Hiking to The Top of Mount Gondol

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(Edited)

Hi Everyone, I'd like to share our short hike to Mount Gondol in North Bali. This hike was a part of spiritual journey which I shared before but I did not include this yet.

Mount Gondol, is not like a mount at all, at least for me. It is more like a hill. It is not so high. I don't have information at the moment on how tall it is, but you can walk to its top in about less than an hour.

The way to the top was not that challenging because the local have paved a concrete path to the top. You don't have to walk through thick plants because on this path, it's been cleared. You could also ride a motor cycle to a certain point half way to the top, but it is not safe to do so. Although, some locals do it.

Mount Gondol viewed from a distance. It is located on the shore.

There is a reason why people built a good path leading to the top of the mount. It's because there is a little temple on the top. The good path helps the people to reach the temple quicker and safer. And we used this path as well to reach the Balinese Hindu Temple on the top.

The area underneath the Mount Gondol is a beach which bears the same name like the Mount, the Gondol Beach.

We began our trek just as the sun went down in the west since it would not be hot to walk at that time of the day. Following the ascending path between the bush, we kept our pace slow. We did not want to rush and got all sweaty on the top, since we came to the top to pray at the temple. We would arrive by 7 on the top and it would be starting to get dark by then.

My son was ready in his traditional dress for temple visit and a walking stick he found somewhere.

The bush along the narrow path was not that dense in some part. During my trek, I found some area was covered quick densely with bushes. In some area, the bushes were scarce. Most of the trees growing where even young trees, no more than 5 years old. (I learnt later the local government had planned new trees to preserve the mount in around 2020).

The trees were scarce at some point.

Going to the temple with my family.

the only toilet you will find here.

the last stop for motor cycle was here.

As it got higher, the motor cyclist had no choice but to park their motorcycles at a point half way to the top. The concrete narrow path would change some time into ladders that impossible for them to ride on.

From higher point, different views of the ocean around the mount can be seen. I was able to see the beach below and the nearby fishermen village across the sea. And I looked to the sky in the west to see the sky was getting reddish. The clouds were in purple.

There were electric bulbs hang on trees. They began to be lit up. This certainly help the people when walking along the path to and from the temple.

It's twilight.

The lights from a distance fishermen village across the sea were visible from the path as I walked up to the temple.

Thanks to the light hanging on the tree that illuminated to path.

After ascending slowly for about 40 minutes or so, we finally reached to top of Mount Gondol. We found the small temple which consisted of several shrines and an open building. The priest was very friendly to us and other prayers.

Reaching the top.

Ascending on the last ladders to arrive on the top.

We meet other people who were already on the top. They were sitting around the open building, resting. Some of them had finished their praying and ready to go back down the mount.

Not far from the open building were the shrines. There were five shrines altogether. There was a shrine wrapped in red and white cloth resembling Indonesian flag. It is supposed to be the light house for the spiritual realm, the priest explained. I did not really understand what it mean, but I have reached to a point where I realized even if something is beyond my comprehension, it does not mean it is not true.

The shrines.

The mount was full of rocks, it would be hard to walk if there was no designated path.

I saw some people sitting cross legged by the shrines. The priest lead them to pray. At the background, in the distance, I saw more lights coming from villages and possibly small towns beyond the sea.



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5 comments
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Great post and photos! Thanks for sharing and showing your wonderful hike and experience.
!ALIVE

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Thanks, Brad. Glad you enjoy the post. 🙏🙏

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