Lombok’s tourism potential has not been fully optimized as in Bali. There are many tourist destinations in Lombok that still need to be developed further, one of which is its inland water tourism.
You can find one place in Lombok that offers white water rafting. Here, you can test your adrenaline on the Jangkok River Rafting. Here are some interesting facts about white water rafting on the Jangkok River.
Location
Rafting operator’s office is located in Batu Mekar village, Lingsar District, West Lombok Regency. This place is situated to the northeast of the city of Mataram, about 20 km from the center of the city.
This base camp, as they call it, is actually the end point of the Rafting. You will be taken to the starting point on a Jeep or a pickup. Along the way to the starting point, you can enjoy the natural beauty of Batu Mekar village.
Beautiful trip
You will be taken through a tough track, filled with many challenges. The road is tortuous, with mostly natural dirt road. You will see a lot of fruits in local residents’ plantations, especially durian and rambutan, which are very well known throughout Lombok.
Pricing and safety
To enjoy white water rafting here, you have to pay Rp500,000 per person, with a minimum tour member of 4 participants. This price includes pick-up and delivery from the hotel where you stay in the city of Mataram. Overall, rafting on the Jangkok River will take around 10 hours.
The price you pay for includes transportation services from the hotel to the basecamp, then to the starting point, and after that to return you to the hotel. The price also includes rental of safety equipment such as life jackets, helmets, paddles, and experienced instructor services, insurance, and lunch. In essence, you barely need to prepare anything to be able to enjoy this rafting tour.
Three main challenges
In this rafting course, you will find three main challenges. The first challenge is the ‘welcome challenge’ that you will find at the start of the course. You have to go through a narrow river body with heavy currents. This will shock you.
The second challenge is a dropoff with a height of about 3 meters which will make your boat fall 180 °. In this place, the participants usually shout the loudest. The third challenge is the scariest one. You will have to pass a heavy flow of water at high speed. Here, coordination and teamwork are needed to get through safely.
Rafting tours on this river will be a fun destination, mainly because the distance is not too far from the city of Mataram. You will also get a bunch of facilities with relatively affordable prices. The challenging river makes this rafting course not suitable for non-swimmers and children.
