- Before you plan
- 5 days: the highlights
- 7 days: beaches and the Gilis
- 10 days: mountains and islands
- 14 days: the whole island
- Getting between destinations
Before you plan
Three things shape every Lombok trip. First, distances look short but take time — two hours from Kuta to Senggigi, three to Senaru, and longer to the far east. Second, Rinjani treks need two to four days plus a recovery day, and the trails are usually closed from about January to March. Third, the Gilis are a separate world: once you are there you will want to stay a few nights.
A good rule is one base per two or three nights. A private driver for the transfer days makes it easy to stop at sights along the way — waterfalls, villages, viewpoints — and costs little more than a straight transfer.
5 days: the highlights
- Day 1 — Fly into Lombok; stop at Sade village on the 30-minute drive to Kuta. Sunset on Bukit Merese.
- Day 2 — Beaches: Tanjung Aan in the morning, Mawun and Selong Belanak after lunch. A surf lesson if you like.
- Day 3 — A day trip to Pink Beach by boat, or a lazy beach day.
- Day 4 — Drive north via Mataram to Senaru: Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls. Overnight in Senaru or continue to Senggigi.
- Day 5 — Coast road to Senggigi via Malimbu; sunset at Batu Bolong, fly out next morning (about 1–1.5 hours to the airport).
7 days: beaches and the Gilis
- Days 1–3 — Kuta and the south coast, as above, with a culture morning in the Sasak villages.
- Day 4 — Drive north to Senaru for the waterfalls; overnight.
- Days 5–7 — Down to Bangsal and across to the Gili Islands for three nights of snorkelling and sunsets. Return by fast boat to Bali, or by boat and car to the airport.
Coming from Bali? Reverse it: fast boat to the Gilis, then Senaru, then Kuta, flying out of Lombok.
10 days: mountains and islands
- Days 1–3 — Kuta and the south coast.
- Day 4 — North-east to Tetebatu: rice-terrace walk and monkey forest.
- Days 5–7 — Sembalun, then a two-day Rinjani trek to the crater rim (or summit), descending to Senaru.
- Days 8–10 — Recover on the Gili Islands.
Out of season (roughly January–March), replace the trek with Pergasingan hill and the Senaru waterfalls, and add a day in the secret Gilis.
14 days: the whole island
- Days 1–4 — Kuta, the south-coast beaches, the Sasak villages and a Pink Beach boat trip.
- Days 5–6 — Tetebatu.
- Days 7–9 — Sembalun and a Rinjani trek to Senaru.
- Days 10–12 — The Gili Islands.
- Days 13–14 — Senggigi and a day in Mataram, or two quiet nights on Gili Gede in Sekotong before the ferry to Bali from Lembar.
Getting between destinations
Approximate driving times by car:
| Route | Time |
|---|---|
| Airport – Kuta | About 30 minutes |
| Airport – Senggigi | About 1–1.5 hours |
| Kuta – Senggigi | About 1.5 hours |
| Senggigi – Bangsal (Gili harbour) | About 30–45 minutes |
| Senggigi – Senaru | About 2–2.5 hours |
| Senaru – Sembalun | About 1.5–2 hours |
| Kuta – Tetebatu | About 1.5–2 hours |
| Kuta – Tanjung Luar (Pink Beach boats) | About 1.5 hours |
| Mataram – Sekotong harbours | About 1–1.5 hours |
Hire a car and driver for transfer days (see getting around) — you can stop at sights on the way.
