SENARU VILLAGE

The cool, flower-filled mountain village of Senaru on the slopes of Mt. Rinjani stretches up a hillside spur along a winding road above Bayan. It is a scenic 2.5 hours drive from Mataram or Senggigi to Senaru. The Desa includes the hamlets of Senaru, Batu Koq and Tumpang Sari, and all offer accommodation in simple but pretty homestays (losmen) with lovely views.

The Rinjani Trek Centre is located at the top of the village at the trailhead. It offers information for visitors on the Rinjani Trek, the National Park, Sasak culture and the range of ecotourism activities available for visitors to Senaru. National Park and village entry fees are paid here, and all porters for trekkers have to be hired from the Senaru Porters Group which is also based in the Rinjani Trek Centre. Village guides, including several local women, have been specially trained to escort visitors around the sights. Arrange a guided excursion through the Rinjani Trek Centre or your losmen.

Waterfalls
Senaru’s best known attraction is the Sindang Gila waterfall which attracts many thousands of Indonesian and foreign visitors annually. Located at about 600m above sea level, the waterfall is an easy 20 minute walk down a graded trail and steps from Senaru village. A pleasant alternative return route winds along the edge of the steep valley, following the irrigation canal.
For the more adventurous, Senaru’s “second waterfall” Tiu Kelep is another hour’s walk upriver from Sindang Gila. The scramble over rocks through the tropical forest is rewarded by the beauty of the waterfall and a swim in its deep pool. It is said locally that every time you swim behind the main waterfall of Tiu Kelep you become a year younger!

With access from the main road, Senaru’s “third waterfall” Betara Lenjang is strictly for rock climbers with a local guide and equipment.

Wildlife
During early morning and evening walks in Senaru you are likely to see interesting birds, butterflies and at least one of the two species of monkey who live in the surrounding forest. Long-tailed macaques, known locally as kera, often sit on the road. More elusive is the rare Silvered Leaf monkey, and also known as the black monkey or lutung, which can often be glimpsed in the forest around the waterfalls.

Senaru Traditional Village
A visit to the Senaru Traditional Village, situated next to the Rinjani Trek Centre where the Rinjani trail begins, is greatly enhanced by asking a local guide to show you around. The Sasak inhabitants are the cultural guardians of Mount Rinjani and its surrounding forest and safeguard its spiritual values. Locally guided visits include opportunities to experience the villagers’ daily life, visit their thatched houses, prepare meals using local produce, and understand their traditional way of life.

Morning waterway walk and sunrise
Leave your losmen early for a one and a half hour escorted walk through the fields, past traditional villages and along the irrigation channel that winds through village fields past crops and houses. Enjoy visiting local homes, seeing early morning activities and learning about farming methods. Witness the sun rising from the sea beneath the spectacular sweeping views of north Lombok from the summit of Mt. Rinjani to the coast.

Evening walk and sunset
Below the Senaru Traditional Village, a one and half hour escorted walk along village trails brings you to the “secret waterfall” or “traditional swimming pool”, the Tumpasan Senaru. Enjoy a refreshing swim or late afternoon laze. On the return trip, visit some local hamlets as the people return from their fields, and enjoy the sunset over Mt. Agung in distant Bali from a vantage point in a local orchard.

 

Senaru panorama walk
Discover all the highlights of Senaru on an easy half-day walk through the scenic landscape of palm-fringed rice terraces, waterways, traditional village and rainforest waterfalls. Follow the irrigation channel that winds through the village fields - the lifeline of the district. Local women will guide you, happy to share their special knowledge of culture, customs and nature. This tour departs every morning from the Rinjani Trek Centre.

Cultural performances
By special request in advance, the people of Senaru and Sembalun can treat you to the very special spectacle of their traditional music and dance performances in a village setting beneath Mt. Rinjani