Cultural and Service Expedition

Summary

Cafe Rinjani Dawn is owned and operated by Rinjani Dawn Adventures – the locally led team co-founded by Venture Beyond director Angus Lawrence and Senaru-based co-founder Saefudin Zohri. Situated in Batukoq at the start of the Senaru Waterfall Trail, the cafe serves as the operational heart of all school programs – the place where groups arrive, eat, debrief, and begin each day.

The cafe holds a 4.8-star rating on Google and is known for fresh, well-prepared food using locally sourced ingredients. The kitchen maintains an organic garden on site, growing a range of vegetables used directly in meal preparation. All dietary requirements are accommodated – vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-specific diets are all catered for. Schools are asked to provide full dietary information for all students and staff at the time of booking.

During school expeditions, Cafe Rinjani Dawn becomes the daily meeting point for briefings, meals, and end-of-day debriefs. Having a dedicated space owned and run by our own partners – rather than a generic hotel restaurant – makes a genuine difference to the quality and coherence of the program.

Summary

The Senaru Waterfall Trail is the most accessible walk in the program and one of the most rewarding. Starting from Cafe Rinjani Dawn at the edge of Senaru Village, the trail descends through dense forest on the lower slopes of Mount Rinjani before arriving at Sendang Gile – a wide, powerful cascade that drops into a natural pool at around 30 metres. From there, a short onward climb through river gorge and forest leads to Tiu Kelep, a taller and more dramatic waterfall that students can swim beneath in the wet season.

The trail covers 5.1km return with around 213 metres of elevation change. It is well-maintained and manageable for all fitness levels, making it a strong opening activity for mixed-ability groups – physically engaging without being demanding. The forest walk also serves as a genuine introduction to the Rinjani National Park environment, with the canopy, birdlife, and river crossings providing natural talking points for environmental education discussions.

The trailhead at Cafe Rinjani Dawn places this walk directly alongside the Senaru Traditional Village and the local school we partner with – making it straightforward to pair with a cultural visit or community activity on the same day.

Summary

The Bayan Rice Field Walk is a point-to-point trail starting in Teresgenit Village and finishing at Cafe Rinjani Dawn in Batukoq – a natural end point that makes logistics simple for school groups. The walk covers 4.9km through working rice fields, mixed farming terraces, and patches of forest on the mid-slopes above Senaru, with views across the valley towards the coast.

The route is not flat. After a short transfer from Batukoq to the Teresgenit trailhead, the walk climbs to around 592m before descending through the rice terraces and back down into Senaru. The total elevation change of over 500 metres gives the walk a genuine physical dimension while remaining well within the capability of any reasonably fit student group.

This is one of the most visually distinctive walks in the program. Bayan district rice cultivation follows traditional Sasak farming methods, and the terraced landscape – particularly in the growing season – provides an outstanding setting for environmental education discussions around food systems, land use, and rural community life. The walk pairs naturally with a farm visit or a stop at a working coffee or vanilla plantation en route.

Groups finish at Cafe Rinjani Dawn, making this walk a natural fit as a morning activity before lunch and an afternoon briefing or community session.

Summary

The Senaru Panoramic Walk is a cultural trail that begins at Cafe Rinjani Dawn in Batukoq and climbs through rice terraces and highland forest to Senaru Traditional Village – one of the oldest Sasak villages on Lombok and a significant cultural landmark. At 3.4km with 228 metres of elevation gain, it is a manageable walk for all fitness levels and one of the most rewarding in the program.

The route follows the landscape above Senaru Village, opening up panoramic views across the valley and towards the coast as it climbs. The transition from terraced farmland to forest to traditional village gives the walk a natural narrative arc – students move through different layers of the Senaru environment before arriving at the village itself.

Senaru Traditional Village is a living community, not a reconstructed cultural site. Residents maintain traditional Sasak architecture, customs, and ways of life that predate Indonesian independence. A guided visit to the village at the end of the walk – meeting residents, learning about traditional building methods, and understanding the significance of the site within Sasak culture – makes this one of the most educationally rich activities in the program.

The walk pairs naturally with the Senaru Waterfall Trail, which shares the same trailhead at Cafe Rinjani Dawn. Groups completing both walks in a single day will cover the full cultural and natural landscape of the Senaru area.

Summary

The Sembalun Highlands sit on the eastern side of Mount Rinjani at around 1,200m above sea level – a broad, open valley of grassland, farmland, and highland forest with outstanding views up towards the Rinjani crater rim. For Cultural and Service Expedition groups wanting a trekking component without committing to a full mountain program, a day trip to Sembalun adds a genuinely different landscape to the program.

Four day trek options are available, ranging from the accessible Dandaun Trail to the more demanding Anak Dara. All four are return routes starting and finishing at the same trailhead. The right choice for your group will depend on fitness, experience, and the time available – we will give you an honest recommendation during the planning stage.

Dandaun Trail (2.3km, +347m, max 1,537m) is the shortest and most accessible option – a good introduction to highland trekking for groups with limited outdoor experience.

Bao Daya (4.1km, +304m, max 1,555m) covers more distance with moderate elevation gain – well suited to groups that want a longer walk without a steep sustained climb.

Pergasingan Hill (4.3km, +575m, max 1,743m) is a moderate challenge with exceptional views across the Sembalun Valley and towards the Rinjani summit. One of the most rewarding day treks in the area.

Anak Dara (4.7km, +651m, max 1,870m) is the most demanding of the four options, reaching almost 1,900m with over 650m of elevation gain. Recommended for fit, motivated groups looking for a genuine physical challenge as part of the program.

The transfer from Senaru to Sembalun takes approximately one hour by road, making this a comfortable full-day excursion. Schools wanting a more in-depth Sembalun experience – including overnight trekking options – should explore our dedicated Sembalun Highlands Expedition.

Summary

The Gili Islands sit off the northwest coast of Lombok – three small coral-fringed islands with no motorised vehicles, clear warm water, and some of the most accessible reef snorkelling in Indonesia. For school groups based in Senaru, a full day on the Gili Islands provides a genuine contrast to the highland environment and a natural setting for marine environment education.

The journey from Senaru takes approximately 1.5 hours by road to Bangsal Harbour, followed by a 15-minute public boat crossing to Gili Air. Of the three islands, Gili Air is the most suitable for school groups – large enough to offer space and variety, relaxed in atmosphere, and with reef access directly from the beach.

Snorkelling conditions are excellent for students with little or no prior experience. The reefs are shallow and accessible, water temperatures sit between 26 and 29°C year-round, and visibility is typically 10 to 20 metres. Green and hawksbill sea turtles are commonly encountered, along with reef sharks, octopus, and more than 200 species of reef fish.

The marine environment education component of the day can be structured around reef health observation, species identification, and the pressures facing coral ecosystems across Indonesia. This activity maps directly to IB CAS Activity and Service strands and supports UN SDG 14 – Life Below Water. We are currently establishing a formal partnership with a local marine conservation organisation on Gili Air to provide a guided educational program – contact us for current details.