International Rinjani Mountain Climbing jn July 2010

The International Rinjani Mountain Climbing event in Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is scheduled in July 2010, with more foreign mountain climbers taking part.

"I have several times coordinated preparations of the international event in Jakarta, and this time its schedule has been set in July 2010," Head of the NTB Cultural and Tourism Agency Lalu Gita Ariadi said here Tuesday.

Ariadi said the organizers of the international event was set up by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Natural Conservation (PHKA), of the Forestry Ministry.

Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia after Mt Kerinci (3,800 meters) in Sumatra, and has become very popular to local and foreign tourists.

The geo-tourism potentials include the beautiful cauldron, lake, peak, waterfalls, hot springs, caves, erruption history, blast-hole and new lava flow, and has therefore been suggested to become the first geopark in Indonesia.

The 3,726 meters high volcano had been suggested to be developed into Indonesia`s first geopark, or one of the 54 geoparks in 17 countries of the world.

Since placed under the management of RTMB, Rinjani had been several time been given national and international awards like the World Agency Award 2004 and the Tourism For Tomorrow Awards in 2006 and 2008.

The Rinjani Mountain Climbing will be started in mid-April to early in December, depending on weather conditions.

The route of the climb will reach Lake Segara Anak, by two routes namely the Senaru climb in 7-10 hours on foot covering eight kilometers, and Sembalun route in 8-10 hours.

Visitors who are already at Pelawangan would still need 4-5 hours to reach the peak of Rinjani through the climbing routes in forests.

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