After losing my job, kicking me out of my home, and crashing my motorbike—all in the same week
I booked a last-minute flight to Indonesia and set out to climb an active volcano within 48 hours. A wild escape turned into an unexpected adventure.
Mount Agung – A Night on the Volcano
Bali’s tallest and most sacred volcano, still very much alive, with its last eruption just a few years ago in 2019. It wasn’t a casual hike. This was a two-day trek that started deep in the jungle and climbed steadily into a different world.
I went with a local guide who knew the mountain like the back of his hand. He led me through dense forest trails where we crossed paths with curious monkeys swinging overhead and even some snake. The air was thick and humid, and every so often we’d stop to pick wild fruits straight from the trees.
By the time we reached base camp, the jungle had thinned out and the temperature had dropped. We set up our tent on a small flat patch overlooking the valley, cooked a good meal over a gas stove, and I got to know more about my guide; raja rimba.
At 5 a.m., still half-asleep and wrapped in layers, it was raining ,we started the final push to the summit. The trail was steep and slippery, with nothing but a faint light from our headlamps and the sounds of our breathing. When we finally reached the top, we were met with a thick wall of clouds. No view, just white. So made a fire and we waited.
And after about an hour — just like that — the sky opened up. The clouds rolled away and the crater revealed itself. Deep, massive, scarred by fire. You don’t just see it — you feel it. Standing there on the rim of something that once exploded into the sky not long ago… it’s humbling, and a little surreal.
Mount Agung wasn’t just a hike. It felt like stepping into the pulse of the island — raw, unpredictable, and alive.
