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With a choice of four main craters, there are several ways to approach Gunung Batur (1717m). With your own transport, the easiest way to get to the top is to drive to SERONGGA , west of Songan. From the car park, it's a climb of between thirty minutes and one hour to the largest and highest crater, Batur I . Climbing Batur is best as a dry-season expedition (April-Oct) as paths are unpleasant in the wet season and there are no views. If you're reasonably fit and don't have your own transport, the most common route is to climb up to Batur I from either Toya Bungkah or the road near Pura Jati . Allow two to three hours to get to the top and about half that time to get back down. In daylight , you shouldn't really need a guide for this route, but fewer people climb during the day because of the heat, and the possibility of clouds obscuring the view. From Toya Bungkah, numerous paths head up through the forest - one path starts just south of the car park near Arlina's - and after about an hour you'll come out onto the bare slope of the mountain. From here, just follow the paths that head up to the tiny warung perched way up on the crater rim on the skyline. Most people climb in the dark to get to the top for the fabulous dawn view over Gunung Abang and Lombok's Rinjani. You'll need to leave early (4-5am), and should take a guide as it's easy to get lost in the forest. There are also longer routes on the mountain; for a medium-length trek, climb Batur I, walk around the rim and then descend by another route. The long option involves climbing up to Batur I, walking around the rim to the western side, descending to the rim of crater II and then to the rim of crater III. From here you can either walk down to Toya Bungkah or Yehmampeh (about 8hr in all). You'll need a guide for either of these routes. The Association of Trekking Guides have one office in Toya Bungkah (tel 0366/52362) and another on the road into Toya Bungkah at Pura Jati. They charge Rp300,000 per climb for a maximum of four people for the short trip, while prices for longer treks are negotiable. Organized trekking services also offer guides .
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