Bali warning after tourist, guide get lost on hike

Search and rescue teams were able to locate a missing pair in the dark during a hike on the island’s second highest peak. But they did one thing wrong.

Tourists hiking in Bali have been warned to travel with a licensed guide after two people went missing off Mount Baturkaru – the second-highest peak on the island.

An unlicensed local guide from Jakarta and Turkish female tourist were hiking on one of the several dedicated trails when they strayed widely off path and lost their way on Monday.

It’s understood some trials are unclear in places as Mount Baturkaru is hiked far less frequently than Bali’s two most iconic peaks — Mount Batur and Mount Agung.

Tourists hiking in Bali have been warned to travel with a licensed guide after an unlistened guide and tourist went missing. Picture: Instagram/basarnas_bali

Search and rescue teams with the help of licensed guides, were dispatched to locate the missing pair at about 10.40pm.

And despite the cover of darkness and filtering through densely forested mountain slopes with limited visability, the group successfully tracked the pair.

“Our team, assisted by two local guides, started the search at about 22.40 WITA, with a target search position at an altitude of approximately 1500 metres above sea level,” head of the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office, Nyoman Sidakarya said.

The pair were safely found, 500 meters above sea level. Picture: Instagram/basarnas_bali

According to The Bali Sun, the guide and woman were located 1800 metres above sea level. It took a further hour to hike back to the trailhead, where the co-ordinating search and rescue crew was waiting.

“The condition of the two victims is good, and they did not suffer any injuries, so they were able to immediately return (to their accommodation) independently,” Mr Sidakarya said.

The Javanese tour guide reportedly suggested he had felt confident navigating the route, which is why they had not hired a licenced local guide — nor did the duo has not paid their hiking permit fee either.

According to The Bali Sun, there is a misconception that since Bali’s mountains and volcanoes are not as high as mountains in the Himalayas or the Andes, and therefore, are easy to hike.

But it’s not the case with many technical sections.

Tourists must book a specific hiking guide in order to accompany them on the trek.

In the last week alone, several tourists have been rescued after been rescued on Mount Agung and Mount Baturkaru.

Earlier this year, a 60-year-old Indonesian tourist died after embarking on a solo mission on Mount Agung, while a 29-year-old Dutch tourist died after falling on the volcano.