Mount Batur Cycling Tour

By Vicky · Published Jul. 30th, 2022 · Updated Nov. 21st, 2022

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Whizz around Mount Batur on a wonderful cycling tour of the inner crater, through villages, countryside and a field of black lava.

Get the route by downloading the .gpx or .kml file below. For navigation with Maps.me on your mobile phone, simply download the .kml file and open to add it to the Maps.me bookmarks.

Location

This cycle ride starts from C.Bali Canoeing & Cycling in Kesidan, at the southwest end of Lake Batur. You can rent bikes from here (see below).

This is a free, self-guided cycle tour around Mount Batur. Alternatively, you can take a guided cycling tour* of the black lava fields.

Cycle Route of the Tour around Batur Crater Inner Loop

From C.Bali Canoeing & Cycling, head along the road towards Mount Batur. Continue along the main road to head around the volcano anticlockwise. This is probably the better direction because it saves the best part – cycling through the black lava fields – until last. And, it means you cycle the nicest bit downhill, after heading uphill on the roads near the beginning.

Push Bike Rental near Mount Batur:
We rented bicycles from C.Bali Canoeing & Cycling (location, website). They were very professional, and we got good mountain bikes that were very well maintained.
We stayed for two nights near Mount Batur in Black Lava Hostel* in Batur town. When arriving in the area we were dropped off at the bike rental place. We then cycled, following this route, but made a quick stop at Black Lava Hostel to drop our luggage. We rented the bikes for two days and cycled back to our hostel at the end of the circuit, keeping the bicycles with us overnight. The next day, after hiking up Mount Batur, we cycled a longer loop along the outer rim of the crater before ending at the bike rental place.

Soon there’s a split in the main road. It doesn’t matter which route you take – they join again shortly. We took the left-hand road because it was less busy than the other one. There are some ups and downs on the main road, but none too long or too steep.

Through Village and Countryside

Passing through Batur town, there are some cafes and shops if you need to eat food or get supplies. Rejeng Restaurant is a lovely place for a main meal (think fish) in a great place right by the edge of Lake Batur. For something quick, tasty and cheap, Volcano Guest House and Warung is just the ticket.

Continue cycling along the main road, through a bit of countryside and down into the next village. In the centre at a T-junction, turn left to begin the climb. The road is slightly steep, but not too bad. Once out of town you get great views of Mount Batur and the surroundings.

In not long you’ll reach the highest point on this route, and almost all of the rest is flat or downhill. Keep on following the main road, now downhill, as it bends around the mountain. On the far side you’ll see some large quarries that trucks are taking rocks out of. These trucks join the road for a few kilometres before going a different route up to the crater rim.

As you cycle further, you’ll leave the villages and reach the black lava. The road is quite picturesque here as it winds its way through the lava field. In a short while, the trucks head right up to the crater rim. Continue straight onwards on the flat.

Just after the junction, the road bends around to the right and becomes flat dirt. This is a great section of the cycle tour as there’s almost no other traffic and you cycle through countryside and trees.

Cycling through the Black Lava

The road becomes tarred again, and 2 km from the junction, you’ll reach the turn-off into the black lava. There are some little huts and structures here and a signpost. The track now becomes slightly rough, rocky and gravelly as it meanders through the lava. There is not really any technical difficulty apart from some rocky downhill sections. You can get off and push your bike these few short sections if needed.

There are great views of the lava and Mount Batur on your left. It’s a super fun cycle. After 2.5 km this rocky section ends and you head steeply down a few metres off the lava. The lava never reached further than there, and it’s quite a dramatic difference between the black rocks and green farmland just at its edge. The small road you’re now on heads down to the main road.

Once at the main road, head right and continue by the lake. You’ll reach C.Bali Canoeing & Cycling, and the end of this self-guided cycle tour around Mount Batur, in about 1.5 km. Or, if heading to your accommodation in Batur, turn left and continue for another 5 km.

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For a longer cycle in the area, try our Batur Cater Rim Tour, or if you like hiking try our Mount Batur Hike. For more hikes and bike rides check our Hiking Bali Guide.