My story on Mount Rinjani
My name is Lendri. I climbed Mount Rinjani for the first time in April 2016. From that day the mountain became my workplace. I started as a porter – carrying tents, food and cooking gear up the steep trails from Sembalun and Senaru, setting up camp before the guests arrived and cooking for them at the crater rim.
After six months as a porter, I was asked to become a guide, because my English was quite good. I guided groups on Rinjani from 2016 until December 2025. In those years I met people from all over the world – summits at sunrise, nights by Segara Anak lake, and many new friends.
It was not always easy. As a guide I faced many challenges: demanding guests, complaints, storms, strong wind and rain on the crater rim. After so many seasons, all of that became normal for me. It taught me how to keep a group calm, safe and happy, whatever the mountain gives us.
Why I started Trekking Backpacker
In April 2026 I stopped working as a guide and started my own path as a tour operator. Not because I planned a big business, but because guests I had guided before kept asking to climb Rinjani with me again. Since then, even if it is only one or two people, groups go up the mountain with us almost every day.
During my years on the trail, many trekkers told me the same thing: they dreamed of Rinjani, but their budget was tight. So we thought: why not help each other? We run full sharing / join group treks only, we keep our profit small, and we do not cut the quality of the tents, mattresses or food. We still earn something – just not a lot – and that is enough for us.
Our guests are also the reason this website exists. They told me: "Make a website, so it's easy for us to leave a review." So here it is.
"I don't need a big profit. If the trips run smoothly and my guests go home happy, that is more than enough."— Lendri
- Apr 2016First climb of Mount Rinjani, start working as a porter
- Late 2016After 6 months as a porter, promoted to guide
- 2016–2025Guiding groups on the Sembalun, Senaru and Torean routes
- Dec 2025Last season as a guide
- Apr 2026Founded Trekking Backpacker – join group treks for budget travellers
