Travel Day 681- Cemoro Lawang to Malang on Java, INDONESIA
As it was to be expected, the day today started with a really early rise in order to walk up Gunung Penanjakan to enjoy the sunrise over the volcano valley of Gunung Bromo…
Me during Sunrise at Gunung Bromo on Java, Indonesia
An early rise in this case meant 3.45am and by 4am I was already walking up the dusty road with four Indonesian guys and one German girl from my homestay. Reaching the view-point of Gunung Penanjakan took then a good hour of quick walking, but unfortunately our Indonesian friends turned out to be not very good on their feet and out of the four, only one ever made it to the top. The walk itself wasn’t actually that bad, but the constant flow of Jeeps, overtaking us while shoveling tourists up the mountain, was really unpleasant because it always left us behind in a big cloud of lava ash…
The only real advantage the Jeeps had for us was the fact that they were helping us with their front light to find the way in the pitch black night and on a ground of black ash. Basically everything around us simply looked black and our little flash lights were not of much use. But actually the many expensive tourist Jeeps were not of much use either, at least not for very long, since the road simply ended half way up Gunung Penanjakan. From then on everyone had to either walk, or step into the next tourist trap and pay for an overpriced horse ride up to the view-point…
Lifting Clouds in the Crater Valley of Gunung Bromo on Java, Indonesia
Luckily it was not only cheap, but also easy enough to do the hike on foot and after the little morning exercise, the sunrise over the craters felt even more rewarding. We found ourselves on the rim of a huge ancient crater, while looking down into a cloud and mist covered crater valley. In the center of this valley were three smaller volcano cones rising up, Gunung Batok, Gunung Bromo and Gunung Kursi. The lowest of the volcanoes, Gunung Bromo, was constantly puffing ash into the air, as was Javas highest volcano, Gunung Semeru, which we could see in the far distance. It was really quite surreal…
We must have spent over an hour on the rim while taking-in the spectacle and trying to snap a photo here and there of the slowly puffing volcanoes. Once the sun was fully up and we felt ready to leave, the walk down was much quicker and the breakfast felt like the best one we ever had. But after the two days of constant travel in busses and boats, this early morning walk with its amazing views over the Bromo valley was definitely the best thing I had done in quite a while…
Ash Desert Landscape at Gunung Bromo on Java, Indonesia
After a little rest, I was then off to the second walk of the day. While the morning had been freezing cold and dark, now that I was descending into the crater valley, it had become extremely hot and bright. The entire crater valley looked like and felt like a desert, only that here instead of sand, everything was covered in powdery ash from the volcanos. It turned out to be a one hour walk as well to reach the top of Gunung Bromo, but it was a soft walk through a really surreal looking landscape that now been entirely revealed by the lifting clouds and the mist…
To my great surprise I was actually able to walk all on my own to the rim of smoke and ash spitting Gunung Bromo. There was no security whatsoever and I didn’t even want to imagine what could happen if someone would slip in the powder and fall into the deep hole of ash, sulfur smoke and strange wave sounds. But these views and sounds of Gunung Bromo impressed me so much that later in the day when I caught a public bemo back to Probolinggo and a public bus to Malang, I couldn’t even be bothered to explore this Dutch colonial city. There was simply nothing that compared to seeing these stunning active volcanoes of Cemoro Lawang in the early morning hours…
Wow great article Dennis. Brings back memories. I went up this volcano in 1995. A few dear friends in Surabaya took me up to this place and then to a waterfall nearby. Looking at your pictures brings back memories.i did take that horse up to foot of the volcano. They charged me IDR 20.000 then. I am sure these days it’s a lot more. It was my first ride on a horse! You surely brought back good old memories, thanks mate. Keep writing.
Thank you very much Joseph! I am very glad to hear that I could bring back some good memories of Gunung Bromo to you. It really was a special place and seeing all these active volcanoes from close up was something I had never done before. Great that you even have some local friends who could show you around. I missed the waterfall, but I am sure I will be back in the Bromo area at some point…
Great photos of Bromo, and yes – I totally agree with the total lack of safety barrier over the rim of the volcanic crater! While walking along the edge with so many other tourists, I always felt like with just a mis-step and I will have rolled down into the crater. Hahaha.
If you do go back to the area, I will greatly recommend visiting Ijen Crater as well. Lovely place and being an active sulphur mine, it is quite a reality check witnessing the Indonesian workers toiling in unfavourable conditions.
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Yidian, actually I had the same thought but when I was standing on top of Gunung Bromo, but there was nobody else. So if I would have slipped, nobody would have even seen me…
Ijen sounds interesting and I will make sure to visit that volcano next time, even if comes with those mines. It’s probably good to see that side of the coin as well sometimes…
Wonderful article Dennis. That is an incredibly early time to get up and the dust clouds from the jeeps must have been a pain. However looking at the photos as an end result I would say it was definitely worth it.
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You are right, it really was an early rise and a pretty dark, dusty and actually quite cold walk up to the viewpoint. But once the sun came out and we could experience Gunung Bromo in the warm low light, everything else was long forgotten…
Those views are amazing! I’ve always wanted to climb a volcano. I’m actually living within sight of one now, in Alaska, but it’s dormant . . . probably just as well.
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Thank you very much Jess! Definitely go and climb the volcano when you get the chance. Maybe it’s a bit more exciting if it is actually active and puffing dust, but even if that is not the case, I am sure the views will still be great…
The first photo is totally breath-taking, I love it! Will definitely visit when I’m at Indonesia, it looks totally awesome!
Thanks a lot Raphael! Definitely visit Gunung Bromo when you get to Indonesia, but try to avoid the tourist peak times. Sometimes it can get really crowded around this volcano…
Whoooah that first photo looks so fake – I mean I know it’s not! Its like a hollywood backdrop. What a great post.
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Thanks a lot Sarah-Jane, I am actually taking it as a compliment! But you are right, the scenery around Bromo does look almost too good to be true at sunrise time…
Omg! The second picture!! Just out of the alien movies!! Fabulous post! IT looks like all the wallpapers from the windows collection come from here!
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Thanks Vini, I am glad to hear that you liked the photos of the volcano landscape by Gunung Bromo so much…
This is amazing ! I’m going in June with my friend and were planning to climb
Loads of volcanos, which tour did you use ?:)
Great to hear that you are going to Indonesia as well Laura! It’s definitely fun to hike up some volcanoes and the best thing about Gunung Bromo is that you don’t need any tour. You just walk on your own and enjoy the stunning views…
Incredible photos! I’m in Sorabaya at the moment but leave for Singapore tomorrow. Unfortunately I have been unwell and these magnificent sights have been hidden from me. The closest I saw was Gunung Merapi smoking from Borobudur, and heard it rumble from Kaliurang. How amazing to feel so connected with the fiery heart of this planet though!
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Thank you very much Rachel! Sorry to hear that you have been unwell and couldn’t visit the volcanoes. Hopefully you are feeling better by now and I am sure there will be another time to make the connection with the fiery heart… 😉
Wow the photo is really awesome. Am planning to visit Gunung Bromo January next year. Cant wait for that.
Thanks a lot Kartina! I am glad to hear that you like the photo, but Gunung Bromo looks even better in reality. Enjoy your visit, I am sure you will like it…
Wow…It’s so wonderful
Aha..just let me know when you are visit Indonesia again, I’ll be happy to help you when you are here ^_^
Thank you very much Analisa! At the moment there is no trip planned, but I am sure that I will visit Indonesia and maybe even some volcanoes again at some point…
wonderful pictures Dennis , i luv it
Thanks a lot Novi! It’s great to hear that you like my impressions of Gunung Bromo at sunrise…
I was visit Bromo on December last year.. I missing them already ,Bromo always Amazed me It was great time and I love it.
Really nice post Dennis, Thank you
Thank you very much Risma! It’s great to hear that you like the post and it’s even better that had the chance to visit Gunung Bromo as well. It is definitely a stunning place with a beautiful volcano, especially when visited during sunrise hours…