From Bali
Bali to Rinjani is straightforward. Two options, both reliable.
Option 1: Fast boat
Bali → Bangsal Harbor → Sembalun
Fast boats depart daily from Padang Bai (East Bali) to Bangsal Harbor on Lombok. The crossing takes 2 to 2.5 hours. Several operators run this route — Eka Jaya, Wahana Gili Ocean, and BlueWater Express are the most reliable.
From Bangsal Harbor, the trek team picks you up and drives you to Sembalun. That drive takes about 2 hours through the northern coast road.
Total travel time: 4 to 5 hours. Boat cost: approximately $25-35 one way.
Option 2: Flight
Bali (DPS) → Lombok (LOP) → Sembalun
Flights from Ngurah Rai Airport (Bali) to Lombok International Airport take 25 minutes. Wings Air and Lion Air operate multiple daily flights. Fares range from $30 to $60 one way.
From Lombok Airport, the drive to Sembalun takes approximately 2.5 hours through the interior of the island.
Total travel time: 3 to 3.5 hours. Fastest option.
From Lombok Airport
Lombok International Airport (LOP) → Sembalun
If you are already on Lombok or flying in from Jakarta, Surabaya, or Kuala Lumpur, the airport is your starting point. The drive to Sembalun takes roughly 2.5 hours east through rice terraces, tobacco fields, and mountain switchbacks.
Pickup from the airport is included in every trek package. Arrive the day before your trek starts. The team will drive you to Sembalun and check you into the pre-trek hotel.
From the Gili Islands
Gili T / Gili Air / Gili Meno → Bangsal → Sembalun
Public boats run from all three Gili Islands to Bangsal Harbor on the Lombok mainland. The crossing takes 15 to 30 minutes depending on which island you depart from and sea conditions.
From Bangsal, the team picks you up. The drive to Sembalun takes about 2 hours.
Total travel time: 2.5 to 3 hours. Boat cost: approximately $3-5 (public boat) or $15-25 (private charter).
Many trekkers combine a few days on the Gilis with their Rinjani trek. It works well. Beach first, volcano second.
From Senggigi or Mataram
Senggigi / Mataram → Sembalun
If you are staying on the west coast of Lombok, pickup is included. The drive from Senggigi to Sembalun takes approximately 2.5 hours. From Mataram, slightly longer — around 3 hours.
The road winds through the center of the island, climbing gradually as you approach the Rinjani foothills. The scenery on this drive is worth staying awake for.
Pickup is included in every trek package. Mataram, Senggigi, Bangsal Harbor, Lombok Airport — the team collects you and drives you to Sembalun. No taxis, no negotiation, no confusion. Just tell them where you are and when you arrive.
Arrival timing
Arrive in Lombok the day before your trek starts. The team picks you up, drives you to Sembalun, and checks you into the pre-trek hotel. You eat dinner, meet your guides, and get briefed on the route. The trek begins the next morning.
If you arrive early in the day, you have time to explore Sembalun village, rent any missing gear, and rest before the climb.
Do not plan to arrive the same morning the trek begins. Travel delays happen. Boats get cancelled. Flights get rerouted. Give yourself a buffer.
After the trek
Drop-off is included. The team drives you back to your next destination — airport, Senggigi, Bangsal Harbor for boats to Bali or the Gilis. Tell them where you need to go and they will sort it.
Questions about transport?
Not sure which route works best for your itinerary? Message the team. They arrange this every day and will tell you exactly what to book and when to arrive.