Climbing Mount Inerie, Flores: Sunrise at 2,245 Meters

Story of 14 days in Flores

After an incredible boat trip in Riung, we continued our journey to do one of the best hikes on Flores: climbing Mount Inerie, the impressive volcano in Bajawa. The ride there on our scooter took us through small villages, varied road conditions, children waving and calling out greetings, and plenty of warm smiles along the way. By the time we arrived at our accommodation in Bajawa, the air was noticeably cooler. And there it was: Mount Inerie, dominating the skyline. It looked so steep that climbing it seemed almost absurd.

Traditional Village Bena at the Foot of Mount Inerie

We still had time to relax and explore the area before our mountain adventure began in the night. In the afternoon we strolled through Bena, a traditional Ngada village at the foot of Mount Inerie that is simply not to be missed. Locals sell handmade bracelets and woven goods in front of their homes. Bena is one of the best-preserved traditional villages on Flores: two rows of clan houses face each other across a long ceremonial courtyard. At the end of the village, Mount Inerie fills the horizon, a reminder of what was waiting.

One O’clock – Time to Climb Mount Inerie

Then came that moment over dinner: Mount Inerie in the last red light of the day. We knew that very early the next morning, we would be standing up there. The excitement was building. Jackets on, because the nights here get surprisingly chilly, and off to bed early. The alarm was set for one o’clock in the morning.

The alarm rang. Tired. But excited. We were off!

Santos, our mountain guide for the Mount Inerie hike, was already waiting at the agreed meeting point. He knows this mountain; he hikes to the summit every day, moving with a relaxed ease that makes it look like the most natural thing in the world. For him, it is. His job, his mountain, his everyday life. He equipped us with headlamps and warm sweaters. It was still completely dark, and without him we would have been lost. No signs, no obvious path. Santos himself wore rubber boots and moved with an effortless fitness that was quietly impressive.

A wind picked up along the way, and for a moment we weren’t sure we could continue. But Santos led us on, all the way to the summit. No one else was there, just the three of us. We could see other tourists far below; they had turned back. The wind was too strong.

Two and a half hours after setting off, we stood at 2,245 meters. Coffee in hand, the horizon slowly turning orange, a wind that nearly knocked us off our feet. No railings, no viewing platform. Just the mountain, the wind, and raw, unstaged nature. Anyone used to hiking in the Alps, with marked trails, mountain huts, and rescue services on standby, should know: this Flores trekking experience is something else entirely.

The descent was mostly a matter of sliding down, less elegant, but somehow exactly right and a lot of fun. Breakfast afterwards was at Santos’ family home: fish and rice, still early in the morning. We spent the rest of the morning at hot springs just outside Bajawa, the perfect end to an adventure like that, before heading on to the next destination.

Tip: A local guide is strongly recommended for the Mount Inerie hike, as the route is unmarked and difficult to navigate in the dark. Bajawa’s highland climate is cool, so bring layers. The best season for hiking Mount Inerie is the dry months, May to October.