Pacific Discovery instructor Olivia Kitzerow on what it takes to get a hike-averse group of students up Mount Batur in Bali for sunrise, and the moment on the mountain when it all clicks.
Gap Year Advice · 7 min read
It would be fair to assume that at one point in our lives, we have all willingly backed down from a challenge. In a perfect world, we would have the energy and capacity to rise to every occasion and volunteer ourselves readily for every growth opportunity, regardless of how hard or uncomfortable it would be in the moment.
Unfortunately for my students this semester, the comfort zone was always preferred.
As an instructor I regularly dealt with complaints and last-minute messages saying they were not going to attend an activity. Whether it was putting on wetsuits in the Aussie summer heat, holding a yoga pose for more than ten seconds, or an early wake-up time, the groans were not only audible but visible on the faces of students who almost always just wanted to chill.
When my co-instructor and I realised early on that our group was particularly hike-averse, we made sure to let them know that our hardest hike would come at the very end of the programme.
Mount Batur is a mostly dormant volcano on Bali, last erupting in 2000, that offers a short but steep climb of about 1,800 feet in a little over two miles on loose gravel to spectacular views of the sunrise and the northeast of the island. It is one of the most popular activities on Bali, completed every day by many different types of travellers.
I reassured everyone of this. Despite my efforts, I was met with questions and remarks about the treacherous looming volcano for weeks on end.
How are we meant to carry our things? Where are we supposed to go to the bathroom if we are staying overnight? What happens if I pass out from heat exhaustion?
And my favourite, from one particular student on every single hike we went on leading up to Batur: “I don’t know what to tell you, Olivia. This volcano isn’t happening.”
It was poetic that the hike came at the very end of our trip, the second to last day.
The group had been battling the illness that usually plagues first-time visitors to Bali. They had been overcoming hurdles of group dynamics for weeks, learning how to live in tandem with varying personalities. And most of all they were tired from a busy ten-week itinerary across two countries.
I tried to set the precedent about a week before the hike that no one was getting out of this. Do not try it.
Mostly selfishly, because I really wanted to do this hike and did not want to have to stay behind with anyone feigning illness.
Much to my surprise, no one did.
We were picked up from our accommodation at 2pm and the tension built as we took the hour and a half drive from Ubud and watched the scenery change.
We rounded one corner and the gorgeous mountain appeared on the left side of the car, and we all audibly gasped. Not a cloud in sight. Students saw their challenge right in front of them and mutually agreed: that will look pretty cool at the top.
When we arrived at the parking lot at the base, everyone was itching to get started, mostly to get it over with. We split into two groups, a fast group and a slower-paced group, with a majority choosing the quicker pace.
To use some Gen Z slang I adopted throughout our trip, everyone was locked in.
We silently worked our way up the first part of the trail, going from concrete roads to dirt. Eventually we reached a fork where everyone regrouped. The trail to the right was steeper but shorter. The trail to the left was easier but about fifteen minutes longer.
Once again, to my surprise, a majority of the students took the harder route, and barely even stopped for a break before doing so.
I meandered to the left, and about forty-five minutes later we all met again at the next junction. Faces were red, sweaty, but more importantly, smiling.
One student who particularly hated to feel out of control joked about how he was hyperventilating on the harder trail but kept pushing regardless. A student recovering from a wicked cough triumphantly exclaimed “I did it!” And the last student, who hated hiking the most, emerged from the trail with a smile on her face, albeit followed by “don’t start with me.”
There were only ten more minutes to the top, and we all set off at our own pace.
Everyone was greeted at the top with cheering and encouragement from their peers, aided by the chocolate bars, fruit, and hot beverages that were also present.
There were no complaints about the lack of view due to us being completely shrouded by clouds, just excitement for the sunrise tomorrow as everyone took group pictures with the light that was left.
What was once apprehension of foreign food that could potentially make you sick turned into wolfing down the tempeh, chicken, and soup that the guides provided when it got dark. What was once a couple of people playing an evening game of cards every now and again turned into all students and both instructors using two decks to play simultaneous raucous games of Monopoly Deal in the shelter before bed.
As I was dozing off in my tent not too long after, I overheard a few voices saying “I’m having a lot more fun than I thought I would” and “Camping is like, fire, bro.”
Everyone was up on time the next morning and we all enjoyed the sunrise together before blazing back down the mountain.
It was an emotional and physical feat where students proved their capability to themselves.
And I hope they will always remember: there is joy in a challenge.
That is the moment it clicks. Not at the top of the mountain necessarily, not during the loudest celebration or the most dramatic breakthrough. It is in the quiet realisation, overheard from a tent, that something that seemed impossible turned out to be one of the best nights of the trip.
The Mount Batur sunrise hike is a core part of both the Australia and Bali Gap Semester and the Bali Summer Program. Students hike overnight with local guides, camp near the summit, and wake before dawn for the sunrise. No prior hiking experience required, just willingness.
Australia and Bali Gap Semester (10 weeks): https://www.pacificdiscovery.org/programs/australia-bali-gap-semester
Bali Summer Program (4 weeks): https://www.pacificdiscovery.org/programs/bali-summer
Browse all programs: https://www.pacificdiscovery.org/programs
Book a call with our admissions team: https://www.pacificdiscovery.org/contact-us/get-in-touch/book-call-with-admissions-advisor
Posted by Doreen Mesman on November 02, 2026
