Gunung Agung, Bali (2006)
On the night of August 17th, 2006 Tania and I climbed Gunung Agung, the highest peak in Bali, 3014m high and still an active volcano. It's one of the most amazing things I've experienced.
Gunung Agung seen from Amed, northern Bali
At our quirky (somewhat dodgy and overpriced) homestay in the village of Selat in eastern Bali we met our guide Wayan Teg Teg around 11pm. After checking out headtorches, food, water etc we began with a long drive up steep windy forest roads in a noisy beaten up little bemo to reach the temple of Pasar Agung.
In the darkness we stood at the base of the stairs before the towering entrance gates beneath a beautiful clear starry sky. Teg Teg made prayers and offerings and we began to follow him slowly upwards past the temple buildings into scrub. The vegetation became thicker, the terrain more rugged and we slowly clambered onwards and upwards. The hours passed and we stopped occasionally for breaks to see the lights of Bali and the sea stretching out below, the clouds off into the sky.
A curious volcanic “christmas” tree!
The vegetation began to thin out, the ground became more rocky and steep, and we slowly encountered more and more loose stone. As time went by we began to witness the bare volcanic landscape, making out different colours, surfaces and textures in the luminous light. We ascended further and then slowly traversed bare hillsides of the volcano. We scrambled through rubble, along ravines and up sections of smooth rock face, which became progressively more precarious and near vertical. At times we had secure footholds or a sure grasp, other times rocks would slip away and we would slide, then nervously inch or crawl upwards again with the sound of falling rocks seeming to follow us. Teg Teg was taking us on a route very few local guides apparently considered possible, traversing the side of the volcano in order to reach the highest peak before sunrise in a shorter time.
The contours of the peaks towered over us and seemed to become slowly closer and more defined but it still felt like we were climbing into a mystery. Our guide Teg Teg was an enthusiastic yet patient man who radiated understanding and awareness. We slowly came to terms with the new environment and questioned at many moments whether we were beyond our limit as we crisscrossed the near vertical ravines and rubble like slow spiders. The air cooled around us, a soft breeze began to stir and Teg Teg became more energetic as we negotiated cliff ledges and helped each other through the sections, Tania and I occasionally consumed by fear of falling or sheer disbelief at our precarious predicament.
The final path along the upper ridge beckoned and we hauled ourselves up to the top edge as the terrain became slowly more visible . Early light began to surround us and we climbed towards the end of a peculiar ledge to see the dawn sunlight stretching towards us through the sky. Tania and Teg Teg raced for the peak at the crater's edge like children and I followed to witness a profoundly beautiful landscape emerging in the morning light.
Gunung Rinjani (Lombok island) in the distance as the sun rises
Shadow of Gunung Agung against the clouds
Gunung Abang and Gunung Batur in the distance
Three photos looking around the crater. (Somewhat overwhelmed when I reached the top..) Also had some trouble formatting this sequence on this website.
Delirious...
Looking back to the peak on the descent to Besakih temple
The climb down was a lot more gentle, though still arduous. On the descent we followed a different route, going along a narrow ridge to begin with. It was a well trodden path - unlike the ascent - that gradually became rockier, rougher and more slippery. It soon disintegrated (again) into moments of near uncontrolled sliding down the forest trails which wound their way to Besakih temple, the end point of our journey. It was a substantial distance away from Pasar Agung temple where we'd begun, having traversed a large section of the volcano's slopes in the process.
Forest vegetation near Besakih temple.
Gunung Agung seen from Amed, northern Bali
At our quirky (somewhat dodgy and overpriced) homestay in the village of Selat in eastern Bali we met our guide Wayan Teg Teg around 11pm. After checking out headtorches, food, water etc we began with a long drive up steep windy forest roads in a noisy beaten up little bemo to reach the temple of Pasar Agung.
In the darkness we stood at the base of the stairs before the towering entrance gates beneath a beautiful clear starry sky. Teg Teg made prayers and offerings and we began to follow him slowly upwards past the temple buildings into scrub. The vegetation became thicker, the terrain more rugged and we slowly clambered onwards and upwards. The hours passed and we stopped occasionally for breaks to see the lights of Bali and the sea stretching out below, the clouds off into the sky.
A curious volcanic “christmas” tree!
The vegetation began to thin out, the ground became more rocky and steep, and we slowly encountered more and more loose stone. As time went by we began to witness the bare volcanic landscape, making out different colours, surfaces and textures in the luminous light. We ascended further and then slowly traversed bare hillsides of the volcano. We scrambled through rubble, along ravines and up sections of smooth rock face, which became progressively more precarious and near vertical. At times we had secure footholds or a sure grasp, other times rocks would slip away and we would slide, then nervously inch or crawl upwards again with the sound of falling rocks seeming to follow us. Teg Teg was taking us on a route very few local guides apparently considered possible, traversing the side of the volcano in order to reach the highest peak before sunrise in a shorter time.
The contours of the peaks towered over us and seemed to become slowly closer and more defined but it still felt like we were climbing into a mystery. Our guide Teg Teg was an enthusiastic yet patient man who radiated understanding and awareness. We slowly came to terms with the new environment and questioned at many moments whether we were beyond our limit as we crisscrossed the near vertical ravines and rubble like slow spiders. The air cooled around us, a soft breeze began to stir and Teg Teg became more energetic as we negotiated cliff ledges and helped each other through the sections, Tania and I occasionally consumed by fear of falling or sheer disbelief at our precarious predicament.
The final path along the upper ridge beckoned and we hauled ourselves up to the top edge as the terrain became slowly more visible . Early light began to surround us and we climbed towards the end of a peculiar ledge to see the dawn sunlight stretching towards us through the sky. Tania and Teg Teg raced for the peak at the crater's edge like children and I followed to witness a profoundly beautiful landscape emerging in the morning light.
Gunung Rinjani (Lombok island) in the distance as the sun rises
Shadow of Gunung Agung against the clouds
Gunung Abang and Gunung Batur in the distance
Three photos looking around the crater. (Somewhat overwhelmed when I reached the top..) Also had some trouble formatting this sequence on this website.
Delirious...
Looking back to the peak on the descent to Besakih temple
The climb down was a lot more gentle, though still arduous. On the descent we followed a different route, going along a narrow ridge to begin with. It was a well trodden path - unlike the ascent - that gradually became rockier, rougher and more slippery. It soon disintegrated (again) into moments of near uncontrolled sliding down the forest trails which wound their way to Besakih temple, the end point of our journey. It was a substantial distance away from Pasar Agung temple where we'd begun, having traversed a large section of the volcano's slopes in the process.
Forest vegetation near Besakih temple.
posted by Arran at
9:54 am
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