In short. From Bali you can fly from the domestic terminal at Ngurah Rai to Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok regency, or sail on the ASDP ferry from Padangbai to Lembar, with ferry tickets sold in Ferizy. Since 11 August 2025 strict park rules apply to climbing Rinjani: a health certificate obtained the day before the start, a signed consent, insurance details, one guide per group of up to five people and booking only through the eRinjani app. In September 2026 booking was stopped because of fires, and since 3 October 2026 five trails are open; for the rainy season in the past two years the park closed all trails from 1 January until the end of March or the start of April.
Where Lombok is and why people go. Lombok is the neighbouring island east of Bali, in West Nusa Tenggara province. The Lombok airport site, in its tourism section, names the main places: the Rinjani volcano at 3726 metres, the third highest in Indonesia, the Segara Anak crater lake, the Benang Kelambu and Tiu Kelep waterfalls, Senggigi beach in the west and the beaches of the south. Off the north-west coast lie the three Gili islands, with a separate guide to the Gilis.
Getting there: by air. Lombok airport is in the village of Tanak Awu, Pujut district, Central Lombok regency, in the south of the island. The list of airlines on the airport's site is AirAsia, the Lion Air group (Batik Air, Lion Air, Wings Air) and the Garuda group (Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, NAM Air). Which of them flies from Bali on your day is visible only on the airline's own site or in a ticket search. The procedure in the Bali domestic terminal, passport, baggage and delays are covered in the guide on domestic flights.
What awaits at Lombok airport. According to the rules on the airport's site:
- Baggage is collected from the belt, with the belt number on the board; lost baggage is reported at the airline's Lost and Found desk.
- A porter charges Rp 10,000 per item; remember his number.
- Taxis are taken at the official taxi desk in the common arrivals hall of the domestic terminal.
- Car rental works at desks in the arrivals hall of the domestic terminal from 07:00 to 22:00, with five operators on the airport's list.
- The airport information line: telephone 172.
Getting there: the Padangbai to Lembar ferry. The ASDP ferry goes from Padangbai in the east of Bali to the port of Lembar in the west of Lombok, and you can take your own scooter or car on it. You buy the ticket in advance in the app or on the Ferizy site. Under Ferizy's terms check-in takes place at the port and only at the time shown in the e-ticket; if you are late, the ticket is lost. At check-in you show an ID matching the ticket data and the vehicle number if you have one. ASDP does not always publish travel times and tariffs; what we found is collected in the guide on ferries. For the Gilis from Bali, a fast boat from Padangbai or Serangan is more convenient.
Rinjani: climbing rules. After the death of a Brazilian tourist in summer 2025, the Rinjani park (Balai Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani) closed the trails from 1 to 10 August 2025 and reopened them on 11 August with new rules. According to detikBali of 9 August 2025 the main ones are:
- Booking only online in the eRinjani app.
- A health certificate obtained one day before the start of the climb.
- A signed informed consent and your insurance details, entered before the ascent.
- A safety briefing on site, in the briefing room or where park staff indicate.
- One certified guide leads no more than five people; one porter serves no more than two foreigners.
- Beginners and children without experience need a guide or an experienced companion; for the summit everyone is advised to take an extra guide.
- The tour operator must supply a tent, cookware, a first-aid kit, a shovel, a survival kit and a rope no shorter than 10 metres.
- Speakers and guitars are banned on the trail.
The park head Yarman called Rinjani a mountain of difficulty category IV. The trails lead from the Sembalun, Senaru, Torean, Timbanuh, Tetebatu and Aik Berik gates.
The fire and closures in 2026. From 1 September 2026, under Ministry of Forestry circular SE.4/KSDAE/SKSDAE/KSA.02.02/08/2026, the park moved to a limited regime because of the wildfire risk and stopped booking in eRinjani; bookings paid earlier were kept, and belongings are checked at the entrance for fire sources (Metro TV citing Antara, 1 September 2026). On 22 September 2026 a fire started at Setampol hill in the Torean area, and by 29 September the fire had covered about 1,100 hectares. On 3 October 2026 the park announced that five trails are open: Sembalun, Senaru, Timbanuh, Tetebatu and Aik Berik; Torean was not on the list, and registration again goes through eRinjani (Katadata citing the park). In winter the park closes the trails for the rainy season: from 1 January to 2 April 2025 and from 31 December 2025 until the end of March 2026. We did not find an announcement of closure for 2027 as of 7 November 2026; last year the closure was reported on 20 December.
Our advice. Plan Rinjani for April to December and book only in eRinjani or through a tour operator who makes the booking there, and keep the confirmation. The health certificate must be obtained the day before, so allow for a night at the foot of the mountain, and check that your insurance covers mountain trekking up to 3726 metres. If you go to Lombok without the volcano, three or four days is enough: the south with its beaches, the west with Senggigi and the Gilis. Before the ferry, check in our channel whether there is a BMKG storm warning for the Lombok Strait, and look at seasonality on the page on weather by month.
What this means for you. Getting to Lombok is simple: by air from the domestic terminal or by ferry with a scooter from Padangbai with a Ferizy ticket. Rinjani is harder: the rules are strict and the status of the trails changes because of fires and rain, so on the eve of the trip open eRinjani and check that your trail is open, and from January until spring expect all trails to close.