Volcano trekking tours in East Java

Climb and explore East Java's most active and beautiful volcanoes: Mt Semeru, Java's highest peak, mysterious Mt Bromo and colorful Mt Ijen with its acid lake and impressive sulfur deposits. This is a trekking tour with expedition character designed for small groups. If you are adventurous and seek a tour to combine with your holiday on Bali, this trekking tour would be a perfect choice.

Included in the tour cost: transport throughout East-Java, entry to the Tengger-Bromo-Semeru National Park, most main meals, hotel accommodation- camping equipment supplied).  Most importantly though, you have available to you throughout the tour the services and advice of a PhD qualified, native Indonesian volcanoligist who knows this region intimately.

Program:

Day1

In the late at nigth, a private jeep 4X4 collects you from the Sukapura village and brings you to the Cemoro Lawang village located in  Tengger-Bromo-Semeru National Park where you start to enjoy the sun rise, beautifully located on the rim of the tengger rim caldera with amazing views of Mt Bromo volcano., introduction to the volcanoes of E-Java, and briefing about the following program.Then continue driving up to Mt. Penanjakan 2724 asl.

This day will be free for you to relax and explore this magnificent national park.  You have the option of joining your guide for an easy walk or driving with 4x4(ca. 1hrs round trip) from the view point of Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park (its last eruptions were in Nov. 2000 and June 2004).  You have the choice of climbing the mountain and into the crater if you wish - depending on its activity level.  Tens of thousands of Indonesian and foreign tourist make this climb every year.

(Included: one night acomondatian breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Day2

Today we get up early with our backpacks already packed. After a hot coffee or tea and a small breakfast, equipped with only the necessary gear for 3 days trekking (you can leave the rest of your gear at the hotel) off-road jeeps are waiting to take us to the beginning of the trail to Mt Semeru. With the spectacular light of sunrise, we cross the table-like flat bottom of the caldera, pass by Bromo volcano, and climb the opposite rim of the steep caldera. From here we have a first view onto the ash-belching volcano Semeru.

After a short time we reach a small village at the start of the trail, where a hearty breakfast awaits you in a simple restaurant. In the meanwhile, porters will take care of our food and equipment and start going first. With only water, snacks and cameras in our backpacks, we start our first long trekking day. The path is in most parts easy to walk and goes through thick bushes and rainforests, that finally thin out, until the volcanic wildernes at the base of the steep summit cone is reached. Including stops and walking at normal pace, it will take us about 8-10 hrs to reach the base camp at about 2760m elevation (Kali mati). A delicious warm BBQ dinner at the campsite will restore our energy for the next day.   (Your guide is a master of the Swiss dish: raclette).

(Included: breakfast, permit to climb Mf Semeru, jeep transfers, all meals and drinking water, porter services, camping equipment).

Day3

After a hot tea or coffee, we start well before sunrise on the final, but demanding climb up the very steep, loose slope of Semeru. As it gets light, the stunning spectacle of the volcano's eruptions (gas emissions) comes slowly into view.

Finally, we will stand on Java's highest peak with incredible views over Java and Bali, with many other volcanic peaks around and below us.  In the near distance we can see Semeru volcano's crater throwing out its curling plumes of ash. This is a highlight in the true sense of the word, and it will remain as a vivid picture of our trip.  Caution must, however, be exercised while we are on the summit plateau - an approach to the proper crater rim is off-limits - people have died there! After some time spent on or near the summit plateau, we head back to our second camp, near a lake, where we can relax.
 
(Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, porter services, and camping equipment). 

Day4

We hike back to Ranu Pani, where we have lunch; afterwards,Our mini bus will bring us back to the village of Senduro, crossing the rain forest and villages with rice terrace field view of the long the way to the Lava dam of Semeru volcano. we will return to our next destination  to Ijen plateau

After a late breakfast back at the hotel, we leave the area by minibus, driving through beautiful scenery until we reach the Ijen Plateau by afternoon. Here, we spend the night in the middle of a large coffee plantation, in a charming, old-fashioned hotel (middle class, built by the Dutch colonialists as the headquarters of the coffee plantations). Before we have our dinner in the colonial-style dining room of the hotel, we can take a bath in natural hot springs: this is guaranteed to be an unforgettable, and very relaxing experience - imagine the warm spring waters, the sounds of forest, the fading light of day and starlight in the wonderful surrounds of the plantation.

Before retiring for the night, you will receive a professional standard of briefing about the following day's excursion to the Ijen volcano - its activity levels and hazards.

PS: The hotel owners will not miss the opportunity to sell you the plantation's excellent Javanese coffee (a 250 gr pack costs around 2,5 EUR): this is your chance to bring home original "volcano coffee", with the label of the Ijen volcano plantations !

(Included: breakfast, , minibus transfers, lunch, dinner, entry to hot springs pool, middle class hotel).

Day5

Early in the morning, well before sunrise, we drive a short way to the start of the trail that leads up to the active, beautiful crater of Kawah Ijen volcano (about 1 hr climbing) with its famous blue acid lake (the most acidic in the world!) and the hot, partly liquid sulphur deposits.

The fumaroles are so hot that sulphur comes out as green vapour. The vapour is collected by large pipes, through which the vapor condenses, and at the exit you see red rivulets of liquid sulphur, which then freeze to solid deposits.  These deposits are quarried, in order to obtain huge blocks of pure sulphur. Ijen's sulphur deposits are infamous for the local workers who quarry the sulphur with primitive, health-devastating methods,- an incredibly difficult job.

Gas-masks are provided for your visit to the crater. After plenty of exploration time, we leave the Ijen Plateau

(Included: breakfast, bus transfers, entry fees to Kawah Ijen, gas-masks, lunch).

The tour ends (Included: breakfast, transfer to Surabaya airport or other destinations on East java  route).