Hiking a volcano is one of those experiences you simply can’t miss when visiting Bali. As a volcanic island, Bali is home to three main volcanoes: Mount Agung, the highest peak on the island, Mount Bratan, and Mount Batur. During our five-day stay in Ubud, between watching traditional Balinese dance performances and exploring the area’s must-see sights, we decided to set off on an adventure to conquer two of these impressive volcanoes. While the Mount Batur hike is fairly accessible and doesn’t require any particular technical skills, the Mount Agung hike is a whole different challenge. Reaching the summit of Bali’s highest volcano is a demanding trek that requires good physical fitness, but the incredible views from the top make every step, every climb and every effort completely worthwhile. So, grab your hiking boots and come along as we take you on our adventure to climb two of Bali’s most iconic volcanoes: Mount Batur and Mount Agung!
Mount Batur hike: An accessible and popular hike
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Standing at 1,717 metres (5,633 feet) above sea level, the Mount Batur hike in Bali, known as Gunung Batur in Indonesian, is considered a relatively accessible trek. The trail is steep in places but not particularly technical, making it a very popular hike in Bali. Rémi and I did it during our first trip to Bali back in 2017, so we’re pretty confident that Mum can take it on too. It’s her first volcano hike, and the first one for Lucas as well! 🌋
An early start and a night hike
If you want to reach the summit of Mount Batur in time for sunrise, you’ll need an early start: 1:40 a.m. Our driver is already waiting for us, and we set off towards Mount Batur. We begin the hike at 3:30 a.m., trekking through the darkness with a mandatory guide leading the way. The Mount Batur hike starts with a long approach along a paved road. The trail gets steep quickly, and our guide sets a brisk pace at the front. In the darkness, we catch glimpses of Mount Batur’s volcanic lake stretching out at the foot of the volcano, nestled inside the caldera. Along the way, we pass fields of tomatoes, cabbage and chillies. The volcanic soil is naturally rich in nutrients, making these lands particularly fertile and well suited to farming.
After about an hour, we leave the paved road behind and start climbing over volcanic rock. It’s a welcome change from the long, monotonous walk on asphalt. The trail is still relentlessly steep, but the terrain is now much more uneven. Loose volcanic rocks shift beneath our feet, so we have to watch our step to avoid slipping! At first glance, Mount Batur looks like a peaceful, sleeping volcano. But appearances can be deceiving. Batur is actually an active volcano, with its most recent eruption taking place in 2000. During the ascent, our guide stops beside a narrow crack between two rocks. As we hold a hand over it, a wave of warm air rises from the gap and heats our fingers—a reminder that deep inside, the volcano is still very much alive.
Breakfast at the summit of Mount Batur
We take a short break halfway up, sheltered from the wind in a makeshift shelter. Then it’s time to tackle the final stretch to the summit of Mount Batur. We finally reach the top at 5:30 a.m., after two hours of hiking! It’s a great achievement for everyone, but especially for Mum. The climb was tough, but she never gave up. And in the end, we all agree: her first volcano hike wasn’t nearly as challenging as she had expected.
We’re far from being the only ones at the summit, and this is supposed to be the low season! We knew the Mount Batur hike was one of the most popular hikes in Bali because it’s relatively accessible to everyone, including children. Still, we had hoped to find fewer people during the off-season. We settle onto a small bench facing the view… or rather, facing the clouds ☁️. The entire valley is completely hidden from view. What a shame to hike all the way up here only to stare at clouds—we could have done that from down below! 😆 From the summit of Mount Batur, you can usually enjoy a spectacular sunrise and sweeping panoramic views over Lake Batur, Mount Abang and the ocean in the distance. Sadly, not today! That’s the gamble you take when hiking Mount Batur during the rainy season: there’s a good chance the clouds will completely block the view from the summit.
We do get a little breakfast at the top of Mount Batur, though. Perfect timing, because the hike has definitely worked up an appetite! Our guide hands us a banana, a hard-boiled egg and two slices of plain white bread. I double-check with him just in case (maybe he accidentally dropped a slice of ham somewhere along the way?). We have a good laugh about it, then enjoy our rather modest breakfast while sitting among the clouds, hoping for a break in the weather that never comes.
We take a few souvenir photos at the summit of Mount Batur to celebrate Lucas and Mum’s very first volcano hike!
Hiking Mount Batur during the rainy season
So far, despite the overcast skies, we’ve been lucky: not a single drop of rain. But our luck runs out as soon as we start the descent. A light drizzle begins to fall, and it follows us all the way down. For the next two hours, we hike through the rain in our bulky ponchos, looking more like a couple of lost mountain elves than seasoned hikers. That’s the gamble of hiking Mount Batur during the rainy season: you might get lucky and enjoy clear skies, but there’s also a good chance you’ll end up climbing in the rain, with little to no view from the summit.
We’re relieved when we realize that our driver has come to pick us up at the end of the paved road—the same road we struggled up on the way there. That means a little less walking for us! We quickly pile into the vehicle and set off back to Ubud, this time in an old van that’s seen much better days than the one we had on the way up: the smell of petrol fills the air, condensation on the windows makes it impossible to enjoy the scenery, and the ride is noisy and anything but smooth. As for the Mount Batur hike, we’re obviously disappointed that we didn’t get to enjoy the views from the summit. Still, it was a great family adventure and one we’ll remember for a long time!
Mount Agung hike: Our challenging ascent of Bali’s sacred giant
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Mount Agung is not only the highest peak in Bali; it is also a sacred place for the Balinese people. Considered the home of the gods, it holds a central place in local spirituality. The Mount Agung hike is known to be a challenging and technical trek, with steep slopes and rugged terrain. So Mum decides to sit this one out. The three of us (Rémi, Lucas and I) set off to climb Mount Agung, which towers over Bali at 3,031 metres (9,944 feet) above sea level. It’s an exciting but risky challenge, especially knowing that rain and clouds could quickly turn this ambitious climb into a very different adventure.
A Technical Hike That Requires Good Physical Fitness
We’re no strangers to mountain and volcano hikes. It’s an activity we absolutely love—challenging, rewarding and breathtaking all at once. And over the years, we’ve taken on quite a few. Our very first major climb, nine years ago, was Mount Rinjani on the neighbouring island of Lombok, the second-highest peak in Indonesia. That experience sparked our passion for volcanoes. Since then, we’ve also climbed Indonesia’s highest mountain, Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra, reaching 3,805 metres (12,484 feet). Our altitude record, and one that still stands today, is our ascent of Huayna Potosí in Bolivia, at an impressive 6,088 metres (19,974 feet) above sea level. When it comes to volcanoes, our toughest climb so far has been Mount San Cristóbal in Nicaragua, with 1,000 metres (3,281 feet) of elevation gain over just 3 kilometres (1.9 miles). So yes, mountain climbs are definitely our thing—and we love them. Needless to say, we’re incredibly excited to take on Bali’s highest peak: Mount Agung, standing at 3,031 metres (9,944 feet) above sea level.
Hiking Mount Agung during the rainy season: Good or bad idea?
There’s one unpredictable factor that has us worried, though: the rainy season. February is far from the ideal time to hike Mount Agung. At this time of year, the summit is rarely clear, and there’s a high chance that rain and clouds will get in the way. While hiking Mount Agung during the rainy season is not recommended, it isn’t prohibited either. So we decide to take our chances. After all, we’re up for the physical challenge that Mount Agung has in store, and there’s always the hope of being rewarded with an incredible view from the summit.
Just a few days earlier, during our Mount Batur hike, we had spent the entire morning with our heads in the clouds and completely missed the sunrise. The volcano’s summit only emerged from the clouds once we were already back down in the valley, around 8 a.m. Normally, hikers leaving Ubud to climb Mount Agung set off at around 11 p.m. to reach the summit in time for sunrise. But after our experience at Mount Batur, we decide to forget about sunrise and aim to reach the summit around 8 a.m. instead. Hopefully, our strategy will pay off 🤞. So, at 1 a.m. rather than 11 p.m., our driver arrives at our hotel in Ubud. We set off for the Mount Agung trailhead in the rain, feeling motivated but far from confident about the weather.
A long and steep night hike
The trailhead parking lot is completely deserted, except for our guide, who is waiting for us. The other groups set off an hour and a half before we did. Our guide doesn’t speak a word of English and doesn’t seem to have understood that we chose to start so late precisely because we didn’t want to reach the summit in time for sunrise. Quite the opposite: he sets off at a brisk pace into the pitch-black night, clearly determined to get us to the top for sunrise. It’s already 2:30 a.m., and the hike is shaping up to be much more physically demanding than we expected.
The Mount Agung hike begins with an endless staircase that is still under construction. Talk about a tough warm-up! Hundreds of steps have our calves burning from the very start. In fact, a temple is being built higher up on the slopes of Mount Agung, and this staircase will eventually provide pedestrian access to it. By the light of our headlamps, we make our way through a vast construction site carved into the mountainside, crossing small ravines on a few shaky wooden planks and weaving our way between construction vehicles and piles of building materials. Then, just beyond the construction site, comes the jungle. With no transition at all, we disappear onto a narrow, muddy trail. The real climb begins.
We hike through the silent jungle, with damp ferns brushing against our legs and whipping across our faces. The jungle seems almost lifeless, apart from the occasional insects caught in the beam of our headlamps. Our guide doesn’t slow down, determined to keep moving as quickly as possible, apparently convinced that we overslept and are therefore an hour and a half behind his schedule. After two hours of hiking, he finally agrees to take a cigarette break. We sit down and, for the first time, get a glimpse of the view. Miraculously, the sky is perfectly clear. Far below us, we can make out the lights of Bali, and even the neighbouring islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan. For the first time, as we snack on snake fruit, we allow ourselves to dream: what if the weather actually holds throughout the climb? Maybe, just maybe, we’ll finally get to see something from the top. Hope is rising 🤞.
A second wind as daybreak approaches
After more than two hours of hiking, we finally leave the jungle behind. The last trees gradually disappear as we enter the rocky, barren landscape of the volcano. Reassured that we’re keeping up with his pace, our guide continues to power ahead. We eventually catch sight of the headlamps of the groups in front of us, even though they set off an hour and a half earlier! And little by little, one step at a time, we keep climbing higher and higher. Our legs are getting heavy and our breathing is becoming laboured. Every now and then, we turn around to make sure the valley is still visible below us. Still no clouds on the horizon—it’s looking increasingly promising. Hope is building, but so is the tension. At any moment, the weather could change.
The first light of day slowly begins to appear around us. It’s always a second wind on a mountain ascent, as if daylight brings a fresh burst of energy and motivation with it. Then the first fiery hues begin to glow along the horizon. We suddenly realise that, despite setting off an hour and a half later than planned, we’re actually going to make it to the summit in time for sunrise after all. Our performance is, quite frankly, nothing short of incredible! 😆
The final push to the summit is the most technical part of the climb. The steps are wide, the rock is hard and unstable, and one wrong move could send you slipping. Fatigue is starting to take its toll, so we stop once again to refuel with a little sugar. In a few particularly technical sections, we have to put away our trekking poles and grab onto ropes, pulling ourselves up with our arms. Before long, there’s enough daylight to switch off our headlamps. We look up and finally catch sight of the summit. It seems so close, yet somehow those last few metres feel endless and painfully slow. The skies are still perfectly clear, and our excitement is reaching its peak.
A glorious sunrise at the summit of Mount Agung
We finally reach the summit of Mount Agung alongside the other groups, just 10 minutes before sunrise, after 3.5 hours of climbing. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Had we set off earlier, we would have spent a long time cooling down while waiting for the first light of day—and then the sun itself! Instead, we barely have time to find a spot and unpack our breakfast before the majestic spectacle begins.
Watching a glorious sunrise from the summit of a volcano or mountain is always an incredibly moving and awe-inspiring experience. Faced with the raw power of nature, we feel so small, so fragile and vulnerable in front of the vast landscape unfolding before us. As always, a climb like this is a humbling experience, inspiring a deep sense of respect for the mountains and the forces of nature. The Mount Agung hike is by no means the toughest climb we’ve ever done, but the reward at the summit is every bit as satisfying. Bali stretches out below us, a dark, hazy landscape with barely any features visible from this height, all the way to the rugged coastline. Beyond it lies the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, stretching as far as the eye can see. And there, rising majestically above the clouds on the horizon, is a familiar peak: Mount Rinjani. Perhaps some hikers are standing up there right now, witnessing the very same spectacular sunrise?
The smoking crater of Mount Agung volcano in Bali
The view is absolutely incredible. We feel incredibly lucky to witness such a spectacle right in the middle of Bali’s rainy season. Even the guides are euphoric, admitting that this is a truly exceptional moment. “Lucky, lucky,” they keep repeating. And we have to agree! But what makes the experience even more extraordinary? Mount Agung is an active volcano in Bali, and its most recent eruption took place in 2017. So when we turn our backs on the breathtaking view, we’re facing its smoking crater instead. And that is another sight that leaves us completely speechless.
![Smoking Crater of Mount Agung Volcano in Bali, Indonesia](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55239628949_9c0973406e_k.jpg" )
Part two of the Mount Agung hike: The descent!
We spend an hour at the summit, taking in the incredible views and enjoying a well-deserved breakfast of fresh fruit, pastries and hot tea. There are about fifteen hikers, guides included, so it’s safe to say we’re a long way from the crowds we encountered on Mount Batur! Then it’s time to head back down. The first few metres are slow going, as the terrain on the volcano’s steep slopes is particularly rugged and treacherous. Once we reach the vegetation, the guides head off to collect plants that will be used as offerings for an upcoming ceremony. We can hear them calling to one another somewhere on the mountainside, even though we can’t see them. We also spot a few curious monkeys that keep us company for a while. As always with a descent, the trail seems to go on forever. Our legs are heavy and our knees are starting to ache.
We finally make it back to the trailhead parking lot, completely exhausted after two and a half hours of descent. The Mount Agung hike instantly ranks among our favourite volcano climbs, made all the more memorable by the incredible weather we were lucky enough to experience during the rainy season. The adventure only deepens our fascination with volcanoes, so beautiful, majestic and powerful, and our love for this incredible country, Indonesia.
End of our stay in Ubud: Time to continue our journey
Back in Ubud, we celebrate our successful Mount Agung climb with Mum over a big burger. Then it’s back to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon, a few leisurely swims in the pool and a long nap while the rain pours steadily outside. In the evening, Rémi and I venture out to pick up some pad thai and a couple of huge crêpes for dessert, which we all enjoy together under the shelter of Mum’s terrace. It’s still raining, but who cares? The rain stayed away when it mattered most during our Mount Agung hike. So now, it can rain as much as it likes—we’re perfectly happy with that! 😊
This rainy but cozy family evening, sheltered on the terrace in Bali, enjoying delicious pad thai and crêpes while discussing the benefits of magnesium and how to swallow a pill without choking, marks the end of our five-day stay in Ubud. We absolutely loved Ubud: its lively atmosphere, rich and deeply spiritual culture, Hindu temples, the scent of incense drifting through the streets, the typical chaotic traffic, the unexpected encounters around the rice fields, traditional dance performances and majestic volcanoes, walking barefoot through torrential rain, and, of course, all the precious moments we shared as a family. Tomorrow, we’ll leave Ubud for good and head off on new adventures on the neighbouring island of Java. And when it comes to adventure, we’re certainly in for a treat: between a crazy driver and breathtaking volcanoes, Java has some unforgettable surprises in store for us.
FAQ on hiking Mount Agung
Is the Mount Agung hike difficult?
Yes, the Mount Agung hike is considered challenging. The trek is long and steep, takes place at night, and involves very rugged volcanic terrain. When we did the hike, we were in excellent physical shape. And don’t forget: reaching the summit is only half the journey!
Is a guide mandatory for hiking Mount Agung?
Yes! You are now required to have a guide to hike Mount Agung. Since 2025, the authorities have taken a much stricter approach to hikers attempting the climb without a local guide. At least two foreign tourists were reportedly expelled from Bali after ignoring the rules and attempting to climb Mount Agung without a guide. The mountain is considered a sacred spiritual site, while its trails are steep, rugged and poorly marked in places. There have also been serious accidents and fatalities involving hikers attempting the climb without a guide. Since 2025, enforcement of these rules appears to have become much stricter, so we strongly advise against taking the risk of hiking Mount Agung without a local guide.
Can you hike Mount Agung during the rainy season?
Yes you can, and we’re living proof! We had an incredible experience hiking Mount Agung in February, right in the middle of the rainy season. However, while the hike is still possible, conditions can be more challenging. The trail can become very slippery, and clouds may completely obscure the views from the summit. The dry season is still the best time to hike Mount Agung, but there is one major advantage to tackling it during the rainy season: far fewer people on the trail!
What time does the Mount Agung hike start?
The Mount Agung hike usually starts between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. The overnight start allows hikers to reach the summit in time for sunrise. If you’re staying in Ubud, keep in mind that it takes more than two hours by car to reach the trailhead, so you’ll need to leave well before the hike begins. If you’d rather get a little more sleep, you can also book a Mount Agung trek from Sidemen, a village much closer to the volcano.
Is Mount Agung an active volcano?
Yes. Mount Agung is an active volcano and the highest peak in Bali. It experiences periods of volcanic activity from time to time, which can lead to temporary closures of the trail to the summit. Before setting off on a Mount Agung hike, it’s therefore essential to check the latest volcanic activity and trail conditions to make sure the ascent is currently permitted.
