Climbing Mount Bromo in Indonesia

Mount Bromo Experience, Indonesia

We have only one weekend in East Java, Indonesia last January 2012. Bali is 8 hours away from where we stay by land and our only option to have a unforgettable  adventure is climbing Mt. Bromo, Semeru  and the sea of sand , the most popular tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia.

We stayed in the Semeru Park Hotel in Pasuruan City, part of Pasuruan Regency south of Surabaya, the 2nd largest city of Indonesia.

We arranged the shuttle van for our trip in three days ahead of our Sunday trip. We woke-up at 0130 AM in the morning and the van is already waiting outside the hotel. From Pasuruan it took 1 and half hour of winding road to reach the jump-off point going to  Mt. Penanjakan to see the amazing sunrise and scenery. At 03.00 am we haggle to the drivers of  4WD  Jeep to drive us to the viewing point and then to caldera or sea of sand. 

Reaching the Jump-off point Mountain Village of Cemoro Lawang with my collegues after 1 and half hour of drive.

 As we drive along the dark and steppy road going to the viewing deck, the convoy of jeeps suddenly stopped. A fallen tree was blocking the road, OMG the wind speed is getting stronger and no other option but to remove it manually while the others including me are watching. It was already 4 AM and we might missed the sunrise if they could not remove the tree trunk and debris blocking the road. We could see from down below the long line of 4WD jeeps eager to reach the mountain too before the sunrise.

fallen trees blocking the roads

After 30 minutes of drive, we reached the view point. The temperature is already dropping when we reached the viewing deck and some of us brought only few good jacket. It was also raining on the top so it added to the chilling effect of higher elevation.  Jacket can be rented at many sourvenir and coffee shops at Mt. Penanjakan at around 375,000 to 75,000 rupiah . Just see your currency calculator to convert to your preferred currency.

Warming ourselves from fire point provided by the souvenir
shop.

Indonesian designed scraf for sale at souvenir shops

The early morning sights at the Mt. Penanjakan viewing point. 

The rest of the team in their semi- winter suit..

Waiting for the sunrise with other tourist at viewing deck at  Mount Penanjakan with elevation of 2,770 meters. The temperature drop as low as 8 DegC. ggrrrrrrrrr.

Fogging, fogging, fogging

Due to heavy fogs and light rain, we were not able to see the full  sun rise...


At around 6:30 AM we get back to the Jeep and started our traverse down the crater of Mt. Bromo.
What surprise you is the scenic view while going down with the zigzag road.

The  scenic ridge around Sea of Sand

Over-looking the Sea of Sand

Monkeys playing around the road side going down to the crater/caldera

Riding the 4WD Jeep crossing the Sea of Sand.

This mountain besides the Mount Bromo crater

Group action. All 4WD Jeep parked here inside the sea of Sand caldera

An Indonesian lady riding horse for  100,00 Rupiah

Break for a picture. At the background is the trail from 4WD Jeep parking area going to the summit of Mount Bromo.

Horsemen of Mt. Bromo

One of my scenic shot with a native hosre near the summit of Mount Bromo.

Road to Mount Bromo

Steps going to the crater

Crater of Mount Bromo. The concrete railing are already showing signs of corossions.  

Crater filled with water

Top of Mount Bromo. With wind speed that could blow-up your body.

Meeting some new Indonesian friends going up. 

Mountain beside the mount Bromo. I want to visit this place again in the future and want to traverse he whole sea of Sand by foot.

Photos taken during the ascend and descend to Mount Bromo

By 9 AM we departed the Caldera going back to the Cemoro Lawang Village where our shuttle vans are waiting for out next stop, which is Malang City.