Mount Rinjani National Park, which surrounds the majestic and sacred 3726-metre high Rinjani volcano, offers a wealth of natural beauty including flora, fauna, forests and springs that produce an array of truly stunning waterfalls.
The park spans the three West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province regencies of East, Central and North Lombok. Each has a choice of picturesque and accessible falls to take you back to nature.
In the East, you’ll find the “Otak Kokoq Joben,” “Mayung Puteq” and “Jeruk Manis” cascades, while Central Lombok offers the “Benang Stokel” and “Benang Kelambu” falls. North Lombok boasts the “Tiu Pupus,” “Kerta Gangga,” “Sindang Gile” and “Tiu Kelep” falls.
Two of the most beautiful waterfalls around the foot of Mount Rinjani are Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu, both in Aik Berik village in the North Batukliang district of Central Lombok.
These cascades are about 30 kilometres from Mataram city and are accessible by motorbike or car in around an hour which takes you through Narmada and Keru to Pancor Dao village, to a left fork to the Teratak village market where a left turn will take you to Aik Berik village.
The journey presents calming views of expansive, green rice fields on which local farmers are always at work. The temperature drops with altitude as travellers near the two falls, refreshing the body and mind for the sights ahead.
Daily, the two waterfalls attract healthy crowds of local, domestic and international tourists, especially during holidays. Two added attractions of the area are the Karang Mas-Mas tourism village, which is famous for its friendly people and variety of craft products, and the Aik Bukaq tourism park which features a swimming pool fed from natural springs around Mount Rinjani.
According to Andra, a tour guide for the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu falls and a member of the Batukliang branch of the Guides Association of Indonesia (HPI), a visit to the area transports you to a new and refreshing atmosphere which washes away the concerns of everyday life.
“The atmosphere of shady forest trees in the wild mountain terrain and the sound of songbirds interspersed with water thundering down the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu falls presents an experience that transcends normal sightseeing,” he says.
For those with a hankering for moderate adventure, the region provides a gateway for a shorter climb to Mount Rinjani than the better known trekking routes from Senaru in North Lombok and Sembalun in East Lombok. “The route from Benang Stokel takes only about eight hours,” said Andra.
This route, according to many sources, is often used by people with supernatural powers making offerings or seeking the blessing of the sacred mountain. Locals habitually use the route for these purposes.
Central Lombok’s Culture and Tourism head, HL Putria, says North Batukliang Is one of three tourist areas in the regency that local government is addressing for intense development. “As well as the waterfall attractions, the area around Benang Stokel has potential for production of fruit and other crops,” said Putria.
“Our administration is planning to develop the area for agritourism and ecotourism by cultivating extensive coffee plantations. Actually, coffee plantations that were first cultivated during the Dutch rule of Lombok are now managed jointly by the Central Lombok government and a company from South Korea.”
Both coffee and cocoa plants are found in the dense, natural forests around the Benang Stokel falls.
A Rp5000 admission fee is charged to enter the site via steps down to the waterfalls on which you will find vendors offering regional food and drinks including satay beef, rice cakes wrapped in coconut leaves and other small snacks.
Conveniently, the Benang Kelambu waterfall is only a few metres from Benang Stokel. The word “benang” means sewing thread or yarn, while “kelambu” translates as drapery or valance. Benang Kelambu was named because its wide cascade of a sheer tier of water falls elegantly like a curtain.
source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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