New SOP Riding Mount Rinjani: Climbing Certificate, Premium Insurance To Accompanied By Guide

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) explained a number of improvements and changes in the new standard operating procedure (SOP) for climbing Mount Rinjani, including the obligation to have climbing experience in other locations.

The Minister of Forestry (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni said that the Ministry of Transportation together with stakeholders carried out an assessment of the difficulty of climbing and compiling a new SOP to climb Mount Rinjani, which is in the Grade 4 category and is not intended for novice climbers or even those who have never done climbing.

"God willing, adagracooli will be the initial guide for us to go to climbing safety. Then also the SOP module for mountain climbing tourism in national parks and natural national parks," said Minister ofhut Raja Juli Antoni as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 13.

Several new SOPs determined by the Ministry of Transportation for climbing Mount Rinjani because they are included in Grade 4, are climbers who are obliged to have experience climbing on other mountains as evidenced by certificates or photos, using guides or climbing with experienced climbers on Mount Rinjani, and having to use premium insurance which comes into effect as of October 1, 2025.

Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) of the Ministry of Transportation Satyawan Pudyatmoko on the same occasion explained that the addition of these requirements was intended to screen up novice climbers or even those who never climbed to the top of Mount Rinjani.

"There is determination, but actually the ability and capacity has not yet reached Grade 4. It must start from Grade 1, Grade 3 if you have passed to Grade 4," he explained.

For the time being, proof of the climbing experience can be done with photo evidence or certificates stating that they have climbed a mountain whose difficulty level is under Rinjani's hiking trail.

Other requirements include health and fitness tests that must be carried out by first-degree health care facilities carried out the day before climbing. Climbers are also only allowed to use a certified guide or guide and registered with the Ministry of Transportation, coupled with a maximum tightening of boundaries for a guide and airport to bring climbers.

As of December 2025, one guide could only bring five climbers and as of January 2026 the limit was increased to only four climbers.

For airports, they can only bring two climbers of foreign nationals (WNA) and only three Indonesian citizens are limited to one reporter.

Mount Rinjani's own National Park reopened on August 11, after being closed for security reviews and SOP fixes after a series of incidents including when Brazilian climber Juliana Marins, who died after slipping into a ravine last June.