Climbing an Active Volcano: Walking across a ticking time bomb

Mount Rinjani is one of the 452 volcanos in the infamous ‘Ring of Fire’ along the perimeter of the Pacific Ocean.

But its imposing height doesn’t stop tourists and locals hiking to the peak to witness some of the most beautiful views in the country.

Photographer Mate Valtr visited this mountain sprinkled with waterfalls, forests, and the spiritual crater lake, Segara Anak, which bubbles at 20-22 °C.

It takes two to three days to trek across the steep volcano, and more adventurous visitors can take an extra day to reach the summit for the once-in-a-lifetime views.

Mate Valtr said: "One night is spent in a camp on the edge of the crater rim with a breathtaking view of a volcanic lake, literally above cloud level.”

“To reach the summit it's necessary to wake at 3am. In the pitch-dark night you start walking up slippery steep slopes, with the help of a headlight unless you fancy the risk of plummeting a few dozen metres.”

Within the Lake Sagara Anak is the baby volcano Mount Barujari, a result of numerous eruptions in the 1990’s. This lake is where the local Balinese people pray, and offer jewellery to the mountain spirits.

Minor eruptions are always taking place on the mountain, the largest being as recent as October 2015. The local guides and porters however, are never hesitant to climb the mountain with tourists.

Mate Valtr explains: “The most fascinating thing to me was the porters - local guys who are hired to carry supplies and tents that easily weigh close to 40kg.

"They do pretty much the same trek as you, but with unmatched effortless - with only flip-flops on their feet!

"It was a memorable and surrealistic experience, stepping up against the dark silhouette of a big mountain, with an endless starry sky behind it. And then watching the sunrise.”