by now third) breakfast. Therefore, we spend the rest of the day mostly reading and sleeping in the bay window of our accommodation in the rice field.