What an unbelievable experience from start to finish. The 1am wake up was a shock to the system but honestly worth it , if I could add one thing it would be to perhaps have the collection slightly earlier than 2 am to allow more time for the climb as the gradient is quite steep and so regular stops are necessary as it is a race against time to get to the top for the sun rise. We had the most incredible guide who was in two words both professional and adorable . Maanwiss had the most uplifting smile that was enough to lighten anyones spirits when you needed a breather , with his cheeky little grin calling out “ almost there , just 5 more minutes” he would literally hold the hand of any struggling party in the group and assist them up the mountain , never leaving a man or woman behind. Upon summiting he showed us all the nifty places for photo opportunities and brought the best tasting hot chocolate ever along with our breakfast. After breakfast he literally took us on a photo shoot all along the ridge of the Volcano and what most defiantly sets him aside from all the other guides we saw ,besides his fantastic English and professionalism , was his talent with a camera. He most definitely could be a professional photographer. He was always super patient and waited until everyone was finished before walking us down the mountain to our driver whilst explaining to us more about the Balinese culture. The hot springs is defiantly worth a visit after the climb as the hot water definitely helps soothe those aching muscles. The only bug bare I would have about this place is the cleanliness of its changing facilities . All in all a top day with the best guide, we were so lucky to have Maanwiss as we were utterly spoilt and we were very sad to say goodbye. Stefania

Mount Batur was a complicated experience. The hike was pretty exhausting. It had a lot of steep rocky inclines that I was not prepared for. It started raining right before we got to the top. It was also very windy, so be prepared. I can see how the sunrise would be spectacular here but it was so cloudy that we didn’t see much. The guides cook a breakfast that is simple but very satisfying. On the way down the terrain was very slippery and I ended up falling and spraining my ankle. The guides were very sweet and made sure it wasn’t broken and put a cream to help with the pain. Our driver, Nata, was called to pick us up at the closest check point. I finally made it down, with lots of help from the guide. The Natural Hot springs came next. That was a nice experience. The temperatures seem to vary by pools, so I suggest visiting different pools. Our driver made up our Monkey Forest trip from the previous day, but because of my injury, he asked if a wheelchair was accessible for me to use, and pushed me the whole time. Nata goes above and beyond, and is the nicest person. Next time I’m in Bali, I will not be doing the hike again, but I’ll definitely book with Nata at hirebalidriver.com.

Sakha my driver drove the car very safely while we were still a little sleepy so we could rest on the way to the mountain. Sakha also provides a lot of information with what we should bring. My guide romance was also very friendly and helpful to take a good picture. Thank you for the excellent service