Senaru village, north Lombok
★ 4.9(892 reviews)
John's Adventures is one of the longest-running and most-trusted Rinjani trek operators, based in Senaru village. Known for fair porter wages, experienced guides, and genuinely good meals on the mountain. Expect 3.5–5 million IDR for a 3-day 2-night Senaru-Sembalun traverse including everything.
# John's Adventures Rinjani: The Trusted Trek Operator
Every long-time Lombok visitor has a Rinjani operator they'd recommend to a friend, and John's Adventures shows up on that list more often than any other. The reasons are subtle but real: fair porter wages, experienced guides, actual food on the mountain, and a decade-plus consistency that budget operators can't match.
Rinjani's porter industry has a history of exploitation — young men carrying heavy loads for low wages, sometimes without proper gear or shoes. John's Adventures was one of the first operators to post fair porter wages publicly and stick to them. Porters here earn roughly 40% above the cheapest budget operators, which is reflected in your trek price.
If fair treatment of porters matters to you (and it should), this is one of the operators that genuinely walks the talk.
On a 3-day trek, meals determine how you feel on day 2 and day 3. Budget operators save money on food — instant noodles, rice, a few vegetables. John's Adventures serves actual cooked meals: tempeh curry, grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, fruit, decent coffee. The difference is visible in trekker energy by day 2 and in recovery by day 3.
Vegetarian and dietary restrictions are accommodated when requested at booking.
Guides are mostly Senaru locals with 10+ years of Rinjani experience. They know the mountain's weather patterns, trail hazards, and altitude effects. Groups are capped at 8 trekkers per guide — larger than a boutique operator but smaller than budget factory operations.
The standard 3-day 2-night Senaru-Sembalun traverse package includes:
Typical price: 3.5–5 million IDR depending on group size and private vs shared options. Private guide + porter for 1 person costs 6–8 million IDR.
Book them for any Rinjani trek where you want reliability, fair operator ethics, and decent meals. Book them especially for first-time trekkers who need experienced guides and patient instruction. Book them if you want to feel good about the porter economics of your trip.
Consider budget operators (20–25% cheaper) if absolute minimum cost is your only criterion and you're willing to accept worse food, faster pacing, and a less-ethical operation.