This is a relatively easy ascent of one of Bali’s top ten volcanic peaks, after an earlier sunrise trek up to the Gunung Sanghyang summit. Mount Lesung (or Gunung Lesung) is one of the less-popular Bali peaks, and it’s my first Bali hike where I don’t encounter a single person until I reach the summit.
The well-defined trail initially ascends quite gently, through beautiful rainforest.
It soon starts to get much steeper as the trail heads directly up to a small saddle between the caldera rim of Mount Lesung, and a smaller crater to its south.
Before heading to the summit I veer right onto a side track that goes up the smaller Gunung Nagaloka (1,749m elevation), where the sacred Naga Loka Temple is located. From here there is a partial view of Gunung Sanghyang to the south.
The temple itself is modest, but the real intrigue lies in Naga Loka, a deep, mysterious vertical shaft believed to be guarded by spirits and protecting what is said to be Bali’s purest subterranean water source. It’s a mystical, sacred subterranean realm in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain mythology inhabited by the Nagas — divine or semi-divine half-human, half-serpent beings. The name Nagaloka means the place of the dragons or the palace of the dragons.
To find answers to the disaster that hit the village, Mpu Kala decided to do penance (deep meditation) in a holy place in the forest. Leaving the comfort of his home, Mpu Kala walked into the dense forest, looking for a place where he could communicate with the gods without interference…
In his vision, he saw Mount Lesung clearly, and from within the belly of the mountain, a very bright light came out. The light came from a cave hidden in the mountain, and in the cave, Mpu Kala saw a giant dragon with scales sparkling like gold, coiled peacefully in its long sleep.
The dragon, which in his vision was referred to as the Loka Dragon, was the guardian of Mount Lesung and the entire surrounding area. Mpu Kala realized that this dragon had been asleep for a long time, and without its protection, the natural balance around Mount Lesung had been disturbed. His vision told him that only by awakening the Loka Dragon from its long slumber could the village be saved from the ongoing disaster.
Budaya Bali
I follow the very steep path that drops into the crater and peer into the black void of Nagaloka Cave (Goa Nagaloka), a vertical lava tube formed by ancient volcanic activity. A recent field survey found that it plunges roughly 250 metres straight down — entering it requires serious technical gear. I retrace my steps to the main trail for the final 300 metres up to the Gunung Lesung caldera rim.
Mount Lesung is a very inactive volcano – it has no recorded eruptions in human history. What makes Mount Lesung unique is its densely forested crater, which you can get some glimpses of through the trees from the trail that follows the crater rim.
There are very limited views from Gunung Lesung, which is heavily forested. A few glimpses of Gunung Sanghyang, and Munduk area to the west.
Near the highest point along the crater trail the vegetation gets a bit clearer, and there is a view to the west of the very distant Mount Raung, Mount Ranti and Mount Merapi – some of the 2000m+ peaks of East Java.
To the south-west are some smaller hills of the Tabanan Regency region, between Mount Lesung and the coast.
At the “summit” of Mount Lesung — the highest point along the crater rim with an elevation of 1,860m — is the small Pura Puncak Anglayang (temple). There’s a small group enjoying lunch on the summit, which are the only people I encounter on the Mount Lesung hike.
I take the same route back, with the return trip taking me exactly an hour and a half at a brisk pace. It hasn’t been the most exciting of my Bali hikes; the slightly longer and more popular route up from Lake Tamblingan passes an additional temple and natural spring and would be a little more interesting. Alternatively, if you’re going with a guide the Mount Lesung Trekking Tour combines the hike to the Mount Lesung summit with a traditional wooden canoe trip across the tranquil waters of Lake Tamblingan.
Three Routes to the Mount Lesung summit
There are three trails to the summit of Mount Lesung, some of which can be combined to form a loop walk:
- From Joglo Kedatuan in the village of Gesing, which is accessed via a slightly rough unsealed road for the last couple of kilometres. This is the most direct route to the summit. 4.8km return / 325m elevation gain / 2-3 hours.
- From Lake Tamblingan (Jalan Danau Tamblingan), the most popular trailhead. From here the trail initially follows the River Mue. You can hire a local guide from here. 10km / 740m / 3-4 hours
- From the Mount Pohen & Mount Tapak Trekking Point to the east, a less established route that initially follows a forestry road before climbing up to the Gunung Nagaloka summit. 13km / 540m / 4-5 hours.
You can combine routes #1 and #2 into a 10km loop (670m elevation gain).
More information
- Budaya Bali – The story of Mpu Kala and the Guardian of the Naga Loka Cave, Gunung Lesung
- Franck Lavigne and Ida Bagus Oka Agastya – Preliminary study: The Birth of Nagaloka [PDF]
- Bali Local Tour Guide – Mount Lesung – A Journey Through Sacred Mountains, Ancient Rainforest, and Tranquil Lake Tamblingan
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