Do monkeys steal food on Mt. Rinjani?

They absolutely will if you leave food unattended or easily accessible. Our guides at Lombok-Indonesia.org have seen enough clever macaque heists to know these animals are persistent problem-solvers when the reward is a banana, granola bar, or packet of crackers.

The most common scenario is a trekker setting down an open backpack at a rest stop, turning away for thirty seconds to take a photo, and returning to find a monkey rummaging through their trail mix or making off with an apple. The monkeys aren’t dangerous, but they’re fast, agile, and surprisingly bold. Once they have your food, they’ll retreat to a tree branch and eat it in front of you with what feels like deliberate smugness.

To prevent this, keep all food in sealed plastic bags inside your pack, zip compartments fully even during short stops, and don’t eat openly at rest stops where monkeys are watching from nearby trees. Our porters store group food in secure bags that monkeys can’t open, and camp kitchens are set up away from sleeping areas to minimize nighttime interest.

A stolen banana is a minor inconvenience, not a safety issue. But the embarrassment of losing your carefully packed lunch to a monkey is real enough that experienced trekkers take precautions seriously and keep their food secure at all times.